A Japanese scientist thwarts an international plot to release a deadly virus by mutating it to make people kinder, but something goes horribly wrong ... A darkly funny, mind-blowing speculative thriller from the 'most original writer in Britain' (Daily Express)...

'Utterly believable, dark and disturbing ... one of my books of the year' Trevor Wood

'Brilliantly original ... an alternative reality of the pandemic that's both terrifyingly plausible, relevant and timely' Sam Holland

'Clever, compelling, funny and it really makes you think: could it yet happen? Or did it happen already?' Daily Mail

'Idealism clashes with political cynicism in a scathingly pointed satire that serves as a reminder of how the pandemic brought out the best in people but also, in some instances, the very worst' Financial Times

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Compassion may be humanity's deadliest weapon...

The threat of nuclear war is no longer scary. This is much worse. It's invisible. It works quickly.

And it's coming...

The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute 'Dignity Pills' to its citizens: One last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever ... together. Because the contagion will kill you and the horrifying news footage shows that it will be better to go quietly.

Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it's going to make them... nice. Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host's ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.

Ikeda's quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn't have to be the end.

But kindness may also be the biggest killer of all...

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'One of the best things I've ever read ... incredibly moving and hugely entertaining' Chris McDonald

'It's the author's black humour and thought-provoking observations on human nature and our society that ... take over your brain to the extent that you'll be thinking about it for weeks after' CultureFly

'When Carver switches into full sci-fi, everything that comes before is injected with even deeper and darker themes, adding new layers that make the unpacking of the novel's final conclusion all the more satisfying' SciFi Now

'His best yet. Carver just gets better and better' S.J. Watson

'First and foremost a scathing takedown of government responses to the coronavirus outbreak' SFX

'The final chapters will have you racing through the pages to find out what happens ... Carver manages to get the right balance of dark humour, touching moments and razor-sharp social commentary' Crime Fiction Lover

'Arguably the most original writer in Britain' Daily Express

'Insightful, sharp-minded, and fascinating ... a brilliant twist on a pandemic' Sarah Moorhead

'Thoughtful, challenging and unafraid to examine the impact huge events can have on the human condition ... his most important novel to date' The Madrid Review

'Unflinching, smart and entertaining ... as thought-provoking as it is brilliant' Isabelle Broom

'One of the most compelling and original voices in crime fiction' Alex North