The Arrival- Blog Tour

 

Author: Robin Brookes

Publisher: Harvill Books

Publishing Date: 14th May 2026 

Many thanks to the publishing team and Random Things Tour for my physical copy of the book and a spot on the tour

Blurb 

The rules are clear. Find out where you are. Try not to die.

Leo and Viv's weekend starts like any other: a takeaway, a movie and an early night. But when Leo wakes up, he's not in their London flat. He’s naked and alone in an unfamiliar bed, in an anonymous hotel, on the other side of the world.

Viv wakes up to a phone ringing. It's Leo and he claims to be in Australia, despite the impossibility of it. An emergency passport is arranged, a return flight to London booked. But before Leo can make it out, there's a flicker in the corner of his vision, and he wakes up in another bed, in another hotel room, in another country.

Disoriented, Leo soon discovers he's not alone. Someone with access to groundbreaking technology, and an axe to grind, is beaming a group of people around the globe – stalking them one by one, committing perfect, untraceable murders. As Leo fights to survive, Viv unearths dark secrets from her husband’s past. And the more she learns about Leo, the less she seems to know about him . . .

My Thoughts 

The blurb alone was enough to immediately draw me in, but it was the opening lines of the novel that truly hooked me. Right from the start, there is a strong sense of intrigue and unease that makes you want to keep reading to uncover exactly what is going on.

I do not want to go into too much detail about the plot because the blurb already gives just enough away, and this is definitely a story best experienced with as few spoilers as possible. Part of the enjoyment comes from gradually piecing everything together as the twists and revelations unfold.

Although the novel sits firmly within the science fiction genre, it also delivers all the tension, suspense, and emotional intensity of a strong thriller, while blending in elements of domestic drama as well. What stood out most to me was the atmosphere running throughout the story. There is a constant feeling of tension and uncertainty that never really lets up, which kept me fully invested from beginning to end. The pacing is also extremely effective, with short, sharp chapters that maintain momentum and make it very difficult to stop reading.

As someone who does not usually read a great deal of science fiction, I was slightly unsure at first whether the concept would work for me. Naturally, there are moments where you have to suspend disbelief and fully embrace the imaginative side of the story, but the author handles these ideas with confidence and skill. Nothing ever felt too over-the-top or unbelievable within the context of the world that had been created. Instead, the central concept came across as clever, original, and genuinely thought-provoking.

One of the things I enjoyed most was how unpredictable the story became. Just when I felt certain I had worked out where things were heading, another revelation completely changed the direction of the narrative. The twists continually kept me guessing and added to the overall tension of the novel.

My only slight criticism would be that I would have liked a little more depth from some of the characters. At times, I felt there was room to explore their personalities and motivations further, which would have made certain moments even more impactful emotionally. However, this did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Overall, this was a gripping, fast-paced, and highly imaginative read that successfully combines science fiction with thriller elements in a way that feels fresh and engaging. I would definitely recommend giving this one a read.