Five
by Ilona Bannister
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Pub Date May 12 2026 | Archive Date Apr 27 2026
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Description
‘Ridiculously good … darkly thrilling and unforgettable’ Chris Whitaker
‘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
* * * *
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 is a tense and intriguing drama that will have you on the edge of your seat, as you race to the end to find out who survives … and who dies.
* * * *
Readers are hooked on FIVE:
'This is a sharply drawn, darkly funny, and quietly devastating character study wrapped inside a ticking‑clock thriller' 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' 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' Reader review *****
Advance Praise
'Sharp, witty and thoughtful' The Sun
‘A furious and tender exploration of family and motherhood’ Pandora Sykes
‘Richly textured, populated by wonderfully observed, deftly drawn characters … Smart, brave and often very funny’ Sarah Haywood, bestselling author of The Cactus
Marketing Plan
Ilona Bannister is a New Yorker but has lived in the UK with her British husband and two sons for fifteen years. She is a dual qualified US lawyer and UK solicitor and practiced immigration law in the UK before she started writing fiction. Ilona's parents and grandparents were Ukrainian immigrants to the US and their history and struggles had a great impact on her life, so she's always interested in stories about migration, otherness, and what it means to be on the outside of a place looking in. She has felt that a lot of times in her life and it's a human experience she likes to explore through writing. Her first book, When I Ran Away, was shortlisted for the First Novel Prize in 2021.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780008770570 |
| PRICE | A$32.99 (AUD) |
| PAGES | 384 |