Ten Little Guppies A Modern Tech Thriller by Scott Douglas

February 19, 2026 at 00:22 AM EST

United States, 19th Feb 2026 – Ten Little Guppies, a sharp, darkly witty thriller by Scott Douglas, plunges readers into a luxurious winter train journey where ambition, greed, and murder collide. Set aboard an exclusive train traveling from Quebec City to Montreal, the novel follows ten Silicon Valley tech elites promised instant billionaire status if they survive the journey. What begins as a celebration of innovation and wealth quickly spirals into a claustrophobic battle of survival, secrets, and betrayal.

Blending classic mystery structure with modern satire, Ten Little Guppies draws inspiration from Golden Age whodunits while anchoring its story firmly in contemporary tech culture. The passengers, executives behind a revolutionary app called 4D Dream TV, are confident, image-conscious, and ruthlessly competitive. As the train slices through frozen landscapes, alliances fracture, egos explode, and carefully curated personas begin to crack. One by one, the group realizes that success is no protection against consequence.

Scott Douglas uses the confined elegance of the train to amplify tension, transforming velvet lounges and champagne service into stages for psychological warfare. The novel explores power dynamics, moral compromise, and the dangerous illusions of innovation driven solely by profit. Each character is vividly drawn, flawed, and deeply human, making every confrontation feel intimate and every loss unsettling. The story unfolds with mounting dread as trust evaporates and survival becomes the only currency that matters.

In addition to the novel, Ten Little Guppies has earned notable recognition in its screenplay form, including Best Unproduced Screenplay at the Terror in the Bay Film Festival, a nomination at the Canadian International Film Festival, and official selections at the Hollywood International Indie Film Festival and the Marina del Rey Film Festival. This cross-format success underscores the cinematic pacing and visual intensity that define Douglas’s storytelling.

Written with sharp dialogue, dark humor, and relentless momentum, Ten Little Guppies is both a thrilling mystery and a pointed critique of modern tech ambition. It asks timely questions about accountability, ethics, and the cost of unchecked power in a world obsessed with disruption. With its icy setting, high-stakes premise, and unforgettable cast, the novel delivers a gripping experience that lingers long after the final page.

At its core, the novel is a tense social experiment, stripping away status and exposing how fear reshapes loyalty. Confined spaces magnify every glance, silence, and accusation, while the relentless winter outside mirrors the emotional coldness within. Scott Douglas balances suspense with biting humor, allowing moments of absurdity to sharpen, rather than soften, the danger. Readers are invited to question who deserves to survive and why, as motives blur and innocence proves rare. The result is a story that entertains, provokes, and challenges assumptions about success, morality, and the price of winning in a brutally modern, unforgettable narrative for readers everywhere.

Step aboard the train where success is promised, trust is deadly, and survival is never guaranteed. Ten Little Guppies by Scott Douglas invites readers into a chilling, high-stakes mystery that blends modern ambition with classic suspense. If you crave smart thrillers, razor-sharp characters, and stories where power comes at a price, this is your next unforgettable read. Pick it up now, and discover who makes it to the final stop, and who never gets off the train.