In the Blink of an Eye
Jo Callaghan

This appears to be the summer of some really, really good missing person thrillers! This is a crime/police procedural with a twist, involving a cop and her new AI partner. Reminds me of the Stallone/Bullock partnership in the movie Demolition man.

I was not looking to get into a series, but the recent accolades led me to request an ARC, and I am sure glad I did. What an impressive debut! The story is exciting, the characters engaging. Lusciously complex plot well developed. Looking forward to more from this author.

My appreciation to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for providing me with a digital Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for an original, unbiased, independent review.

Jo Calaghan is a new author for me. This is the first book in the new Kat and Lock series.

Description:
Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her intuition, honed through years of on-the-beat police work. Picked to lead a pilot program that has her paired with Lock, an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity)—a hologram that is activated by a device on Kat’s wrist—Kat’s gut reactions about people and motives come up against Lock’s statistical calculations and data analysis that can be devised in seconds.

But as the two missing person’s cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help when the case begins to target Kat personally. AI versus human experience. Logic versus instinct. With lives on the line, can the pair work together to solve the mystery in time?

My Thoughts:
Embedding an AI entity in a police investigation was new and interesting. It was fun to see how the AI guy messes up with lack of tact and kindness in his dealings with victims and team members. Kat's natural resistance to accepting AI was easy to understand with AI being somewhat responsible for the death of her husband. The investigation of the missing was complex and I enjoyed following the leads. Kat Frank is an interesting character and I liked her. I look forward to the next book in this series and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good police procedural or who is interested in applications for AI.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group through Netgalley for an advance copy.

In the Blink of An Eye this book dazzled me with it's unique, gripping, and thought provoking premise. A seasoned investigator, DCS Kat Frank is paired with Lock, an Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity. Lock's logic is paired with Kat's experience, instincts, and investigative skills. Kat and Lock will be investigating two cases where young men have gone missing without a trace!

Kat is an intelligent single mother and investigator who has suffered loss. She is back to work after the death of her husband and has strong feelings about working with an AI detective. As they begin their investigation, readers get to see the struggles they encounter as they approach the investigation.

The plot is gripping and tense. The search for the missing young men, paired with the struggles of paring human intuition with AI logic made for a riveting and intense read. I though Jo Callaghan did a great job of showing the struggles, the benefits, the differing approach to investigation, and the reactions of the human investigators, mainly Kat, in adjusting to working with an AIDE -Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity.

When the case gets personal, the tension and urgency leaped off the pages! Whew! I had no idea how much I would enjoy this book. I love how original this book was. What a unique concept and way to conduct investigations. What a thrilling mix of mystery, drama, science fiction and detective work. This book also had me wondering if investigations will turn to AI help/assistance in the future.

Well written, well thought out, unique, and thought provoking. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

*be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book.

This is one of the most interesting and fun mystery/police procedurals that I have read this year!!

AI is everywhere right now and that makes this a timely novel. I wasn’t sure how the author was going to handle the inclusion of a virtual AI detective but it was so well done.

From the blurb: “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.”

DCS Kat Frank has been on a leave of absence after the untimely death of her husband. Just back to work she wasn’t expecting to be paired with the first AIDE in the police department, in this pilot program. She’s also struggling being a single parent to her teenage son. She is not too happy with this assignment.

What follows is a great police procedural incorporating two cold cases being investigated by Kat and AIDE Locke.

Kat is a great character and I enjoyed her logical thinking as well as her all too human “gut” feelings! There are two cases of missing young men and these two work together as a team as they evolve into active cases.

This was an exciting read and I don’t want to reveal any more of the plot - I’ll leave you to discover how human and AI work together and learn from each other.

There is also a lot of humor as AIDE Locke tries to understand human feelings, emotions and sometimes illogical thinking processes.

I highly recommend this novel to everyone. I think you’ll be impressed with this debut crime novel, it’s going to the top of my favorites list for this year!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

In the Blink of an Eye is a truly unique take on the police procedural genre, with thoroughly fleshed out characters, ever evolving suspense, and an examination of the pros and cons of both humans and Artificial Intelligence.

Newly widowed single mother Kat Frank returns to her job as a cop after losing her husband, and is placed as the lead of a pilot program testing the use of AI in solving cold cases. AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock is a holographic AI "person" who appears from a device on Kat's wrist, and its purpose is to sift through data faster than human agents can while providing unbiased analysis on the evidence of cases. When two missing person's cases go from cold to active, Kat must balance the use of her gut intuition and Lock's unbiased, factual approach to decipher what happened.

I am a huge fan of stories that examine a topic from multiple angles, and Callaghan uses Kat and Lock brilliantly to explore the debate of whether human intelligence paired with human intuition is more valuable than the hyperlogical analyses of Artificial Intelligence. The story depicts flaws in human bias and emotions, while also respecting the power and necessity of emotions, while respecting the processing power of AI for other tasks.

Amidst the timely examination of AI's use in society, the character development for Kat, her son and her team is vibrant, and the suspense ratchets up each chapter as they untangle two increasingly dark cases. The final 15% is action packed and had me burning through the pages to see how everything played out.

Fans of police procedurals with a lot of heart will devour this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. I loved that this had an AI part of the plot and story. I related to Kat, and was rooting for her the whole way. It definitely makes you think, what if this were real life? If AI could get all of our personal info and what they could do with it. Definitely a new, clever novel! I liked the way it flowed and got invested in the characters.

Thank you to the author, published and Net Galley for providing a free e-book ARC of this title in exchange for my review.

Some books are hits, some misses, some hit or miss - this one is a hit and miss, for me. It was interesting, but clumsy and odd. The story felt slow and boring. I had no trouble at all putting this one aside - wouldn't have finished if not for needing to write this review. Still, I don't feel like there is much to comment on.

2 stars

An Original Twist on the Police Procedural.

In the Blink of an Eye is a procedural/mystery centered on a missing persons unit that uses a unique AI program to solve cold cases. This collaboration not only enhances their investigative capabilities but also raises intriguing questions about the role of artificial intelligence in law enforcement. The result is an unconventional partnership that challenges traditional methods and explores the evolving relationship between technology and human intuition.

DCS Kat Frank, grieving the loss of her husband, returns to work with a new assignment. She is going to lead a pilot program involving an AI “Detective,” the program is called AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock. Kat, who has her own biases towards AI, finds herself working with Lock, who infiltrates her life, violates her personal information, and offers some beyond human capabilities that are helpful to solve the missing person cases.

They find that it takes the human element combined with AI to be successful; one without another doesn’t work.

Kat is the narrator, and she is a well-developed, relatable character. The cases are compelling, but Kat’s partnership with Lock takes this book to another level.

I can’t believe this is Callaghan' debut. The plot is multi-layered and complex, and the characterization is strong. Callaghan's knowledge and expertise with AI shine through, bringing authenticity and originality to the plot. It looks like book #2 is on its way, and while I really do not need another series in my life, this one is too good to resist.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group.

I was initially hesitant to start this book because technothrillers aren't usually my genre (although I'm not sure this even qualifies as one). However, the overwhelmingly positive reviews convinced me to give it a try. This crime procedural novel follows Kat Frank, a widowed forty-something DCS from Warwickshire, who has a young adult son and is just returning to work. On her first day back, she's given the chance to join a pilot study using AI to help solve cold cases.

The book is fast-paced and relatively short. One aspect I appreciated was the originality of the main case, which stands out from typical police procedurals often centered on female victims and various motivations. While it wasn't overly twisty and most outcomes were easy to guess, I enjoyed the fresh perspective.

However, the true highlight of the book was the “relationship” between Kat and the AI, Lock. Their interactions added a perfect dose of humor—sometimes innocent, other times dark—that had me smiling throughout.

Moreover, the book offered a thoughtful reflection on police bias and prejudice, the desire to improve the force from within, and the importance of new and diverse voices. I loved the contrast between Lock’s data-driven approach and Kat’s intuition and experience. The outcome of this battle might be predictable, but it doesn’t diminish the enjoyment.

Color me GOBSMACKED! In the Blink of an Eye has just been added to my list of the best books I've read in my life!

DCS Kat Frank is a cop who trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot program that has her paired with AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s gut instincts come up against Lock’s logic. AI versus human experience. Logic versus instinct. Not exactly what one would call a delightful duo!

In the Blink of an Eye is completely different and (did I mention?) utterly brilliant! Be sure to read the author's notes, too. Quite interesting. I can't wait to read the next book!!

HUGE thanks to both #RandomHouse and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of #InTheBlinkOfAnEye! This book is #1 in the #KatAndLock series and is being released in paperback on Aug 06, 2024.

#JoCallaghan #AI

Kat Frank, a veteran cop, is chosen to lead an experimental program featuring Lock, an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) that appears as a hologram activated by a device on her wrist. This pits a seasoned cop’s instincts and intuition against an AI’s algorithms and data-driven insights. The book is a compelling read that seamlessly integrates the thrills of a police procedural with the intriguing possibilities of AI. Fans of detective fiction and science fiction alike will find this tale of human-AI partnership an intriguing read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and author Jo Callaghan for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

DCS Kat Frank of the Warwickshire Police has decided to go back to work after the death of her husband from cancer following a long illness. There aren’t a lot of great options for her, so she reluctantly—almost hostilely—accepts her boss’s offer that she head up a pilot project for police investigations to incorporate an AIDE as a team member. An AIDE is an Artificial Intelligence Detecting Entity. We all know AI is great at blasting through huge volumes of data and summarizing it, so that’s a plus. But that’s not all there is in this project.

Dr. Sophie Okonedo has developed a particular AIDE, called Lock, for this project. Okonedo has an overt animus against the police, or at least her view of police methods. She thinks AIDEs can obliterate the status quo in policing. Of course, most police officers view AI as job threats. Kat has her own reasons for distrusting the concept, and her distrust plays out in angry outbursts against Lock. Not that they’re unwarranted in some cases. He (I’m calling Lock “he” here, because when he manifests as a hologram, he tends to use Chadwick Boseman as his avatar) has no understanding of human feelings and spouts off demoralizing statistics to the families of missing persons. He even conjures up a hologram of a missing mother’s son, which naturally causes her to have an emotional breakdown. But Kat isn’t blameless for the rockiness of their initial relationship. She can’t be bothered to explain why he shouldn’t do certain things, and her usual reactions to his statements are anger, sarcasm or dismissal.

The pilot project is to review a couple of missing persons cases that have had no progress over the last few months. After clashing over everything from how to pick the cases to review, to the benefit of statistical analysis, the investigation proceeds, with the team consisting of Kat, Lock, a newly-minted cocky DI named Hassan, and DS Deb Browne, who has self-confidence problems. When the team discovers evidence that the two cold cases need to go high priority, the team expands, while the pace and tension of the investigation increases.

As I read, I felt like there was a bit too much emphasis on the human-vs-AI conflict. It’s clear all along that there are things Lock can do incredibly rapidly, like reading and summarizing all of somebody’s social media, so why not look at that as a benefit and work like an open-minded adult to to figure out what the appropriate uses are for AI beyond that? But writers are told that novels are powered by conflict, so conflict it is.

The bigger problem I had with the book was the reason why the cases become a high priority. The reason was one I found repulsive and hard to read about, especially in those parts of the book when POVs are switched to the missing persons. I wouldn’t call it horrific or way out there; I just prefer my crime fiction to involve the more normal human frailties that lead to murder.

By the close of the book, we have the beginnings of a working partnership between Kat and Lock—which I don’t think is a spoiler, because otherwise this wouldn’t be the start of a series. I’m encouraged by that, and will read the second book as long as I can feel a little more comfortable about the nature of the crimes being investigated.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

This was such an interesting speculative thriller. Kat Frank is an experienced police officer who is still dealing with the death of her husband while getting ready to send her only child off to university. When her boss asks her to take part in a new pilot research program about the use of artificial intelligence in police work, Kat is willing but skeptical. Lock, her AI partner, is a great character, and the author's own work in the AI field meant that the novel felt authentic and well-researched. Kat and her team are looking into a couple of cold cases, both young men who disappeared without a trace, and the story takes off from there in unexpected and gripping ways. The pacing was excellent, with interviews breaking up the action, and I found it hard to put down. The book pits logic against instinct and shows that both are vital to good police work. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a digital review copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

3.5 stars
This was quite slow for me for almost the first half of the book. I couldn't relate to Kat and didn't really even like her at first but she did grow on me. The second half was much stronger and at 70% it really ramped up. This seems like the start to a series and I would probably read another just to see what happens with next chapter in her life and that of the team. I wasn't thrilled with the AI aspect but I suppose it's like looking the future in the face. A little too Big Brother-ish for me.

This was a really interesting and engaging read! I think what sets it apart is that it's more of a genre mashup rather than fitting into one specific category. It was different and unique and it worked really well.
The storyline is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing and I really liked how AI was incorporated into the plot.
I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Thank you Jo Callaghan, Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I loved this book so much. It was a fast paced amazingly well-done police procedural with a nice tech tie in. I loved how the futuristic, though not too unrealistic or futuristic AI was incorporated into this book. It was interesting as I was reading this book, I was reading about how our government agencies are currently looking at using AI. While this book is based in the UK, I couldn’t help but wonder if we would get to the point that our police force carried around AI devices like described in this book. Its quite the interesting topic.

The plot was very unique and well thought out. I kept wondering how all the characters could tie together and the breadcrumbs leading up to the reveal was just *chefs kiss* absolute perfection. The main character, Kat Frank was likeable and utterly human. I enjoyed that we got to see many different emotions from her and I’m a sucker for a strong female main character and she was just that.

This book is incredibly well written and will not only leave you on the edge of your seat because of the thriller aspect, but it will make you stop and think about the line between technology and policing and where we are going as a society.

I highly recommend you pick this one up.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced read copy of this amazing thriller. I'm usually a slow reader, but I zipped through this book in record time. I had to force myself to put it down to manage daily life. The plot and pacing simply pulled me into the story and kept me there. Days later, I am still thinking about the "what if" implications. This is a must read.

Utilizing a highly specialized AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity)—aka, Lock—in a newly-formed pilot program, DCS Kat Frank heads up this new team while strongly rebuking the use of AI as an investigative tool. Tasked with solving two missing person cases that have gone cold but might somehow be linked, Kat and Lock are often at odds in a near constant battle of instinct vs logic. Yet in the end, it is their combined skills that ultimately solves these cases and saves two lives in the process.

Boasting a unique and intriguing premise, “In the Blink of an Eye” is a suspenseful police procedural that is also highly entertaining. From start to finish, I was drawn into this story, hard-pressed to put it down. It’s a well-written, thoughtful and engaging story with perfectly imperfect characters. I look forward to reading additional installments of Kat & Lock in the future.

I enjoyed a lot of things that happened in the book especially the AI detective, I found that whole concept to be very intriguing.


giving it 3 stars because I kept becoming disconnected with the story, but still overall enjoyed it!

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE
Jo Callaghan

Ok, hear me out. This was good.

It stars Kat. Her supervisor has assigned Kat to train an artificial intelligence program that takes the shape of a hologram that she will wear as a bracelet. I’m not sure hologram is the right word but it’s a computer rendered approximation of what would resemble a human, although I suppose it could take the shape of anything it wanted.

This AI is called Lock. Lock is made to appear like his peers. He is tasked as a tool for removing human bias when investigating crimes, and the program hopes to remove whatever human elements are interfering with the current solve rates.

Kat is not the least excited to take on Lock or this assignment but she reluctantly agrees to try. It is apparent mere minutes into their first case working together that there is a lot to be learned. About how AI will interact with suspects, how they will carry on parts of the investigation, and how they solve the crime.

This was the most interesting thriller I’ve read in a while. The premise is new, and we need more books about artificial intelligence and the implications of using such a technology and the ramifications on society. I was thrilled to find out that this is a SERIES and there will hopefully be more books to look forward to.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Random House Trade Paperbacks for the advanced copy!

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE…⭐⭐⭐⭐