Virtual Strangers by Sam Canning

Edinburgh-set rom-com

30-year-old Ada’s life is not going brilliantly. She’s back living with her mum, working as a freelance publicist from a co-working space in the back room of a cafe. Her only client is a failing soap actor who just can’t help but repeat his favourite unrepeatable stories wherever he goes. But at least she’s got her new desk-share friend Fraser, plus of course the Agatha Christie fan fiction site and its anonymous chat with the mysterious Myster-E. The only problem is, she feels like she’s falling for them both.

I picked this novel almost at random from the library ebook app, when I wanted an undemanding read for a long train journey. I actually only started reading it much later, in fact the day before it was due back, and had to immediately renew it because it was making me laugh and I needed to know what happened. It turns out to be Sam Canning’s debut novel from 2023. It was a bonus for me that it was set in Edinburgh, a city I know well — I lived in and around there for a few years in my twenties and I keep revisiting.

Ada was a likeable character, just inept and unkempt enough for me to be rooting for her¹. She had reasonably normal friends too, though she did seem to drink an awful lot of wine. Fraser seems kind and funny, and I would honestly read a version of this story told from his point of view.

Although the tagline is ‘they’re putting the hot into hot desking’ which makes it sound steamy, there’s nothing graphic in there — it’s mainly Ada waking up hungover next to someone. Even the Marple-Poirot bondage² fan fiction is alluded to rather than spelt out.

I was last single more than a quarter of a century ago (ouch) so the world of dating apps and dick pics is thankfully unfamiliar, but it didn’t feel remote as I read this. The author has that knack of explaining enough (about online dating, about why Ada thought the hot guy was so hot) without labouring the point. I have no idea if the depiction of Ada’s life as a publicist and her friend’s local journalism were realistic but again there was enough explanation to allow a framework/excuse for the events to unfold and that’s all I needed.

I got drawn in to Ada and Fraser’s world, I laughed a lot, and I read this relatively quickly given my continued reading slowdown. I would recommend it for your next lazy holiday or long train journey.

1. I am never going to sympathise with the besuited business woman/high-powered career woman type, with immaculate make-up and high heels. I mean, you’ve seen a photo of me, right?

2. Yes, really