‘In the Blink of an Eye’ by Jo Callaghan | @JoCallaghanKat @simonschusterUK | #recommended

Author : Jo Callaghan
Title : In the Blink of an Eye
Pages : 420
Publisher : Simon & Schuster
Publication date : January 19, 2023
Source : Owned

| ABOUT THE BOOK |

DCS Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot programme that has her paired with AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s instincts come up against Lock’s logic. But when the two missing person’s cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the case gets personal. 

AI versus human experience. 
Logic versus instinct.
With lives on the line can the pair work together before someone else becomes another statistic? 

| ABOUT THE BOOK |

Holy cow!

‘In the Blink of an Eye‘ is a debut. Let me repeat that : IT IS A DEBUT! Quite frankly, it blows many other crime fiction novels out there right now completely out of the water, people.

DCS Kat Frank returns to work after some major events rocked her personal life. Upon her return, she is picked to lead a pilot program that pairs her with an AIDE. Not your regular one. This one is an Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity, called Lock. This pilot program is set to be tested on cold cases. While AI is obviously able to get plenty more work done compared to a police officer, for instance while scanning social media or phone messages, can AI and a human being really work together?

‘In the Blink of an Eye‘ is one of the most original and refreshing crime fiction novels I’ve read. Apart from the actual mystery that needs solving, there is so much to think about. Artificial Intelligence versus human experience, logic versus instincts, statistics versus hunches. DCS Frank is convinced she will be able to show Lock will prove to be utterly useless in her investigation. After all, AI does get it wrong, as she well knows.

Lock comes across as incredibly real, complete with various holograms. I’d sometimes catch myself wondering what he/it thought of certain things, needing to remind myself he/it is just a machine. Right? He/it is so darn likeable though! Lock is constantly evolving and learning, but there are of course subtleties he/it lacks. Could he/it possibly get a grasp on human emotions at some point? Could he/it possibly understand at some point what it feels like to love, lose, grieve? Does he/it need to? Are emotions important when trying to solve a crime? Or do they just get in the way?

Some of ‘In the Blink of an Eye‘ is sometimes sad and heartbreaking, often it is rather witty and it made me chuckle out loud. It is most definitely utterly enthralling from start to finish. The concept is so intriguing that when it caught my eye in the book description, it immediately made me sit up and take notice. Sure, it maybe sounds a little science-fiction-y but on the other hand, if you see what is already being achieved with AI … who knows?

So, a mystery to solve while watching a rather unique relationship develop. To be honest, it all left me wanting more. As luck would have it, I think this might be the start of a series, which thrills me no end. I know, we all need another series like a hole in the tooth but still, make space for this one. It’s clever, ingenious, thought-provoking, completely different and absolutely utterly brilliant! Don’t just take my word for it. It’s been getting some incredible reviews. Could it be the debut of the year? Quite possibly, yes. Could it be a book of the year? Also, quite possibly, yes. Recommended!

Amazon UK