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I Think I Was Murdered: A Novel
A grieving young woman has all her late husband's texts and emails uploaded into an algorithm that will mimic him. It's exactly like him--it even remembers things from their relationship that she'd forgotten. So when she asks it to tell her something about him that she doesn't know she never expects the response she "I think I was murdered."
Just a year ago, Katrina Berg was at the pinnacle of her career. She was a rising star in the AI chatbot start-up everyone was talking about, married with an adoring husband, and had more money than she knew how to spend. Then her world combusted. First, her husband, Jason, was killed in a fiery car crash. Then her CEO was indicted and, as the company's legal counsel, Katrina faces tough questions as the Feds take over and lock her out of her office. The final blow is the death of her beloved grandmother. Distraught, Katrina loads her Tesla with all it can hold and sets out to attend the funeral.
Her most prized possession is the beta prototype for a new, ultra-sophisticated chatbot loaded onto her phone. The contents of Jason's email, phone records, social media backups, documents, pictures, and every bit of data she could find were loaded into the bot, and Katrina has "talked" to him every day for the past six months. She has been amazed at how well it works. Even the syntax and words the bot uses sound like Jason. Sometimes, she imagines he isn't really dead and is right there beside her. She knows it's slowing her grief recovery, but she can't stop pretending.
My grandma died, Jason.
Aw, honey. I know it's hard. She loved you so much. We'll get through this together.
She stares at the phone. He isn't really here to help her get through this. Through a blur of tears, she taps Tell me something I don't know. The cursor blinks for several moments and seems frozen before the reply flashes quickly onto the I think I was murdered.
She returns to her cozy Norwegian-flavored hometown in the northern California redwoods and enlists the help of Seb Wallace, local restaurateur and longtime acquaintance. Finding the truth--and keeping herself from being the next victim--will force Katrina to work with Seb and test them both to their limits.
I Think I Was
Features a unique look at grief through the lens of technologyDeals with current topics and themesWill appeal to fans of Ruth Ware, Laura Griffin, Laura Dave, and Sarah PearseIncludes Discussion Questions
Just a year ago, Katrina Berg was at the pinnacle of her career. She was a rising star in the AI chatbot start-up everyone was talking about, married with an adoring husband, and had more money than she knew how to spend. Then her world combusted. First, her husband, Jason, was killed in a fiery car crash. Then her CEO was indicted and, as the company's legal counsel, Katrina faces tough questions as the Feds take over and lock her out of her office. The final blow is the death of her beloved grandmother. Distraught, Katrina loads her Tesla with all it can hold and sets out to attend the funeral.
Her most prized possession is the beta prototype for a new, ultra-sophisticated chatbot loaded onto her phone. The contents of Jason's email, phone records, social media backups, documents, pictures, and every bit of data she could find were loaded into the bot, and Katrina has "talked" to him every day for the past six months. She has been amazed at how well it works. Even the syntax and words the bot uses sound like Jason. Sometimes, she imagines he isn't really dead and is right there beside her. She knows it's slowing her grief recovery, but she can't stop pretending.
My grandma died, Jason.
Aw, honey. I know it's hard. She loved you so much. We'll get through this together.
She stares at the phone. He isn't really here to help her get through this. Through a blur of tears, she taps Tell me something I don't know. The cursor blinks for several moments and seems frozen before the reply flashes quickly onto the I think I was murdered.
She returns to her cozy Norwegian-flavored hometown in the northern California redwoods and enlists the help of Seb Wallace, local restaurateur and longtime acquaintance. Finding the truth--and keeping herself from being the next victim--will force Katrina to work with Seb and test them both to their limits.
I Think I Was
Features a unique look at grief through the lens of technologyDeals with current topics and themesWill appeal to fans of Ruth Ware, Laura Griffin, Laura Dave, and Sarah PearseIncludes Discussion Questions
459 pages, Library Binding
First published November 11, 2024
481 people are currently reading
15796 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Coble
147 books6,381 followersUSAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Arizona. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 6 million books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 998 reviews
June 30, 2024
This writing duo is on fire! The books keep getting better. I think this one is my new favourite!
I love to learn as I read, love a ‘suspense forward’ romantic suspense and love the assurance that I’ve got a clean read in my hands. This book has all that IN SPADES.
I was captivated by a great story centered around artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, and chatbots. I appreciated the delicate balance of this with things that pulled on my heartstrings: characters who learned that the most important things in life aren’t tangible, inspirational messages from exchanges between a Nazi guard and Corrie ten Boom, and reminders that every beginning starts with an ending.
Every time I felt that the tension had crescendoed to a nail-biting height, I knew that a smile was close at hand. For example, the duo referenced Freia chocolate, Tillamook ice cream, or the mixup over the Norwegian word for suit, at the perfect place in the story. As much as I loved the chase of ‘gunting’, I appreciated a well-balanced story with faith elements and romance.
I can’t wait for the next Colleen Coble - Rick Acker mystery!
I was gifted this copy by Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I love to learn as I read, love a ‘suspense forward’ romantic suspense and love the assurance that I’ve got a clean read in my hands. This book has all that IN SPADES.
I was captivated by a great story centered around artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, and chatbots. I appreciated the delicate balance of this with things that pulled on my heartstrings: characters who learned that the most important things in life aren’t tangible, inspirational messages from exchanges between a Nazi guard and Corrie ten Boom, and reminders that every beginning starts with an ending.
Every time I felt that the tension had crescendoed to a nail-biting height, I knew that a smile was close at hand. For example, the duo referenced Freia chocolate, Tillamook ice cream, or the mixup over the Norwegian word for suit, at the perfect place in the story. As much as I loved the chase of ‘gunting’, I appreciated a well-balanced story with faith elements and romance.
I can’t wait for the next Colleen Coble - Rick Acker mystery!
I was gifted this copy by Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
October 26, 2024
I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker - 2 to 2.5 Stars
Let me start this review by saying I absolutely LOVED What We Hide by Colleen and Rick and had the opportunity to meet them at a local Christian bookstore when they went on tour for a book signing, they were so nice to meet and chat with. I think I was Murdered was one of my most anticipated releases for the fall time this year, but unfortunately, my honest review is this was a bit disjointed and didn't live up to my personal expectations. This one is a standalone story and not tied to What We Hide. I am still interested to see what happens in book 2 after What We Hide to see what happens next but this one fell flat for me personally.
This story is about a grieving widow, Katrina, who talks to an AI program-chat bot that poses as her husband that passed away. The chat bot has all of her husbands social media accounts, photos, information from his phone etc. So it can truly feel like he is talking to her. One day, the chat bot responds to her "I Think I Was Murdered" and she goes on this hunt to find out what really happened to Jason. The story has some side characters and mysteries going on as well.
We all feel like AI is a very odd and strange thing in today's world so the plot itself was SO interesting to me. I had not seen anyone write an AI story yet so I was highly looking forward to this one. I think for me, if the story focused more on the Katrina > Jason story, I would have been more invested but we get a bit disjointed going on side stories with other characters and drama with them that I wasn't connecting to. There is a side character in this that is pregnant and there was some very crazy circumstances that occur where it doesn't feel like there is concern for her being pregnant really. Also, I wasn't crazy about the romances in this book. One being a love triangle and the other I just didn't really connect with.
The ending was the main reason I ended up giving this more so a 2-2.5 star rating (which Star ratings are so subjective anyway, I debated between a 2-3 star but the ending just bothered me so that's why I am at a 2-2.5). I felt like the main story was to figure out who murdered Jason but we spent a long time on other things I didn't care about.
I think if you are in the mood for more of a legal, mystery suspense story and are interested in the AI bits, check this out, but it just wasn't for me personally. I have LOVED all of Colleens books I have read so far so this surprised me but hoping this was just an anomaly for me :).
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for a copy to honestly read and review. I rarely find myself giving ratings like this but this is my honest review and opinions. Take me with a grain of salt :)
content: no spice, grief from death of a spouse
Let me start this review by saying I absolutely LOVED What We Hide by Colleen and Rick and had the opportunity to meet them at a local Christian bookstore when they went on tour for a book signing, they were so nice to meet and chat with. I think I was Murdered was one of my most anticipated releases for the fall time this year, but unfortunately, my honest review is this was a bit disjointed and didn't live up to my personal expectations. This one is a standalone story and not tied to What We Hide. I am still interested to see what happens in book 2 after What We Hide to see what happens next but this one fell flat for me personally.
This story is about a grieving widow, Katrina, who talks to an AI program-chat bot that poses as her husband that passed away. The chat bot has all of her husbands social media accounts, photos, information from his phone etc. So it can truly feel like he is talking to her. One day, the chat bot responds to her "I Think I Was Murdered" and she goes on this hunt to find out what really happened to Jason. The story has some side characters and mysteries going on as well.
We all feel like AI is a very odd and strange thing in today's world so the plot itself was SO interesting to me. I had not seen anyone write an AI story yet so I was highly looking forward to this one. I think for me, if the story focused more on the Katrina > Jason story, I would have been more invested but we get a bit disjointed going on side stories with other characters and drama with them that I wasn't connecting to. There is a side character in this that is pregnant and there was some very crazy circumstances that occur where it doesn't feel like there is concern for her being pregnant really. Also, I wasn't crazy about the romances in this book. One being a love triangle and the other I just didn't really connect with.
The ending was the main reason I ended up giving this more so a 2-2.5 star rating (which Star ratings are so subjective anyway, I debated between a 2-3 star but the ending just bothered me so that's why I am at a 2-2.5). I felt like the main story was to figure out who murdered Jason but we spent a long time on other things I didn't care about.
I think if you are in the mood for more of a legal, mystery suspense story and are interested in the AI bits, check this out, but it just wasn't for me personally. I have LOVED all of Colleens books I have read so far so this surprised me but hoping this was just an anomaly for me :).
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for a copy to honestly read and review. I rarely find myself giving ratings like this but this is my honest review and opinions. Take me with a grain of salt :)
content: no spice, grief from death of a spouse
December 7, 2024
This book was so different from my usual read, but it was absolutely worth it! A gripping, fast-paced techno-thriller, it explores grief, loss, and the ethics of technology in a highly engaging way. The AI chatbot as a central character made for a fascinating concept, and there was a plot twist I never saw coming.
The characters were compelling and well-developed. Katrina is a complex and sympathetic protagonist, with her grief and struggles palpable on every page. The relationships between the characters were authentic and nuanced, adding emotional depth to the suspenseful plot.
I really appreciated how much research went into the AI concept. The technology felt believable and added an eerie layer to the story. My only minor criticism is that the beginning felt a bit slow and overwhelming, with characters being introduced quickly, which made it difficult to grasp the setup at first. But once the story found its rhythm, I was hooked!
Anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a modern twist will love this book. It's an innovative take on the genre that leaves you questioning the boundaries between technology and reality.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The characters were compelling and well-developed. Katrina is a complex and sympathetic protagonist, with her grief and struggles palpable on every page. The relationships between the characters were authentic and nuanced, adding emotional depth to the suspenseful plot.
I really appreciated how much research went into the AI concept. The technology felt believable and added an eerie layer to the story. My only minor criticism is that the beginning felt a bit slow and overwhelming, with characters being introduced quickly, which made it difficult to grasp the setup at first. But once the story found its rhythm, I was hooked!
Anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a modern twist will love this book. It's an innovative take on the genre that leaves you questioning the boundaries between technology and reality.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 12, 2024
Another amazing read from Coble and Acker! The premise alone promised a compelling story and the duo delivered in spades. The AI component is ripped straight from today's headlines, and the story's fast pace will leave you breathless. Don't miss this one!
December 24, 2024
I Think I Was Murdered was the second book that I had the pleasure of reading/listening to by authors Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. Their writing styles complement each other’s so well. It was impossible to distinguish who wrote what. I Think I Was Murdered was a gripping murder mystery with strong undertones of the world of AI. The audiobook was well narrated by Karen Peakes. She was able to easily distinguish between the voices of the characters in I Think I Was Murdered. It was fast paced with unexpected twists and turns. I was surprised yet satisfied with the ending.
Katrina Berg was at the height of her career and enjoying her life when everything came crashing apart. She had recently become a widow at a very young age. Her husband, Jason, had died in a car crash. Katrina was having a hard time dealing with her grief. She worked at an A I Chatbot startup company as a lawyer. Katrina convinced the company to make a chatbot for her with Jason’s voice. For the last six months, there was not a day that Katrina did not communicate with her dead husband. The chatbot kept Jason alive for Katrina. Then to add to her troubles, the CEO of the company that she worked at, Talk Inc., was being indicted by the FBI. For the time being, Katrina was told to vacate her office but she needed to be available when the FBI needed to question her. Bad things usually come in three’s and Katrina was about to receive the most devastating news yet. Her beloved grandmother, her Bestemor, was dying. Would she be able to reach her childhood home in Northern California in the Redwoods in time to say goodbye?
By the time Katrina reached her childhood home, she was too late. Her Bestemor had already died. Katrina felt numb. She had been very close with her grandmother and she would miss her presence in her life. Katrina’s loss brought her in contact with an old friend from high school, Seb Wallace, who had also returned to their childhood town to help with the care of his father who had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Seb owned a successful restaurant in town. Then a few things occurred. When her grandmother’s Will was read, Katrina learned that she had been left her grandmother’s Norwegian Waffle restaurant and dwelling. The other thing that happened was that one day while Katrina conversed with her dead husband on the chatbot, she asked him to tell her something she didn’t know yet. Her husband responded that he thought he was murdered. Katrina having recently reconnected with Seb, sought out his help at trying to uncover what it all meant. Was Katrina in danger? Could Katrina and Seb discover what really happened to Jason? Why would someone want to murder Katrina’s husband?
I really enjoyed the AI aspects in I Think I Was Murdered. Even though it was a little creepy to think that someone can be kept alive in this way, I also found it fascinating. The pacing of this book was just right and the characters were very well developed. I really enjoyed how Katrina and Seb found their way back to each other and the romance that ensued. If you enjoy a good mystery mixed with creative technology then I highly recommend this book to you. I can’t wait to read the next book these authors write together.
Thank you to HarperCollins Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Katrina Berg was at the height of her career and enjoying her life when everything came crashing apart. She had recently become a widow at a very young age. Her husband, Jason, had died in a car crash. Katrina was having a hard time dealing with her grief. She worked at an A I Chatbot startup company as a lawyer. Katrina convinced the company to make a chatbot for her with Jason’s voice. For the last six months, there was not a day that Katrina did not communicate with her dead husband. The chatbot kept Jason alive for Katrina. Then to add to her troubles, the CEO of the company that she worked at, Talk Inc., was being indicted by the FBI. For the time being, Katrina was told to vacate her office but she needed to be available when the FBI needed to question her. Bad things usually come in three’s and Katrina was about to receive the most devastating news yet. Her beloved grandmother, her Bestemor, was dying. Would she be able to reach her childhood home in Northern California in the Redwoods in time to say goodbye?
By the time Katrina reached her childhood home, she was too late. Her Bestemor had already died. Katrina felt numb. She had been very close with her grandmother and she would miss her presence in her life. Katrina’s loss brought her in contact with an old friend from high school, Seb Wallace, who had also returned to their childhood town to help with the care of his father who had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Seb owned a successful restaurant in town. Then a few things occurred. When her grandmother’s Will was read, Katrina learned that she had been left her grandmother’s Norwegian Waffle restaurant and dwelling. The other thing that happened was that one day while Katrina conversed with her dead husband on the chatbot, she asked him to tell her something she didn’t know yet. Her husband responded that he thought he was murdered. Katrina having recently reconnected with Seb, sought out his help at trying to uncover what it all meant. Was Katrina in danger? Could Katrina and Seb discover what really happened to Jason? Why would someone want to murder Katrina’s husband?
I really enjoyed the AI aspects in I Think I Was Murdered. Even though it was a little creepy to think that someone can be kept alive in this way, I also found it fascinating. The pacing of this book was just right and the characters were very well developed. I really enjoyed how Katrina and Seb found their way back to each other and the romance that ensued. If you enjoy a good mystery mixed with creative technology then I highly recommend this book to you. I can’t wait to read the next book these authors write together.
Thank you to HarperCollins Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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January 2, 2025
Okay, this was a very strange book. I had a hard time getting into it and I never really did. It was just boring and overall weird. There were a lot of characters and I got lost several times. Her texting her dead husband through a robot was beyond weird. I’m starting to think Colleen Coble isn’t the author for me and this probably will be my last book of hers. 🤷🏼♀️
December 28, 2024
This writing duo is quickly becoming one of my favorites! This is a high concept book that pairs quickly evolving AI with bitcoins. The result is a twisty book that kept the pages turning late into the night. The romance is strong, the twist, fantastic, and the suspense solid.this is a novel I recommend to those who like romantic suspense.
July 29, 2024
I expect we will see many books now with AI being a big part of the story. This one makes a credible attempt to infuse AI into a decent storyline.
Jason is being followed by a car. He loses control and goes over, losing his life. His wife Katrina Foster works as a general counsel at Talk Inc, a tech company which has developed an innovative AI app. It is now a year since Jason died. Katrina has trained the AI app of her company with Jason’s background and voice with permission from the company CTO Liv Tompkins; and speaking to it makes her feel better. The company is struggling though. The CEO David Liang (in relationship with Liv) is missing, and the FBI is investigating the company for fraud. Katrina’s grandmother (Frida Berg, called Bestemor) is serious, and she leaves the bustle of Silicon Valley to visit, but reaches only after she passes away.
As the family – Katrina, her mom, dad and brother Magnus attend the funeral, Katrina meets many people she has known for many years. One of these is Seb Wallace, who runs a restaurant 'The Beacon' and is grateful for the help Bestemor has provided him. Dylan appears on the scene claiming to be Seb’s half-brother, and a DNA test proves that to be correct. As Katrina continues to speak to the AI Bot, it tells her one day “I think I (Jason) was murdered” and spews out some Japanese characters. Seb's dad who lives in a trailer on a 3-acre land remembers a car racing across his farm around the time Jason was to be visiting. A suspicion enters Katrina’s mind that Jason was probably murdered, and she might be in danger as well.
I found the plot to be interesting. The writing is average though and does not really create enough tension. In the afterword, the authors provide a background to the AI and Bitcoin elements of the story. While probable, the reasoning is sketchy – nothing wrong about that for a story such as this. I would have liked to see better character development and procedures in the story.
Overall, a decent story, but falls well short of potential.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Thomas Nelson Fiction and the authors for a free electronic review copy.
Jason is being followed by a car. He loses control and goes over, losing his life. His wife Katrina Foster works as a general counsel at Talk Inc, a tech company which has developed an innovative AI app. It is now a year since Jason died. Katrina has trained the AI app of her company with Jason’s background and voice with permission from the company CTO Liv Tompkins; and speaking to it makes her feel better. The company is struggling though. The CEO David Liang (in relationship with Liv) is missing, and the FBI is investigating the company for fraud. Katrina’s grandmother (Frida Berg, called Bestemor) is serious, and she leaves the bustle of Silicon Valley to visit, but reaches only after she passes away.
As the family – Katrina, her mom, dad and brother Magnus attend the funeral, Katrina meets many people she has known for many years. One of these is Seb Wallace, who runs a restaurant 'The Beacon' and is grateful for the help Bestemor has provided him. Dylan appears on the scene claiming to be Seb’s half-brother, and a DNA test proves that to be correct. As Katrina continues to speak to the AI Bot, it tells her one day “I think I (Jason) was murdered” and spews out some Japanese characters. Seb's dad who lives in a trailer on a 3-acre land remembers a car racing across his farm around the time Jason was to be visiting. A suspicion enters Katrina’s mind that Jason was probably murdered, and she might be in danger as well.
I found the plot to be interesting. The writing is average though and does not really create enough tension. In the afterword, the authors provide a background to the AI and Bitcoin elements of the story. While probable, the reasoning is sketchy – nothing wrong about that for a story such as this. I would have liked to see better character development and procedures in the story.
Overall, a decent story, but falls well short of potential.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Thomas Nelson Fiction and the authors for a free electronic review copy.
May 24, 2024
What a roller coaster ride! Coble and Acker display their strengths in this story of a mysterious egg and those who would do anything to obtain it. The story had a twist I did't see coming, and I can usually spot them a mile away. Great story, clean read, with a wonderfully satisfying ending. I highly recommend this one!
October 28, 2024
2.5⭐️
This is a mystery suspense that focuses on the evolution of AI. I thought it was a super unique concept to incorporate into a book. I unfortunately didn't love this one. I thought the way some of the characters acted/their behaviors were odd. One of the characters is pregnant, and the way it was presented throughout the book was confusing and kind of weird, in my opinion. It’s not a complete secret, but there are periods it’s not talked about/you almost forget she’s pregnant, and there’s no concern for the baby, even when characters are attacked. This side character has a bit of a love triangle, and I didn’t love how it was wrapped up at the end. Colleen Coble’s books have been a bit of a hit or miss for me personally, and I’m not sure if I’ll continue reading books by her in the future.
Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction, for sending me an audiobook ARC. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
content discretions: Parkinson’s, loss of a spouse from a car accident, Side character pregnant out of wedlock, no spice, no language, broken knee from attack
This is a mystery suspense that focuses on the evolution of AI. I thought it was a super unique concept to incorporate into a book. I unfortunately didn't love this one. I thought the way some of the characters acted/their behaviors were odd. One of the characters is pregnant, and the way it was presented throughout the book was confusing and kind of weird, in my opinion. It’s not a complete secret, but there are periods it’s not talked about/you almost forget she’s pregnant, and there’s no concern for the baby, even when characters are attacked. This side character has a bit of a love triangle, and I didn’t love how it was wrapped up at the end. Colleen Coble’s books have been a bit of a hit or miss for me personally, and I’m not sure if I’ll continue reading books by her in the future.
Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction, for sending me an audiobook ARC. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
content discretions: Parkinson’s, loss of a spouse from a car accident, Side character pregnant out of wedlock, no spice, no language, broken knee from attack
November 12, 2024
I Think I Was Murdered is a rich, multilayered tale told in a great collaboration between Colleen Coble and Rick Acker.
It is a very interesting story that focuses on artificial intelligence, Bitcoins, and chatbots. There was also some interesting background about Norwegian culture and traditions. Katrina returns home to recover the loss of her husband, grandmother, and her job as attorney for a tech company in Northern California. She renews an old high school friendship with Seb, a successful restaurateur. Danger followed her as someone thinks she has something her husband had and was maybe killed for. This is an interesting suspenseful mystery with danger and a growing romance. I really liked Seb and Katrina as well as a great cast of secondary characters in a lovely setting of redwoods, coastline, and small Norwegian influenced town. There is a faith thread that sustains the characters during the times of distress and danger.
I received a copy for an honest review, and these are my thoughts.
It is a very interesting story that focuses on artificial intelligence, Bitcoins, and chatbots. There was also some interesting background about Norwegian culture and traditions. Katrina returns home to recover the loss of her husband, grandmother, and her job as attorney for a tech company in Northern California. She renews an old high school friendship with Seb, a successful restaurateur. Danger followed her as someone thinks she has something her husband had and was maybe killed for. This is an interesting suspenseful mystery with danger and a growing romance. I really liked Seb and Katrina as well as a great cast of secondary characters in a lovely setting of redwoods, coastline, and small Norwegian influenced town. There is a faith thread that sustains the characters during the times of distress and danger.
I received a copy for an honest review, and these are my thoughts.
December 17, 2024
Intriguing storyline. I loved the twists to this story. It truly set it apart from other thriller/suspense nocels. I loved the audiobook for this. The narrator truly did an amazing job portraying the characters. She did a splendid job giving each a different voice, I think that truly added to the story for me and gave it more depth. I loved the twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat!
I received this Audiobook from HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully listening to this audiobook.
I received this Audiobook from HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully listening to this audiobook.
December 8, 2024
I Think I Was Murdered is the second novel by writing duo Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. A lawyer for Silicon Valley AI startup, Talk Inc, Katrina Foster has been widowed a year when her life is again upended: her beloved grandmother, Bestemor dies, and the FBI are investigating Talk’s CEO, David Liang who, it turns out, has been embezzling company funds and has disappeared to Shanghai. His girlfriend, and Katrina’s best friend, Liv Tompkins is Talk’s Chief Technical Officer, and has been left holding the baby (well, near enough, she’s pregnant).
Jason Foster was killed in a terrible car accident while on his way to a meeting in North Haven. Talk’s current project is a chatbot, and Katrina has the beta version loaded with texts, emails, social media and anything else needed to emulate Jason’s personality. Although she’s well aware it’s not him, as realistic as it is, it brings her great comfort and emotional support. But has relying on it retarded her healing? And lately, there might be a few glitches: Japanese text, quotes from books and movies out of left field. And then this: “I think I was murdered.”
The adverse publicity from the FBI raid has her seeking refuge with her family in North Haven. Ivy feels they may be in danger from the influential Liangs, and Katrina invites her along. There’s a funeral to attend, and Bestemor’s will holds a surprise that gives her a reason to seek out local restaurateur, Seb Wallace. They have a history from high school days that she’d all but forgotten, but his fluency in Japanese leads her to share the bot’s revelations.
When he realises that she isn’t self-centred like he thought, Seb is very happy to help Katrina in any way he can, although he does have the distraction of a half-brother of whom he was unaware, turning up on his doorstep. Dylan Carter claims to be the son of Rory Wallace and Linda Carver, but is there more to him than meets the eye?
The premise of an AI chatbot that can respond in character is certainly a topical one, although of course, its output always relies on what goes in. Coble and Acker give the reader some appealing characters and a plot that has a few red herrings and takes a turn or two, including some climbing action and a visit to Yosemite, and a nail-biting climax, before the final resolution.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction.
Jason Foster was killed in a terrible car accident while on his way to a meeting in North Haven. Talk’s current project is a chatbot, and Katrina has the beta version loaded with texts, emails, social media and anything else needed to emulate Jason’s personality. Although she’s well aware it’s not him, as realistic as it is, it brings her great comfort and emotional support. But has relying on it retarded her healing? And lately, there might be a few glitches: Japanese text, quotes from books and movies out of left field. And then this: “I think I was murdered.”
The adverse publicity from the FBI raid has her seeking refuge with her family in North Haven. Ivy feels they may be in danger from the influential Liangs, and Katrina invites her along. There’s a funeral to attend, and Bestemor’s will holds a surprise that gives her a reason to seek out local restaurateur, Seb Wallace. They have a history from high school days that she’d all but forgotten, but his fluency in Japanese leads her to share the bot’s revelations.
When he realises that she isn’t self-centred like he thought, Seb is very happy to help Katrina in any way he can, although he does have the distraction of a half-brother of whom he was unaware, turning up on his doorstep. Dylan Carter claims to be the son of Rory Wallace and Linda Carver, but is there more to him than meets the eye?
The premise of an AI chatbot that can respond in character is certainly a topical one, although of course, its output always relies on what goes in. Coble and Acker give the reader some appealing characters and a plot that has a few red herrings and takes a turn or two, including some climbing action and a visit to Yosemite, and a nail-biting climax, before the final resolution.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction.
December 3, 2024
"In 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto laid an egg. Jason Foster found it two weeks ago, and he’d been running for his life ever since."
やめろ、さもないと次は君だ
“It’s Japanese, and it reads ‘Stop or you’ll be next.’”
I love a good and strong prologue especially like this one which started with an unexpected statement. Like what the heck is this about someone who laid an egg? 🥚 It's mysterious, catchy and grabbed my attention. If you aren't familiar with the history of bitcoins and its founder, you'll be perplexed and intrigued like I was. 😹
The story focuses on Katrina Foster, a lawyer and works as general counsel for Talk, Inc., a company responsible for developing innovative AI app/chatbots.
Her life had slowly spiraled out of control starting with Jason’s death in a car accident and as a means to cope, she has relied on a chatbot app imitating her husband so she could 'talk' to him. The AI app filled one chink in the mortar holding her sanity together. The app also revealed clues to her husband's possible murderer - pointing to a someone named 'Messenja'.
A decent enough scifi thriller which makes a credible attempt infusing AI, chatbots, cryptocurrency/bitcoins into the storyline. A bit lacking and flat in some parts and ending was kinda rushed but still an overall decent thriller and I did not predict some of the twists. Read this both in digital and audio format. The audio narration is great, the voice of the narrator sounded pleasant and she did fine voicing multiple characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the audiobook arc. 🖤
3.45✨
やめろ、さもないと次は君だ
“It’s Japanese, and it reads ‘Stop or you’ll be next.’”
I love a good and strong prologue especially like this one which started with an unexpected statement. Like what the heck is this about someone who laid an egg? 🥚 It's mysterious, catchy and grabbed my attention. If you aren't familiar with the history of bitcoins and its founder, you'll be perplexed and intrigued like I was. 😹
The story focuses on Katrina Foster, a lawyer and works as general counsel for Talk, Inc., a company responsible for developing innovative AI app/chatbots.
Her life had slowly spiraled out of control starting with Jason’s death in a car accident and as a means to cope, she has relied on a chatbot app imitating her husband so she could 'talk' to him. The AI app filled one chink in the mortar holding her sanity together. The app also revealed clues to her husband's possible murderer - pointing to a someone named 'Messenja'.
A decent enough scifi thriller which makes a credible attempt infusing AI, chatbots, cryptocurrency/bitcoins into the storyline. A bit lacking and flat in some parts and ending was kinda rushed but still an overall decent thriller and I did not predict some of the twists. Read this both in digital and audio format. The audio narration is great, the voice of the narrator sounded pleasant and she did fine voicing multiple characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the audiobook arc. 🖤
3.45✨
February 4, 2025
OH FUCK THIS. THIS WAS SO POORLY WRITTEN AND THE ONLY GOOD PLOT TWIST WAS SO PREDICTABLE. THEY MENTIONED PEWDIEPIE. I WAS SO EXCITED FOR NOTHING. FUCK OFF
May 30, 2025
Struggled to finish this, but decent.
Solid 3 stars !!!
Solid 3 stars !!!
October 18, 2024
It’s been a rough year for Katrina Berg, and things are about to get rougher. Her husband, Jason, died in a car accident a year prior, and now her beloved grandmother has died. She left Silicon Valley to head to Northern California where her family is, and finds out she inherited Bestemor’s, her grandmother’s Norwegian waffle restaurant.
She’s not sure if she wants the restaurant though; she’s a high-powered attorney at a company called Talk, Inc. Well, at least, she WAS, until the FBI raided their offices and the CEO left the country. Katrina wasn’t involved in the embezzlement that was happening, but she’s pretty shaken and worried she’ll be indicted. Maybe staying with her family would be for the best. She’s still lost without her husband, though she does have one way of keeping in touch…
Talk is a prototype of an app that lets you speak with dead people. By downloading the contents of her husband’s phone, she can text with him, and the responses are pretty accurate. One day, she asks him to tell her more about his accident, and she gets a creepy reply: “I think I was murdered.” This gets her searching for more answers, with help from an old high school friend, Seb.
Talk is definitely the most interesting part of the book, and the reason I wanted to read it, but that was actually a small part of the story. This turned into a mystery/action book, that oddly is also a Christian romance book, unbeknownst to me when I chose to read this ARC. Most of the book was pretty good, but the ending got really cheesy with the romance and religious parts. I don’t mind religion or romance, but not in my fiction books, and definitely not in a book I thought from the synopsis was a sci-fi thriller.
I thought the writing in this was great, and the parts where Katrina communicated with her dead husband were also really good. Towards the end, it just got overly dramatic, and that, along with the unrealistic love story and the sudden and constant mentions of God that weren’t in the rest of the book, left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. If you like Lifetime/Hallmark movies with happy endings and a bit of a thrill, this is your book. If you like thrillers with lots of twists and craziness, this one isn’t for you. Your rating will depend on how much cheese you can tolerate, and unfortunately, I’m lactose intolerant. 3.5 stars, rounded down.
(Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Colleen Coble, Rick Acker and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on November 12, 2024.)
She’s not sure if she wants the restaurant though; she’s a high-powered attorney at a company called Talk, Inc. Well, at least, she WAS, until the FBI raided their offices and the CEO left the country. Katrina wasn’t involved in the embezzlement that was happening, but she’s pretty shaken and worried she’ll be indicted. Maybe staying with her family would be for the best. She’s still lost without her husband, though she does have one way of keeping in touch…
Talk is a prototype of an app that lets you speak with dead people. By downloading the contents of her husband’s phone, she can text with him, and the responses are pretty accurate. One day, she asks him to tell her more about his accident, and she gets a creepy reply: “I think I was murdered.” This gets her searching for more answers, with help from an old high school friend, Seb.
Talk is definitely the most interesting part of the book, and the reason I wanted to read it, but that was actually a small part of the story. This turned into a mystery/action book, that oddly is also a Christian romance book, unbeknownst to me when I chose to read this ARC. Most of the book was pretty good, but the ending got really cheesy with the romance and religious parts. I don’t mind religion or romance, but not in my fiction books, and definitely not in a book I thought from the synopsis was a sci-fi thriller.
I thought the writing in this was great, and the parts where Katrina communicated with her dead husband were also really good. Towards the end, it just got overly dramatic, and that, along with the unrealistic love story and the sudden and constant mentions of God that weren’t in the rest of the book, left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. If you like Lifetime/Hallmark movies with happy endings and a bit of a thrill, this is your book. If you like thrillers with lots of twists and craziness, this one isn’t for you. Your rating will depend on how much cheese you can tolerate, and unfortunately, I’m lactose intolerant. 3.5 stars, rounded down.
(Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Colleen Coble, Rick Acker and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on November 12, 2024.)
January 14, 2025
2.5 stars.
I Think I Was Murdered was unfortunately not for me. The premise sounded fantastic and I had high hopes for this, particularly after loving Coble & Ackerman's other novel that released this year.
As a person going through grief myself (albeit with a mother and not a spouse), I did relate to the level of grief our main character experienced and her desire to really hold onto all she could. I thought the parts involving AI regarding this were a little much but could absolutely see that happening in the future for people which was unsettling and I believe that is exactly the point! We all grieve differently as well, so I did find it interesting to see how she navigated it.
I would've liked to see more focus on the murder of Jason and the legal stuff involving that but felt it was lackluster in that department. There was SO much potential at different parts of the story for that or even following another thing going on- SO many- and yet it never really went there or explored it.
I thought there was a little too much focus on several other things, including side characters instead & also the idea of a woman who kept repeatedly mentioning she was pregnant but there was not much concern placed on her with the things she got involved in during the story for someone who mentioned SO often that she was with child. The romance aspect of this story, regardless of which one you looked at were not really for me either- they felt misplaced or rushed and just didn't connect with me the way I have experienced or expected like in other Colleen Coble books.
I'll still be looking forward to the next installment in the Tupelo grove series these two authors worked on together (that was a 4.5 star for me) and can't wait for that.
While this one wasn't for me, it might be for you if you're looking for a quick romantic suspense read that explores grief with some AI in the mix. I did listen to this one on audio thanks to netgalley & the publisher (thank you!) and thought the narration was very good- so if you're an audio lover I do recommend this one as an audio should you want to experience this story yourself.
I Think I Was Murdered was unfortunately not for me. The premise sounded fantastic and I had high hopes for this, particularly after loving Coble & Ackerman's other novel that released this year.
As a person going through grief myself (albeit with a mother and not a spouse), I did relate to the level of grief our main character experienced and her desire to really hold onto all she could. I thought the parts involving AI regarding this were a little much but could absolutely see that happening in the future for people which was unsettling and I believe that is exactly the point! We all grieve differently as well, so I did find it interesting to see how she navigated it.
I would've liked to see more focus on the murder of Jason and the legal stuff involving that but felt it was lackluster in that department. There was SO much potential at different parts of the story for that or even following another thing going on- SO many- and yet it never really went there or explored it.
I thought there was a little too much focus on several other things, including side characters instead & also the idea of a woman who kept repeatedly mentioning she was pregnant but there was not much concern placed on her with the things she got involved in during the story for someone who mentioned SO often that she was with child. The romance aspect of this story, regardless of which one you looked at were not really for me either- they felt misplaced or rushed and just didn't connect with me the way I have experienced or expected like in other Colleen Coble books.
I'll still be looking forward to the next installment in the Tupelo grove series these two authors worked on together (that was a 4.5 star for me) and can't wait for that.
While this one wasn't for me, it might be for you if you're looking for a quick romantic suspense read that explores grief with some AI in the mix. I did listen to this one on audio thanks to netgalley & the publisher (thank you!) and thought the narration was very good- so if you're an audio lover I do recommend this one as an audio should you want to experience this story yourself.
November 10, 2024
Thought provoking and an intense look at grief and loss with corporate shenanigans wrapped up in an amazing mystery plot. I haven't read many plots that explore the new AI technology, and I was fascinated by the possibilities of it and how it interacted with the very human emotions involved with the stages of grief. Katrina, a young widow, is an amazing character, coping with her grief and trying to figure out what really happened to her husband and the company she worked for. I loved Seb, Katrina's acquaintance from high school. He was a rock for her at a turbulent time and a sweet love interest. The whole plot worked for me. The contrast between modern Silicon Valley and the traditional Norwegian culture of Katrina and Seb's hometown gave the suspense plot texture and layers I wasn't expecting.
A lot can change in a year. A year ago, Katrina Berg Foster had it all, a loving husband and an amazing job as staff attorney for a successful tech company. Then her world imploded. Her husband, Jason, died, the Feds seize the business where she worked and her beloved grandmother, Bestemor, dies too. Her grief is overwhelming and just putting one foot in front of the other is difficult at times, along with making decisions regard Talk, Inc. and her grandmother's restaurant. She finds solace in a new AI program she is beta testing, but when this program, that mimics her husband, tells her "I Think I Was Murdered", something changes, and she reevaluates everything that has happened in the last year and decides maybe he's right.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
A lot can change in a year. A year ago, Katrina Berg Foster had it all, a loving husband and an amazing job as staff attorney for a successful tech company. Then her world imploded. Her husband, Jason, died, the Feds seize the business where she worked and her beloved grandmother, Bestemor, dies too. Her grief is overwhelming and just putting one foot in front of the other is difficult at times, along with making decisions regard Talk, Inc. and her grandmother's restaurant. She finds solace in a new AI program she is beta testing, but when this program, that mimics her husband, tells her "I Think I Was Murdered", something changes, and she reevaluates everything that has happened in the last year and decides maybe he's right.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
November 12, 2024
I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.
Without a doubt, I THINK I WAS MURDERED is one of the most brilliant titles I’ve come across in contemporary fiction. What’s even more interesting about it is that it’s the victim who provides that line! No spoilers from me so you’ll need to read the book to find out exactly how that happens but what I can say is A. I., chatbots, greed and programming prowess all play parts.
This is the third book that Colleen Coble and Rick Acker have cowritten. As of now, it’s a standalone book but I can see it becoming the foundation for a series. The author duo set up a Scandinavian town in Northern California that includes two very different families that have both lived and worked in the area for many years. Complicated relationships are laid out, business entanglements exist, love blooms, old wounds are still aching and oh yeah, let’s not forget the murder,
or 2, 3…
Coble writes great adventure stories and Acker is a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in California, adding the legal veracity a story like this needs. Together, they are able to combine their fortes and craft a fast paced thriller with a touch of romance, lots of heart and inspiration. Free from foul language, sexual content and descriptive violence, this book can safely be read by your 14 year olds or your great grandparents📚
Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks
Without a doubt, I THINK I WAS MURDERED is one of the most brilliant titles I’ve come across in contemporary fiction. What’s even more interesting about it is that it’s the victim who provides that line! No spoilers from me so you’ll need to read the book to find out exactly how that happens but what I can say is A. I., chatbots, greed and programming prowess all play parts.
This is the third book that Colleen Coble and Rick Acker have cowritten. As of now, it’s a standalone book but I can see it becoming the foundation for a series. The author duo set up a Scandinavian town in Northern California that includes two very different families that have both lived and worked in the area for many years. Complicated relationships are laid out, business entanglements exist, love blooms, old wounds are still aching and oh yeah, let’s not forget the murder,
or 2, 3…
Coble writes great adventure stories and Acker is a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in California, adding the legal veracity a story like this needs. Together, they are able to combine their fortes and craft a fast paced thriller with a touch of romance, lots of heart and inspiration. Free from foul language, sexual content and descriptive violence, this book can safely be read by your 14 year olds or your great grandparents📚
Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks
May 13, 2025
Edit! I just listened to it again because it was my book club's book selection this month. I stand by my original review...5 stars! Riveting!
I Think I Was Murdered is written by the dynamic duo of Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. This edge of your seat thriller had me riveted from the very beginning. The concept for this book is very relevant in the age of artifical intelligence. Honestly, with the way technology evolves, this may not be that futuristic at all. When a young widow keeps a bot on her phone that has her dead husband's voice on it, she asks it to tell her something she doesn't know. It answers by saying he thinks he was murdered. With the help of an old friend, who happens to be a handsome restaurateur, they look for answers. Action, suspense and romance ensues.
I listened to this nail-biting thriller and the narrator was spot on. She was perfect for the performance. My husband listened to it with me and he agrees wholeheartedly. 5 stars!!
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and this is my honest opinion.
I Think I Was Murdered is written by the dynamic duo of Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. This edge of your seat thriller had me riveted from the very beginning. The concept for this book is very relevant in the age of artifical intelligence. Honestly, with the way technology evolves, this may not be that futuristic at all. When a young widow keeps a bot on her phone that has her dead husband's voice on it, she asks it to tell her something she doesn't know. It answers by saying he thinks he was murdered. With the help of an old friend, who happens to be a handsome restaurateur, they look for answers. Action, suspense and romance ensues.
I listened to this nail-biting thriller and the narrator was spot on. She was perfect for the performance. My husband listened to it with me and he agrees wholeheartedly. 5 stars!!
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and this is my honest opinion.
June 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. I love ai inspired suspense stories so this hit the sweet spot for me. I loved the ride! The mystery and characters kept me intrigued from start to finish. And the story flowed really well for having been written by two authors. This was my first experience reading from Rick Acker and I look forward to trying some of his other books. And as always I'm a big fan of Colleen Coble's writing too.
*thank you to #NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All thoughts are my own.
*thank you to #NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All thoughts are my own.
October 29, 2024
A grieving young widow. The AI program that allows her to continue to "talk" to her husband. And a message she never expected: "I think I was murdered."
The premise of I Think I Was Murdered completely fascinated me—suspense with an AI twist? Sign me up! I was not disappointed as I thought the AI parts were very interesting and well researched. I liked that the book didn’t stick to the shallow suspense stereotype but also dealt with the protagonist's grief from the loss of her husband. To me the suspense parts were light enough to keep me interested but weren’t so heavy that it was creepy. I also liked the cozy small costal town vibes coupled with a quaint Norwegian touch. Overall, I enjoyed and would definitely recommend to those in a mood for a light suspense book.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars
Release Date: 12th November 2024
Genre: Christian Suspense
Romantic Content: Level 3 - Kissing
Swearing: None that I remember (if there was any is was light)
Violence: Moderate
***I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The premise of I Think I Was Murdered completely fascinated me—suspense with an AI twist? Sign me up! I was not disappointed as I thought the AI parts were very interesting and well researched. I liked that the book didn’t stick to the shallow suspense stereotype but also dealt with the protagonist's grief from the loss of her husband. To me the suspense parts were light enough to keep me interested but weren’t so heavy that it was creepy. I also liked the cozy small costal town vibes coupled with a quaint Norwegian touch. Overall, I enjoyed and would definitely recommend to those in a mood for a light suspense book.
Rating: ★★★★☆ 3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars
Release Date: 12th November 2024
Genre: Christian Suspense
Romantic Content: Level 3 - Kissing
Swearing: None that I remember (if there was any is was light)
Violence: Moderate
***I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 11, 2024
2.5 ⭐
Artificial intelligence is omnipresent in the contemporary world, and its always debated that this technology, can mimic human intelligence but not empathy. I was interested how its explored in the most emotional context, 'love lost and a grieving heart'. But the story was about 100 pages too long, for it to stay faithful to its promise to explore grief through the lens of technology.
Somewhere I read, that 'a computer can be called intelligent if it can deceive a human into believing that its a human.' Katherine Berg, a splendid corporate lawyer, was using one such artificial intelligence enabled Chat bot to deceive her mind into talking to her dead husband, Jason. This was her idea of coping up with grief. But her world gets upturned when the bot / dead husband tells her that he was murdered, kicking off the chase to unveil the mystery.
This thriller mystery is sprinkled with various technologies , blockchain, bitcoin, large language models (LLM), generative AI. As a software engineer, it was fun for me to find their references in a book which was not a textbook. Beyond technology comes romance, one that Katherine had with her dead husband and is not ready to 'move on' from it. Other is budding between her and Sebastian, a childhood acquaintance. Katherine struggles internally to allow herself to embrace the attraction she is feeling for Seb, because it feels incorrect to let Jason go. Self-punishment, handling of grief and concept of 'letting go' is quite relatable, Colleen Coble seems to have a knack at writing lost love and its coping struggles.
My major issue was the length of the book, it was dragging for most part. There were new characters being introduced every chapter and I was not clear who is really relevant. Many subplots and sequences were throwing off the rhythm and attention from main plot. Inspite of so many distractions, I had guessed the perpetrator quite early on, I will say it was the most convenient trope. I am still not clear about the setting of the book too, it mentions to be in California but vibe is Norwegian, I just wish it was really set in Norway.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson fiction for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Verdict : Good premise, poor execution. I have read better books by the author.
Artificial intelligence is omnipresent in the contemporary world, and its always debated that this technology, can mimic human intelligence but not empathy. I was interested how its explored in the most emotional context, 'love lost and a grieving heart'. But the story was about 100 pages too long, for it to stay faithful to its promise to explore grief through the lens of technology.
Somewhere I read, that 'a computer can be called intelligent if it can deceive a human into believing that its a human.' Katherine Berg, a splendid corporate lawyer, was using one such artificial intelligence enabled Chat bot to deceive her mind into talking to her dead husband, Jason. This was her idea of coping up with grief. But her world gets upturned when the bot / dead husband tells her that he was murdered, kicking off the chase to unveil the mystery.
This thriller mystery is sprinkled with various technologies , blockchain, bitcoin, large language models (LLM), generative AI. As a software engineer, it was fun for me to find their references in a book which was not a textbook. Beyond technology comes romance, one that Katherine had with her dead husband and is not ready to 'move on' from it. Other is budding between her and Sebastian, a childhood acquaintance. Katherine struggles internally to allow herself to embrace the attraction she is feeling for Seb, because it feels incorrect to let Jason go. Self-punishment, handling of grief and concept of 'letting go' is quite relatable, Colleen Coble seems to have a knack at writing lost love and its coping struggles.
My major issue was the length of the book, it was dragging for most part. There were new characters being introduced every chapter and I was not clear who is really relevant. Many subplots and sequences were throwing off the rhythm and attention from main plot. Inspite of so many distractions, I had guessed the perpetrator quite early on, I will say it was the most convenient trope. I am still not clear about the setting of the book too, it mentions to be in California but vibe is Norwegian, I just wish it was really set in Norway.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson fiction for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Verdict : Good premise, poor execution. I have read better books by the author.
August 25, 2024
A very intriguing cover, title, and concept kept me hooked to the pages in I Think I was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. They’ve quickly become a dream team in the Christian romantic suspense world.
Katrina truly grieved the death of her husband and a chatbot offered the perfect responses when she needed to feel a connection to him. But her reliance became a crutch until it spouted the title, which was genius. I was wondering how anyone in their right mind would “think” they were murdered. Great premise and I can’t wait for more from these two.
Lastly, I liked the romance. Seb isn’t your conventional hero. It took a while for Katrina to have eyes for him. Also great job not having her be in love with him since they were young. He took that honor.
All in all, great book. Would’ve loved a little more triad interaction but the rock climbing scenes made up for that.
I received this book through Net Galley and was not required to give a positive review.
Katrina truly grieved the death of her husband and a chatbot offered the perfect responses when she needed to feel a connection to him. But her reliance became a crutch until it spouted the title, which was genius. I was wondering how anyone in their right mind would “think” they were murdered. Great premise and I can’t wait for more from these two.
Lastly, I liked the romance. Seb isn’t your conventional hero. It took a while for Katrina to have eyes for him. Also great job not having her be in love with him since they were young. He took that honor.
All in all, great book. Would’ve loved a little more triad interaction but the rock climbing scenes made up for that.
I received this book through Net Galley and was not required to give a positive review.
Read
June 17, 2024DNF due to overall writing style. May work for you.
June 6, 2024
Thank you to both #NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction/Thomas Nelson for providing me an advance copy of Colleen Coble and Rick Acker’s #mysterythriller, I Think I Was Murdered, in exchange for an honest review.
Holy-in-need-of-edits Batman! WTF did I just read?!…Was my initial reaction upon finishing #IThinkIWasMurdered. Next, I wondered whether it was a satirization of contemporary fiction, emphasizing certain elements of #crimethrillers, #cyberpunk, and #melodramas. Then, I realized that it was most likely written as a #YA novel originally, but due to some potential content restrictions, the authors were forced to pivot and rapidly adapt the material for an adult audience. Hence, the characters’ simplified perspectives. Regardless of what the novel is or was intended to be, the pages are practically shrieking for edits—excluding the severe formatting issues.
The plot is chaotic to say the least. Think telenovela on steroids, if that’s even possible. For instance, each subplot is dedicated to a different genre, ranging from #domesticdrama to #mysterysuspense. Characters’ emotions run the gamut of grief to #hallmarkromance, sometimes in the span of a paragraph. By page 100, the reader has been exposed to a murder, FBI raid, funeral (and no, not for the murder victim), pregnancy, love triangle, schoolboy crush, restaurant opening, potential second murder, a buyout of an AI tech startup, a #bitcoin quest that involves a few hiking stints, the sale of a separate restaurant, the reveal of long-lost half-siblings, and most importantly, the threat of either the Yakuza or a Triad, which are sometimes conflated. Rather odd considering the lengths the authors went to promote Norwegian culture. Again, WTF?
The book is so comically bad that at one point I found myself comparing it to the movie, The Disaster Artist. No pun intended. How can a novel with so many plotlines be this predictable? The only thing this book manages to do right is the one thing that typically turns me off to reading books written by two authors, which is that they managed to seamlessly blend their writing styles. Non-PC, TW: Of course, it is entirely possible that the authors split writing the passages and dialogue for characters according to gender. Speaking of characters…
The characters are infuriating, underdeveloped, and create the majority of plot holes. The writing is incredibly sloppy, and so much so that I stand by my theory that this was originally written as a YA novel. Exhibit A: Magnus. No further comment. I also refuse to believe a DA would allow a book to be published where nearly all the facts about lawyering are wrong; especially, one wherein the protagonist is an attorney. Moreover, similar to the abomination of using infants as a plot device, pets also should not be overused. *Cue Samuel L. Jackson: “Mention Lyla one more time!” I’ll wrap-up this critique of these braindead characters ala the authors’ draft and simply data dump: gun club, religion, mean girls, fugitive, nostalgia, ugly duckling syndrome, tech illiterate, and small-town cops. Again, and I cannot stress this enough...WTF?
Finally, there is only way to conclude this review and it is already pretty obvious based on the above the rating this book deserves. So, I decided to offer the most irritating point in the entire novel instead. To avoid spoilers, I will leave you dear readers and aspiring authors with this: you cannot substitute one valuable item with another when the second item is in an entirely different category of technology. That’s like saying I’ll trade you my pet gerbil for your llama. Sound like a good deal? No? Exactly.
Holy-in-need-of-edits Batman! WTF did I just read?!…Was my initial reaction upon finishing #IThinkIWasMurdered. Next, I wondered whether it was a satirization of contemporary fiction, emphasizing certain elements of #crimethrillers, #cyberpunk, and #melodramas. Then, I realized that it was most likely written as a #YA novel originally, but due to some potential content restrictions, the authors were forced to pivot and rapidly adapt the material for an adult audience. Hence, the characters’ simplified perspectives. Regardless of what the novel is or was intended to be, the pages are practically shrieking for edits—excluding the severe formatting issues.
The plot is chaotic to say the least. Think telenovela on steroids, if that’s even possible. For instance, each subplot is dedicated to a different genre, ranging from #domesticdrama to #mysterysuspense. Characters’ emotions run the gamut of grief to #hallmarkromance, sometimes in the span of a paragraph. By page 100, the reader has been exposed to a murder, FBI raid, funeral (and no, not for the murder victim), pregnancy, love triangle, schoolboy crush, restaurant opening, potential second murder, a buyout of an AI tech startup, a #bitcoin quest that involves a few hiking stints, the sale of a separate restaurant, the reveal of long-lost half-siblings, and most importantly, the threat of either the Yakuza or a Triad, which are sometimes conflated. Rather odd considering the lengths the authors went to promote Norwegian culture. Again, WTF?
The book is so comically bad that at one point I found myself comparing it to the movie, The Disaster Artist. No pun intended. How can a novel with so many plotlines be this predictable? The only thing this book manages to do right is the one thing that typically turns me off to reading books written by two authors, which is that they managed to seamlessly blend their writing styles. Non-PC, TW: Of course, it is entirely possible that the authors split writing the passages and dialogue for characters according to gender. Speaking of characters…
The characters are infuriating, underdeveloped, and create the majority of plot holes. The writing is incredibly sloppy, and so much so that I stand by my theory that this was originally written as a YA novel. Exhibit A: Magnus. No further comment. I also refuse to believe a DA would allow a book to be published where nearly all the facts about lawyering are wrong; especially, one wherein the protagonist is an attorney. Moreover, similar to the abomination of using infants as a plot device, pets also should not be overused. *Cue Samuel L. Jackson: “Mention Lyla one more time!” I’ll wrap-up this critique of these braindead characters ala the authors’ draft and simply data dump: gun club, religion, mean girls, fugitive, nostalgia, ugly duckling syndrome, tech illiterate, and small-town cops. Again, and I cannot stress this enough...WTF?
Finally, there is only way to conclude this review and it is already pretty obvious based on the above the rating this book deserves. So, I decided to offer the most irritating point in the entire novel instead. To avoid spoilers, I will leave you dear readers and aspiring authors with this: you cannot substitute one valuable item with another when the second item is in an entirely different category of technology. That’s like saying I’ll trade you my pet gerbil for your llama. Sound like a good deal? No? Exactly.
November 15, 2024
Katrina's life has taken a nosedive. She was a rising star in the ai world. She us questioning her life and what she needs to do. This book grabbed my attention from the start.
October 6, 2025
I didn’t know what to expect with this book. The title sold me, and I read it without reading the description.
There were a few things I had to suspend judgment on until the end, because I figured the writers were doing something specific. Needless to say, I ended up loving what they did!
This is the second book in a row I’ve read with modern issues. This one had to do with chat bots and bitcoin.
I didn’t love Katrina’s obsession with using the chat bot but it was an area of growth for her.
The role of the chat bot in the mystery was amazing. There were several layers which were great.
A solid red herring was thrown in there and I debated the entire book whether or not I liked it. I did.
I had my suspicions throughout the entire book and they were mostly on target. Of course I missed a couple things, which means I liked being surprised.
There was a Christian message in this and I felt like it was portrayed realistically with the characters not being perfect.
The romance was somewhat slow burn. While side characters obvious had pre-marital relations, this book was clean.
All-in-all, a good suspense read.
There were a few things I had to suspend judgment on until the end, because I figured the writers were doing something specific. Needless to say, I ended up loving what they did!
This is the second book in a row I’ve read with modern issues. This one had to do with chat bots and bitcoin.
I didn’t love Katrina’s obsession with using the chat bot but it was an area of growth for her.
The role of the chat bot in the mystery was amazing. There were several layers which were great.
A solid red herring was thrown in there and I debated the entire book whether or not I liked it. I did.
I had my suspicions throughout the entire book and they were mostly on target. Of course I missed a couple things, which means I liked being surprised.
There was a Christian message in this and I felt like it was portrayed realistically with the characters not being perfect.
The romance was somewhat slow burn. While side characters obvious had pre-marital relations, this book was clean.
All-in-all, a good suspense read.
December 11, 2024
Colleen Coble & Rick Acker are a dynamic duo mystery team! I’ve really enjoyed their collaborations with smart, up-to-the-date whodunnits which capture the emerging technological world. This story really took me on a thrilling chase with hidden clues, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, & chatbots. Along with the intriguing mystery, was a sweet second chance romance, inspiring faith, & ethical questions which caused me to pause.
Katrina Berg was devastated when her perfect world came crashing down a year ago. Her husband Jason died in a fiery crash, the high-tech company where she was a rising star as their legal counsel is being indicted with the CEO missing, & her beloved grandmother recently passed away leaving her a restaurant. Her only comfort is the prototype chatbot she’s installed on her phone which has all of her deceased husband’s emails, photos, & texts, & who can converse with her like Jason.
When the chatbot suggests Jason was murdered, she returns to her quaint Norwegian hometown to search for answers & escape the threats she & her friend are receiving. Looking for a buyer for her grandmother’s restaurant, she renews her friendship with Seb Wallace, a talented restauranteur who’s nothing like the nerdy kid she remembers. As their relationship deepens & threats escalate, Katrina & Seb must work together to decipher her husband’s hidden clues to a vast cryptocurrency fortune.
I really felt for Katrina. Her reliance on the chatbot really made me think. Is it healthy to create a shadow personality of a dead loved one? I was so glad that Seb was there to help her as well as her faith. I enjoyed their slow build, friends to more, second chance romance. Seb has his own issues with a troubled past, ailing father, & a brother he didn’t know he had showing up out of the blue.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced mystery. It took me a minute to fully understand everything because so many things happened at the beginning. Once I figured out what was going on, I enjoyed the engaging plot. I loved how each clue had a purpose & lead to the next location. I also loved the surprises at the end. There were a few things I didn’t see coming & love when that happens.
Highly recommend to romantic suspense fans! Looking forward to the next mystery from this talented duo. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided. 4-4.5 stars!
Katrina Berg was devastated when her perfect world came crashing down a year ago. Her husband Jason died in a fiery crash, the high-tech company where she was a rising star as their legal counsel is being indicted with the CEO missing, & her beloved grandmother recently passed away leaving her a restaurant. Her only comfort is the prototype chatbot she’s installed on her phone which has all of her deceased husband’s emails, photos, & texts, & who can converse with her like Jason.
When the chatbot suggests Jason was murdered, she returns to her quaint Norwegian hometown to search for answers & escape the threats she & her friend are receiving. Looking for a buyer for her grandmother’s restaurant, she renews her friendship with Seb Wallace, a talented restauranteur who’s nothing like the nerdy kid she remembers. As their relationship deepens & threats escalate, Katrina & Seb must work together to decipher her husband’s hidden clues to a vast cryptocurrency fortune.
I really felt for Katrina. Her reliance on the chatbot really made me think. Is it healthy to create a shadow personality of a dead loved one? I was so glad that Seb was there to help her as well as her faith. I enjoyed their slow build, friends to more, second chance romance. Seb has his own issues with a troubled past, ailing father, & a brother he didn’t know he had showing up out of the blue.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced mystery. It took me a minute to fully understand everything because so many things happened at the beginning. Once I figured out what was going on, I enjoyed the engaging plot. I loved how each clue had a purpose & lead to the next location. I also loved the surprises at the end. There were a few things I didn’t see coming & love when that happens.
Highly recommend to romantic suspense fans! Looking forward to the next mystery from this talented duo. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided. 4-4.5 stars!
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