Is it too late?

Can a game change the world?

The Ten are chosen – they are reckless, driven and strong.
They are tested. Ten become Four.
In a country where everyone is tracked, how can the Four hide from the police?

DI Clive Lussac hates the system that controls everything, but he's ill and it’s helping him. He must decide: conform or fight.

As Clive's world unravels, he and his partners DC Ava Miller and DS Zoe Jordan can’t believe the entry price to the game.
They strive to answer the real questions.
    Why does the ultimate Augmented Reality game have four different finishes?
    And how is a simple game wrapped up in politics, religion and the environment?

'No Signal, an immersive, entertaining high-octane thriller set in a plausible interconnected world. Well-written, thought-provoking escapism. Perfect for fans of Black Mirror & Philip K. Dick.' Adam Hamdy

From Goodreads

  • Tugwell builds a future that feels more like looking at a new article from a few years from now. ...the characters are brilliantly written.
  • I am hooked on this series.
  • It creeped me out, and made me really consider how much technology I really own.
  • Read the first book in the series and I think this is even better. Can't wait for a third one!
  • The plot for this book was clever, unique and really intriguing. 

Praise for Jem Tugwell

Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express magazine.

'A vision of the future that both chills and entertains'

Proximity selected as one of "4 of the best beach reads: summer 2019" https://themalestrom.com/4-best-beach-reads-summer-2019/ 

NB Magazine gave it 5*
'The writing hurtles along like a runaway train and you can barely pause for breath. What renders it original and ingenious is the background of embedded technology called ‘iMe’ (how perfect is that?!) It’s a crime thriller and it is very thrilling.' https://nbmagazine.co.uk/proximity-by-jem-tugwell/

‘An ingenious and highly plausible look at crime in a future with 100% surveillance’ 

Claire McGowan, best selling author

‘Very topical, terrifying, perfect concept for a crime novel’ 

Stav Sherez, Award winning author

‘Darkly twisted crime novel in a future that seems to now closer every day. Fantastically imaginative and gripping.’ 

Angela Clarke, Sunday Times bestselling author

5* Review ‘I must admit that I finished the book with a prayer that I will never see something like iMe in my lifetime - the idea is just too terrifying’

Breakaway Reviewers

‘5*s from me as the storyline is brilliant…Plenty of discussion topics here for book clubs!’

EmmabBooks

'Proximity hits hard and cold right to the heart of what could be our future, and this knowledge makes this book one of the scariest I have ever read. I don’t care for horror. Just give me a speculative novel shaping a future so realistic I don’t even need to close my eyes to imagine it, and I’m sold. Sold and freaked out. Jem Tugwell’s outstanding description of years to close to ours to my taste left me speechless.’

Meggy Chocolate’n'Waffles

'A brilliant book, an excellent thriller and 100% entertaining. Highly recommended. Really can’t wait for a follow up! Genius.’

Books from Dusk Till Dawn

5* Review 'An enjoyable and somewhat unnerving peek at what technology could be like in our future. “Proximity” is fast-paced, imaginative and could easily be featured as the next episode of “Black Mirror”. It’s a big 5 stars from me!'

What Rebecca's Read

“You won’t be able to put Proximity down, and you’ll be happy about it. So, in conclusion, when Proximity becomes the bestseller it deserves to be and Jem Tugwell is the name everyone’s talking about, just remember, you heard it here first.” 

Dorset Book Detective

“PROXIMITY is a fantastic read to pick up this summer, not just for the topical warning about technology and the problems of too much oversight, but for the good, old-fashioned, page-turning thriller element.” 

The Crime Review

Leading the trend in speculative crime thrillers, Jem Tugwell’s thrilling and thought-provoking debut sits alongside Black Mirror and The City and the City in an unsettling exploration into our near future. Proximity draws on Jem’s 20 years of professional experience as a software developer in the city to give a disturbing insight into how our world might be transformed by the rapid advance in embedded technology and fitness trackers.

What if the cash-strapped NHS can be given a second life by using tech to regulate our health and behaviour? What if we can eradicate proximity crimes by tracking everyone’s activity? What if civil liberty is seen as acceptable sacrifice for the greater good? What if the convenience of technology is used for control? 

Although Proximity does have a futuristic element to it, I would classify it as an alternate police procedural, rather than sci-fi – there are no spaceships, aliens, superheroes, etc. It's a crime thriller set in a world that could easily be only a few years away. A Black Mirror future meets a City and the City style thriller.