An Amazon Best Books of 2026 So Far Pick!

Five passengers. Five minutes until the next train … five minutes until someone dies.

‘Will have you glued to the page … guaranteed to shock and entertain’ The Times

‘Ridiculously good … darkly thrilling and unforgettable’ Chris Whitaker

‘An excellent novel … Bannister has a clear gift for a razor sharp, brutal, and oftentimes hilarious writing style' FIVE star reader review

‘Dark, tense and compulsively readable, Five is a thriller that keeps you constantly questioning what you think you know' FIVE star reader review

'What a fantastic style of writing. Unique in it's telling that had me gripped from the start … I couldn't put it down' FIVE star reader review

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Someone will die here this morning, at this suburban train station. It will happen in the next five minutes when the 7:06 to London Victoria arrives.

Take note of their positions. The child, the mother, the businessman, the old woman and the gambler.

One of them will die despite your attachment to them. There is probably one you want to get rid of. You don’t have to admit who. But perhaps you should ask yourself why.

The train has stopped.

Someone is dead.

Was it who you chose?

It wasn’t your fault …

So why, dear reader, do you feel so guilty?

Five stories. Five minutes until a life ends. Unfolding in real time, FIVE doesn't just tell a story; it provokes, unsettles, and lingers. By weaving together the stories of those complex, flawed lives, Bannister creates a tapestry of human struggle, resilience, and hope. FIVE offers no easy answers, but rather a nuanced exploration of the human condition in all its messy complexity.

* * * *

Praise for FIVE:

‘Brilliantly propulsive … A seriously impressive novel’ Hannah Beckerman

‘Original. Urgent. Disturbing. Brilliant’ Shari Lapena

‘Insightful, emotionally punchy, wryly observed … I read it in one sitting’ Sarah Pinborough

'This is a sharply drawn, darkly funny, and quietly devastating character study wrapped inside a ticking‑clock thriller' FIVE star reader review

'Five stars for Five! … This is a sharp, unsettling and original novel that explores morality, judgement, addiction, motherhood and privilege with confidence and control. It stayed with me long after I finished' FIVE star reader review