Description

THE SUNDAY TIMES bestseller, as seen on BBC 2’s BETWEEN THE COVERS
A WATERSTONES THRILLER BOOK OF THE MONTH

*WINNER* OF THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2024
*WINNER* OF THE CRIME WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER 2024

AND NOMINATED FOR TWO OTHER MAJOR AWARDS
Capital Crime Book of the Year 2023
Crimefest Specsavers Best Debut Crime Novel

‘I devoured this in one sitting’ Rob Rinder, as featured on BBC 2’s Between the Covers
‘Terrifyingly timely and provocative’ Val McDermid
‘The most original crime novel you’ll read this year’ Clare Mackintosh

In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds.
Just gone. Vanished. In the blink of an eye.

DCS Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot programme that has her paired with AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s instincts come up against Lock’s logic. But when the two missing person’s cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the case gets personal.

AI versus human experience.
Logic versus instinct.
With lives on the line can the pair work together before someone else becomes another statistic?

In the Blink of an Eye is a dazzling debut from an exciting new voice and asks us what we think it means to be human.

‘Just brilliant!’ Lisa Jewell

‘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. M. Logan

‘Everything you could hope for in a thriller: heartbreaking, intelligent, deftly plotted and so original’ Fiona Cummins

‘Jo Callaghan makes her entry into the crowded police procedural genre with a fresh take on the buddy-buddy cop trope . . . Provocative and compelling’ Vaseem Khan

‘The kind of fresh and fearless debut I just adore. Wildly original, heartfelt, funny, and properly thrilling. Take a bow, Jo Callaghan’ Chris Whitaker

Publisher Review

'An absolute cracker of a thriller. 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 . . . If you love a police procedural, you'll adore this. If you like a book to make you think a little more deeply, you will also love this. As someone who is a fan of both, I can't recommend it enough' Joanna Cannon 'A fresh and intriguing detective double act - I fell hard for all-too-human Kat and her AI colleague Lock . . . a riveting cold case mystery told with compassion and verve' Louise Candlish 'This brilliant debut had me gripped the whole way through. A refreshing and different take on the police procedural genre' Prima 'Crime fiction is full of detectives who have been paired up with someone they don't like. Few have to get used to a bossy hologram, which is what happens in Jo Callaghan's entertaining and thought-provoking novel . . . Callaghan grounds her novel in real life, challenging her unusual team to investigate the unsolved disappearances of two students. The moral dilemmas created by artificial intelligence are brilliantly explored in this altogether very human novel' Sunday Times 'It's so much more than a dystopian police procedural and asks questions about who we are and what it means to be human. Brilliant' Nikki Smith 'Daring and original, heartbreaking and heart-stopping, this study of what it means to be human is destined to not only be a big success, but a classic crime novel of our times. Loved it' Caz Frear 'A standout debut with a unique and thrilling take on the detective novel. Engaging, exciting and superbly readable. I loved it' Sarah Hilary 'A truly original premise that is both compelling and filled with heart. Highly recommended' Olivia Kiernan 'Clever and compelling, it offers a new take on the police procedural while also examining what it means to be human and the personal cost of loss' Brian McGilloway 'Intuitive DCS Frank and logical AI Lock are the perfect pairing. Alongside some wonderfully surreal tech is an investigation grounded in the grittily real. Jo Callaghan explores what makes us human; our flaws and errors, our loves and losses and sometimes our refusal to stop asking questions. Even at its most terrifying, this is a story told with heart and soul' Jess Kidd 'Completely different and utterly brilliant' Amanda Reynolds 'SO good. A really clever twist on the police procedural that asks big questions about instinct, bias, and what it means to be human while also delivering a cracker of a plot. Loved it' Phoebe Locke 'It's phenomenal . . . Perfect blend of police procedural and techno thriller and kept me guessing right to the end!' Steph Broadribb 'An incredible book. So original, gripping and wonderfully written. I raced through it' Karen Hamilton 'Everything I love in a police procedural but with an imaginative and fresh perspective. Clever and warm, it's one of the best debuts I've read in years' Jo Jakeman 'Part futuristic high-concept crime thriller, part police-procedural, part treatise on what it is to be human; I am in awe of what Jo Callaghan has managed to pull off here. A compelling mystery set in a future that feels extremely close and relevant. Callaghan's knowledge of AI and its potential effect on the world is balanced perfectly by her nuanced insight into humanity and grief. I can't wait to see what's next for Kat and Lock. Roll on book two!' Russ Thomas 'A well written page turner, with a great premise and a big heart. I loved it' Jo Browning Wroe 'Gripping, fun, original and moving. A must for your reading pile' David Fennell 'Fabulous! A rare crime novel truly as much about character as it is about plot...cried at the ending...huge potential series exploring the human AI connection. Loved' Lindsay Galvin 'I loved this book so much. In the Blink of an Eye is a page turner of a thriller, but it's so much more than that. One that stays with you long after you turn the last page' Frances Quinn 'Thrilling, thought-provoking and cinematic - a slam dunk for movie/TV adaptation' Alexandra Sokoloff, author of the Huntress Moon thrillers 'A genuinely different take on the police procedural genre is hard to find, but Jo Callaghan has done it. DCS Kat Frank isn't keen when she's assigned an AI (Artificial Intelligence) as her partner as part of a pilot scheme, but she quickly finds their dynamic unearths fresh evidence in a case' Good Housekeeping 'The revelation of the full villainy involved in the two men's disappearance is intriguing, but it is Kat - her personality, her relationship with her young son and her experience of loss - that really lifts this novel' Literary Review 'With well-drawn characters, believable emotions and an interesting premise, you can see this becoming a TV series. 7/10' Independent 'One of the most original and modern police procedurals you'll read . . . The results are astounding' Belfast Telegraph 'Original and compelling' Fabulous