Reviewed: 23 April 2025

The Murder Machine

by: Heather Graham

A Novel

Rating: (3.5/5)

As a tech enthusiast I was curious how the author would use AI in this mystery thriller where “accidents” seem to be happening with smart devices. The story has many thought provoking moments about how we use AI today.

The pairing of “old school” Jude with cybercrime Vikki made sense except that “old school” was only in his thirties. Was this a comment on how quickly new things become old? Jude and Vikki complemented each other professionally it seemed but for me the romance seemed forced and awkward.

The mystery was good at first but I figured out who did it and most of the why long before the agents did. It didn’t stop me from continuing the story though. The prolific author is not one I have read before given my preferred genres but this one stuck out for me.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #MIRA and #HarlequinAudio for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.

Happy Reading!

Release Date: 29-April-2025

NetGalley, Mystery, Thriller

Plot Summary

Artificial intelligence meets genuine murderous intent.

This state-of-the-art smart home has a next-generation entertainment system, an ultramodern kitchen where every appliance is online and even a personal AI to control it all. Standing above its owner's lifeless body, FBI agent Jude Mackenzie is faced with the daunting task of discovering how the woman was killed by her own home. How do you catch a murderer that doesn't leave any fingerprints?

Enter Special Agent Victoria Tennant, whose familiarity with cybercrime reveals the stark a machine can only do what it's been directed to. As the number of grisly "accidents" begins to rise, the pair must race to uncover the perpetrator even as they find themselves caught in their digital crosshairs! There's nowhere to hide when danger may be as close as the very phones in their pockets.