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Traumaland

Published by Rock the Boat
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Welcome to your worst nightmare.

'A visceral and gripping thriller, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the page. Josh Silver's writing is highly original and compulsively readable; you have no choice but to follow Eli into Traumaland.' Lex Croucher, author of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love

Seventeen-year-old Eli has been in a near-fatal car crash. As the anniversary looms, his therapist and family struggle to help him deal with the fall out. The accident has left him emotionally numb, with no memory of the months following the crash.

Desperate to feel something again, Eli winds up at an underground club called Traumaland. But this is no ordinary nightclub. Here he joins crowds of other emotionally numb people, all seeking to experience a new thrill by entering virtual reality simulations of nightmarish scenarios through the points of view of various characters.

When he enters the story of a boy called Jack, he discovers a darker truth to the club. A truth that sets Eli on a dangerous journey to find the source of his own trauma.

About The Author

Josh Silver trained at RADA as an actor and has performed in the West
End and on Broadway. After deciding to change careers, Josh began
training as a mental health nurse. Josh lives in Manchester with his boyfriend and their dog, Dodger. HappyHead is his first book.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Rock the Boat (May 8, 2025)
  • Length: 400 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780861549290
  • Ages: 14 - 99

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Raves and Reviews

'As thrilling as it is heartbreaking, Traumaland grabs you from page one and never lets go... Silver guides the reader through its harsh land with a quiet promise of hope. A true gem to be savoured and shared.' David Arnold, author of I Loved You in Another Life

An absolutely wild read which becomes tenser with each page, this operates on two levels - a captivating thriller and a deep delve into the way society deals with trauma.’ Ravena Guron, author of This Book Kills

'One of the best thrillers I’ve read. Heart-breaking, unflinching and stunningly dark, I absolutely inhaled this book and can’t stop thinking about it.' Kathryn Foxfield, author of Good Girls Die First

'Josh Silver’s books are in their own lane. Raw, tragic, magic, bold, funny and punk! I love this writer so much and everything he does. I wish his books were around when I was a teenager.' Laura Dockrill, author of Big Bones

'Josh Silver has written a book that is both highly relatable and continuously imaginative. Eli’s journey makes us laugh, cry, gasp, and look into the scary depths ourselves. It’s a story for the seeker in all of us, told in such an original way. I loved it.' Jeffery Self

'I was completely swept away by the effortlessly flowing dialogue, beautifully written characters, and genuinely unexpected left-turns that hit me like a truck on several occasions... A brilliantly clever concept expertly executed.' Ben Oliver, author of The Loop series

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