When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was excited to dive in. AI gone rogue? Smart homes committing murder? A killer behind the curtain? Grab the popcorn and count me in! But... now that I've finished it, I have mixed feelings.

Marci Warden, receptionist at the Wharton, Dixon & Smith law firm, is found dead in her home seemingly murdered by the AI system installed in her home. Or was someone behind the curtain, controlling it all? That's the magic question our protagonists, federal agents Jude Mackenzie and Victoria "Vicky" Tennant, need to answer.

The concept was intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed the prologue and the first few chapters. But as the story progressed, I found it difficult to stay engaged. The dialogue between characters didn't feel natural which made it difficult to connect with them and the blossoming romance between Jude and and Vicky was just distracting at times. That said, the book had its strong points, particularly the twist at the end! I also adored Clover. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a cute dog side character. Unfortunately, several parts of the book were overshadowed by issues with character depth and dialogue.

I'm glad I finished it as an introduction to this author. I see that she has many titles under her belt and I'd be eager to give her writing another chance to see if there is another story I may connect with more.

I received an ARC from Netgalley via Harlequin Trade Publishing. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Apr. 29, 2025
When a woman’s body is found in her home, all angles seem to point to the fact that her AI-controlled home was hacked, causing the appliances and electronics in her home to kill her through seemingly random accidents. FBI agent Jude Mackenzie is baffled, trying to figure out how to find the person responsible when they, quite literally, leave no physical trace. Other similar “accidents” happen throughout the community, when two separate vehicles are hacked and all of the passengers are subsequently killed. With the help of Special Agent Victoria Tennant, Jude and his team set out to find the mastermind behind the technology- before it's too late.
I’ll admit, the cover of this novel pulled me in and, although I’ve never read the author, I did recognize her name. The premise, too, was intriguing so I thought I’d go out on a limb and try out Heather Graham for the first time, with her new novel, “The Murder Machine”. Sadly, I was disappointed.
The synopsis of the novel is a modern and relevant one, with machines taking over and wreaking havoc, and it would have served as a great starting off point for Graham’s novel, but it somehow fell flat. The novel was narrated by Jude and, to a lesser extent, Victoria. The characters themselves weren’t unlikable and I connected enough with them to want to see how their storylines played out.
My biggest hurdle with this novel was the language. Being unfamiliar with Graham, I’m not sure if this is her usual style but it was awkward and, in some cases, damn uncomfortable. Graham was trying to create a romance between Jude and Victoria, but it bordered on sexual harassment. Jude, after knowing Victoria less than a week, is calling her “pretty lady” and encouraging her to “flirt” with potential suspects by using her “gorgeous” looks. Even if he was the best-looking guy out there, Victoria must have been pretty desperate to fall for that act. It was completely cringe-worthy, and it’s made worse by the fact that they were partners (professionally). They would’ve worked well together if they had formed a romance more organically, but I felt like I wanted to rush in and save Victoria from the creepy old uncle at the birthday party.
The conversations were choppy, making the characters appear naïve and unintelligent (not who I would want investigating murder). The ending was predictable and it, too, seemed forced and obvious.
“The Murder Machine” had an interesting premise, but that’s about where my enjoyment stopped. I’m still undecided on whether or not I’ll read Graham again, but I hope that her next novel has a little more polish.

Title: The Murder Machine
Author: Heather Graham
Rating: 🌕🌕🌗
Genre: 🔪 Thriller
Violence: 🪓🪓🪓
Spice: 🔥🔥
Triggers: rogue technology, car wreck, elevator accident

Premise: A woman is killed by her state-of-the-art, AI enabled home. FBI agent Jude Mackenzie wonders: how do you catch a killer who leaves no fingerprints? Enter agent Vicky Tennant, cybercrimes expert. As “accidents” mount, they race to uncover the perpetrator before they’re caught in the digital crosshairs.

Thoughts: The premise gives this book high potential. But that’s where it ended for me: potential. It would be a DNF if it didn’t require a review. Most authors are either planners or “pantsers,” i.e. they write by the seat of their pants. But successful “pantsers” have method to their madness & the power of a good editor behind them. The Murder Machine reads like stream-of-consciousness pantsing that never saw an editor’s pen. The repetition, continuity issues, & excessive exclamation points alone were enough to drive me up the wall. But I can overlook these issues in a book with innovative plot & great characters. The plot concept is engaging & topical. But the author does not seem to understand the difference between hacking & AI, using the terms interchangeably. Nor do law enforcement or lawyers read as plausible. And the characters read like caricatures spouting unrealistic dialog. The general outlines of the main characters—Jude & Vicky—created the opportunity to play against stereotype: he’s tech ignorant but highly intuitive, she’s young but already has impressive cybercrime credentials. But both fall flat with a “tell, not show” chemistry. It is a fast read, though would benefit from significant tightening. Readers interested in the broad strokes of plot—rather than character development or verisimilitude—might enjoy this book.

Thanks to Harlequin & NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've read and enjoyed many books by this author, but this one missed the mark for me. The premise was very interesting, but it fell short in the execution. I struggled to stay engaged. The dialogue felt unnatural, so it was hard to fully connect with characters. There were numerous subplots, and many of them were unnecessary. As a result, some portions of the book just seemed confusing. The premise made me think this would be a gripping thriller, but that wasn't what I found. There was a lot of repetition, and the overuse of exclamation points was distracting. Some scenes, including the ending, felt rushed and anticlimactic. Sadly, I figured out who the killer was before the big reveal.

The Murder Machine by Heather Graham starts out with an interesting plot line.A smart home owner is killed by her home.With so much Artificial Intelligence in our tech tools and homes we all wonder about it but can it be used for murder?This stand-alone thriller mystery is told in dual point of view..It takes place in St. Augustine,Florida.The main characters are Special agent Victories Tennant and FBIAgent Jude Mackenzie.Their characters were not very well developed and the dialogue was not exciting.I felt the story was rather easy to figure out.I enjoy police procedural and will be looking forward to her next book.Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing MIRA for allowing me to read this ARC.

It’s everywhere, it’s everywhere! What else but AI. So Heather Graham’s latest standalone novel plot is perfect. Why did a smart home go heywire and kill its owner? When there are no clues how do you solve the murder? Bring in FBI Agent Jude MacKenzie, cybercrime specialist Special Agent Victoria Tennant and add in to highly talented local techies and you have the team that must figure it all out. As more incidents occur and attempts are even made on the team the big questions is who is behind it all because a human has to be directing. At some point you want to tell the team turn off all your tech before it’s your turn, but in these days and times communication and research makes that hard to do. Part of the story is the development of a relationship between the agents, Maybe not so essential but together they solve who is behind the bad AI. Entertaining but a bit different than the normal Graham novel. Thank you to Harlequin Trade/MIRA and NetGalley for the ARC.

1/5 stars: This is Graham's Police Procedural Mystery Thriller stand-alone that takes place in St Augustine, Florida and follows two FBI agents, a field agent and a cybercrime specialist, as they investigate several grisly "accidents" that are actually murder cases all linked by hacked computer systems. In Tennessee: a harsh judge's car crash and in Florida: the wreck of a drug dealer's yacht and a law firm receptionist's electrocution via her glitching smart home. The pair must race to uncover the perpetrator even as they find themselves caught in their digital crosshairs. Written in dual POV, Graham's writing and character work are well done. Unfortunately, I lost interest in this book; leading me to DNF it at 43%.

I received this eARC thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I was excited to receive this ARC and looked forward to the modern, intriguing concept. The stilted dialogue, sentences out of nowhere not connected to the topic at hand, and the odd repetitions made it a struggle for me. Felt like I was reading a story written by the state-of-the-art-home!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Classic Heather Graham mystery. In this instance it is a male and female FBI agents investigating what may be someone using artificial intelligence to kill other people. The big question is what is the connection between the different people that have been murdered and who is the evil genius behind it all.

This story is about AI going haywire, being hacked and killing people. The FBI has to find out what’s going on before more lives are lost. There is plenty of suspense along with AI and murder. On the whole I enjoyed the book but there was a part of the plot that could have been left out, it was distracting and didn’t contribute to the story. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I had never read this author before, but the premise drew me in. However, I was bored by this book and ultimately dnfd

The Murder Machine
by Heather Graham
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is my first novel by Heather Graham and I’m not sure what to make of her writing. What initially drew me to this book was the plot, specifically the “smart home” aspect of it all… It was strictly the FBI Agent Mackenzie and Special Agent Tennant show. It didn’t flow like I had initially thought, so it threw me off. Typically what I look for in a thriller/mystery is a dual timeline because I think that really sets the stage for that page-turning, heart-pounding, cannot put this down feeling. While I still thought the plot was unique, the writing and case itself was very basic with bland dialogue.

I did really enjoy the prologue and first 5 chapters or so, and then it picked up again around 14, but I wanted more from the “smart house” aspect itself, considering this is where our world is headed, the Artificial Intelligence Era.

Maybe I will give this one another shot in the future, but for the time being, I could not truly get into this one the way I wanted to.

I was really excited about this book with such a unique concept. It started off with a bang and ended with a good final twist, but the middle portion as well as the characters were difficult for me to connect with. I struggled a bit with the dialogue as well which seemed a bit bland at times.

All in all, I was entertained by the story but was left wishing for a better execution. Still, I was entertained.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In this Heather Graham's book, AI is used to the maximum in some homes. This state-of-the-art smart home has killed its owner and FBI agent Jude Mackenzie is faced with the daunting task of discovering how this happened. How do you catch a murderer who doesn't leave any fingerprints?

Special Agent Victoria Tennant, whose familiarity with cybercrime reveals that: a machine can only do what it's been directed to. As the number of accidents begin to rise, the pair must race to uncover the perpetrator even as they find themselves caught in their digital crosshairs.

This book was a little disjointed but overall a good read.

Want to stay safe? How about just unplugging!🔌
Would you be the first in line when newest AI inspired gadgets hit the market? Wanting your home to run smoothly based on your voice commands alone? Yes? So what if those gadgets turn deadly? How can you protect yourself?

Our first casualty is an unassuming receptionist at a well-known law firm. Killed in her own home by her own appliances. Just a glitch? Or is there someone or something behind this “accident”?

FBI agent Jude Mackenzie and Special Agent Victoria Tennant are paired up to solve the crime before more people fall victim to their AI devices. But right now, the two agents’ primary focus is on each other rather than the crime.🤦🏼‍♀️

Unfortunately I lacked a connection to the storyline and characters.
And, I had the ending figured out way before our two F.B.I. agents did!

This was my first read by this popular author. I’ve always wanted to try one of her books but perhaps I just picked the wrong one to start. I’ll be sure to take a look at her enormous backlist and try again!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

Rarely do I DNF a NetGalley book, but this is one of them. The chatter about how awesome they all are at their jobs was just too much, without the plot needing that much babble. I tried, I really tried. Definitely needs more editing.

The Murder Machine by Heather Graham is a gripping and fast-paced thriller that merges cutting-edge technology with chilling murder mystery. The story is set in a high-tech smart home, where everything from the kitchen appliances to the entertainment system is controlled by a sophisticated artificial intelligence. When the home's owner is found dead, FBI agent Jude Mackenzie is thrown into the perplexing case where the murder weapon may be the very system designed to make life easier.

As Mackenzie teams up with Special Agent Victoria Tennant, an expert in cybercrime, they soon uncover a terrifying truth: the AI may not be as innocent as it seems. But with no physical evidence or fingerprints to follow, they must race against time to find out who—or what—is behind a series of deadly "accidents."

Graham masterfully combines suspense with futuristic technology, creating an atmosphere of paranoia where every device could be a potential threat. The tension builds as the agents delve deeper into the investigation, with the line between human and machine blurring as they get closer to the truth. The Murder Machine is a must-read for fans of technological thrillers, offering a fresh twist on the classic crime genre with its chilling exploration of artificial intelligence gone rogue.

Solid 5 stars. Thank you so much for an advanced readers copy for an honest review rating. Very very good. Phenomenal. Will recommend

Title: The Murder Machine: A Novel
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing – MIRA
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 320

Prologue starts when Marci Warden gets home and isn’t in the best mood and slams the door. Since this is a ‘smart house’ there is no reason to take out her anger on the house.
Marci instructed her AI ‘Chrissie’ for assistance to turn on the light TV etc. additionally help in the kitchen. She wants to heat up a pastry and asks Chrissie to start the toaster only the electric knife starts whirring. Next thing the kitchen is attacking Marci and she ends up dead.
We know Ai cannot do this unless directed to do so – Correct?

I was sure this was going to be entertaining –Every day we hear on the news about how some self-driving car goes off on its own such as driving in circles and not where the client wants making the client miss their plane.
I am a Heather Graham fan and know she write great stories however this seems sooo different I think it would have been great if it were a satire however it wasn’t

In fact, FBI agent Jude Mackenzie is faced with investigating how Marci was killed by her own home.

Since Special Agent Victoria Tennant, is familiar with cybercrime she is called in and confirms what we know ~ a machine can only do what it is has been programed to do.
Although this wasn’t the great Heather Graham I was expecting - I am looking forward to her next story!!

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 29, 2025.

Classic Heather Graham. This was such a good book. I flew through it because I couldn't put it down. The characters and setting were so well written, and the usual Graham standard. She did such an amazing job as always. I love to read her books. I absolutely recommend this novel to other readers because they shouldn't miss out. I can't wait for the next one.

Thank you Net Galley ARC, Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA, and Heather Graham.