This is quite the contemporary police procedural story! When Kat Frank deicides to return to the police force after being carer for her terminally ill husband, she's not sure she is ready to get back to her senior role in homicide. However, her boss and friend asks her to pilot a program testing AI as a means of cutting the cost of man hours and speeding up research through the use of cold cases.
Rather than be too scientific and geeky, the AI is introduced in the book in quite a humourous way, with a holographic officer called 'Locke' that is linked to a form of smart watch that Kat is asked to wear. Kat puts together a small team and with the assistance of Locke (who has no filters on his thoughts - LOL) they start to look into cold cases.
In looking into the disappearance of two young men, Kat, Locke and the team stumble through awkwardness and frustration, each trying to assert their own perspective on the case. However, for Kat it becomes personal as she starts to see parallels between the missing young men and her own son Cam.
The plot was so intriguing and the characters are very interesting, I do hope there is more to come with Kat.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon &Schuster publishers for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

This was a wonderful read, I found the premise to be quite unique. I loved how the use of AI was used to assist police and in how quickly it was able to analyse data.

The nature of the crime was unique too which was refreshing, when you read a lot of books you will often find similarities.

The dialogue between Kat & Lock had me chuckling at times.

All in all this was a clever, well researched police procedural and has me excited for what will come next.

I really wanted to NOT to like this book. Yes - you read correctly.
I started and was ready to give up after AIDE - Artificial Intelligence Detective Entity named Lock was introduced. I re-read to make sure I was understanding correctly that in all essence, Lock is a digital robot of sorts. My non technological brain fought against the very notion … however, the originality of the story line, paired with brilliant writing, won me over. A unique, clever debut and like nothing I’ve read before.

In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds.
Just gone. Vanished. In the blink of an eye. 

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 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? 

A police procedural with a clever twist, a delightful cast of characters paired with witty banter and relatable humour, intriguing cold case investigations, compelling and highly entertaining. I can’t wait to see what Jo Callaghan comes out with next.

Loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to @simonandschuster @netgalley for a #gifted advanced reading copy

* Review will be posted to Goodreads and Instagram in the next week.

Five stars is insufficient for Jo Callaghan's "In The Blink of An Eye." Every 90 seconds, someone in the UK is reported missing. DCS Kat Frank is returning to the force after losing her husband. Her first task is to lead a team associated with a pilot programme using Lock, an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity). What if AIDE is the solution to changing this statistic? Moreover, what if this entity can overturn the stagnation faced by cold cases? The central premise of two cold cases is AI versus human experience and instincts.

The Yaays: This book is original. The pacing is immaculate, and easy to get attached to Kat, Lock and the team. Additionally, this book is gut-wrenchingly human and thought-provoking. The parallels between the cold cases and the current situation are infused well. I devoured this book in one sitting as the twists and turns will keep you hooked, especially when the case gets highly personal. This book is also character-driven which makes it even more satisfying. The author's note at the end got me and connected the dots as to why this book screams authenticity.

The Nays: None. Okay, if I had to choose one, it is the lingering effect this book will leave you with and a probable book hangover lasting 3-5 days.

Verdict: This is easily one of my favourite reads of 2023. If you're a fan of suspense, thrillers, or police procedurals with a twist, please grab this book.

Thank you, NetGalley & Simon & Schuster (Australia), for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.