This is a tricky book to rate because I disliked so many of the things that most of the characters thought. Even Alice, who seems aware of her privilege, writes about how there has to be a ‘she’ or ‘he’ pronoun, which is ridiculous—Shakespeare used the singular ‘they,’ so I assure you, Alice had more options.

It also came across that the author might actually think that Elon Musk is smart? Is she living stuck in time 10 years ago?

This book certainly looks at how morally ambiguous most people can be. It also proved, at least to me, that allowing AI to take over will also steal whatever joy we find in our lives. It should be used to assist us, not to replace us.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

I really enjoyed The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold. It was a quick read, and it held my attention, most of the time I was on the edge of my seat. The twist from the kidnapping to a treasure hunt was something I didn’t expect but overall, really enjoyed. I enjoyed meeting all the characters although I did feel like there was more monologue than needed to be. Because the kidnapping was high profile I would’ve liked more reaction from the public, but otherwise I thought this book was very well written and I enjoyed my time reading it. I give it 4 stars and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries and thrillers.

Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC of The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold through NetGalley.

This zeitgeist-y thriller sees the kidnapping of an AI billionaire's daughter turning into a bizarre treasure hunt as her parents race to solve cryptic clues and unravel the motive behind the case. Its ripped-from-the-headlines exploration of AI overuse, wealth inequality, and vigilante justice all make this a timely and provocative story, framing these themes through an engagingly structured mystery that uses its first-person narrators in clever ways. However, the flip side of this thematic strength is how some scenes are slowed down by characters expounding in monologues on their views about AI or inequality; while these sequences are typically justified by the plot, they can sometimes feel excessively on-the-nose. Likewise, considering that this was billed as a story about a kidnapping turning into a national scavenger hunt, with plenty of commentary on how the media and social media fuel online frenzies, I would've liked to see it spend more time showing how the wider public was reacting to the case as it unfolded. Nevertheless, THE KIDNAPPING OF ALICE INGOLD is a cleverly written novel laced with satire that's sure to make for interesting talking points online.

I'm grateful to Thomas & Mercer for providing an advance copy of THE KIDNAPPING OF ALICE INGOLD on Netgalley.