One Minute Away
Published on 17. July 2025
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-0-00-834700-0 (ISBN)
Description
*The deliciously entertaining new novel from the award-winning writer and comedian, MARK WATSON*
'Funny and thought-provoking' ADAM HILLS
'A heartwarming story of happenstance' iPAPER
---------------
That's three sashimi rolls. Two vegetable dumplings. One life-changing encounter. Your delivery is on its way ...
For delivery rider Damir, time is money.
He races through cycle lanes next to Uber drivers and grocery vans, delivering your every desire. He arrives with your sushi rolls and pizzas 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, in a postcode that could be another universe, Damir arrives on Decca's doorstep and there's an immediate connection between them.
The man on the bike crosses the divide - suddenly fully seen. And a throwaway delivery sparks a chain of events that will change all their lives, forever.
Praise for Mark Watson:
'One of my favourite writers' Adam Kay
'Funny, heart wrenching, beautifully written' Jane Fallon
'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
'Funny and thought-provoking' ADAM HILLS
'A heartwarming story of happenstance' iPAPER
---------------
That's three sashimi rolls. Two vegetable dumplings. One life-changing encounter. Your delivery is on its way ...
For delivery rider Damir, time is money.
He races through cycle lanes next to Uber drivers and grocery vans, delivering your every desire. He arrives with your sushi rolls and pizzas 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, in a postcode that could be another universe, Damir arrives on Decca's doorstep and there's an immediate connection between them.
The man on the bike crosses the divide - suddenly fully seen. And a throwaway delivery sparks a chain of events that will change all their lives, forever.
Praise for Mark Watson:
'One of my favourite writers' Adam Kay
'Funny, heart wrenching, beautifully written' Jane Fallon
'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
Reviews / Votes
'A heartwarming story of happenstance in which Damir, a takeaway delivery driver, makes an unexpected connection with Decca on her doorstep. A funny and entertaining tale about the small moments which change a life' Ipaper More 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 PooleyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
528 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-834700-0 (9780008347000)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
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.