I Think I Was Murdered, by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker, is a modern day techno thriller set mostly in the fictional north California town of North Haven. Originally a Norwegian settlement on the pacific coast, it is now a quaint coastal tourist destination. Katrina Berg Foster, a daughter of North Haven, returns home from her Silicon Valley tech position as legal counsel at Talk, Inc., an AI based technology set to launch a game changer. Katrina has endured a series of losses. First, her beloved husband Jason was killed in a fiery crash on a stormy, foggy night on the twisty coastal highway coming into North Haven a few years ago. Then, recently, her beloved bestamor (grandmother) passed away after a serious illness. And now her company is being taken over by the FBI after both the CEO and COO, who happen to be cousins, have disappeared, presumably back to China.

As Katrina travels home for the funeral and reading of the will, she is aware the FBI want to talk to her. With bestamor’s estate being divided between Katrina and her brother Magnus, and threats coming to her and her best friend Liv Tompkins, chief technology officer of Talk, they take refuge at her bestamor’s apartments above the restaurant Katrina has inherited.

Katrina’s teenage acquaintance, and her grandmother’s protege, Sebastien Wallace, has been back in North Haven after years working and traveling around the world and becoming a Michelin chef. When bestamor contacted him telling him of his estranged father’s Parkinson’s diagnosis it was time to come home. Seb has now opened a successful upscale restaurant in the old lighthouse. As a friend, Seb offers to help get Katrina up and running as the cafe’s new owner. However, Seb’s help becomes far more valuable than a quick course in restaurant management.As the threats become more menacing and the clues to solve Jason’s murder begin coming together, Seb and his newly discovered half brother Dylan come to be invaluable.

This book is a fast paced mystery thriller that will glue readers to the story. And as the climax approaches, readers will be taken on a heart pounding journey to solve the mystery. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

2.5 stars.

I Think I Was Murdered was unfortunately not for me. The premise sounded fantastic and I had high hopes for this, particularly after loving Coble & Ackerman's other novel that released this year.

As a person going through grief myself (albeit with a mother and not a spouse), I did relate to the level of grief our main character experienced and her desire to really hold onto all she could. I thought the parts involving AI regarding this were a little much but could absolutely see that happening in the future for people which was unsettling and I believe that is exactly the point! We all grieve differently as well, so I did find it interesting to see how she navigated it.

I would've liked to see more focus on the murder of Jason and the legal stuff involving that but felt it was lackluster in that department. There was SO much potential at different parts of the story for that or even following another thing going on- SO many- and yet it never really went there or explored it.

I thought there was a little too much focus on several other things, including side characters instead & also the idea of a woman who kept repeatedly mentioning she was pregnant but there was not much concern placed on her with the things she got involved in during the story for someone who mentioned SO often that she was with child. The romance aspect of this story, regardless of which one you looked at were not really for me either- they felt misplaced or rushed and just didn't connect with me the way I have experienced or expected like in other Colleen Coble books.

I'll still be looking forward to the next installment in the Tupelo grove series these two authors worked on together (that was a 4.5 star for me) and can't wait for that.

While this one wasn't for me, it might be for you if you're looking for a quick romantic suspense read that explores grief with some AI in the mix. I did listen to this one on audio thanks to netgalley & the publisher (thank you!) and thought the narration was very good- so if you're an audio lover I do recommend this one as an audio should you want to experience this story yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Christian Publishing for the ARC

A interesting and innovating murder mystery. This thriller has a sci-fi element that really gripped me. For me it felt a bit long, but it was good nonetheless. As a Norwegain my favorite aspect was of corse everything Norwegian in the book.

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker is a psychological thriller

Katrina Berg is a successful woman, at the height of her career, when her life falls apart. The company she works for is under investigation, her job is gone, her husband died a year ago, and now that her grandmother has passed, she feels the only place to go is to her grandmothers house to take care of her affairs. Using a AI generated app that her company created, she has talked to her dead husband, well at least an AI version that seems all too real. But when the voice of her husband responds that I Think I Was Murdered, she goes on a search that will pull her into multiple directions, and create more questions as the search progresses.

This book is fast paced, and will keep you engaged until the very end. It also makes you question what exactly you would do to keep someone you lost in your life. The book takes many turns, It is a mix of mystery, thriller and some sci fi. The characters were ver6 well developed and I found the AI part interesting. I definitely recommend this fast paced thrill ride.

The audio book with Karen Peakes is great. She quickly draws you into the story, making it hard to stop until the very end, quickly drawing you in and keeping you engaged.

The main character’s husband dies and through uploading all his emails and phone data, AI is able to use that data to continue to have conversations with her through text messaging. While having a conversation with this AI bot a mystery unfurls. This book threw me for a loop. I know AI is out there and I know they have the capability to probably already do this but the thought of it had me cringing. I am not ready for a world where this is possible but it made for a really interesting read! She kept me on my toes the whole book. I enjoyed the twists and turns and romance along the way. I listened to an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley

Loved it. It was a great plot. Some good twists (I did suspect the last twist but only because I’ve learned to expect the unexpected in thriller novels). Really enjoyed it but I will say I didn’t fall in love with the characters quite as much as I usually when reading Coble. This was my first Coble/Acker novel and I will definitely read them all.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this ebook!

This was a twisty turvy tale of massive proportions. I enjoyed this audiobook immensely. The narrators brought these characters to life for me and made the plot twists and suspense even better. I would recommend this book. 5-Stars

Rating: 4.5/5

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker was my first introduction to Coble’s work, and it certainly won’t be my last. This mystery had me hooked from the start with its unique premise—a grieving widow discovering unsettling truths through an AI chatbot resembling her late husband.

The story seamlessly blends emotional depth with suspense. Katrina’s journey through grief, while uncovering the shocking truth about her husband’s death, was both moving and compelling. The AI element was a fascinating and fresh way to drive the mystery, and just when I thought I had things figured out, the plot twisted in ways I didn’t see coming. The ending left my heart aching, in the best way possible.

I also appreciated the themes of resilience, second chances, and finding healing through genuine connections. Seb’s role in Katrina’s life added a comforting layer of hope amidst the tension.

Karen Peakes’ narration brought the story to life, making the audiobook an enjoyable experience. If you’re a fan of well-crafted mysteries with emotional depth and clean storytelling, this book is a must-read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors Colleen Coble and Rick Acker, and the publisher HarperCollins Christian Publishing; Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. #IThinkIWasMurdered #NetGalley

I Think I Was Murdered completely boggled my mind! It was so refreshing to read this novel with its completely unique plot! While I did have major suspicions on whodunnit by about halfway through, I was still left guessing how, why, and all the other questions. As with anything written by Colleen Coble, there is a lot of relatable character growth and spiritual learning to be done as you read this fabulous tale. It will definitely become a reread—I loved it so much I bought the paperback version to keep on my shelf!

I wanted to love this book, especially with the AI angle.
I expected more tension-packed thriller, but instead it was more cozy mystery.

I really wish I could say I knew all along what was going to happen! I can't wait to add this to my thriller shelf after a big move!

Oh, this is an interesting one! This book follows Katrina Berg, a lawyer who works for a tech company. The FBI raids this company and Katrina goes back to her hometown while things get straightened out. Katrina is having a hard year, her husband died suddenly in a car crash, but her best friend made her a chatbot that was loaded with her deceased husband's social media, texts, videos, and anything they could find. Katrina has been using this Bot to help grieve and it feels like she is talking to her dead husband. So when she goes back to her hometown, it is not only after her husband died, her job was raided, but her Norweigen grandma died leaving her a restaurant. While back home she runs into a childhood friend Seb and these two get embroiled in the mystery of the Chat Bot who is now telling her that he thinks he was murdered. So now Katrina, Seb, and some other people are galavanting around searching for clues on Katrina's husband's death. While someone is clearly after them and threatening everyone. Oh, also there is some mild romance.
I loved this concept it is not one I have read before and utilizing AI to help solve this crime was amazing. Then we had all these weird twists and turns and it was fun. Are some of these twists super obvious? Yes! Are all of these plot points plausible? Not at all. However, it is still a fun story. I like that it is completely clean, with no swear words, no sex, just violence and some death, nothing graphic. This is put out by a Christian publisher, a great publishing company that I have read from since a wee tot, but the religious elements, which are very minimal, come out of nowhere, and it was like the authors remembered they needed to include their faith and all of a sudden everyone was praying for everyone they talk about their faith. I am good with religious literature it is just the way it was handled in this story felt like an afterthought. Is it just me? Or did it take you out of the story? Maybe I was looking for it too hard. Overall, entertaining and, a great concept, not the best book ever but still worth the read.

Good read (I listened to the audiobook)
A little slow at times and the ending was a little disappointing but overall a good read all around.

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. Narrated by Karen Peaks. She did a great job with distinguishing between each character. Widow Katrina Berg is a Lawyer at a chat box company. She has her AI chat box at home where she communicates with her dead husband Jason who was run off the road and killed. Can she find out who killed him and why? Full of mystery and suspense, a little romance and Artificial Intelligence which is a little creepy in itself. Great winter read.
Thank you to the authors, # HarperCollins Christian Publishing, #NetGalley and #Thomas Nelson Fiction for the Arc audio. This is my honest review

I loved this book! It had my mind racing the entire time. There was character development and the ending couldn’t have been better.

After the death of her husband in an automobile accident, Katrina starts using her company's new AI program to continue to talk to him. With all his posts, emails, and other information uploaded to the program, it is as if he is still alive. Then the program states, "I think I was murdered.," leading Katrina on a search for the truth. Using AI as a tool to continue to speak to those who have moved on makes for an interesting question of whether that is healthy for those left behind.

The AI aspect of this book is definitely the most interesting. The app reveals that Jason was murdered and his widow makes it her goal to find out who killed him. The whole book seemed fast paced and a bit rushed but the ending especially so. The writing took a turn towards the middle- end it became predictable, cheesy romance/Christian love story.
I do think that the tech aspect of this book was well researched and written. I was a little concerned that parts might go over my head (not being a very techie person myself), but I didn’t feel like that in the slightest.
Although this wasn’t my favorite read, the audio was great. The narrator was very good and did multiple voices for characters. I will be back to read other books from these authors.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to listen to this ARC.

I Think I Was Murdered is an exceptional blend of Christian suspense, legal thriller, and a profound exploration of grief and technology. Katrina Berg, a grieving young widow, relies heavily on an AI chatbot programmed with her late husband Jason’s messages, allowing her to “talk” to him long after his death. But when the bot unexpectedly types, “I think I was murdered,” Katrina is thrown into a gripping investigation to uncover the truth.

As Katrina delves into Jason’s mysterious death with the help of Seb, a childhood friend, the story masterfully weaves themes of loss, family, and the ethical dilemmas of AI. Set against the cozy yet foreboding backdrop of her Northern California hometown, the book offers a fast-paced plot packed with twists, emotional depth, and thought-provoking questions about how much control we give to technology.

Coble and Acker deliver a powerful, suspenseful story that keeps readers hooked while exploring profound spiritual and emotional themes. A must-read for fans of legal thrillers with heart.

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @tnzfiction  for my complimentary copy. My thoughts are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its rich exploration of faith elements woven throughout the narrative, providing a sense of hope amidst the turmoil. The compelling characters, particularly Katrina and Seb, brought depth and relatability to the story as they navigated their emotional journeys. Katrina's struggle with grief and her quest to rebuild her life after devastating losses resonated deeply, while Seb's supportive presence added warmth and complexity to their dynamic. The interesting plotline, which intricately intertwines themes of artificial intelligence technology with the human experience, prompted thought-provoking questions about love, loss, and the role of technology in our lives. Overall, the book's ability to tackle such profound topics while maintaining an engaging storyline made it a truly enjoyable read.

Um, hard to think of anything redeemable to say... DNFed around 10%, because there was nothing about this Silicon Valley setting that piqued my interest or was even memorable in any way, because one month after DNFin, I had quite literally forgotten I ever started this "mystery" about rich people getting their coffee wrong, so I *restarted* listening to the audiobook, only realizing I had heard and tired of this before at almost exactly the same percentage mark.