Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!!!

I don’t believe I have read any of this author’s books before. Personally, it was not a favorite of mine. I think the premise was very intriguing with the intricacies of A. I. The main thing that I could not get over was the dialogue. The characters were constantly cutting each other off, or speaking in a way that is just not very realistic. The scene would change from like house to car with no real transition either.

I considered DNF’ing the book, but just couldn’t bring myself to do that. It might be someone else’s cup of tea, but not mine at all.

A interesting and scary concept. AI is one of those things that is creepy. This story just goes to show you why technology is not always a good thing.

I didn't finish this, which really surprised me as I usually enjoy the author. I gave up at about 40% because I just didn't care for it. I didn't care for our characters or the way they spoke or their relationships or just how bland everything seemed.

Maybe it's because the concept isn't a new one and it lacked some of the edge and science and horror that usually comes with it.

Just not for me.

A few years back I remember watching an episode of Almost Human where the smart home killed the owner. I enjoyed that episode and when combined with Heather Graham, I knew this would be a good book. It exceeded my expectations and honestly made me think. Most people, myself included, invite I into our lives everyday and in doing so we could be inviting in danger as well. It is a humbling idea that things we have come to rely on could be using against us. Without getting on my soap box, let's talk about what made this book awesome.
We start with a look into the minds behind the hack and learn that even they are not sure if there plans will work. Then we meet victim one or victim one to us and you just know that something bad is going to happen. Heather did a nice job of setting the stage and building the anticipation before things get very dark and very deadly. While the murder was gruesome and enticed readers to keep going, it may have been a touch overdone.
From that murder, our lead team takes us a roller coaster ride where tech can kill and anything can be a weapon in the wrong hacker hands. We see suspects fall and the techs on the side of right getting clues but with every clue comes another puzzle to solve. Speaking of the techs, it was great to see Aidan back after helping solve the horseman killings. The imagination in selecting hacked weapons provided a lot of variety.
Of course, a fight with a tech baddy alone would have been interesting but Heather's books always contain the human element that we connect with and love or hate or simply feel empathy for. A few "perps" turned out to be the more sympathetic characters. The book was a page turner where you come for the murderous tech and stay for the people fighting it. Vicky and Jude worked well in this book with their skills complimenting each other.
It has been a long time since I look forward with great anticipation to a book as much as this one. There is a lot of material to explore with murderous machine so I can't help but wonder if we will get more stories.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Four stars! A gripping read with engaging characters and a twisty plot. While the AI element didn’t quite hit the mark for me in terms of realism, it didn’t overshadow my enjoyment of the story overall. A solid mix of mystery and suspense.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Published on goodreads.
Will publish on Amazon and other retail and indie sites on day of publication.

The description of this book really piqued my interest. The idea of AI being used for nefarious purposes really intrigued me. Particularly as my 14 year old granddaughter has said several times that AI is going to kill us all.

When a smart home goes berserk and kills its owner, FBI agents Jude Mackenzie and Victoria Tennant are charged with finding out what happened. They are soon embroiled into an investigation that involves a boat whose computer system is taken over and a judge's car that is hacked resulting in additional deaths.

While I enjoyed the twists and the overall story line, I found the dialogue to be almost forced and unrealistic. I'm not sure if this is the author's normal writing style or if it is because AI is a relatively new concept and the author felt it necessary to explain a lot to the reader.

Thank you to author Heather Graham, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of The Murder Machine.

The Murder Machine by Heather Graham is an engaging read from start to finish with a well developed plot and characters. A recommended read!

There will always be someone who takes something useful and uses it for evil.

Technology is a helpful thing, computerized homes, cars, even boats... but what happens when someone hacks into those computers and wreaks havoc? FBI agent Jude Mackenzie and his team are tasked with finding out how - and why - a hacker had committed a string of murders. Was it a murder for hire? Who are they and who hired them? And what do all these victims have in common?

It kept me reading, and I was surprised by the twist at the end.

I am a big fan of Heather Graham's Krewe of Hunters series, so even though I was excited to read this book. I was a tiny bit disappointed. The storyline is good, and I liked the characters, but the dialogue didn't sound like the way people really talk, and there were things added that didn't seem to pertain to the story or add anything of value. 

Overall, however, this was an entertaining, quick read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! Heather Graham is one of my favorite authors, and her writing is so enjoyable. Unfortunately for me this title was not. It could be the subject matter of AI and murder. While this is very eerie thing to think about happening It was not something that held my interest. In a world of technology and AI taking over everything I am just over the hype of it all. These characters were enjoyable. In a different story I could have fallen in love with this read. However I believe there is a market for this and will be popular for other readers. Just not a win for me.

If you loved the Disney movie Smart House as a kid and you like police/FBI procedural books, definitely pick this one up. I loved the murder by AI element along with the bit of romance. Heather Graham has a great writing style that is perfect for this kind of thriller.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

It took me a bit to get into this book but once I did I liked it. Murder by an AI controlled house and cars and boats taken over by an unidentified source. It’s up to FBI agents Jude and Victoria to solve the mystery. I also enjoyed the romance in the book. I

What a ride! Death by AI? This story takes us on a journey of putting all the clues together to figure out who is behind this murderous monster puppeteering any machines connected to tech. When you think you've figured out the killer, you will quickly find out things are never what they seem. The twisty end may surprise you.

I really wanted to like The Murder Machine, especially since I usually enjoy police procedural books. However, I found myself struggling to connect with this one. Despite the intriguing premise, I couldn't quite find my groove, and I'm not entirely sure if it was the characters, the writing style, or a combination of both. The plot had potential, but it didn't fully captivate me the way I expected. While other readers might enjoy it, it just didn’t hit the mark for me this time.

The Murder Machine by Heather Graham is a thought provoking and chilling mystery/thriller. Ideal for a time when A.I. is a prominent topic of discussion and debate.

A woman is found dead in a house completely controlled by A.I. Not only music and television but doors, appliances and water faucets. Virtually everything inside the home can be run by a simple request. Without evidence of a break in or anyone else being in the house, FBI Agent Jude Mackenzie feels it must be the result of a freak accident, possibly a suicide. When Special Agent Victoria Tennant arrives on the scene she informs him of other cases she is working on that may involve cybercrime and that what she has observed of the crime scene has her feeling the victim may also have been a target of the same type of crime. As more similar cases emerge time is slipping away. Are these crimes connected? Are they just unfortunate accidents or is something more sinister going on? Together they work to discover the link between the crimes and hopefully find who is behind the curtain, or rather computer, giving the instructions to turn machines into murderers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

How can a murder possibly occur in such a highly-protected, technologically-advanced home. When on FBI agent can find a clue, another is brought in become of the high tech aspects. Unfolding the case is the author’s experts, and once again the reader is entertained.