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

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I was immediately drawn into In The Blink of an Eye, Jo Callaghan’s debut book. I was intrigued by the premise, drawn in by the writing and strong characterisation. She hasn’t but I loved that Callaghan gives us a senior, experienced and confident protagonist and one who’s a significant way through her career and life. Kat’s likeable but has baggage. She’s talented but also fallible.

I did some research and was amazed to discover that people were actively researching and piloting the use of AI in crime and became fascinated by all the debates about whether data-based algorithms could lead to fairer and more transparent policing. This opened up even more questions about how humans make decisions, and whether ‘gut instinct’ is just another word for prejudice, or, as Malcolm Gladwell argues in Blink, is the result of evidence-based decision-making processes too fast for most humans to comprehend. It fired off so many ideas in my brain, that I couldn’t wait to write a new take on the cop duo, by pairing an AI detective driven by algorithms with a human partner who makes decisions with their gut. But unfortunately, my husband was very ill, and so I didn’t start writing it until after he died in 2019. It then became a much more layered novel, as it allowed me to explore (and process) issues of love, loss and what it means to be human. The winner is responsible for ensuring they are able to accept the prize as set out and in accordance with these terms and conditions, in the event they are unable to do so then the Promoter reserves the right to redraw the prize.

She hasn't but I loved that Callaghan gives us a senior, experienced and confident protagonist and one who's a significant way through her career and life. Kat's likeable but has baggage. She's talented but also fallible. 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’

A very well put together and entertaining police drama. I highly recommend it. You will feel all the emotions.The plot is superb! Seeing this team work together with very little to go on it seems like a massive task but it isn’t long before they uncover little snippets of information that lead them down a path which I think any want to be crime solver would struggle to work out. I know I certainly didn’t and I was bowled over by certain revelations. I have no idea if this book is a standalone or the first in a new crime series. I am hoping for the latter as I loved Kat as well as getting to know the team and would be great to see more of them. I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Simon & Schuster UK, and Jo Callaghan for such a thought-provoking e-ARC. It’s phenomenal . . . Perfect blend of police procedural and techno thriller and kept me guessing right to the end!’ Steph Broadribb

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 SmithJo works full-time as a senior strategist, where she has carried out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019, she started writing In The Blink of An Eye. She lives with her two children in the Midlands, where she is currently writing the second novel in the series. By entering, any subsequent prize winners agree to allow the free use of their names, photographs and general locations for publicity and news purposes during this and future promotions by the Promoter or any associated or subsidiary company of News Corp UK & Ireland Limited. One of the most original and modern police procedurals you’ll read . . . The results are astounding' Belfast Telegraph There is no cash or other alternative to the prize stated and the prize is not transferable and no part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions. Everything you could hope for in a thriller: heartbreaking, intelligent, deftly plotted and so original’ FIONA CUMMINS