In the Blink of An Eye - Jo Callaghan

There have been so many series and books have about how technology is raiding our lives either through surveillance (BBC series - Capture), medical advancements  or even our social interactions on digital platforms.  

Jo Callagan's In the blink of An Eye takes on the challenge of exploring the concept of technology - in the form of an AI Hologram - taking on the role of an assistant police detective to solve a cold case.

Blurb:

When DCS Kate is asked to head a pilot exploring the use of AI in policing, she responds with extreme resistance. How can technology compare with years of experience and gut instinct? However, unable to resist a challenge she takes it on. But things take an sinister turn when the cold cases they have been working on suddenly become active and danger seems to be much closer than ever.

Between human instinct versus calculation, logic versus experience, who will get there first?

My review:

• In this debut, Callaghan introduces DCS Kate, an officer with years of experience who finds herself saddled with a hologram to solve a cold case. The persona of DCS Kat is well etched,  her battles - on professional and personal fronts - hits a chord with the reader.

• I enjoyed the office humour, the work tensions and how the adhoc team finds a way to settle into their roles. Callaghan captures the difficulties of handling a team, the tensions between colleagues with humour and sharp observation.        

• I enjoyed the tussle between Lock and Kat and how they played to their strengths. Callaghan does a great job of balancing out both viewpoints while keep the plot moving - brilliantly juggled.

• Once I took to DCS Kate and her team and settled into the narrative, I was really enjoying the ride, so much that I was beginning to feel smug thinking that I could see what the story was moving towards. But then the finale, oh gosh the blink of an eye, that really got me. That was my wow moment!

An intelligent thriller that handles a very topical theme within the trappings of a good old thriller - the kind that keep us turning pages. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster for an advance copy.

In the blink of an eye is published by Simon and Schuster and is out now.