Listless in Turkey is a stand-alone prequel to my debut novel, Covid Blues and Twos. They can be enjoyed in either order. It is a pause-resisting romp with adult references and is embarrassingly autobiographical - with some names changed to protect the guilty. Onia Fox is most definitely a pen name.

People are seldom who they seem and always who they are.

Jessica has a few balls to juggle, both at home and at work, as her personal life unravels in the spring of 2016. To put some order to the chaos and with the help of her best friend, a bowl of noodles, and a second bottle of Pinot, Jessica writes another list - a plan for her future. The list becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, safely folded into her journal, as she romps across Europe and beyond, to the backdrop of the unfolding Turkish military coup.

Be careful what you wish for.

Listless in Turkey is a believably accurate suspense thriller, rooted firmly in fact and personal experience, with just a smattering of fiction to keep it real. This novel is part genuine travel memoir and part fictional thriller, with plenty of intriguing, insightful, and fun glimpses into the rich culture and history of the modern Republic of Turkey. The narrative is very much character-led, following our hero Jessica Taylor (née Khan) bouncing around life whilst applying her own, sometimes reckless, logic and coping mechanisms to the situations in which she finds herself.

Love Jessica, and you will love Listless in Turkey - and everyone loves Jessica.