FALL OUT brilliantly weaves together rich characters, page-turning plotting, and surprisingly true history all against the backdrop of the cutthroat entertainment industry.  A riveting, twisty thriller which could only be told by a talented storyteller who has the skill and savvy that comes from an accomplished career in film and television. The tagline for this debut is that you’re going to want to have a cozy chair nearby while you tear through this book. M.N. Grenside has made an impressive splash in the world of crime fiction.

As a librarian, I consider myself quite well-read. I was shocked to realize that this was Grenside’s debut novel. The intricacy of the plot, which weaved in historical events with fictional ones, had me hooked from the beginning. It is a talented storyteller indeed that can create such a tale of intrigue and action, while taking you all over the world. I kept thinking that this novel would play out brilliantly on the big screen. Until then, I will anxiously await the sequel…please tell me there is a sequel! I highly recommend this sophisticated tale…gripping until the end!

Fall Out was an entertaining and complex adventure! It’s told from different points of views with both fictional and actual historical events and entertaining characters! There are a few different settings and they were gorgeous to read about! The details of the events were vivid which really added to the reading experience! The way the author built the suspense and then gave you just enough to keep reading was great! Such a wonderful debut! I can’t wait to see what will come next from M.N. Grenside!

Excellent thriller set in a unique environment; the film business.
Having been in the business myself for over 40 years, it felt similar to many of the adventures I have lived, of course with more thrills, suspense and danger.
The author certainly knows film making and expertly exploits all its intricacies and weaves them into a highly believable if somewhat heightened reality.
Highly recommended for a fun read, a real page turner. Congrats to Mr. Grenside, looking forward to your next one.

“A great concept that’s executed at a fast pace, this book has a lot packed into it’s 270 pages, once you start reading you won’t be given much of a chance to pause for breath.”

Read full review – Lovereading Ambassador

“Award-winning television / film producer and classic car collector M.N. (Mark) Grenside reeled me in with his debut fiction thriller FALL OUT. It happened during my December 2021 vacation in Malta when I was browsing Agenda Bookshop looking for John Grisham’s The Judge’s List. And there it was — Grenside’s FALL OUT parked on the bookshelf right next to Grisham’s latest. So I read Grenside, met him, liked him, signed him and took his work back to Canada for readers, writers, authors, actors and booksellers to discover.

Mark writes in a visual sense — cinematic, with a seasoned knack of how to create a scene. He flavours it with just enough detail, historical fact and sharp “spoken” dialogue from a rich mix of characters to take the reader on a fascinating journey, absent of unwanted detail and flat “written” dialogue. Set in the film business with a Hollywood opening, Mark’s action-adventure mystery stars a glamorous couple — film producer Marcus Riley and designer Melinda “Mako” de Turris — in a life or death race through Cannes on the French Riviera to the Swiss Alps and into the dark jungles of the Philippines and onto the set of the old “Apocalypse Now” movie.

FALL OUT is the recipient of accolades and praise from M.N. Grenside’s peers. Top shelf peers ranging from Academy Award, Emmy and multi-award-winning movie and television producers to leading entertainment executives, celebrity broadcasters, notable radio hosts and No. 1 bestselling authors. FALL OUT is a must read for fans of crime fiction, mystery and thrillers — especially for readers in or hoping to be in the television and film industry.
This book is made for the screen!

“A terrific debut thriller set in the film world, written by someone who clearly has worked in it. The story starts with the murder of a screenwriter and a very special screenplay he has sent to five specific people. Their common link? They all worked on a movie that abruptly stopped shooting years before. The story has all the ingredients of a classic page turner, drawing you in with its fast-paced narrative. Fall Out mixes danger and death, hidden clues and intrigue that rival the Da Vinci code and a wonderful set of engaging characters from the producer Marcus Riley to the resilient designer Melinda ‘Mako’ de Turris. With stunning attention to detail, Grenside transports us through the gilded locations that we can only dream of visiting. The final reveal, set in a remote cave deep in the Philippine jungle blew me away, all the more because it is based on fact! I’m already looking forward to the follow up novel, but in the meantime if you want a fast-paced stand out different thriller, I can’t recommend Fall Out enough. I loved it.”

“I predict great success for this wonderful debut thriller, and I hope the beginning of a franchise of books about the adventures of producer Marcus Riley and designer Mako de Turris. Fresh in style, fast paced, sparkling dialogue and a fabulous collection of characters. The premise of a screenplay with cleverly hidden clues that can prove deadly to the reader morphs into a fabulous reveal that is based on one of the greatest crimes ever committed. Truly fascinating historical fact buried in a thrill-a-minute read, all revealed with a lightness of touch that gave me a shiver of delight. I cannot recommend it enough.”

“Fall Out is a tautly written, entertaining thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages right till the very end. It almost reads like a movie and Mark’s background in the business comes through on the page. It feels authentic and informed but never overbearing. Although the story revolves around the movie business, the construct reveals one of the greatest twists I’ve seen, and I doubt the other readers will see it coming. As the clues to the initial crime emerge we follow Marcus and Mako from California to Cannes, Switzerland to the Philippines in pursuit of the hidden secrets that underlie the mystery until the final reveal, on the old set of ‘Apocalypse Now’ in the Philippines, when everything becomes clear. To borrow movie parlance, it sits somewhere between ‘The DaVinci Code’ and ‘Indiana Jones’.”

“Riveting. Page-turning. A jaw-dropping rollercoaster of action and surprise. And best of all, it’s based upon shocking true history. A real gem.”

“A gripping thriller twisted around an incredible piece of recent history… and an equally fun glimpse into how our industry works! A well-researched ride.”

“A Breathless and breathtaking debut. In 1972 Frederick Forsyth’s ‘Day of the Jackal’ set the standard for meticulously researched, fast-paced international thrillers that still stands 50 years later. It is a tribute to Mark Grenside’s debut novel Fall Out that it can be mentioned in that company. Mark Grenside has a background in film and TV and is a natural storyteller. His book reads like a film script; the dialogue is razor sharp and it’s easy to visualise each scene as the action unfolds. It was over too quickly but I am looking forward to the successor and, maybe, the film or TV series.”

“Fall Out brings the high-stakes world of international film and television to the page with a verve and an industry expertise that invites comparison to John le Carré or Lee Child. Grenside delivers a high-voltage drama, weaving together a hidden treasure plot equal to Indiana Jones, with the suave jet-set world of James Bond.   Marcus Riley and ‘Mako’ de Turis are destined to become our 21st century Bogie and Bacall or Hepburn and Tracy.”

“M.N. Grenside has written a splendid, page turning first novel and he is to be congratulated. It is set against the entertainment industry of which he clearly has knowledge. It also displays a very high level of historical knowledge, something I am well acquainted with. The pace is fast, and the plot is intriguing, and this novel bodes well for a series and likely screen adaptation. I look forward to both developments happening.”

“I love this book — and I have read it six times! In 30 years in book publishing, I have seldom found a thriller that is so satisfying or this much fun. Fall Out is a rich (and believable) mix of history, movies, travel, and unforgettable characters. When you’ve read this book, you’ll join me in longing for the next. Marcus and Mako are wickedly interesting people.”

“A wonderfully fresh debut novel and hopefully the beginning of a franchise based on the two leads, film producer Marcus Riley and whip smart designer Melinda ‘Mako’ de Turris. Written in a very visual style, fast paced, and with dialogue that crackles, Fall Out is set in the movie business by someone who clearly knows it. The story is liberally sprinkled with clever clues and unexpected twists and turns. The writer has created a group of diverse and believable characters in a deeply satisfying read, taking the reader to wonderful locations and a mind-blowing history lesson, all wrapped up in a page turning thriller. It may be a cliché, but I found it hard to put down. Read and enjoy!”

“Clearly a spellbinder! What’s so compelling is the knitting together of historical events  into a thrilling novel whose center of gravity is modern day Hollywood and the effort of a producer to film a story that some very powerful people would kill to keep it from being exposed. What’s riveting about Grenside’s tale is that so much of it appears to be backed by his beautifully researched history. Fall Out is brilliantly written for a world where the unthinkable, turns out to be true. I can’t wait to see the film!”

“Wow! Fall Out grabs you from the get-go as it twists and turns across the globe. Ian Fleming meets high stakes contemporary thriller – glamorous locations, exotic cars, a wild ride behind the scenes of the movie business, and all based on actual events. What’s not to love? Mark Grenside has a true voice, fresh and exciting as the action flows and captivates the reader throughout. I seriously can’t wait for the next instalment.”

“Move over Tom Clancy and John le Carré – there’s a new writer in town – Mark Grenside. I urge you to pick up a copy of his new thriller novel – FALL OUT and fall into an irresistible literary journey filled with the darkest historical secrets of hidden fortunes, murderous betrayal, villains and revenge set against a true mystery set inside the world of an international film maker – which the reader will feel compelled to ask – what if this really happened? A marvelous read – can’t wait to see the movie!”