A former Customs and Police Officer, Andrew Hill’s first book in a crime series set in the New Forest, where he lived for 30 years, will be published in Spring 2022. An avid reader across the crime genre and regular at crime writing festivals, he now lives in West Sussex and works in property.
Almost all of human kind is looking for ‘the one’; the ‘coup de foudre’ lightning bolt that tells you that you’ve found your soulmate.
What if the discovery of a gene within your DNA could be input into a worldwide database to find a ‘match’ that was guaranteed to provide a 99.99% chance to align yourself to the person of your dreams? If you were single and wanted to be in a relationship, what have you got to lose? If you’re unhappy in your relationship, why not give it a go? If you’re happy as your partner is obviously your match (aren’t they?) but it’ll do no harm just to check, will it?
So this promises not so much Love Actually, but Love Definitely - forming the spine to this intriguing story of five individuals who subscribe to the “Match Your DNA” database and the people they become involved with in consequence.
The One is no light hearted romantic comedy. There are shadowy and well-kept secrets and some enchanting twists and turns as the relationships blossom, develop and change.
What The One taps into is that inbuilt desire in the majority of the populace to be in a life-affirming bond with another person; and the lengths to which we pursue this desire.
There is a background of relationships and marriages being broken apart by ‘Match Your DNA’ and even suicides as a result of these breakups. What we peer into is the darker side of human nature, the lies, subterfuge, greed, revenge and even murder that human kind perpetrates for its own needs, gratification and advancement.
The five person timeline is handled with aplomb and the cabal of characters are well-rounded and engaging – if not always ‘attractive’.
All in all, a very thought provoking read and heartily recommended.
