Why British Sci-Fi Thrillers Feel So Unsettling

A fluorescent office. A polite government announcement. A new app that knows rather too much about your habits. British sci-fi thrillers rarely need a laser battle to get under your skin. Their speciality is taking a recognisable bit of everyday life and turning the dread dial one careful click at a time.

That is why the best British sci-fi thrillers linger. They are not only asking whether technology will become frightening. They are asking why we were so willing to let it into the building, give it a staff pass and offer it a biscuit.