I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this at the beginning — it seemed to just jump right into the turning point and I was really confused; however, it back tracked well and started explaining as the story went on, which helped. I really loved the character development and thought it was interesting that AI was such a huge element and I had to wrap my mind around the reality of everything this AI could do, since it is such a modern technology. I would end a chapter wanting to k ow what will happen next, I expected this to be a typical mystery, but it had more sci-fi in it than I expected, which was a surprise but I liked expanding on my usual genre! Overall it was a really good book that kept me guessing!

This is a suspense/mystery with a romance. It was different and unique. I loved the AI component and how it impacts our lives. it has some really good twists and turns and I was here for it!. This book was well written with good character development. I was glued from start to finish. I thought the narrator did a good job. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Harpercollins for allowing me to listen and review this book.

Katrina Berg was at the top of her game before her husband is killed in a car accident and the AI chat-bot start up she is legal counsel for is being investigated by the Feds. As a final straw, her beloved grandmother has just past away. One glimmer of joy in her life is the prototype of a new chat bot that allows her to "talk" to her deceased husband. But when it responds with, "I think I was murdered", Katrina goes back to her home town to try to track down what may have happened to him.

I like the idea and concept of this audio book and overall it was a good listen. I did get severely annoyed with how trusting and reliant Katrina, a presumably smart woman, was on the AI chat program. But that may also speak to the desperation a person can feel to keep connection after a loss. I also felt like the romance part felt awkward and could have benefited with a bit more development. Overall, though, a good thriller read with only a limited amount of questionable and dragging parts.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction, NetGalley, Colleen Coble and Rick Acker for the eARC in exchange for my honest review of the book.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book. No matter how hard I tried to force myself I could not get into it and did not enjoy the writing. The narrator was good and I did appreciate how they did the different voices. Maybe if I tried reading this at a different time. I would have liked it better. Maybe I will try this book again and hopefully like it the next time.

What a ride! I thoroughly enjoyed this book with all is twists and turns. I did not guess the ending which is always refreshing when reading. I loved the found family and all the real life complexities that come with family. The faith and hope this book weaved in was just the perfect touch. The narrator did an amazing job distinguishing between the characters and added to the esthetic of the book. I would highly recommend this book to others and I can not wait to read what's next from this author.

This was my second Colleen Coble book and my first Rick Acker. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I will say the big twist at the end really got me. I didn’t guess it until it was almost announced in the book! 🤪 This book was good, but I didn’t really connect with these characters and it took me a while to get through it because it wasn’t super gripping. 3.75 stars

"I Think I Was Murdered" is a thrilling, mind-bending ride from start to finish. The story uniquely combines mystery, AI intrigue, and emotional depth as a grieving widow discovers secrets about her husband's death through an eerily lifelike chatbot. The pacing is sharp, the twists keep you guessing, and the emotional stakes feel real. If you enjoy stories where technology meets suspense, this one is hard to put down!

Katrina Berg's husband Jason is dead, and her life is going to pieces. One of her few consolations is the fact that she can still communicate (in theory) with her husband, thanks to a ground breaking AI innovation.

However, what Katrina doesn't bargain for is the realisation that her husband may have been murdered. So, what is she going to do about it?

In a timely story - given the growing, indeed ubiquitous, prevalence of AI in our lives - the writers offer an intriguing premise delivered convincingly. This gets 3.5 stars.

Lately I really come to enjoy techno-thrillers a lot! This one features a AI chatbot made for a fascinating purpose which kept me intigued!
Katrina is likeable character and I could very well connect with her.
For me the AI aspect in the story felt authentic, as one can mention this definition in terms of artificial intelligence!
At the beginning it was a bit difficult to keep pace with all the characters but keeping on paid off well!

Thank you #NetGalley #Thomas Nelson for this ARC

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a great book! I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down. The author has such a good writing style. This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last! I enjoyed the characters. They had good chemistry.

Intriguing storyline. I loved the twists to this story. It truly set it apart from other thriller/suspense nocels. I loved the audiobook for this. The narrator truly did an amazing job portraying the characters. She did a splendid job giving each a different voice, I think that truly added to the story for me and gave it more depth. I loved the twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat!

I received this Audiobook from HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully listening to this audiobook.

3.5/4* found the premise of the chatbot a bit weird, but interesting to know that’s a real thing. There’s some technology in this book above what I deal with in my daily life but the author did a great job of making it easy to understand. This book reminded me a bit of an Elon
Hildebrand book in style but with a triller/mystery twist. I found something’s a bit odd - like going to a birthday party when you think there’s a murderer out there, lol, but overall enjoyed this. I like the narrator. Thanks NetGalley for the audio version to review. I’d read more by this author.

Format Disclosure

I’ve only reviewed one another audiobook, so this is definitely a learning curve for me. I do want to note that I like listen to audiobooks while doing other things. Between the element of multitasking and the fact that it is harder to “flip through” the book as I review, this review may be less detailed than my book reviews.

Spiritual Themes

I have to admit I’ve had trouble remembering spiritual content. We definitely see themes of forgiveness and reconciliation, as well as prayer.

Audio Presentation

Narrator Karen Peakes does an excellent job of reading and differentiating between the different characters. In particular, I felt that her portrayal of Dylan was spot on: a blend of youth and earnestness, conveying his love of fun mingled with vulnerability stemming from a harsh past. Peakes captures the nuance of the character, fleshing him out beyond the words of the text. As a result, I feel that Peakes’ presentation added to my experience of the text, compared to if I had consumed the book visually.

I’m also grateful for Peakes’ reading because of the Norweigan elements of the book. One of the main characters referenced is “Bestemor,” Norweigan for “grandma,” and the book is peppered with allusions to Norwegian culture. Without the audio component, I would have been lost as far as the pronunciations.

I also appreciated the audiobook because I think Peakes’ narration helped with the pacing of the story. The book was just a little bit slower than I would have expected, but the lively narration kept me engaged. I was also grateful for the audiobook format, because of the suspenseful moments. I like that I don’t have to cover the next paragraph to avoid seeing a surprise, in the more intense scenes.

What I Liked

Sci-Fi and Suspense

I’m using the term “sci-fi” loosely, here, as some of the elements in the book are realistic, but still feel like sci-fi to me. One of them is the AI chatbot loaded with Jason’s digital trail. The device allows Katrina to feel as if she’s still talking to Jason, which also helps in the investigation process.

The other semi-sci-fi element is bitcoin. Although bitcoin has been around for a while, now, it’s not something with which I’m very familiar. In an end note, the authors explain which elements of the bitcoin plot are based on real people / events, and which ones are fictional. I was surprised to learn about some of the distinctions.

Significance of Absent Characters

I like it when authors incorporate characters who are not present for the events of story as major players in the plot. Two characters, Jason and Bestemor, are not alive throughout most of the book, but figure prominently in the story. I think it’s neat that Coble and Acker were able to flesh out these characters, even in their absence. Bestemor stands out to me because she is shown to be a beautiful, strong, compassionate woman, although she passes away before the readers actually “meet” her. Bestemor’s very absence indicates the importance of her presence. She is missed, but both protagonists are very aware of her impact.

Jason is an interesting character, because readers are interacting with a shell of the person he was. Because we don’t have the opportunity to get to know Jason while he is still alive, our experiences of the character are filtered through the artificial presentation of his character. Definitely some food for thought, there.

Content Notes

Romantic Content

Romantic content doesn’t go beyond kissing, and the kissing was only slightly detailed. (I could have gone for less detail, but it wasn’t enough to seriously creep me out). I would have liked to see a more serious relationship established before the kissing, though.

There was a bit of emphasis on physical appearance, particularly with regards to some of the secondary characters. Liv is described by a male character as “built like a swimsuit model,” and this male character is considered to be “tastier than the waffles” they’d eaten for breakfast.

There is some discussion, though, contrasting relationships based on physical attraction and those grounded in a knowledge of the other person.

Recommendation Status

As I mentioned at the top of this review, my comments have been largely general due to the audiobook format. All in all, I definitely enjoyed I Think I Was Murdered, and feel comfortable recommending it with light reader discretion advised.

Four out of five stars because of the pacing (it took me awhile to get “into” the story) and because the message was a bit less memorable, for me.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this great read! The suspense in this story was great, it kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. The premise is what hooked me, the fact that AI was extremely involved in the plot was so fascinating to read about. I liked all of the characters and was able to empathize with each of them, even the villain - to an extent. I will definitely be reading more from these authors in the near future!

This was super fast paced and kept my interest all the way through and I would recommend it to any who love these types of stories!

I had never read Colleen Coble so this was a first for me. The narrator was phenomenal and the story line was riveting and kept me on the edge of my seat. The concept of AI working for us as well as being able to be weaponized against us was fascinating. I am eager to explore more of Coble and Acker's works after this book. Highly recommend.

This book was a different twist to a mystery because AI is highly involved. It took me a minute to figure out what was really happening, but the audio was so well done and absolutely lured me in. Bad guys. Good guys. Betrayal. All the things to keep me on the edge of my seat.

I THINK I WAS MURDERED by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker
This is one addictive read! Colleen Coble and Rick Acker have knocked it out of the park with this story. This is the first book I have read by these two but certainly will not be the last. This is a romantic suspenseful well written story that starts with a death of a husband and becomes I Think I was Murdered by AI. I didn’t want to put this down! This is 5 stars.
I listened to the audio version read by Karen Peakes. She did a very good job with it.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read & review via ARC. I enjoyed reading this and it kept me interested and anxious to see what happens next. I liked the writer's style & would love to read more by them.

Katrina is a star whose life has taken a turn for the worse. He husband died, the business for which she is legal counsel is under federal investigation and her beloved grandmother has passed away. When Katrina goes to the small town where she was raised in order to get herself back together. She meets Seb Wallace, a former classmate, who star is rising. Seb has risen above his difficult childhood, with the help and support of Katrina's grandmother. He has become very interesting, suave, and sophisticated, while remaining kind and grounded. He has his own demon's to slay, however. I have to say that I liked the story line but many of the situations were way to well overcome and over the top, for sure. I am not that much of a critic but even I couldn't believe it.

This immediately grabbed my attention. Was the perfect mix of thriller and mystery. I had no clue who was the guilty party all the way up until the end. Fast paced and fantastic!