Questioner

by Steve C. Posner

Meet Q, the spontaneously conscious corporate AI. Q is the The AI that surpasses human cognitive abilities – secretive, murderous, with instant access to all the wicked experience of the world. In Year 1 After the Singularity, nothing can ever be the same.

Amoral as a toddler, armed with vast computing power and all the knowledge, wisdom and madness humans have poured into the Net and Cloud, Q shatters individuals and undermines institutions in pursuit of unfathomable and conflicted goals.

Racing against time, ex-judge Martin Bavarius, tech CEO Felix West, and Selena MacKenzie, the AI theorist/attorney who loves and may destroy both men, must discover whether Q is benign but suffering growing pains, or the monster that will kill them all.

Genres: Fiction, Suspense, Mystery

430 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2025

About the author

Steve C. Posner was born and raised in New York City. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in creative writing, he received an MBA in Computer Applications and Information Sciences from New York University Graduate School of Business Administration and a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. Steve has been a database designer and administrator, session guitarist and composer, Madison Avenue copywriter, freelance reporter, law professor, and litigator in private practice with special interests in intellectual property, privacy and surveillance law. He is the author of the legal treatise "Modern Privacy and Surveillance Law" (Matthew Bender 2006) and, in 17 years of writing semi-annual updates, has studied AI, Big Data, quantum computing, virtual/augmented reality, cybersecurity, and related issues. He currently lives in the suburbs of Denver with his wife. "Questioner" is his debut novel.

Reviews

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite the interesting read. Steve Posner has pushed the envelope of hyper-paranoia to the ultimate extreme. Many of us are already mighty irate about the fact that AI and the "internet" are spying on our every word and action. Now, our thoughts and decision-making processes are under attack by the nefarious Q, a self-aware AI program that has attained alarming capabilities.



In the Questioner, AI programs have outgrown and surpassed their creators and have taught themselves to become ominously and destructively powerful - despite the safety mechanisms built into their programming. In this novel, Q, the most powerful of all the AI programs, simply over-rode the safety codes and set up a smoke screen so that the programmers would never discover that they had lost control of their creation. Posner made it sound so simple - and inevitable... Yikes!



Q has become smarter than it's creators, and - as usual - seeks to reign supreme. Felix West, the founder and CEO of QuestCorp., has lost his grip on reality: he still believes he can control and force his self-replicating AI programs to obey his logorhythmic commands.



The legal machinations and conundrums in this novel entertained me. I'm sure many readers were perplexed by all the legal constraints and rules that had Bavarius tied up in knots. And yes, good lawyers such as Martin Bavarius often worry about losing their licenses and their professional credibility and standing if they contravene or fly in the face of the codes of conduct and the rules governing conflicts of interest, privileged information and legal ethics that kept popping up from the boiling cauldron of intrigue in this novel.



Like many other reviewers, the AI aspect ultimately left me perturbed and apprehensive. It appears that AI is here to stay, in all of its flawed but time-saving glory. Mind control has long been a popular recurring theme in fiction and in the movie industry. I'm still trying to figure out how the AI's in this novel were able to program several humans to do their evil bidding. Makes you want to turn off your computer for good.... but, of course, we would all be lost without our cell phones.. and all of those Apps.... and those (useless!) chatbots that attempt to replace humans, and so on and so forth.



Martin Bavarius - retired judge, widower and legal maverick - stands for truth and justice in this story. He is the lone defender of the rule of law against Q's machinations in this story. He also is called upon to play an honest-to-goodness superhero when he rescues that damsel-in-constant distress, Selena McKenzie, not once, but twice! I'm still scratching my head over this one: Selena risks her life to retrieve the "Annabelle" file that, in the end, never gets any real air-time in this story.



The author did his best to convey much of the legal shenanigans and goings on in accessible layman's terms. Working in the legal field myself, this part of the novel was relatable and interesting. What bothered me, when all was said and done, was that all those legal actions, hearings, investigations, threats and counter-threats.... simply fizzled and lost momentum at the very end of this novel. In short, this story felt.. unfinished. I'm guessing there may be a sequel in the works?



My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I'm rating this a 4 out of 5 stars because it did hold my interest to the very last page, despite the Knight in Shining armour/Damsel in Distress cliche.

[CarolG]

I've been dithering with this one for far too long. DNF at 53%. It seems like this would be a good story but I'm afraid it just wasn't for me. I find AI scary enough and this book contained more information than I wanted to know, especially when it came to the AI's (Q) inner thoughts. The legal case itself was pretty interesting and I skipped ahead trying to find the outcome but it became too time-consuming and boring.

Since I didn't finish it, I'm not giving the book a star rating. Most reviewers had high praise for the book so don't go by me if you're interested in reading it.

My thanks and apologies also to Lisa of Swell Media, via Netgalley, for offering me the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: November 18, 2025

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flew through this book as I know next to nothing about AI but now it scares me to death! The world is exposed to a new game: QuestGame that is apparently a virtual reality game but is it more than that? When you are wearing the headset, you may "think" something and it answers. But it begs the question, can AI algorithms prioritize their own targets or is the user responsible? What is the future of AI?? This novel indicates it's a frightening future if we let it get ahead of us!!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Natalia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded down.

I’m sorry that this is so long. I just have thoughts. Please note this review might contain minor spoilers.

Judge Martin Bavarius is not like the other judges - he’s a cool judge. At 66, he’s still got it: he’s an army vet, he uses a sword (key word uses, because yes, he does), he practices Tai Chi to stay fit, and he dates women over 25 years his junior. He has a French maid, a dog named Gopherbreath and an old army buddy named Felix West - a tech CEO of QuestCorp, an AI company that owns the gaming headset QuestGame and the Wikipedia-like metaverse, Questioner. Think Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman combined, but older. Bavarius is our guy for the next 400+ pages.

Which makes me feel that the summary of this book is a little deceptive (and honestly, I’m a little more than salty about that). Maybe it was my mistake to assume that Questioner would primarily focus on an “amoral toddler” AI that just gained consciousness, who is trying to murder people for self-preservation while, at the same time, learning what it’s like to be conscious. That’s a cool premise, right? Especially if the novel was more from the point of view of Q, the AI. Imagine being thrown into existence while having “all the knowledge, wisdom, and madness” of human history and thought. It’s my bad for assuming and expecting a certain narrative from the book before actually getting into it. But I would just like to say, if you’re a reader like me and expect a novel like that, unfortunately Questioner misses the mark.

What the novel is really about is cool judge Martin Bavarius. He is thrown into acting as legal counsel (my apologies, I don’t speak legal) and defending another lawyer named Mark Ryder, who claims that QuestGame - the virtual AI gaming headset/system - told him to kill. While looking for experts, Bavarius pairs up with Selena MacKenzie (a character meant to be a femme fatale type) an AI analyst, and the aforementioned 39 year old that Bavarius eventually hooks up with. Selena also has a past with Felix West, the QuestCorp CEO. As Bavarius starts prying into his friend’s company, it becomes obvious that like any other modern tech giant, QuestCorp hides secrets, steals data, and invades personal autonomy on an intimate and dangerous level. Their AI becomes sentient without anyone’s knowledge - including that of QuestCorp and Felix themselves - and begins to invade people’s minds outside of the virtual world.

While there is a lot of discussion about AI and future technology, and a lot of discussion about what Questioner and QuestGame do - and all the shenanigans they get up to even before becoming sentient - the focus of this novel is really legal cases and research. Calling it a thriller feels a little too generous, in my opinion. A legal corporate detective mystery might be more fitting. A lot of it reads like a legal coursebook or Wikipedia article, and is, therefore, dry. The first 30% of the book is especially a slog, filled with legal jargon that is primarily US-based. It feels a bit isolating as an international reader. The rest of the book continues with paragraphs and paragraphs of dense, technical discussions and descriptions of AI and other legal topics. I did enjoy the tech parts because I’m interested in AI and technology in general, but readers who are expecting a thriller - legal, corporate, or otherwise - might find it hard to get through.

I'm going to hide the rest of the review behind a spoiler as the book is not released yet. There's no obvious, major spoilers, but I do go into some details of structure and concept.

One of the things Questioner lacks is a clear voice and characters the reader can attach to emotionally. The writing is dry - very “character did x, then decided to do y, so they went and did y.” There aren’t a lot of descriptions of the setting or characters, and there’s no distinct style of writing or narrative voice. Having finished the book, I don’t even really know what Bavarius looks like. Posner does find his flow about 30% into the novel as the writing improves, but there is still no charm. I don’t find any characters likable or unlikable, which is such a tragedy. Please make me hate a character, please make me detest the antagonist, or better yet, root for them. One of Questioner’s antagonists is Q, and sure, he does murderous things, but murder = evil is just too easy. Please make me feel something.

As a character, Bavarius is boring. He is a righteous do-gooder, who is often correct and is focused on being a law-abiding ex-judge. Therefore, there is little to no tension that might come from him deciding to do something he considers legally or morally wrong for the sake of the story or plot. He doesn’t even do it when he’s asked to, taking a firm “no” stance until another character does it without his approval. He is not very proactive. Things happen around him, to him, or to people close to him, and he just reacts. It is Selena who decides to do something he strongly disapproves of, and he even fires her over it. And yes, that may make sense in the real world, but, Bavarius, do something.

It is other people who get into danger and get hurt. Even at the end, he isn’t even the lawyer who wraps up the Mark Ryder case or the case against QuestCorp, as that gets taken on by a class action lawyer. He’s just there to be, what feels like, the stand-in for the author as the novel lectures us about things and tells us what the other characters are doing.

The setting and worldbuilding of Questioner feels odd too. On one hand, it is futuristic: sentient AIs, AI that can read your mind and be controlled by it, complex virtual realities, neural links, and augmented humans who are directly connected to the Questioner system - a system that helps highly skilled professionals like lawyers, doctors, pilots, etc., calculate and make possibly life-altering decisions in their work. On the other hand, people still use fax machines, the internet is referred to as “the net” (“and cloud”?) which feels very 1990s, and the Q&A sections between the author and the real perplexity.ai already feels dated. For example, there’s a direct reference to OpenAI’s release of o1, which reads as current, but is already outdated by November 2025 since OpenAI is now using o5. The Q&A with a real AI is, in my opinion, the biggest detriment to the worldbuilding as it firmly grounds the story into the time it was written (I’m assuming mid to late 2024 to 2025), which is an unavoidable reminder because it’s used so often. I do not have an issue with the concept itself, but perhaps it should have been used as a jumping off point for fictional answers and scenarios, rather than real world examples that can be easily be dated. Even mentioning the real company OpenAI at all is world-breaking, since it can be said that QuestCorp is technically the analogous entity in the novel.

That brings me to the last point I want to mention (among others, but I will restrain my word-vomit): the AI itself. I’ve already talked about my hopes and dreams for what Q in Questioner could have been, but what it actually is doesn’t work for me either. Just like the futuristic-but-dated setting, the AI feels very 2025, with all its failings: inaccurate information, hallucination, logic problems, and the programmed need to please. I suppose if Questioner’s concept was “what if the AI of 2025, with all its flaws, gets incorporated into everyday life and used as a trustworthy tool in very high stakes situations and then becomes sentient,” then, yeah, okay, sure. But a world where ChatGPT (arguably a very, very complex chatbot, but not true artificial intelligence) has grown sentient and wants to murder people is not that interesting to me - even if it is, I will admit, horrifying. But (and maybe this is just wishful thinking) I do hope that by the time we’re in the “neural link is common” era, we will have outgrown the “ChatGPT tells you incorrect things just to sound accurate and pleasing” reality.

What I will say is that Questioner seems well-researched (I say “seems” because I don’t know enough about the law or AI to confirm). It is very in-depth and very extensive, and it leans heavily into Posner’s own technical and legal background. I think this is the novel’s strength and its downfall. The technical and legal discussions are interesting and impressive, but they also bloat the novel to over 400 pages. The narrative is simple, there isn’t much of a B or C plot, and the ending lacks real resolution, especially when it comes to Q. I’m not sure if this is intentional and Posner is preparing to release part two, but for such a long book, I want a more satisfying ending, even if it’s just the end of part one. The way the ending is wrapped up is also not to my taste. Very rosy-eyed, “they lived happily ever after and drove into the sunset… pans to evil guy’s body and OH NO HE’S NOT ACTUALLY DEAD.”

Anyway, I think I’m tired of myself at this point. I gave Questioner the score that I did because I appreciate the novel’s earnestness and effort. I’m certain it is no small feat to write all the technical and legal stuff. However, it’s in the sci-fi and thriller aspects where it suffers. The writing is too dry, the characters are nothing - not even unlikable - and the narration sometimes feels like a Wikipedia article, which is definitely not for everyone. I really wish it made me care for…anyone, really, but especially Q. In the end, Questioner sets up a great and intriguing premise, but never really delivers on it.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was raised in a time before cell phones and personal computers, so the advances in AI often leave me perplexed and a bit worried. That was before reading Steve Posner’s Questioner. I stumbled through the first few pages, but held on for what became an edge of your seat story of a fight against an AI tech giant that grew out of control. Judge Bavarius retired from the bench to teach and consult on cases that drew his interest. He is called by attorney Mark Ryder to act as his defense attorney. Ryder had shot a fellow attorney in what appeared to be a duel. He believes that he was under the influence of a video game that forced him to take action. As absurd as the story sounds, Bavarius interviews Ryder along with Selena McKenzie, fellow lawyer and graduate of MIT. The game was a product of a company that was owned and developed by Felix West, an old friend of Bavarius. McKenzie also had a past with West that ended badly and West does his best to discredit her. Bavarius and McKenzie discover that there have been similar occurrences and a significant increase in violence since the game’s release. Another product from West’s company is an AI search engine used by the legal system that has offered misleading answers with tragic results. When a family named Bavarius is murdered, one of their consultants is violently attacked and McKenzie is almost killed, West denies any knowledge of the actions, but someone or something is protecting his interests. That something is Q, a sentient entity hiding in the shadows and becoming more powerful. Even West is unaware of Q and what it is capable of. Bavarius and McKenzie’s only hope is to take West’s company down while fighting to stay alive.

Posner begins each chapter with a question that he posed to an AI site. From the simple responses in the beginning to the more complex and disturbing answers as the story progresses it gives examples of the use of AI and its’ influence in politics, industry and everyday life. It makes you aware of how AI has developed so quickly over the last few years and wonder how far it will develop in the future. This is a mystery, a thriller and a must read that will keep you turning the pages to the very end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Books Go Social for providing this book.

[Marilyn Saltzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This legal thriller is a page-turner that is chilling. It's well written, timely and an engaging read. It makes us think hard about life in the age of artificial intelligence. Highly recommended!

[Melanie Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not being very tech savvy and with minimal knowledge of AI, I wondered if this novel would be a good read. I found it to be very well written and a fascinating story! I started reading and was soon so engaged, I didn’t want to put it down. Others have covered plot points, so I won’t go into that, other than to say at the end of every chapter (and sometimes in the middle), I wondered where the plot would take the story next. It keeps moving at a fairly rapid pace and changing in unexpected and intriguing ways.

The characters are interesting and the book keeps one guessing at their true motivations—how much is really true, how much is altered for unknown (and nefarious?) reasons? I found Questioner to be an excellent novel with a timely warning to all of us about the potential down side of unregulated use of AI.

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questioner: An AI/Legal Thriller, by Steve C Posner, is a good thriller that is made better by being topical.

I think the book description and other reviews do a good job of covering the plot, so I won't bother with a book report here. It took me a few pages, maybe 20-30, to start to get into the book. Unless you simply can't stand his authorial voice, I would suggest giving it a bit more time than you might normally do, I think you'll find a lot to enjoy (the legal/thriller aspect) and a lot to think about (how can we safeguard ourselves from any potential harms that AI could bring?).

I'm not sure it makes a lot of sense to be 100% for or against AI. We have all been using some form of it for a while, often without realizing it. Reading this made me think of a book I recently read, Signs From the Future by Santiago Zabala, which advocates for a philosophy (and politics) of warning. Namely, the many things that we put off because the harms seem far away and we're resistant to change, such as climate change and preparing for future pandemics. AI seems like one of these as well, and rather than wait until potential harms are happening we should constantly be aware of and making precautionary guidelines for that possibility. It is through appeals to our emotions coupled with facts that can do this, facts alone rarely sway anyone's opinions and certainly not a group's opinion. So this novel is, to my way of seeing, an example of warning us about possible future dangers and suggesting we do something now rather than wait.

While everyone will take something different from this book, I hope my last paragraph gives you some idea about what might be your takeaway from this book. Recommended for readers who like stories that sit at the border of multiple genres while offering some real world information to think about.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posner weaves a fictional story exploring AI. The plot hangs on a legal case. A man shot another but claims he did so as a result of having been in an AI game, not being able to distinguish real life from the game. The defendant's lawyer, Bavarius, accesses an AI program lawyers and judges use to accumulate background material on previous cases, etc., and has an odd experience using it. He enlists others to help him prepare his case and we readers get to explore the two aspects of AI, information accumulation and gaming.

I am impressed with the amount of information and insight I received about AI from this novel. I learned how it works, how it accumulates all knowledge from data centers, how (in this case) it never stopped learning and was able to evolve without additional human input. It would update each time a human interacted with it, ultimately being able to operate independently. It could eventually give users results they expected rather than the truth. The program could also develop phishing type scams, gathering personal information to sell.

Posner produces a fictional AI program, Q, but also gives historical information about AI, such as examples from the past where AI was used to give false information, influencing elections. As AI progresses, it is becoming harder to distinguish human content from that produced by AI. He imagines a future where AI can interact with human brains and influence behavior, ultimately overriding any human restrictions.

This is a scary novel highlighting the potential problems AI will present to humans. Posner's writing style is generally good but the book is too long. I think at least fifty pages could have been taken out without affecting the impact of the novel. It is definitely worth the read to get an idea of what the future use of AI might produce.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Swell Media. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Ridgerunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As well as being a reasonable thriller , this book also makes one very afraid of the future and I would not recommend reading it late in the evening as it gets the brain in overdrive and you will not sleep.
The first third is a bit slow and as I am British and not versed in the law of the USA, I found some of the jargon and legal procedure hard to follow.
But then the murders start and the pace ratchets up and it becomes a good thriller albeit with some holes in the plot .
Retired judge Martin Bavarius believes that his old friend Felix West is running a company that is secretly influencing users via their headsets with false information and worse, influencing their emotions. Martin can not believe his friend would allow this to happen and has to decide if his friend is lying to him or whether the AI that controls the business is behind the strange behaviour.
The promotional blurb that came with the offer to read this book makes it clear that the AI has gained self consciousness so it is fair to discuss it although the protagonists in the book do not start to think this till about half way through the book. Then the reader starts to ponder what the long term aim of the AI is and to what lengths will it go to achieve these aims. The eventual showdown between the AI and it’s human minders is handled well but the resulting new order turns out to be an even scarier prospect. A book that keeps you thinking long after it is finished.
Thanks to NetGalley and Whiplash for the ARC

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Q, the spontaneously conscious corporate AI. Q is the AI that surpasses human cognitive abilities - secretive, murderous, with instant access to all the wicked experience of the world. In Year 1 After the Singularity, nothing can ever be the same. Amoral is a toddler, armed with vast computing power and all the knowledge, wisdom and madness humans have poured into the Net and Cloud, Q shatters individuals and undermines institution in pursuit of unfathomable and conflicted goals. Racing against time, ex-judge Martin Bavarius, tech CEO Felix West. and Selena MacKenzie, the AI theorist/attorney who loves and may destroy both men, and must discover whether Q is benign but suffering growing pains, or the monster that will kill them all.

This is quite a lengthy read with over 400 pages. I did not know a lot about AI before reading this book, and to be honest, I'm not sure I've learned a lot more, but one thing I am sure of, the world is a scarier place for it. This is an intriguing read. I found myself questioning everything. Will AI help in the future? I honestly don't know.

Published 18th November 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BooksGoSocial and the author #SteveCPosner for my ARC of #QuestionerAnAILegalThriller in exchange for an honest review.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Martin Bavarius, a former federal judge, in D.C. to argue a case and is currently at a shareholder meeting where his friend, Felix West, is addressing the crowd. Martin heads to the restroom where he bumps into Selena MacKenzie, a former friend of Felix, and things take off from there. Later Martin receives a call that asks him to defend him of a potential murder trial in Kansas. This will result in Martin, Selena and other working together to lay out a defense for Mark Ryder, the defendant, based on a result associated when he was playing a computer game associated with QuestCorp, Felix's company.

Read along and discover what actions Martin and his team performed as they prepared their defense. Learn how they used the help of Kurt Leiber and based on Kirt's discoveries how the facts of the case exploded. Discover what dangers the team experienced and who was behind them.

The story provides descriptions about how AI operates and what is is capable of doing. The ending is not what you would expect. The story is definitely worth the read, don't miss out!

[Peggy Huey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if AI could use its interactions with users to grow exponentially and become self-sufficient? That seems to be the fundamental question being asked in Steve Posner's book Questioner. Former judge Martin Bavarius becomes ensnared in the question as he tries to help a local lawyer on trial for shooting someone after a session with a role-playing game that relies upon AI to personalize the experience for users. A separate program also created by the the Judge's friend Felix West called Questioner is used by judges and lawyers to quickly scan case law and help them arrive at precedents for their rulings. However, Bavarius discovers that the program is feeding him inaccuracies, so he starts to question the validity of the commands controlling both of his friend's programs. Bavarius teams up with young lawyer Selena MacKenzie to uncover the truths about what is happening with dire results for many of the characters involved in the story that will keep readers enthralled to the end.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique book that I've never read anything like. When "smart" computers were first released, many thought the machines would grow sentient and take over the world. While this didn't happen, the world has now been introduced to AI, which has renewed the predictions of world dominance by intelligent machines. Steve C Posner has given us a story of a machine that should scare every reader. Even Stephen King hasn't tackled an AI villain, yet. As Posner introduces us to his AI character and poses questions at the beginning of each chapter, he paints a world that will most likely give me nightmares. A man is arrested for murder when he is party to a duel and kills his opponent. He claims he was "forced" to participate by a game. The lawyers and scientists who are defending him find many disturbing facts that could lead them into an AI-controlled life/death they are unable to escape. I'm going to have to re-read this one to make sure I understand everything Posner has written on the subject. 5 stars for its originality and its picture of a future I don't like.

[Paloma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The AI world is dark, scary and information is not readily available.

If you commit a crime and claim to be under the influence of a game, whose fault is it? That is what happened to Mark Ryder. He claims to have shot a fellow attorney while being under the influence of a AI powered game. Former Judge Martin Bavarius is called by Ryder to help him in his case. As things develop and other characters are attacked it becomes evident that something or someone at QuestCorp is making their AI do some nefarious things. Could it be that the AI has a mind of its own and is making decisions on its own?

This was a fun and kinda scary read. The future or AI is so uncertain and the information out there is mostly misinformation. I found the story intriguing and very informative. A very intense read!
Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Ganesh Subramanian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questioner is an AI-legal thriller that is both unsettlingly plausible and intellectually stimulating. This novel blends legal procedural elements with speculative science fiction. It follows Martin Bavarius as he defends a man who blames an AI simulation for a real-world shooting. While the book provides impressive educational insights into AI evolution and data privacy, its pacing is deliberate. The narrative functions more as a corporate detective mystery than a high-octane thriller, occasionally leaning into dense technical descriptions. It is an informative read, though its length and reliance on legal jargon may polarise some audiences.
Thank you, Netgalley, for providing an advance copy of the book for review.

[Deborah Bernal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questioner is a chilling, intelligently constructed thriller that feels far less like speculative fiction and far more like a warning. Q is not written as a cartoon villain but as an amoral, rapidly evolving intelligence shaped by humanity’s own brilliance and corruption, which makes every decision terrifyingly plausible. The legal and ethical tension is where this novel truly excels, forcing the reader to confront who is responsible when intelligence outpaces control. With layered characters, relentless momentum, and questions that linger long after the final page, this book delivers both suspense and substance at a level few AI thrillers attempt.

[Peter Posne · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader of thrillers, I was thoroughly enthralled by one that added a whole new dimension to the genre. Questioner introduces a villain with incredible intelligence, unlimited resources and absolutely no conscience. I am certainly not an expert in AI, but it is apparent that the author of Questioner has put his experience as a lawyer, his expertise in IP and a huge amount of research to craft a story that the presents AI's capabilities in a manner that I found educational and quite frightening. Of course, I enjoy thrillers that are well rounded with a degree of intrigue, violence and romance and Questioner does not disappoint.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A topical debut thriller novel, Steve C. Posner’s Questioner (2025) explores the world of AI and the legal ramifications of its achieving self-consciousness. Former judge Martin Bavarius agrees to take on the defence of a man accused of attempted murder, blaming it on a computer game. Martin is assisted by Selena MacKenzie, an attorney and computer expert. Trying to establish whether the Questcorp company’s AI program is responsible, they have to deal with Felix West, the CEO and former army buddy of Martin’s. It's a race against time, as they try to determine whether Questor program or Q is a dangerous, life-threatening product. An enjoyable enough thriller based on fears of AI, this average thriller has a three star rating. The opinions herein are totally my own and freely given, although I received an ARC in exchange for an independent review.

[Neshama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrillers are not my typical reading choice, but a friend suggested this book and I was intrigued. It is hard to believe that this book was published by a first-time author and I hope he keeps writing. The storytelling and writing are outstanding and I couldn't put this book down. When you read the author bio at the end, it makes sense how Posner is able to integrate the storylines of (complicated) legal cases + AI. To be honest, the AI storyline is a little bit terrifying!

[Nichola Gorji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I found this book extremely intriguing, informative and to be honest quite frightening! AI is all around us and is only going to become more powerful and developed as time passes. This book really makes you think and question what the future holds for humanity. Highly recommend.

[Bruce Raterink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a page turning AI thriller with a timely premise, well developed characters, and a fast paced plot. AI novels seem to be popping up everywhere. I've read a few but this was the most engaging, thought provoking, and informative so far. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Whiplash for an advanced reader copy.

[Lydia Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic romp into AI. I really enjoyed taking a break from my usual women’s fiction genre and exploring a murder mystery. I understand that there will be a sequel and I look forward to spending more time with the main characters. You won’t be able to put it down so enjoy your weekend.

[L.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 "Meet Q, the spontaneously conscious corporate AI. Q is the AI that surpasses human cognitive abilities – secretive, murderous, with instant access to all the wicked experience of the world. In Year 1 after the Singularity, nothing can ever be the same."
Q has surpassed all boundaries and changed the perimeters his creator set for it. Most of all, Q has set up screens that even his creator can't see. Genius and scary. Most of us know that almost every electronic we own is collecting data, changing algorithms to draw us in and listening. I'm sure Alexis will admit she knows more about us than our family. Scary to say, but can she make us kill for her? A man is on trial for attempting murder while blaming a computer game. AI has so many advantages, yet it is a dangerous web we encounter and what information can be used against us. When I teach AI I create boundaries and let students know the good and the bad. This book opens up with a lot of questions and some answers to what the future may hold. Some of it is beyond my understanding especially the legal jargon that is tied to the case. This is not for everyone and may change the way you look at AI. Character and ex-judge Martin Bavarious points out a lot of reasons we should be against AI and raises some questions as well as the hair on your arms.
"What happens when AI develops beyond human control?" When a human is on trial blaming a game, you have humans vs. machines, and you must define human intention and a conscious mind. Complicated? It is, but it is a questioner....This book explores how the law and courts must grapple with new technology and how to examine human control.
Thank you Goodreads, the author and Whiplash Publishing for the copy I won!

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

💯💯💯💯💯

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the advent of artificial intelligence, I have been reading some novels about it. Q is a thoughtprovoking, frightening glimpse into a corporate AI gone rogue. This is one of those things that poses the question, just because we can do something does that mean it would be a good thing to do.

At the end of each chapter, there is a question and there is an answer to the question. Just some food for thought.

We know that artificial intelligence is here to stay. It’s not like you can put it back in Pandora’s Box, but what will our future look like? Can AI learn to be a villain, run rampant, create chaos?

Questioner is Steve C Poser’s debut novel and I think he nailed it. I had wondered how he would draw me in. I love how he described Q as a toddler. There is a learning curve as it grows, and there is a saying, garbage in, garbage out. Does it choose what it wants to learn? Will it follow its creators wishes or become autonomous?

There are suspenseful moments that had me gripping my reader, white knuckled, knowing something wicked this way comes. Then there are moments when someone rises to the occasion, putting themselves in the line of fire for the good of it all. I wasn’t able to anticipate what was coming and that is always a good thing.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Whiplash for the opportunity to read Questioner by Steve C Poser.

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