I saw a book blogger talking about how this book was their favorite book they’ve read so far this year, and reading the blurb, it really intrigued me since AI has become such a hot topic in the world. The subject of moral dilemmas was what hooked me into requesting a copy of this ARC. AI has quietly invaded SO many aspects of our world that when it really blew up many people were shocked that it felt like it happened so fast, but it’s really been happening for a long time. Everything from authors using ChatGPT to help them (or have them) write a book, to creators using AI to help them design art, book covers, paintings, whatever it may be, has caused such controversy, especially in the arena of using someone’s voice or likeness in movies without those people being paid for their intellectual property. So, when I saw the concept of this story, who is really at fault if something horrific happens, but the humans weren’t the ones controlling the car, I had to see what it was all about.

Firstly, I must admit I really didn’t like any of the characters in this story, particularly Noah. All he seemed to do was stand by and narrate his and his family’s lives, without really participating in them. He came across as someone who felt very inferior to his wife, made worse with the way her whole family treated him like he was nothing more than a lacky. And even when he knew he should interact with his children because things were obviously not good, he chose not to because he either just didn’t have the energy, or he didn’t want confrontations, or I don’t know why.

Each person in this story had serious flaws and was hiding major things, which is all fine and dandy, since that is the reality of life, but all of it just seemed to fall flat. Perhaps it was the author’s writing style that caused this to not work for me. Ironically, it felt to me like some of it may have been run through ChatGPT, which would be sort of funny.

Overall, it was an interesting read and gave me a lot to think about. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest an unbiased opinion.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Spiegel & Grau for providing me with an advanced copy of Culpability.

Well well well what do we have here? Book of the summer alert, book of the summer alert 🚨 🚨 🚨. Thankfully I saw a write up about this book umm somewhere (get off my case there’s so many places to find book recs these days) and was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy.

This is THE summer read. It’s THE beach read. It’s THE poolside read. You name a summer locale and this book should be tucked under your arm, cocked, and ready to read. The characters are rich and unpredictable, same goes for the plot, and there is a constant thread of suspense you feel as the reader throughout the book.

The NE of the US is definitely having its literature moment with North Woods, The History of Sound, and now Culpability. The first two books are two of my favorite reads of the year and Culpability continues the streak by being my favorite book of the summer.

It’s topical, clever, and one hell of a ride (pun intended).

Culpability, by Bruce Holsinger, is a great choice for a book club read.  With A1, autonomous vehicles, and other technological advancements, there is a blurring of the lines between what is lawful and what may be morally correct.  When a car being navigated by technology, with a boy behind the wheel who has a provisional license, is involved in a deadly accident, who is at fault? Is it the company providing the technology for the autonomously driven car, the car manufacturer, the person behind the wheel, or the adult in the passenger seat? I'm not sure what the laws are governing situations like this, but the outcome in the book was interesting.  Not only does it introduce the legalities involved, but it also delivers an eye-opening look at just how much technology has made our every move traceable. I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC ebook that I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This book is close to a 4-star but I couldn’t quite get there. The storyline itself is certainly engaging….family in autonomous vehicle, in a fatal accident and the fallout from that across multiple dimensions. There’s a strong overtone of warning about AI which I appreciated…all that those of us who are laymen simply don’t know about and couldn’t understand anyway.
But some of the story construct felt “trope-y”… wealth, privilege, beauty…and it irked me that the brilliant woman in the story had to be some kind of neurotic character clearly struggling with some type of mental illness. The narrative voice of the father ultimately felt whiny as an aggrieved character who never quite measures up.

A thought provoking novel about the ethics of AI and autonomous vehicles wrapped in a family drama. Narrated by Noah, the dad, it's about what happens to the family after their autonomous minivan hits and kills an elderly couple. Teen Charlie was at the wheel, sort of but he's not the only one who feels guilty. This takes place at the family retreat, which was meant to be healing but which turns out to be a chance for everyone to let go of secrets. Their secrets are the sort we sometimes see (this is, after all a family with teens) but they are nonetheless burdensome. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A well written topical read.

This is a timely and poignant novel that deals with a compelling and relevant topic- AI. I can see this being a great book club pick with all the layers of family dynamic and the implications of the issues presented in the book in society today.

Good to know: one instance of open door intimacy

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I absolutely loved this book! The theme of AI is so relevant in our world right now so it really kept me captivated. After the car accident, I was so interested in what really happened and which family members had secrets. The haunting secrets are just running rampant through the family in this book which I enjoyed and it kept me on my toes and held my interest the entire way through.

What a timely and thought provoking story. The advancement of technology and AI does bring morality into question.

Automated vehicles first got my heart pumping in Passengers by John Marrs but this got my mind flexing.

Quite a few twists and turns until the very end but this was not a page turner for me.

It’s a family drama with big questions at the wheel and would make for a great book club discussion.

This is one of those books that seems unsure what it wants to be, so it straddles the line between family drama and a meditation on AI ethics and never really satisfies with either.

I was really excited when I read the blurb because it sounded like a timely premise: a family get into a car accident in their self-driving minivan, killing two people and starting a conversation about culpability when it comes to AI. The five Cassidy-Shaws were all absorbed in their own world, their own devices, letting the minivan do its own thing. Are they to blame? Can they be held responsible for the accident?

Except the waters are quickly muddied by several secrets the family members are hiding, changing the conversation from one about AI ethics to one about the characters and their personal issues.

Still, though disappointing, I love a family drama as much as anyone. The problem was I didn't find much to sink my teeth into there either. The characters are a bit basic, and even cliche in Alice's case-- she seems to be a typical ansgty teenager obsessed with an AI chatbot (the interactions were a bit of an eye roll, honestly).

Noah is the narrator and I couldn't stand him. He has an inferiority complex toward his wife and is frequently insecure, but his insecurities are just touched upon and not explored in a way that would add depth to his character. The way he views his teenage son and comments on his girlfriend is just weird, too, and I am unsympathetic to his drunk driving with his daughters in the car. Maybe I could have given the guy a break if we'd gotten to know him better, if his character development had been more complex.

The themes are messy and inconsistent as the book tries to juggle too many things at once: Lorelai's OCD, criticism of sheltered and entitled teens, the use of AI drones in war zones, Alice's chatbot, Charlie's new girlfriend and mental health, and somewhere in there the whole discussion about guilt and responsibility after the road accident.

Nothing much in terms of AI ethics or compelling family drama. An extra star because the use of mixed media made it more readable and easy to get through.

What a fascinating insight into the world of AI. Bruce Holsinger’s new novel ‘Culpability’ explores the aftermath of a fatal car crash on one family. The difference between this accident and most is the car was self driving which throws the notion of fault into question. Very interesting read.

I love that Culpability is set around the DMV in the summer, and the 'incident' alludes to Maryland drivers' reputation of recklessness on the road (though Charlie's license is technically registered in Delaware). Holsinger has presented a very compelling and engaging exploration of the impacts of AI in everyday settings. A refreshing thought experiment after reading too many "analyses" of the role of AI in the workplace, on social media, and in creative industries, especially those that examine the ethical implications of the technology. To see AI in such a relatable setting is a reminder that these tools are not built on objective foundations, as much as their creators try, and that we, as its users and consumers, should not "surrender to the moral frameworks of algorithms." I typically would feel no desire to buy a physical copy of an ARC, but for this one, I will. The ARC did have some significant formatting issues that seemed intentional at times, but for the most part, probably not. I would be curious how these translate to the published version.

What the reality is when AI moves faster than humans - the results of tragedies caused by AI, the ethics of what AI is doing in our world from children to adults, the lawsuits that will spring up one after another.

So if your 17-year-old is sitting in the drivers seat of a driverless car with a parent in the front seat. Both are distracted by electronics and a car accident happens. This is just the set-up for this story as there is so much more that happens, leaving the reader with so much to ponder. Despite this being a fictional story, there is so much is coming our way in this world of AI. This is a book to read and really think about.

My thanks to Net Galley, Spiegel & Grau, and Spotify Audiobooks for advanced copies of this e-book and audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the free copy in exchange for my honest review!

It would be hard to pitch a book that’s more relevant to the current moment than this. Holsinger has a skill for combining readable prose and a propulsive plot with thought-provoking themes and even philosophical musings. His topic here is AI, so buckle up.

CULPABILITY follows the Cassidy-Shaw family in the aftermath of a tragic car accident. The teenage son was driving an autonomous vehicle, so who’s to blame? That’s our jumping off point, but there’s a lot more to it. If you’re interested in thinking more deeply about this topic through an easy-to-consume story, I’d highly recommend picking this up. If you’re exhausted by hearing about AI all day every day (like I am) you might want to skip this. It gave me a lot to chew on so I’m glad I read it but I also found myself feeling exhausted by the subject matter, not so much because of the book itself but because of the context in which I was reading it. It’s a fast read with great summer vibes and even a billionaire side character, so I think this would make for a great beach read or book club pick if you’re in the right headspace for it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel and Grau for the eARC.

I absolutely loved this book. A not-too-far in the future book about AI in our lives, who is accountable, the algorithms we use to do good and the still unknown, even with AI and algorithms to help along the way. I read and enjoyed The Gifted School last year and this book was even better.

I first heard about Culpability from an article that popped up in my Google feed. It was from Simple Life magazine’s book editor saying this new release from Bruce Holsinger is *the* book of the summer. Intrigued, I turned to Netgalley and was delighted to see it available for review.

The opening epigraph is unusual in that it isn't a saying from some famous person or passage from a well-known poem. Rather, it is an excerpt from the main character’s wife’s thesis on ethics and artificial intelligence. (It turns out she is very well-known in the field of artificial intelligence.) This small bit immediately drew me in and I wanted to know more.

The Cassidy-Shaw family is on a road trip to their son’s last sports tournament before he heads to college. Young Charlie takes the driver's seat even though he won’t actually drive the family’s relatively new self-driving minivan. A car on the freeway collides with them, causing an accident that leaves the family with various non-life threatening injuries and an elderly couple dead. But, was it the AI programmed car that caused the accident? Or was the “driver” of the automated minivan guilty of vehicular homicide? These are just some questions that arise as the story develops and the truth of what actually happened unravels.

There is much more to this novel than the car accident. It’s a carefully constructed family drama full of secrets and lies. I could not put it down.

Artificial intelligence is as much a character as the cast of human ones--smart houses, a military owl drone fleet, and an AI app-based friend/confidant are just a few examples. Which is more dangerous: tech with human engineered consciences or human consciences interfering with tech?

At its core, Culpability is about how morality and artificial intelligence collide for an ordinary family. I really enjoyed this well-paced, thought-provoking novel. What would you do in this situation? What are the ethical consequences of AI?

Thank you Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for early access to this free e-book. Culpability is scheduled to be available in print and audiobook formats on July 8, 2025.

Culpability was an intricately written novel exploring the implications of AI on the modern world through the eyes of a family enduring an unthinkable tragedy.

This novel is layered, poignant, and intense. It’s quite interesting the stylistic choices of the author, because it tells the narrative from the father’s pov, through the daughter’s text messages, and through the mother’s academic paper.

I felt the story built for a long time, and it wasn’t gripping until about 60% in to the novel. It felt that from the tragedy at the beginning, there was a long purgatory where we waited and waited while a foundation was built to get to the 60% and on pacing. I understand why it was done that way, but the novel lost me for a bit in that middle zone. This also was accentuated by the fact that I didn’t like any of the characters. From the parents to the kids, I didn’t love any of them, so I didn’t care if good or bad things happened to them.

From 60% and on I was very invested in seeing how the author would weave all the details together while keeping to the overall theme of the culpability of AI. In the end, I think he left a lasting impression and posed some important questions about the world. I’d recommend this to anyone interested in AI, or to those who like nonfiction, because a lot of the book felt like an academic paper.

Culpability was out of my comfort zone, but I was impressed with the outcome!

I loved Bruce Holsinger’s previous book The Displacements and his latest creation, Culpability, is just as exceptional and unique! This novel has it all: a captivating plot which starts with a bang, a family drama that explores sibling, parent-child, and husband-wife dynamics so realistically, family secrets, and a little bit of mystery. There are also small snippets of a nonfiction book within the novel that allow for a deeper exploration of the ethical and moral consequences of AI. I love when a fiction book can also make me think about deeper issues and this novel does just that but within the framework of a very compelling narrative. I highly recommend this unique, informative, and interesting novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegal and Grau for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bruce Holsinger writes timely, uncomfortable and smart books so, so well. I loved The Gifted School and I think this is even better. The dangers of AI and a world relying so heavily on technology will resonate with SO many readers right now. I can’t wait to hand sell this!

Um wow!!! Just wow! I've read many AI related books and generally have loved them. And I love the overall question of how AI will fit into our every day lives. (Autonomous cars will probably always freak me out.) And while the place of AI in our lives is a main story line in this book, there are so many other concepts for consideration throughout the book. I loved how well and naturally they were all woven together and how the Noah and Lorelei's relationship is warped through different views of the situations. I loved how the children were represented throughout the story as full characters, not supporting props for their parents. This book is complex but so well written that the reader is carried along for the ride!

I first heard about Culpability on the Currently Reading podcast, and it sounded like a perfect summer read. Thank you to Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This novel follows Lorelei, Noah, and their kids - Charlie, Alice, and Izzy - whose lives are upended when an accident occurs with 18-year-old Charlie at the wheel of an AI-driven car. Two people are killed. The family survives. But what follows is more than just grief and survivor’s guilt: it’s a layered story about responsibility, ethical questions around AI, and the ripple effects of one tragic moment.

Lorelei works in AI with a focus on its moral implications. Noah is an attorney wrestling with his own emotions. As the family tries to process what happened during a summer getaway, they become entangled in even more drama.

I won’t spoil anything, as this book is quite plot-driven. While some turns were predictable, others caught me off guard. What stood out most were the family dynamics. The title Culpability resonates not just in the legal or technological sense, but in how people shape and affect each other’s choices.

The writing was so natural and approachable that I briefly thought the opening was perhaps an author's note introducing the book! It has a summery, accessible vibe but tackles weighty, timely questions. Can we program AI to make better decisions than humans? Can it protect us from our own flaws?

A thoughtful, engaging, and timely read. I really enjoyed it.