A truly original premise that is both compelling and filled with heart. Highly recommended’ Olivia Kiernan A standout debut with a unique and thrilling take on the detective novel. Engaging, exciting and superbly readable. I loved it' SARAH HILARY The Promoter reserves the right to publish entries (including parts of entries) other than the winning entry and publication does not necessarily mean the entrant has won a prize.

DSC Kat Frank, newly returned from bereavement leave, is unhappy when her boss directs her to lead a pilot program to test the suitability of using an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) in a police investigation. 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. Kat doesn’t believe algorithms can truly account for the vagaries of humankind, or replace the experience and instincts she, like most good police officers, often rely on. 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 In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan will be published in Australia by Simon & Schuster on 10 January 2023. The kind of fresh and fearless debut I just adore. Wildly original, heartfelt, funny, and properly thrilling. Take a bow, Jo Callaghan’ CHRIS WHITAKER

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

Thank you Simon & Schuster UK for a digital copy of this debut novel to read and review. I loved the synopsis and early reviewers thoughts suggested this was a book not to be missed. So would I agree. Everything you could hope for in a thriller: heartbreaking, intelligent, deftly plotted and so original’ FIONA CUMMINS One of the most original and modern police procedurals you’ll read . . . The results are astounding' Belfast Telegraph 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. M. LOGAN The author brings the police missing persons investigation to life and I regularly found myself forgetting about my initial worries about AI. The police officers all have personal issues to deal with whilst looking for the missing young people and you can see how personal issues could cloud judgment.

An ingenious police procedural with a clever twist, a delightful cast of characters paired with witty banter and relatable humour, intriguing cold case investigations - neatly sums this compelling and highly entertaining debut. I can’t wait to see what Jo Callaghan comes out with next. I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Simon & Schuster UK, and Jo Callaghan for such a thought-provoking e-ARC. 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. Stories are a powerful way to engage people in these vital conversations, so although I have (hopefully) written In the Blink of an Eye in an entertaining and sometimes humorous way, I also explore questions of how the police make decisions, the use (and abuse) of data, and the line between ‘gut instinct’ and prejudice.

Jo Callaghan is a British fiction author. In The Blink of An Eye is her crime debut and first UK published book. It is published by Simon & Schuster on 19 January 2023 and you can also find it on our catalogue. The introduction of AI into policing is an interesting concept and Callaghan offers both sides - seen through the characters' lenses but with balance. Kat and her boss are cynical about politicians' intention to cut resources / officers and replace them with technology not capable of nuance and intuition. Whereas the technology's creator is distrustful of police for those very 'human' reasons. The pilot scheme will start with cold cases; people who have disappeared over the years, with no leads. The whole process of choosing which missing persons to concentrate on is complex in itself, and as time moves on, it becomes clear that there's far more to these cases than originally thought. Essentially In the Blink of an Eye is a police procedural, Kat and her squad conduct interviews, investigate clues and gather evidence to explain the fate of the missing men. Callaghan develops a solid mystery and I thought it played out well. 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.

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Fresh, innovative and very, very clever. Flawlessly paced, plotted and researched, it's laugh out loud, heart-achingly sad and doesn't have a dull moment. I raced through it. Simply sensational' M. W. Craven Jo 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.

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. Fresh, innovative and very, very clever. Flawlessly paced, plotted and researched, its laugh out loud, heart-achingly sad and doesnt have a dull moment. I raced through it. Simply sensational M. W. Craven A very well put together and entertaining police drama. I highly recommend it. You will feel all the emotions.

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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. These terms and conditions apply to all competitions (unless and to the extent that) the competition states otherwise. It’s phenomenal . . . Perfect blend of police procedural and techno thriller and kept me guessing right to the end!’ STEPH BROADRIBB It’s phenomenal . . . Perfect blend of police procedural and techno thriller and kept me guessing right to the end!’ Steph Broadribb