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Falling Apart: A dystopian thriller full of twists and intrigue
Will a hunted man risk his life to save a strange, abandoned child?
Ash is in hiding on an uninhabited Scottish island. A mysterious woman and small child appear unexpectedly on the beach near his hideout, and they seem to be in trouble. Risking everything, he breaks cover – setting off a chain of events that will plunge him back into a world torn apart by rival militias.
Guy is a sniper-for-hire lying low in southern France. As tensions escalate in the surrounding region, he faces his toughest challenge yet – a new, high-stakes mission that will test his limits and push him to the edge.
As their paths draw ever closer, Ash and Guy are forced to navigate a dangerous and unpredictable landscape.
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride through a turbulent, near-future Europe where every choice could mean the difference between life and death.
Jan Turk Petrie's latest novel is a tense and twisty thriller, perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood, Tom Watson, and John Marrs.
Ash is in hiding on an uninhabited Scottish island. A mysterious woman and small child appear unexpectedly on the beach near his hideout, and they seem to be in trouble. Risking everything, he breaks cover – setting off a chain of events that will plunge him back into a world torn apart by rival militias.
Guy is a sniper-for-hire lying low in southern France. As tensions escalate in the surrounding region, he faces his toughest challenge yet – a new, high-stakes mission that will test his limits and push him to the edge.
As their paths draw ever closer, Ash and Guy are forced to navigate a dangerous and unpredictable landscape.
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride through a turbulent, near-future Europe where every choice could mean the difference between life and death.
Jan Turk Petrie's latest novel is a tense and twisty thriller, perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood, Tom Watson, and John Marrs.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 20, 2025
7 people want to read
About the author
Jan Turk Petrie
14 books25 followersJan Turk Petrie is an award winning writer who lives in the Cotswolds area of England (UK).
She is the author of twelve novels including:
The fast paced, Nordic thriller series: the Eldísvík Trilogy,
'Running Behind Time' and the three other volumes of her bestselling Cotswolds Time-slip Series
'Too Many Heroes' - a noir thriller set in London England in 1952.
'Towards the Vanishing Point' - a tense, domestic drama mainly set in the 1950s
'The Truth in a Lie' - Jan's first contemporary novel dealing with family dramas and relationships.
''Still Life with a Vengeance' - a contemporary story of a woman whose rock star husband is accused of rape.
Jan's latest novel - 'Falling Apart' a dystopian triller full of twists and intrigue.
A former English teacher with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Gloucestershire, Jan has also penned numerous, prize-winning short stories.
She is the author of twelve novels including:
The fast paced, Nordic thriller series: the Eldísvík Trilogy,
'Running Behind Time' and the three other volumes of her bestselling Cotswolds Time-slip Series
'Too Many Heroes' - a noir thriller set in London England in 1952.
'Towards the Vanishing Point' - a tense, domestic drama mainly set in the 1950s
'The Truth in a Lie' - Jan's first contemporary novel dealing with family dramas and relationships.
''Still Life with a Vengeance' - a contemporary story of a woman whose rock star husband is accused of rape.
Jan's latest novel - 'Falling Apart' a dystopian triller full of twists and intrigue.
A former English teacher with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Gloucestershire, Jan has also penned numerous, prize-winning short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 19, 2025
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Random Things Tours.
Falling Apart is a captivating and believable dystopian type thriller that keeps you trying to thread the pieces together until they all slam into place in a very cleverly written story.
We follow two POV: Ash, who's in hiding on an uninhabited Scottish Island when a woman and a young girl appear on the beach. Ash breaks cover and goes to help the pair, but upon doing so, he ends up being dragged back into a world he had seemingly escaped from. Can he escape it once again and alive? The young girl he saves and helps is very special and has abilities no normal human being possesses. At first, he wants to take her to safety and go back into his own hideout, safe and alone. But as he begins to realise just how special she is and how much danger she is truly in, his outlook changes.
Guy is the second POV in the book and is a sniper-for-hire laying low in the south of France. When a job comes through for an assassination, he faces the toughest challenge of his life - one he can't come away from unscathed.
As the pairs journeys play out and unfold, bringing them a step closer on each page, the wilderness and harsh near-future dystopian setting pulls you in and captivates you until the very last page.
I, for one, did not expect that ending!
Falling Apart is a captivating and believable dystopian type thriller that keeps you trying to thread the pieces together until they all slam into place in a very cleverly written story.
We follow two POV: Ash, who's in hiding on an uninhabited Scottish Island when a woman and a young girl appear on the beach. Ash breaks cover and goes to help the pair, but upon doing so, he ends up being dragged back into a world he had seemingly escaped from. Can he escape it once again and alive? The young girl he saves and helps is very special and has abilities no normal human being possesses. At first, he wants to take her to safety and go back into his own hideout, safe and alone. But as he begins to realise just how special she is and how much danger she is truly in, his outlook changes.
Guy is the second POV in the book and is a sniper-for-hire laying low in the south of France. When a job comes through for an assassination, he faces the toughest challenge of his life - one he can't come away from unscathed.
As the pairs journeys play out and unfold, bringing them a step closer on each page, the wilderness and harsh near-future dystopian setting pulls you in and captivates you until the very last page.
I, for one, did not expect that ending!
August 27, 2025
This book is a dual POV suspense dystopian character driven story following Guy a sniper for hirer and Ash who is hiding on an uninhabited Scottish island.
Ash unexpectedly finds himself with a child in tow and sets out to find her a safe place to live in a world full of uncertainty and dangerous militia groups.
A high stakes mission takes Guy on a rollacoaster of a journey that ends unlike any other he has taken on before.
Through most of the book I had no idea how and why these two men’s lives were going to intertwine and when I thought I knew, i was wrong. When it did become apparent I was like ‘no way!’ Such a clever ending that I didn’t see coming.
The writing is so descriptive that it sweeps you along merrily reading and taking it all in.
It was so easy to read and felt effortlessly smooth. I would have liked to have known maybe more about the reason the world has fallen into unrest and how this all came about however I absolutely loved the Scottish island vibes, the Scottish accents and the brilliantly researched Scottish lifestyle past and present. Even knowing about the delightful midges!
Even though I’d class it a a slower pace to start you really don’t realise it is, it’s griping without all the twist and turns. It draws you in without giving you whip lash. Which really brings home the emotion and connection to the characters.
And thankfully it all made sense in the end and the ending was so clever. Iv not read a book that has mastered such an interwoven and truly unique ending such as this.
I also feel like it could have maybe left the door open for another book?
If there is I would definitely read it.
This is my first book by this author and I’d definitely read more.
Ash unexpectedly finds himself with a child in tow and sets out to find her a safe place to live in a world full of uncertainty and dangerous militia groups.
A high stakes mission takes Guy on a rollacoaster of a journey that ends unlike any other he has taken on before.
Through most of the book I had no idea how and why these two men’s lives were going to intertwine and when I thought I knew, i was wrong. When it did become apparent I was like ‘no way!’ Such a clever ending that I didn’t see coming.
The writing is so descriptive that it sweeps you along merrily reading and taking it all in.
It was so easy to read and felt effortlessly smooth. I would have liked to have known maybe more about the reason the world has fallen into unrest and how this all came about however I absolutely loved the Scottish island vibes, the Scottish accents and the brilliantly researched Scottish lifestyle past and present. Even knowing about the delightful midges!
Even though I’d class it a a slower pace to start you really don’t realise it is, it’s griping without all the twist and turns. It draws you in without giving you whip lash. Which really brings home the emotion and connection to the characters.
And thankfully it all made sense in the end and the ending was so clever. Iv not read a book that has mastered such an interwoven and truly unique ending such as this.
I also feel like it could have maybe left the door open for another book?
If there is I would definitely read it.
This is my first book by this author and I’d definitely read more.
September 6, 2025
Another fascinating trip into Dystopia with a writer whom you can always absolutely trust to deliver. As ever, characters are well fleshed out and scenes and settings skilfully evoked. And - no spoiler alert - there might just be a twist in the tail which you don't see coming!
August 8, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Gripping Dystopian Thriller That Had Me Hooked from the First Page
Falling Apart by Jan Turk Petrie is one of those rare dystopian thrillers that manages to be both intensely personal and sweeping in scope. Set in a fractured, near-future Europe, the novel throws you headfirst into a world where survival is anything but guaranteed, and yet, it's the human moments that stay with you.
From the start, I was drawn into Ash’s quiet, solitary life on a remote Scottish island. His choice to help a mysterious woman and child triggers a chain of events that pulled me in completely. Petrie does an excellent job of portraying the emotional depth of Ash’s past while maintaining high tension. It’s not just about survival; it’s about redemption.
Meanwhile, Guy’s storyline, unfolding in the increasingly unstable south of France, is equally compelling. He’s a sniper-for-hire with his own demons, and Petrie skillfully weaves his arc with Ash’s. Both characters feel complete, flawed, and human, and when their paths finally cross, the payoff is well worth the buildup.
What impressed me was how realistic the world felt. The rival militias, the societal breakdown, the constant danger just one wrong move away, it all seems chillingly plausible. Yet, there’s hope here too, buried beneath the ruins.
If you enjoy dark, character-driven thrillers with sharp twists and emotional depth, think Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid’s Tale" meets a more grounded "Children of Men." Then this one’s for you. I devoured it in two sittings and didn’t want it to end.
Highly recommended.
Falling Apart by Jan Turk Petrie is one of those rare dystopian thrillers that manages to be both intensely personal and sweeping in scope. Set in a fractured, near-future Europe, the novel throws you headfirst into a world where survival is anything but guaranteed, and yet, it's the human moments that stay with you.
From the start, I was drawn into Ash’s quiet, solitary life on a remote Scottish island. His choice to help a mysterious woman and child triggers a chain of events that pulled me in completely. Petrie does an excellent job of portraying the emotional depth of Ash’s past while maintaining high tension. It’s not just about survival; it’s about redemption.
Meanwhile, Guy’s storyline, unfolding in the increasingly unstable south of France, is equally compelling. He’s a sniper-for-hire with his own demons, and Petrie skillfully weaves his arc with Ash’s. Both characters feel complete, flawed, and human, and when their paths finally cross, the payoff is well worth the buildup.
What impressed me was how realistic the world felt. The rival militias, the societal breakdown, the constant danger just one wrong move away, it all seems chillingly plausible. Yet, there’s hope here too, buried beneath the ruins.
If you enjoy dark, character-driven thrillers with sharp twists and emotional depth, think Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid’s Tale" meets a more grounded "Children of Men." Then this one’s for you. I devoured it in two sittings and didn’t want it to end.
Highly recommended.
October 17, 2025
Ash and Guy have much in common.
Both are ex-military and trained in survival.
Both eke out an existence in a post-apocalyptic Europe.
Ash hides on an uninhabited Scottish Island.
Guy keeps to himself in a French village where he is only barely tolerated by the locals.
When a young child washes up on the shore of Ash's island, he finds himself in loco parents for the mute girl and decides he needs to take her to a bigger island where she would have the chance of a life within a community. The pair set off in his boat and he's forced to switch on his transmitter briefly to navigate.
In France, Guy's secret receiver activates for the first time in months with a new assignment from his shadowy bosses. Guy is once again a hunter.
With chapters from both viewpoints, we follow Ash's perilous journey around the islands and Guy's covert trip across the Channel.
The author provides vivid descriptions of rugged terrain, both desolate and abundant, and presents tense encounters with possible friends, faux friends and foes. The enigmatic child adds a startling dimension to the story.
This is a masterclass in suspense. I really enjoyed this book and will seek out other titles by this author.
Both are ex-military and trained in survival.
Both eke out an existence in a post-apocalyptic Europe.
Ash hides on an uninhabited Scottish Island.
Guy keeps to himself in a French village where he is only barely tolerated by the locals.
When a young child washes up on the shore of Ash's island, he finds himself in loco parents for the mute girl and decides he needs to take her to a bigger island where she would have the chance of a life within a community. The pair set off in his boat and he's forced to switch on his transmitter briefly to navigate.
In France, Guy's secret receiver activates for the first time in months with a new assignment from his shadowy bosses. Guy is once again a hunter.
With chapters from both viewpoints, we follow Ash's perilous journey around the islands and Guy's covert trip across the Channel.
The author provides vivid descriptions of rugged terrain, both desolate and abundant, and presents tense encounters with possible friends, faux friends and foes. The enigmatic child adds a startling dimension to the story.
This is a masterclass in suspense. I really enjoyed this book and will seek out other titles by this author.
August 28, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
A page turning dystopian thriller set in the near future.
This book started off really strong and I was hooked from the first page. Ash lives in a hut on a small island in the outer Hebrides. We don’t know why he is so secluded but we get the sense that not all is right with the world. It seems law and order has broken down and there are various militia groups controlling different areas and fighting over them. Into this dystopian world Ash sees a woman walking along the beach with a little girl in tow. As he reaches the water the woman has disappeared and he is left with the little girl not knowing if there is anybody else on the island or if they are safe.
The story pivots between Ash and a man named Guy who we first meet in the south of France, he’s a hit man with dubious morals and is hired to take down a target. As he tries to get to the outer Hebrides he has to avoid the military and the militias and it is an arduous journey.
Who is the little girl and why did her mother kill herself? Can Ash trust any of the communities on the smaller islands and can he outrun the militias? Will Guy find his target and love to tell the tale?
Eerie in its probability, captivating in its style and I did not see the end coming!
Book gifted in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A page turning dystopian thriller set in the near future.
This book started off really strong and I was hooked from the first page. Ash lives in a hut on a small island in the outer Hebrides. We don’t know why he is so secluded but we get the sense that not all is right with the world. It seems law and order has broken down and there are various militia groups controlling different areas and fighting over them. Into this dystopian world Ash sees a woman walking along the beach with a little girl in tow. As he reaches the water the woman has disappeared and he is left with the little girl not knowing if there is anybody else on the island or if they are safe.
The story pivots between Ash and a man named Guy who we first meet in the south of France, he’s a hit man with dubious morals and is hired to take down a target. As he tries to get to the outer Hebrides he has to avoid the military and the militias and it is an arduous journey.
Who is the little girl and why did her mother kill herself? Can Ash trust any of the communities on the smaller islands and can he outrun the militias? Will Guy find his target and love to tell the tale?
Eerie in its probability, captivating in its style and I did not see the end coming!
Book gifted in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 14, 2025
Two gripping story lines set in a near future world. Ash is hiding away from society when he discovers a woman and a child on a beach on his island home. The child is left with Ash who then has the challenge of what to do with her. Guy is in the French Alps when he receives a message about a well paid assignment. Both storylines are full of twists and turns and breath holding cliff hangers. Each character in the two narratives is well depicted and the final twist is an excellent ending.
August 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Falling Apart is a tense, gripping dystopian thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. The mix of high-stakes action, complex characters, and a vividly imagined near-future Europe kept me hooked. Ash and Guy’s storylines are equally compelling, and the way their paths weave together creates nonstop suspense. Perfect for fans of fast-paced, thought-provoking thrillers I couldn’t put it down!
Falling Apart is a tense, gripping dystopian thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. The mix of high-stakes action, complex characters, and a vividly imagined near-future Europe kept me hooked. Ash and Guy’s storylines are equally compelling, and the way their paths weave together creates nonstop suspense. Perfect for fans of fast-paced, thought-provoking thrillers I couldn’t put it down!
August 18, 2025
The book features around two duel storylines that are well set out and clear (which is always a bonus). Both are extremely well written and well thought out.
The characters and their development are interesting and it's great watching them navigate their new world and situation.
There's lots of twists and turns and high levels of suspense.
The characters and their development are interesting and it's great watching them navigate their new world and situation.
There's lots of twists and turns and high levels of suspense.
September 26, 2025
Exciting and very well written. Gripping storyline with a terrific twist at the end.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews