Survival of the Fittest: Genesis by Therese Pal

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A twisty family thriller set between England and Kerala

You know I love shining a light on books that sound like they’re going to be gripping, emotional and a little bit twisty, even if I haven’t managed to curl up and read them yet.

Today I’m sharing Survival of the Fittest: Genesis by Therese Pal, a debut thriller that landed in my inbox and instantly caught my attention. From the description alone, it sounds like one for anyone who loves family secrets, complicated legacies, and stories that span countries.

What is Survival of the Fittest: Genesis about?

According to the publisher, this is: “A gripping debut novel about love, loss and resilience from a brand-new voice in the world of thriller writing.”

The story follows twins Jane and James, who travel from England to Kerala, India, to trace their family’s past. What starts as a search for history quickly becomes something much darker.

From the blurb, you can expect: a legacy buried in lies, forbidden love and broken trust, and a thread of corruption running across generations.

Their journey takes them through hospitals, ancestral homes, hidden letters and corridors of power, as they slowly piece together what really happened.

But as the description warns, “some truths are deadlier than lies,” and there are people who would much rather the past stay buried.

Two worlds, one tangled legacy

The book is set between the misty streets of England and the vibrant, layered backdrop of Kerala in India.

The publisher describes it as a story that “immerses you in two worlds where power and passion collide,” and asks: “How far would you go to protect a legacy, and does the past we inherit define the future we choose?”

So if you enjoy dual-setting stories, family drama, and that feeling that every new piece of information changes the way you see everything else, this one sounds like it will be right up your alley.

Themes you can expect

From the way the book is described, Survival of the Fittest: Genesis looks like it digs into:

• identity – who we are, and how much of that comes from where (and who) we come from,
• resilience – especially in the face of grief, secrecy and pressure, and
• power and control – who gets to decide what’s remembered, and what gets erased.

It sounds like the sort of story where every revelation raises more questions, and where the emotional stakes are just as important as the mystery at the heart of it.

Survival of the Fittest: Genesis can be bought now from Amazon, where it comes in at £13.50 for a paperback.

About the author – Therese Pal

Therese Pal is a British-Indian writer who blends her heritage with a love of suspense, evident in her stories, which are rooted in identity, resilience, and intrigue.

She lives in Sevenoaks, Kent, and balances her writing with a successful career in IT and Finance as a Director at American Express, which is a pretty impressive juggle!

Win 1 of 3 copies of Survival of the Fittest: Genesis

If this sounds like a book you would like to read, then enter now for your chance to win 1 of 3 copies via the Gleam widget below.

Win 1 of 3 Copies of Survival of the Fittest: Genesis by Therese Pal.

There is no mandatory entry option in this competition; all entries are optional. However, entering via multiple methods gives you more entries into the final draw.

Open to UK residents only. Giveaway closes 07/01. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted by email. Good luck!

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