FANNY BLAKE

VOX (HQ £12.99, 336 pp) in The not-so-distant future, the American Bible Belt has expanded and holds the country in its grip. The governing Pure Movement ensures women are seen but not heard.

every woman is given a wrist device that gives the wearer a high-voltage shock if she speaks more than 100 words in a day. They have no jobs, no books, no mercy.

Dr Jean McClellan is offered a reprieve in exchange for her specialist knowledge which may help cure the president’s younger brother, who was in a skiing accident.

her new freedom gives her an opportunity to change things — but will she be able to outwit the system?

This is both a cleverly imagined political dystopian work of fiction and a fast-paced, twisting thriller that left me speechless with anticipation.