From Adland to Thrill Country: How Alex Pearl Swapped 30-Second Commercials for Heart-Pounding Fiction

Before he was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, novelist Alex Pearl spent his entire career as an advertising copywriter in London. In advertising, you learn the art of brevity—telling a gripping story in 30 seconds flat. Now, Pearl is bringing that exact level of precision, punch, and pacing to the literary world.

His gripping psychological thriller, The Chair Man, centers on Michael Hollinghurst, a corporate lawyer whose life changes forever following the 7/7 London bombings. Left paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, Michael takes a reckless, dangerous path to seek retribution online.

From the inside out, the book is a masterclass in tension. The striking, high-contrast cover art—designed and photographed by John Mac—perfectly captures the stark, dark themes of the narrative. It proves that when a seasoned copywriter turns to fiction and teams up with great visual artists, every element hits like a bullet.