Strange book, I thought it sounded wacky and that didn't put me off,although I do like writers who think outside the box,I didn't really engage with the main character though and did find the ideas somewhat off putting.I don't think this was a perfect fit for me,I am so disappointed I really wanted to like it but just not for me I am afraid.I hope other readers enjoy it more.thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this read despite it not being my usual genre. We are in the future, in California where there are no lies,only truth. Everything everyone does is recorded, double checked. Every individual keeps and stores a daily record of their existence. There are Government departments that substantiate everything that happens, reviews every document etc . A whole host of people doing the checking and ensuring all is Truth. Our hero ,Mr Ratesic, is one such checker known as a Speculator. Obviously he starts to uncover less than the Truth is happening in high ranking places.......
Excellent story, well written.

I've loved all of Ben Winters work, but I think this could be the real break through novel for him. Absolutely timely in a world where increasingly people find the "truth" a challenging concept.

This detctive story is set in a post apocalyptic dystopian future California. The worst offence in this society is to tell a lie, punishable in the worst cases by expulsion form the state and abadonment in the desert. The hero is an officer of the special police force which is stafffed with intuitives who can detect lies as they are told. He is alerted to the death of a workman, who on further investigation appears to have no records. A showdown with a membre of his own police leads to the disclosure of a resistance group opposed the the laws and ideals of the golden State. A dramatic conclusion follows. The book is absorbing and readable, it aspires to be a follower to Margaret Atwood and doesn't quite make it.

Set in a future dystopia where lies, no matter how small or well-intentioned they may be, are criminal acts, Golden State is a murder mystery with a twist.

Laszlo Ratesic is a citizen of the Golden State, and a detective of the Speculative Service; a man with a psychic gift (or curse) that tells him when a person is lying. The Speculative Service is full of men and women like him, who hunt and prosecute liars to the full extent of the law. Lies are what caused the end of the old world, so cannot be allowed in the only remaining community. Liars are sent to jail if they are lucky, the unlucky ones are banished to a lingering death.

Saddled with a new partner he neither wants nor appreciates, Laz is allocated the case of an apparent suicide. What should be an easy truth to discover becomes increasingly evasive, and Laz is forced to question not only his conscience and ability, but also the fabric of the society in which he lives.

Golden State starts slowly but builds into a riveting read with flavours of 1984 and film noir. I’ve never heard of this author before reading this book, but I will definitely be searching out his back catalogue.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so original! It was a bit of a slow starter and I didn't get what was going on at first but it had me intrigued. There are shades of 1984 and it fits into the dystopian category very neatly, but there is also a murder mystery, an awesome plot and so many twists and reveals.

The main character - Laszlo - journeys from being something of a rule-following 'jobsworth' at the start to a well-rounded individual, able to think for himself and challenge the status quo. The ending was satisfactory, and although I didn't understand everything I had a fair idea of how this dystopian world came into being.

The book is quite philosophical at times, debating the nature of truth and lies and what is known and cannot be known. This seems very pertinent in our post-truth age of alternative facts.

Surprising, intriguing and completely unpredictable! At no point in time did I know where this book was heading and I couldn't stop reading. In a time when telling a lie is a felony, an unlikely hero, Lazlo, has the ability to detect untruths and enforce retribution. On this particular day he a) receives a new partner and b) is called to investigate a murder that appears to have anomalies. We get taken on an astonishing journey where we are forced to contemplate the context and meaning of truth.
An original, thought provoking read! I'm still thinking about it.

In the Golden State, there are no lies, only truth. This dystopian fiction sounded right up my street but unfortunately it starts slow and I found the main character, Laz, quite unlikeable. I found it difficult to be drawn into this story and the world where no lies can be told.

I would have liked more world setting at the start. I really enjoyed the twist and the ending section, and feel these could have been expanded upon more.

Overall a good story, but takes too long to get going.

Science fiction novel in which lying is a crime - quite good and original

The basis for this novel is that California, at some point in the future, become Golden State, a nation in which the truth is everything and lying is a crime. Everything is filmed, recorded and archived. Laszlo is a Speculator whose job is to spot liars and bring them to justice. His world is turned upside down as he meets conspiracy, murder, betrayal and learns that there’s nobody that can be trusted.

The storyline moves along quite well and is reasonably clear but, when it comes down to it, there’s little action and a lot of introspection and speculation by the narrator. Not totally captivating for me but others may enjoy this far more than me.

Ratesic is is a over 50 years old and has nearly 20 years experience in Speculative Service, which is a department that is not part of the police force..
He and other people within this force can tell if you are lying..
What would happen if you found out someone had lied and you have no choice but to report it, even if it means life and death?

What is the Golden State and what makes the "truth" so very important? This book makes you think about every day encounters and whose perception of the truth is correct. A society where telling a lie can see you removed from society to somewhere Unknown. A good read with twists and turns, with truth and lies and then everything you had begun to understand turned on its head. All I can say is enjoy!

Oh, I liked this. It reminded me a little of Jasper Fforde at first - the ludicrous premise taken absolutely seriously, the bizarre characterisations. . I loved the "noir" atmosphere, played with a very straight bat, and I liked the philosphical challenge - is there anything worse than a lie? Of course there is...I think.

The Golden State is a place, and a state of mind. It's interesting to contemplate a world where shared truth is valued above everything else - such a stark comparison with our post-truth, fake news, opinionated, conspiracy theorist world. The best speculative fiction holds up a mirror to our world, and this certainly does that.

Like all the best noir, it's heavy on atmosphere, the plot twists and turns, and the truth isn't quite what you anticipate. And the ending is deeply satisfying.

Thank you, Net Galley, for letting me read and review.

This chilling tale has shades of the films The Butterfly Effect combined with Minority Report but is very much of the moment in 2018, in our post-truth world of alternative facts. It doesn't take the path I expected, however, and would give rise to some interesting book club debates, I imagine.
Our protagonist, a dour and inflexible jobsworth at first, develops slowly into a compassionate and conflicted character whose learning curve mirrors the reader's and I found myself feeling profoundly moved by his journey. It's a fascinating read which is difficult to either categorise or describe, but definitely worth a read.

I was drawn into this book from the first page - a man 'senses' someone telling a lie while he is having breakfast. After ascertaining who the liar is, we find that the man works for the state as a 'speculator' - someone who can sense lies. Lying, in the Golden State, is a deviation from the 'obviously so' and carries a hefty sentence. After being called to a seemingly straightforward death, Ratesic, the Speculator, and his reluctant partner, Aysa Paige, find themselves drawn into an ever widening web of half truths and deception which they never imagined. An interesting read which will appeal to all dystopian fans.

# Golden state # netgallery. This book shows how the people higher up don’t always want the truth, there are so many twists in this novel and you genuinely do not want to put it down, the further into the investigation the more you want to know. It’s a very addictive book. Unfortunately for some I do not put any spoilers in any book, this is one you definitely need to read, intriguing to say the least very very well done and definitely would recommend, do be prepared to be shocked a little by the ending well with reading by anyone’s standard

A world where truth is paramount and fiction doesn’t exist. There are no novels, as we know them, permitted in the Golden State. Winters has created a terrifyingly plausible landscape and confirms that where there is power and ideology, there is the potential for corruption.

The Californian coast grumbles and stretches before settling down once more. Yet the truth is now the only bedrock on which the "Golden State" rests, and preserving that one ‘commandment’ is everything.

Illustrious landmarks are consigned to the minds of readers, as the characters residing in this new prophetic reality find that history has been forgotten in favour of relentlessly capturing the activity of every citizen 24/7, for their own protection, and that of the State.

Everyone self-censors their speech and carefully considers the implications of any statement they make. Their intentions are frequently qualified to avoid being accused of the worst crime imaginable - failing to tell the truth. This leads to some farcical conversation exchanges that are brilliantly maddening while reinforcing the gravity of the law.

And the law is diligently enforced to ensure there are no exceptions. No get out of jail card free. Do not pass go. Mr Lazlo Ratesic makes a huge and memorable impression as an investigator in this alternate world, not only because of his imposing physical appearance, but he is the equivalent of a human lie detector. He has permission to ‘speculate’ when things don’t quite add up, everyone else mustn’t stray from knowable facts – even their greetings are affirmations of facts!

Mr Ratestic’s commitment, his conscience, and even his occasional offensive bark took me on a colossally impressive journey, although it did arrive at rather a sketchy stop. Even so, this didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment. It just felt a little abrupt, is all.

The "Golden State" is a sobering read with an authoritative and convincing voice. It pools striking theories that challenge the beliefs of the characters, tears out their hearts, and has them second-guessing what they truly consider to be ‘Objectively So’.

This was advertised as inspired by The Handmaid's tale which piqued my interest. I do not feel that it is similar in any way other than it is set in a future governed by rules and regulations. It seems to me that the rules are unclear and never explained and the weird talent that the Speculators possess I find unexciting.
I am sorry but this book is not for me, I find it boring.

Fantastic Orwellian thriller that takes the ministry of truth and turns it up to 11. Beautiful prose that flow right through from start to finish. A mystery that has more twists and turns than an Alpine back road.

Set in America in an determinate future, Ben H.Winters’ speculative fiction, Golden State, hints at the impact of today’s political and social issues on social structure and cohesion through mandatory governmental surveillance and monitoring of truth, reality, conformity and freedom of speech. A mystery thriller, a speculative who-dun-it, but also a chilling insight into a possible future? Fans of Margaret Attwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale will appreciate this novel as much as I did. I found it fascinating, riveting and could not put it down.