John Marrs

John Marrs is a British author of psychological thrillers and speculative fiction, and a former journalist. He is best known for the novel The One, which was adapted into an eight‑part Netflix television series, and for a sequence of standalone near‑future novels set in the same fictional universe.

Early life and journalism career Marrs is from Northamptonshire, England, and has been based in both London and Northamptonshire. Before becoming a full‑time writer, he worked for around two decades as a freelance journalist, interviewing film, television and music celebrities for British national newspapers and magazines. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian and Guardian Online, OK! Magazine, Total Film, Empire, Q, The Independent and the Daily Star.

Writing career Marrs has described himself as a lifelong reader who turned to fiction writing in his early forties while still working as a journalist. His debut novel, originally published independently as The Wronged Sons in 2013 and later reissued as When You Disappeared, was acquired by publisher Thomas & Mercer following its self‑published success.

He subsequently signed publishing deals for psychological thrillers with Amazon imprint Thomas & Mercer and for speculative fiction with Ebury, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Themes and style Commentators have noted that Marrs's speculative novels frequently focus on near‑future technologies and their social consequences, often involving state or corporate control and the erosion of privacy. Reviews of The One and later works have highlighted his use of short, cliffhanger chapters and intertwined storylines to maintain suspense.

Reception The One received generally positive reviews for its blend of speculative premise and thriller pacing, with Kirkus Reviews calling it "engrossing" and praising its exploration of the darker side of soulmate technology. Later works such as The Passengers, The Minders and The Marriage Act have also been reviewed in crime and genre‑fiction outlets, which have noted Marrs's focus on moral dilemmas and social commentary. The Good Samaritan (2017) Her Last Move (2018) What Lies Between Us (2020) Keep It in the Family (2022) The Stranger in Her House (2024) You Killed Me First (2025) Dead in the Water (forthcoming 2026)

"One" universe / dark future novels The One (2016) The Passengers (2019) The Minders (2020) The Marriage Act (2023) The Family Experiment (2024)