Small World

Matt Beaumont

What a cracker of a book! Working on the '6 degrees of separation' theory the author brings together a group of people who are only loosely linked and subtly weaves a web around them. The pace is racy, and the revelations sometimes startling, but this is definitely a book that makes you go 'hmmm'. A really good beach read.

Extract

ALI: I'm holding the pillow just inched from his head. I''m going to do it.
I am going to do it.
It looks so easy in the movies. Lower pillow, hold firmly over face, wait for thrashing to stop. Takes about ten seconds in the average Hollywood smothering. Probably considerable longer in real life. But I'm sure I can do it. Obviously, he's stronger than I am, but with surprise on my side and my full weight on his chest - I'm a little heavier these days - I could finish him off, couldn't I? And he'll have died in his sleep. How utterly blissful, I'd be doing him a favour because doesn't everyone want to die that way? I know I do.
On he snores. Deafeningly.

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