In The Blink of An Eye: A BBC Between the Covers Book Club Pick

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Professor Okonedo, determined to better the operation of the force, asserts that the AIDE is not only capable of collating and analysing vast amounts of data in a fraction of the time required by a human, but has been programmed to filter out the bias and prejudice that can taint investigations. The narrative is immediately engaging, the characters, not just those of Kat and Lock but the others surrounding them, create a group that the reader wants to spend time with. She believes in gut instinct, experience and being able to read people's emotions which is everything the AI Lock can't do and is only programmed to work on logic and facts. Solely driven by statistics and logic, though capable of deep learning that gives it the ability to adjust its behaviours, it nevertheless has a distinct character which I really grew to like. The humour and dialogue was fabulous and you really need to believe the hype - because it's so fresh and original that I wasn't able to put it down.

But when the two missing persons cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the case gets personal. Lock has been programmed to provide analysis and admin support which it can do in a fraction of the time it would take an officer but what it doesn’t have is that human mind.

It's most certainly crime fiction, but there's an element of speculative fiction too, with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (or AI) used as a tool to help police investigations.

In the Blink of an Eye was published by Simon and Schuster on 19th January 2023 and is available for purchase through the links here. Each are distinct, from the taciturn boss to the AI creator with a chip on her shoulder, from the police officer wanting to make a name for himself to the one who is trying to please. Such an original concept and so brilliantly executed, but also a story to make you think, and one that throws up unexpected questions about life, grief, loss, and the human mind .

There’s plenty of tension, enhanced by the anonymous perspective of a young man suffering at the hands of shadowy figures, and effective twists in the plot. Even though we both are averse to sci-fi, we absolutely love police procedurals and agreed that the sci-fi element in this book seemed more "realistic" and like a literary device, not just something concocted for pure entertainment purposes with no bearing on reality. The plot was so intriguing and the characters are very interesting, I do hope there is more to come with Kat.

In The Blink of An Eye explores the potential future of technology with an in-depth, unforgettable look at grief and humanity, and how surprisingly, one can aide the other. I was hooked from the first 10 pages, you are thrown into a wild ride that you can’t get off until you’ve finished the book. This is a wonderful read, and the speculative aspects do not feel so far fetched either when it comes to the use of AI and how useful it could be in the law enforcement field. Whilst Lock is, undoubtedly, a genius and can provide essential information in seconds, they do lack empathy, social niceties and don't have that gut instinct that humans, and especially well experienced police officers, have.On another note, DCS Kat Frank's personal and professional life was really well written, and I could connect so well to her, as well as the other characters in the book and their own stories.

This has to be a strong contender for crime debut of the year - sharp, perceptive writing and a brilliant new take on the detective duo' T. Each one has something to add to the story and each one has the potential to grow as the series develops. However, there is a reason for her antagonism which when revealed, adds another depth to Kat’s character.

Lock is programmed with the intention of implementing ongoing learning, there are issues that arise, such as creating a hologram of a missing son, and inappropriate information sharing and thinking, with his mother. I thought the AI premise was such a brilliant concept, feeling scarily plausible and highly effective. There’s such a thought-provoking consideration of morality threaded through as the catalyst for the narrative so that even when In the Blink of an Eye is finished, it resonates and unsettles the reader. Kat's grief for her husband and her guilt for her teenage son were raw and emotional and it was so clear that Jo was writing this story from her heart. But Kat can’t help but marvel at the speed at which Lock can sort through massive amounts of data and draw conclusions.