Thomas Mullen has pulled off a dangerously awesome mesh of genres in which he gels gut-wrenching horror with inquisitive and action-packed storytelling in a science-fiction setting to create one of 2023’s most distinctive reads.

Homicide detective Mark Owens lives in a world like ours, except for an unexplainable world altering event that made every person on Earth go blind almost immediately, an event referred to as The Blinding. Now people go about their lives with technology implanted in their minds that allows them to see once again. If the worst was somehow thought to be over, a new murderer comes to town. The only problem is, those left alive swear they saw only a black blur where they should have clearly seen a person. How is it that the murderer can tap into the vision feeds so easily? It rattles all that Owens has come to depend upon after losing his sight, and leads him on a quest to uncover a conspiracy buried beneath the dark veneer of surveillance and disinformation.

Blind Spots is a powerful thriller that rallies readers with resonating sentiments about all sorts of ideas, from the philosophical connotations of natural sight, all the way to the dangerous age of information-gathering through an uneasy number of means as we experience today. Thomas Mullen demonstrates an exuberant brilliance as he builds and populates a haunting dystopian world that grounds readers with how plausible the events following The Blinding seem, taking into account political, socio-economic, and all sorts of factors that influence human behavior as it is today. I was mesmerized and frightened as Mullen explains what could very well happen in such a devastating event and how we could become even more hopelessly dependent on technology that we may not be able to even trust ourselves.

As Mark Owens brings along the readers for uncovering a dark conspiracy, there’s never a dull moment. From constantly exciting unfolding of twists to gritty action, you can’t find a good place to put the book down because each new chapter brings along a revelation that rejuvenates your desire to keep reading. Whether it’s cool car chases, pulse-pounding shootouts, or the feral nature of not knowing whether you’re rooting for a good guy or not, Blind Spots is a powerhouse of a thriller that has something for every reader to take away an experience that’s one to remember. This book helped me get through a very very long international flight and even as I did my best to slow down and savor it over the entire flight, I was flipping through the pages fast enough to become a fire hazard. It’s a dangerously addictive read indeed.


Full review to be posted on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/Kashif-Hussain

The Blinding left humanity without sight seven years prior to the events in Blind Spots. Technology in the form of vidders, devices attached to a person’s head, were developed and gave people artificial sight, with the added technology of digital media embedded into the devices.

Mark Owens and his partner are policemen who survived the worst of the Blinding. They are haunted by what they had to do as cops during the Blinding, and Owens is still reeling from the suicide of his wife two years ago. They are assigned to the murder case of a professor working on vision technology, and the witness claims the killer was a black blur who couldn’t be identified. No one believes her story as it’s felt that vidders can’t be hacked, but Owens then sees a blurred individual leaving the scene of another murder. What then transpires is a tense and enjoyable mystery, taking place in a dystopian future with eerie similarities to our present day world.

Blind Spots is well written and superbly plotted. The main characters are well drawn and their actions believable. By raising the specter of vidder manipulation in a dystopian world, it also raises in my mind how much our current technologies are manipulating us.

My sincere thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.

I am always fascinated by the dystopian Worlds that authors dream up, so the gorgeous book cover and intriguing premise caught my attention right away.

Seven years ago, everyone in the world was blinded in a matter of months.

Seventy Five days from 20/15 vision to ZERO.,

Was it extreme macular degeneration? A weird virus spreading from continent to continent? A Bioweapon created by the Chinese or Russians? Something in the water? Toxic gases released because of Global Warming? Or the Government taking control of an “out of control” population?

Surgeons couldn’t operate, Pilots couldn’t fly planes.

Feeling helpless, many became addicted to Opsin, a hallucinogenic drug.

Technology helped people adjust to the new normal, creating devices which approximate vision, called Vidders- which use a one inch metal disc implanted on a person’s right temple, to downloads and interprets visual data and then send it directly to a person’s brain-compensating for the permanent blindness, and allowing them to see once again.

But what happens when someone finds a way to manipulate a Vidder and change what people are seeing. Or NOT seeing?

Law enforcement agents Mark Owens and his partner Jimmy Peterson must decide if they trust what they SEE, and believe what they are HEARING out on the streets.

Owens will also have to figure out if he is ready to move on from his wife, Jeanie, lost to the “Blinding” and trust his new girlfriend, Amira, who is also in law enforcement.

A unique Police Procedural which will have you wondering if even when you lose your sense of sight-you can still trust your gut instincts…

This wasn’t quite my usual read, but, I ended up enjoying it! If you enjoy DYSTOPIAN, SCI-FI, POLICE PROCEDURALS, and GOOD GUY vs. BAD GUY adrenaline thrillers-this one is for you!

AVAILABLE April 4, 2023.

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Thomas Mullen returns with a post-apocalyptic crime novel that deals with a world in which everyone has gone blind in a matter of seven years. Technology is developed to enable people to see again through a type of video screen (a "vidder"), but the detectives investigating a series of murders begin to question the reality of what they are actually seeing. Twisty and engrossing, with a very interesting concept, I really enjoyed this book.

Blind Spots grabbed me from the beginning and kept me up until I was finished. While not normally a sci-fi fan, I really enjoyed this book, and heartily recommend it.

I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley (not to mention Mr. Mullen!) for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Thomas Mullen explores the ways our perceptions of reality can be manipulated in his latest novel, Blind Spots.

The cover and premise are what caught my attention and I ignored my hesitation about reading a book set in the near future and focussed on the ‘detective mystery’ classification. Unfortunately, as much as I’d like to think I have an open mind, (1) the sci-fi and dystopian aspects didn’t appeal to me and I struggled to pick up this book to continue reading, (2) the characters were given odd descriptors, (3) the beginning felt as though it had been written by someone else, and (4) the abrupt breaks in the narrative (POV and tense) broke the flow.

I really wanted to like this book, but it wasn’t for me. Please, read other reviews on this book and make your own informed decision. I hope this book finds the right reader.

If you enjoy sci-fi and crime stories, this one will interest you.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a review.

The Blinding and it’s fallout is an intriguing concept. The sci-fi/dystopian world-building was delivered at a good pace alongside the unfolding crime investigation.

This book felt like a blend of psychological thriller and detective mystery. It had a lot of tension and some good action sequences.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC

Thank you for the opportunity to read Blind Spots. This post apocalyptic story was indeed interesting. I thought the idea of The Blinding was very imaginative and creative. I wish I could have known more about the origins of it.
After the world goes blind, a new device called a vidder was put in place to allow people to see once again. The story revolves around the life of Detective Mark Owens. He has dealt with lots since The Blinding and he continues to be thrown bad luck. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to others.

This is a good book, one of the latest I have found, in a pandemic type of theme, this one doesn't deal with covid, but with a 'blinding'. Everyone has gone gradually blind, even babies are born blind. Corporate America steps in with a device that is implanted and allows people to see through a type of video screen (a vidder). Mark Owens is a police detective, had been even before going blind, the police were one of the first to get the devices so they could see. He and his partner are investigating the death of two scientists who have been killed a few days apart, the one scientist insisting that the bad guys were not visible, they only showed up as black blobs. Of course the detectives don't believe this, the vidders are always blamed when someone who was a witness says they saw nothing because their vidder malfunctioned. Until Mark has it happen to him and he begins to investigate in earnest. The book moves along at a good pace, I felt the middle slowed a bit, I really enjoyed the ending and I would highly recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Minotaur Books for the ARC

(2 1/2). This story is just too damn hard to maintain. An interesting description of a pretty creative sci-fi kind of future scenario that depends way too much on conventional behavior. Maybe I just didn’t get it, but I felt like I was rushing to get to the end. The overwhelming twist at the very end was almost a deal breaker, and the characters were all not quite completed. Very medium stuff.

Riveting thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat in suspense. Several years ago everyone lost their sight but technology has made it possible to see again. That is, until someone starts hacking into that technology to commit murders. The suspense and real life potential for this made the plot believable. Interesting read. Definitely recommend! Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced copy!

The Blinding and it’s fallout is an intriguing concept. The sci-fi/dystopian world-building was delivered at a good pace alongside the unfolding crime investigation.

This book felt like a blend of psychological thriller and detective mystery. It had a lot of tension and some good action sequences.

I enjoyed the light sarcastic humor and rooted for Mark Owens to succeed.

Only drawback:
During the first 10% of the book the POV shifts were a little too abrupt and too frequent for me to hold onto the story and get into a rhythm. After that, it was easier to shift among the established characters and follow along as the plot unfolded, but ultimately I felt the book would have been better with fewer POVs.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

Let me start by saying I am not normally a fan of the post-apocalyptic novel. Life is dark and dreary enough at times in this weird modern world , that imagining and even more dark and dreary one is not exactly what I call a relaxing and entertaining event. Which makes my response to this novel all the more surprising - I loved this one. I was engaged from start to finish in a way that does not normally happen with futuristic tales about the world trying to piece itself together after some catastrophic event.

This was a very original and very interesting story that rolled out with a pacing that was perfectly tailored to its plot. I found the characterizations to be interesting and engaging. I found the concept of The Blinding to be a fascinating and horrifying one, yet in the context of the weird stuff that happens every day, somehow plausible. I really enjoyed the way backstory and contemporary story were blended together to reveal all the information you needed to understand the world that Mullen established.

I will definitely be looking for more from him.

At first I thought about turning back - I wasn’t certain I had the stomach for this one. I stuck with it - I did, after all, commit to writing a review - and I’m glad I did! This is the story of an alternative earth, where everyone gets hit with a disease that causes blindness. Later known as The Blinding. While the plot gets a little confusing for a bit, as police behavior gets mixed in to the story, it resolves and the story becomes exciting and twisty. I like the main characters - I can’t always claim that - and the story isn’t unbelievable. It’s a scary scenario that isn’t so far out there. Highly recommended!!

This ARC was provided by the publisher and NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Please do not let this story kune ever become e reality! A twisty, compelling, and deeply disturbing plot made for a few hours of reading under the covers with a growing sense of fear. I loved it.

4.5/5 stars. This was an entertaining read with well developed character complexity and nuance. The police commentary was timely and nicely done.

What if the next pandemic meant the entire population went blind? That is exactly what happened seven years ago – it took a matter of months but then it was complete darkness. Even babies were being born without their sight. Homicide detective Mark Owens has been on the force since before The Blinding, but he lost his wife. The world adapted by creating a device called a “vidder” which allowed people to see via an implanted device. Since the device came out criminals have been complaining they couldn’t see the suspect, or their device blacked out, but no one has every believed them, including detective Owens. That is until he sees it as well. As Owens heads down the rabbit hole, he wonders if he will be able to figure this out when he can’t even trust himself.

This book was fun and held my interest. I didn’t really enjoy the pacing at the beginning as I felt like it was building rather slowly, but then it picked up towards the second half. I didn’t want to put it down as I wanted to know what happened. Besides the pacing this story worked really well. It was an original plot and the twists were enjoyable.

Special thanks to @netgalley and the publisher @stmartinspress for my advanced e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This one isn’t out until next April 4th but start preparing for it now. It’s a real page turner.

Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen is an interesting yet unique story.
I really enjoyed this book... It was super riveting and the characters were very good.
This is my first time reading Mullens work and I'm very impressed.
He caught my attention right off rip.
With his amazing writing and brilliant characters.
I was entertained the whole time.
I loved how he ramps up the tension ten-fold in this highly atmospheric story.
The sci-fi/mystery-crime really kept me hooked and wanting this book to last just a few more pages longer.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Minotaur Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

A crime novel based on a futuristic sci-fi premise when everyone in the world goes gradually blind. Chaos ensues with vision subsequently restored to the wealthy through the creation of a unique visual device- a “ vidder”. The crime novel aspect involves a group that subverts the vidders creating “dark blurs” that commit multiple murders in an attempt to restore their concept of order in the chaotic world. For me, the most interesting parts centered around the protagonist’s( Mark Owens) experiencing and navigating in his state of blindness.
Sci-fi fans ( of which I am not) should really enjoy this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. This one was quite different from my usual read but super interesting. This book was very futuristic and incredibly interesting.. If you love Sci-fi, this one would be for you! I would definitely read this when you can pay attention to more details, definitely not a light read - it keeps you thinking the entire time. Although this book wasn't for me, I know a lot of people that would enjoy this one!

Mark Owens is a seasoned homicide detective in a fairly new strange world. After "The Blinding" there was a long period of time were the entire world was without sight following a strange uncured pandemic. Corporate America was able to create a video glass that has eventually enabled those that have the money the ability to see.

In this speculative fiction story, Mark and his partner are pulled into a strange case where scientists are murdered but the killers are mere black splotches and unseen. This new phenomenon is hard to describe and the police admin do not believe in its veracity. Mark has to work against the clock to put the pieces together on who is at fault and why.

If you like police stories, syfi and speculative fiction this is a great page turner for you! Blind Spots! by Thomas Mullen. #STMartinsPress