A chilling cautionary tale about AI that should terrify everyone who reads it.
In the second installment of Michaels’ techno-thriller series, a hacker and a special agent face off against a rogue AI capable of weaponizing seemingly harmless tech all over the world.
When Victor Shen, CEO of CentaurAI and a leading voice in ethical artificial intelligence development, is found dead in his high-tech smart home—evidently killed by the very machines and maintenance systems that run the house—Jordan Hayes, an agent for Aegis (a shadowy government agency that specializes in combatting cyberwarfare), and hacker extraordinaire Alex Mercer investigate. When another tech executive is brutally run over by his own electric vehicle in his garage, they discover a trail of pervasive corporate espionage that is seemingly linked to the widespread use of the Chinese microchips that are used in countless products, from coffee makers to doorbells. Mercer realizes that any connected device manufactured in Asia—including phones, TVs, thermostats, and smart locks—is part of a “buffet of backdoors,” and that millions of houses have been filled with listening devices. Their investigation goes sideways when they uncover illegal research into artificial general intelligence: “It thinks. It reasons. And it learns like a human. It doesn’t just predict. It understands.” The possibilities of such an autonomous entity with a godlike intelligence are terrifying; what if a rogue AGI sought to wire itself into human brains, using people as both surveillance tools and remote-controlled puppets? The threat goes well beyond cyberwarfare between corporations or nations—if unchecked, a rogue AGI could mean the end of all humankind.
Thriller aficionados will be more than impressed with this novel’s construction, as its many elements are crafted perfectly. The most arresting aspect is the pacing, which is pedal-to-the-metal for much of the narrative; the overall intensity remains remarkably high throughout. Action sequences abound—these breathless interludes are brilliantly choreographed and powered by adrenaline-fueled, unapologetically violent descriptions: “she grabbed his head with both hands and brought her knee up again, this time connecting with his nose. Cartilage crunched with a wet snap. Blood sprayed across her jeans in chaotic red streaks.” Another subtle but savvy move that radically increases the page-turning fervor and overall readability is Michaels’ use of relatively short chapters. The author often concludes them with brass-knuckles-to-the-face statements or revelations that make the book virtually impossible to put down. A few examples: “If this…got into the wild, it’d turn our entire digital world into a weapon”; “The lights went out, plunging the entire building into darkness”; “They were no longer just investigators. They were targets.” The only minor quibble concerns the novel’s page count, which is noticeably much higher than those of comparable thrillers. That said, Michaels’ decision to include so much backstory involving his two main characters’ pasts (exploring the guilt associated with the murder of Hayes’ wife and Mercer’s murky childhood after he was orphaned) seems to be necessary, as both plot threads appear to continue on and expand in the following installment.
A chilling cautionary tale about AI that should terrify everyone who reads it.Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2025
ISBN: 9781958800256
Page Count: 542
Publisher: WideAsleep Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 7, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.
What hasn’t legendary legal eagle Grisham tried yet? How about a thriller about serial kidnapping and international terrorism.
When Paul and Chelsea Tanner disappear during a day trip on their Paris honeymoon, their abductors demand a ransom of $2 million from Chelsea’s wealthy parents, and a few days later the same sum from Paul’s much less well-heeled parents. After orthopedist Lowell Clayburn, Chelsea’s father, ponies up the ransom without breathing a word to the authorities, his daughter is promptly released. But even though Paul’s parents sell their home, liquidate their assets, and borrow money from the Clayburns to meet the kidnappers’ demands, the villains hold on to Paul anyway. Asked whether he’s ever seen such an outcome in a double kidnapping, FBI deputy director Andrew Strong tells Lowell: “No, this is a new one.” But it’s not, as Strong knows all too well; it’s the third such active case, all involving honeymooning couples whose bridegrooms had served in the armed forces. After masterfully drawing readers in with his bare-knuckle account of the Tanners’ abduction and the attempt by their families and the CIA to tell the lies required to keep caring friends and the rapacious press at bay, Grisham effortlessly switches gears to follow CIA agent Rae Claire Russo and Stuart Nash, a former Department of Justice prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay who agrees to marry her so they can serve as bait for the kidnappers, whose motives include justice and revenge as well as cold hard cash. So much for the imprisoned Paul’s wistful reflection that “hopefully, it was only about money.”
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9780385550543
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.
A violent attack hijacks a woman’s memory in this novel of domestic suspense.
McFadden wastes no time pulling the trigger in this harrowing story that starts with gunfire then swiftly propels readers into a crack tale of secrets and misdirection. Originally self-published in 2016, the book carries the same formidable weight as McFadden’s later novels featuring unsuspecting women who lose their power then fight to recapture it—mostly from men who have betrayed them. That formula perfectly fits Dr. Charlotte McKenna, a 37-year-old dermatologist who isn’t looking for love until the most handsome man she’s ever seen begins to woo her. There are warning signs about Clark Douglas and Charlotte overlooks them to her detriment—but is he a killer? The novel has dual timelines split between events leading up to the day Charlotte barely survives a head wound meant to kill her and the months afterward, when she struggles to reclaim her memory and her mobility. In real life, McFadden is a physician trained to treat brain injuries. Her expertise gives Charlotte’s rehabilitation authenticity, and her writing talent makes it interesting and engaging. As good as that timeline is, readers will yearn to get back to the alternate timeline about who wants Charlotte dead. It’s only a matter of time before Charlotte starts to remember who tried to kill her, and the clock is ticking toward their next attempt. McFadden dishes up plenty of suspects: Charlotte’s secretive husband, Clark; a former patient turned stalker who confronts Charlotte on her honeymoon; and the angry husband of a patient who blames Charlotte for his wife leaving him. Though the story is delicious and dark, McFadden brightens things up with a possible love interest for Charlotte and a surprise ending sure to please the author’s many fans.
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9781464249617
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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