VOX. Christina Dalcher

      

      CHRISTINA DALCHER earned her doctorate in theoretical linguistics from Georgetown University, specializing in the phonetics of sound change in Italian and British dialects. She and her husband split their time between the American South and Naples, Italy. VOX is her debut novel.

Copyright

      An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

      1 London Bridge Street

      London SE1 9GF

      First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018

      Copyright © Christina Dalcher 2018

      Christina Dalcher asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

      All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

      Ebook Edition © August 2018 ISBN: 9780008300654

      ‘VOX is intelligent, suspenseful, provocative, and intensely disturbing – everything a great novel should be.’

       Lee Child

      ‘A petrifying re-imagining of The Handmaid’s Tale in the present, and a timely reminder of the power and importance of language.’

      Marta Bausells, ELLE

      ‘This book will blow your mind. The Handmaid’s Tale meets Only Ever Yours meets The Power. Read it and shout about it in more than 100 words if you need to.’

      Nina Pottell, PRIMA

      ‘A novel ripe for the era of #MeToo.’

       Vanity Fair

      ‘A bold, brilliant and unforgettable debut.’

       Alice Feeney

      ‘A truly compulsive novel.’

       Stylist

      ‘Thought-provoking and thrilling. I was left speechless!’

       Woman & Home

      ‘Any woman who has ever been shamed into silence will recognise the terrifying vista so vividly portrayed in VOX.’

       Roisin Ingle, The Irish Times Women’s Podcast

      ‘A disturbingly prescient cautionary tale. It will also get under your skin and make you extremely angry, regardless of your gender.’

       Starburst Magazine

      ‘My favourite book of the year so far…’

       Lisa Hall

      ‘Chilling and gripping — a real page-turner.’

       Karen Cleveland

      In memory of Charlie Jones

      linguist, professor, friend

      Contents

       Cover

       About the Author

       Title Page

Copyright

       Praise

       Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

       SIXTEEN

       SEVENTEEN

       EIGHTEEN

       NINETEEN

       TWENTY

       TWENTY-ONE

       TWENTY-TWO

       TWENTY-THREE

       TWENTY-FOUR

       TWENTY-FIVE

       TWENTY-SIX

       TWENTY-SEVEN

       TWENTY-EIGHT

       TWENTY-NINE

       THIRTY