Publisher Description

The new thrilling sci-fi novel from the author of New Pompeii and Empire of TimeIn the near future, everyday life is dictated by algorithms, from who gets a bank loan or a job, to what supermarkets sell and which news stories you read. Even policing is run by AIs, who track patterns and predict where crimes are likely to occur. Anna Glover joins a start-up company that hopes to revolutionise solving crimes by combining the memories of witnesses into a virtual reality simulator that can be explored by an investigator. Her first case is that of a fostered teenage boy put in a coma by a brutal assault, and she begins to explore his memories, the only witness to the crime.But when the boy's sister disappears and Anna's own actions are called into question, it becomes clear that there are other motives in play, and there are those who do not want her to succeed...

Notes

Trade paperback. The new novel from the author of New Pompeii will strike a chord with readers of Michael Crichton and Chuck Wendig. Anna is headhunted to a company that proposes to catch criminals by combining witness memories in a virtual reality simulator.

Author Biography

Daniel Godfrey has had several short stories published, including in My Weekly and Writers' Forum, and is a dedicated reader of SF and historical fiction. He studied geography at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and gained an MSc from Leeds in transport planning. He lives in Derbyshire.

Review

"Reads like Philip K. Dick or Black Mirror meets Michael Crichton, by way of film noir...you really can't go wrong with this one!" -Paul Kane, bestselling and award-winning author of the Hooded Man series and Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell

'Daniel Godfrey continues to impress. A distinctive new voice in SF.' - Gareth L. Powell, award-winning author of Embers of War and Ack-Ack Macaque

'A whip-smart thriller in a terrifyingly plausible near-future setting, wrapped around an absorbing mystery. This is a book with something to say.' - Mark Latham, author of the Lazarus Gate series

'A fast-paced near-future technological thriller that will keep you guessing' - Marie O'Regan, editor of the bestselling Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Women and the forthcoming Phantoms, author of In Times of Want

"Provocative worldbuilding and suspense will keep the reader hooked." - Publishers Weekly

"Brisk and exciting, with a well-realized near-future setting, Godfrey's (New Pompeii, 2016) latest should satisfy experienced sf readers and general readers looking for an engaging, page-turning thriller."  - Booklist

 "The smart worldbuilding and clever implementation of plausible tech gives this thriller a sharp, silicon edge." - Barnes & Noble SFF blog

"Godfrey presents this theme by weaving his science fiction inventiveness with elements of a thriller. The result is a novel that easily appeals to those who would not ordinarily pick up a science fiction novel." - Bookgasm

"Not just the leading contender for the best science fiction novel of 2018, it's the most absorbing, riveting, and thrilling science fiction novel I've read since I was first blown away by Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park in 1990."  Borg.com

"may well be the best science fiction thriller of the year" Rising Shadow

Long Description

The new thrilling sci-fi novel from the author of New Pompeii and Empire of TimeIn the near future, everyday life is dictated by algorithms, from who gets a bank loan or a job, to what supermarkets sell and which news stories you read. Even policing is run by AIs, who track patterns and predict where crimes are likely to occur. Anna Glover joins a start-up company that hopes to revolutionise solving crimes by combining the memories of witnesses into a virtual reality simulator that can be explored by an investigator. Her first case is that of a fostered teenage boy put in a coma by a brutal assault, and she begins to explore his memories, the only witness to the crime.But when the boy's sister disappears and Anna's own actions are called into question, it becomes clear that there are other motives in play, and there are those who do not want her to succeed...

Review Quote

"Reads like Philip K. Dick or Black Mirror meets Michael Crichton, by way of film noir...you really can't go wrong with this one!" -Paul Kane, bestselling and award-winning author of the Hooded Man series and Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell 'Daniel Godfrey continues to impress. A distinctive new voice in SF.' - Gareth L. Powell, award-winning author of Embers of War and Ack-Ack Macaque 'A whip-smart thriller in a terrifyingly plausible near-future setting, wrapped around an absorbing mystery. This is a book with something to say.' - Mark Latham, author of the Lazarus Gate series 'A fast-paced near-future technological thriller that will keep you guessing' - Marie O'Regan, editor of the bestselling Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Women and the forthcoming Phantoms, author of In Times of Want

Details