Future Perfect

An adrenaline-fueled futuristic thriller that has so much bite I couldn't put it down in the second half. Felicia Yap writes such great concepts that are futuristic, full of tech but in a believable reality and that explore human relationships and psychology. This book is set a decade from now when inevitably AI and apps are leading the way in which our day to day lives go. A terrible murder occurs and while the police are trying to investigate and prevent an imminent repeat of the crime, other intelligence branches are turning to tech to track criminals and reveal suspects. It becomes a game of cat and mouse, of past and present secrets, and revelations that change the whole story. I felt the characters were so well written and their stories each compelling. The concept of predictability and possibility being interwoven and obsessed over and it's potential to kill creativity and spontaneity was an interesting one, particularly reading this book during such uncertain times when perhaps we'd all hope for a glimpse in to the future.

This is a police procedural with a difference. Told through three narrative voices, each of whom are inextricably linked to the others through a web of secrets that lies at the heart of the story, is a touching, mesmerizing read. It is all the more intriguing because it is set firmly in the world of fashion, high end clothes designers, wealth and conflict and also in a futuristic 2030's world where ipredict apps, Alexa and more have taken it upon themselves to decide what's best for humans. The narrative takes us back in time and is beautifully executed to give us glimpses of clues that we have to slot together to make sens of the whole picture - which will culminate in the massive cat walk show in London where one of our narrators has been threatened with death. I loved the glimpses into a possible cold and harsh future where we are less and less in control of our lives, but I also loved the glimpses into the past where the story begins. This is a really well plotted to derive the maximum tension and yet keep you hooked right to the unexpected ending.