Shipston author's new book - #stoptheglitch - entertaining and relevant to the pandemic times

#Stoptheglitch by Shipston author Chris Malone is due to be published next month on October 16 - but pre-orders are available now on Amazon

#Stoptheglitch takes place in a post-pandemic world with a nation trying to desperately return to some sense of normality.

The story takes the main character, Robin, on a journey as she tries to flee the congested busyness of society for a remote rural camp in Wales.

But as the glitch or the latest act of cyberterrorism strikes she finds herself pulled back into a conflict to restore society to its full functioning technological self. She becomes stranded in Oxford as the glitch hits, but manages to recruit several companions for the journey back to her Welsh retreat.

Shipston author and retired educator, Chris Malone, wears her #Stoptheglitch face mask

The story takes the reader to the camp in Wales so convincingly I found myself really wanting to go to Robin's peaceful quiet place overlooking the sea.

It puts a spotlight on multiple modern day issues such as the Syrian refugee crisis to our addiction to mobile phones.

The author describes it well here: "The train is filled with people gripping their phones as if their lives depend on them. Ironically, no one is making an actual phone call. It's all the internet and social media."

It also introduces a couple of the key characters well who are from Aleppo, Syria.

Their stories of escape from the war torn country read as though they're written about real life people who managed to get away from Syria and make it to England. It gave me a good up-close and personal look into the Syrian refugee crisis. What's also good is this part of the story doesn't become too political. It provides a very important, yet insightful back story to some key characters in the story.

One of the most compelling parts of #stoptheglitch are the characters. The way the core group of characters are developed really made me want to keep turning the page to see what was going to happen next.

I found the book a very good read. I was on the last 10 or 20 pages for a couple of weeks. It was one of those good books where I didn't want it to end so I put off finishing it.

It's eerily prophetic how the author, Chris Malone, had a complete draft of the book written before the coronavirus pandemic hit in late March. As lockdown started she worked through the editing, and struck a deal with publisher Burton Mayers in May.

For more on Chris Malone's new book #stoptheglitch see her website here: https://chrismaloneauthor.com/blog/stoptheglitch/

While the book is not due to be published until October 16 it can be pre-ordered at Waterstones book shop and Amazon.