An Amazon Best Books of 2026 So Far Pick! Dive into Five, the intense and gripping psychological thriller from Ilona Bannister. This novel unfolds in real time, focusing on five passengers at a suburban train station with only five minutes until a life ends when the 7:06 to London Victoria arrives. Bannister weaves together the complex, flawed lives of the child, the mother, the businessman, the old woman, and the gambler, creating a tapestry of human struggle, resilience, and hope that offers no easy answers.

• "Will have you glued to the page … guaranteed to shock and entertain" - The Times
• "Ridiculously good … darkly thrilling and unforgettable" - Chris Whitaker
• "An excellent novel … Bannister has a clear gift for a razor sharp, brutal, and oftentimes hilarious writing style" - FIVE star reader review
• "Dark, tense and compulsively readable, Five is a thriller that keeps you constantly questioning what you think you know" - FIVE star reader review

Someone will die this morning. Take note of the five individuals waiting. One of them will die. The narrative grips you from the start, forcing you to question your own attachments and biases as the story unfolds in real time until the train stops and someone is dead. This is a darkly funny, sharply drawn, and quietly devastating character study wrapped inside a thriller.

• Author: Bannister, Ilona
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Print Length: 304 pages
• Publication Date: May 5, 2026
• ISBN-10: 0008770565
• ISBN-13: 978-0008770563
• Dimensions: 14.1 x 2.2 x 22.2 cm
• Weight: 410 g
• Publisher: Juniper

Experience this unsettling and unforgettable psychological exploration from HarperCollins. Secure your hardcover copy of Five today.