The Family Experiment

A dark, twisty, near-future page turner from the 'master of the speculative thriller'

By: John Marrs

Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Clifford Samuel, Eilidh Beaton, Joshua Riley, Justin Avoth, Nneka Okoye, Thomas Judd

'John Marrs is not to be missed' – Freida McFadden, bestselling author of The Housemaid

'Few writers do domestic suspense meets dystopia better than John Marrs' – Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Paris Apartment

'The books of John Marrs have become a quiet phenomenon . . . Thoughtful, well written . . . and alarming' – Daily Mail

Some families are virtually perfect . . .

The world’s population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.

But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch, accessing them via the Metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind MetaChildren has created a reality TV show. It will follow its contestants as they raise a MetaChild from birth to the age of eighteen, in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child – or risk it all for the chance of a real baby . . .

The Goodreads Choice Award 2024 runner up, The Family Experiment is set in the same universe as John Marrs's bestselling novel The One and The Marriage Act. A dark and twisted thriller about the ultimate 'tamagotchi' - a virtual baby.

'Speculative fiction at its best – original, dark and wickedly clever' – C. L. Taylor, author of Every Move You Make

'His best yet. Frighteningly plausible, gripping, dark, and so clever' – Claire Douglas, author of The Woman Who Lied

'Hurtles towards a chilling denouement - a truly thought-provoking, single-sitting thriller' – Ellery Lloyd, author of The Club

'Chilling, inventive, horribly plausible and brilliantly addictive' – C. J. Tudor, author of The Gathering

Critic reviews

Nobody does scarily plausible near-future like Marrs. This - his best yet - is an unsettling and immersive roller coaster which hurtles towards a chilling denouement - a truly thought-provoking, single-sitting thriller. Loved it. (Ellery Lloyd, bestselling author-duo of The Club and People Like Her)

The books of John Marrs have become a quiet phenomenon. The Family Experiment will cement his reputation for writing intriguing thrillers rooted in the near future that tackle big issues without being preachy . . . A thoughtful, well-written, instructive and alarming look at a possible life in the soon to be present.

John Marrs is a writer at the top of his game and The Family Experiment is his best yet. Frighteningly plausible, gripping, dark, and so clever, I raced through this original, high-concept thriller unable to put it down. A thought-provoking examination of what family means. Superb. (Claire Douglas, bestselling author of The Woman Who Lied)

It's so, so, good. This book deserves to be huge. It’s speculative fiction at its very best - original, dark and wickedly clever. I was utterly captivated by the way Marrs melded reality TV, AI and a terrifyingly plausible future. He's created a terrifyingly plausible world. The world building, the characters, the reveals and the twists are so well done that this book is crying out for a Netflix adaptation. (C. L. Taylor, author of Every Move You Make)

The Family Experiment is an eerie and darkly addictive thriller that will have your mind whirling throughout.

If you love Black Mirror you have to read John Marrs. The Family Experiment is chilling, inventive, horribly plausible and brilliantly addictive (C.J. Tudor, bestselling author of The Chalk Man and A Sliver of Darkness)

Clever, compelling and terrifyingly plausible. A near future nightmare that grips from the first page and never let’s go. The Marriage Act is a brilliant examination of relationships and the power we let others have over us. And talk about a page-turner. This one will leave you with paper cuts! (C. J. Tudor, author of A Sliver of Darkness on The Marriage Act)

John’s creative, high-concept thrillers never fail to keep me furiously turning the pages and The Marriage Act is no exception. Pacy and packed full of tension, the book kept me constantly guessing as the thought-provoking plot about marriage and everything that comes with it unfolded in the most sinister of ways . . . dark, immersive speculative fiction at it’s very best! (Sarah Pearse, author of The Retreat and The Sanatorium on The Marriage Act)

A page-turning and thought-provoking read (Daily Mirror on The Marriage Act)

A twisted, terrifyingly plausible tale.

John Marrs is not to be missed (Freida McFadden, bestselling author of The Housemaid)

Great narration

I really enjoyed the narration. it was very immersive and the different narrators made this an immersive listen.
The story was twisty and captivating but I was a little disappointed in the neat ending.

Great story

Reads like an extended episode of Black Mirror. Loved it. Great production (voices sounds etc)!

I just couldn’t get into it.

I don’t know what it was about this one but I just couldn’t get into it. I love his book The One but this one I tried multiple times but couldn’t do it.