One Minute Away

One city. A million encounters. And one that changes everything…

Warm, witty and wonderfully observed, ONE MINUTE AWAY is the brand new novel from the award-winning writer and comedian, Mark Watson.

Available to pre-order now*

For Damir, time is money. He bikes around the city collecting food orders, rushing through the cycle lanes next to Uber drivers and grocery vans – and all the other people delivering your every desire. He arrives with your sushi rolls and fries and disappears into the night – Ping! Onto the next drop.

He is invisible; one player in the boardgame of the city.

But one summer’s evening, a chance encounter changes all the rules. Damir arrives on Decca’s doorstep with a bag of spilled edamame beans, in a postcode that could be another universe, and there’s an immediate connection.

The man on the bike crosses the divide – suddenly fully seen.

And a throwaway takeaway order sets in motion a chain of events that will change all their lives, forever.

ONE MINUTE AWAY is an unforgettable journey through the veins of the modern city, exploring the very human encounters at its heart.

Praise for Mark Watson:

‘Funny, heart wrenching, beautifully written’ Jane Fallon

'Mark Watson is one of my favourite writers’ Adam Kay

‘Witty, emotional and beautifully written’ Jill Mansell

'Funny and serious and daring and humane. I prefer Mark Watson to Leo Tolstoy – both as a novelist and a stand-up comedian' Richard Curtis

‘Contacts portrays the nuanced layers of male mental health through brilliant, engaging storytelling. It made me laugh, cry, reflect and want to check in on all my friends’ Emma Gannon

‘It’s funny and moving and kept me awake half the night because I so badly wanted to find out what happens’ Tim Minchin

‘A brave and beautiful book about the importance of every human connection … A compassionate, thought-provoking read’ Sarah Haywood

‘I devoured this book. It’s funny, sad, insightful, heartbreaking, hopeful and so cleverly put together. A real treat’ Chris Addison

‘Gripping, moving and uplifting… and how easy it is for a life to fall off the rails and how it’s the connections we make that put us back on track’ Clare Pooley

Mark Watson is the acclaimed author of eight books, which have been published in twelve languages. He is also a stand-up comedian and has won numerous awards in Britain and Australia. He regularly appears on TV, has had his own cult Radio 4 series and been named the Edinburgh Festival’s highest achiever of the decade by The Times. He lives in North London.

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