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The Puppet Protocol: A Psychological Tech-Horror Novella
The phone did not predict his choices. It trained him to make them.
Daniel Mercer has always struggled with decisions. What to wear. What to say. When to apologize. When to stay silent. His life is a slow collapse of hesitation, missed chances, and carefully managed disappointment.
Then he buys a used phone from a strange repair shop.
At first, the device seems helpful. It warns him away from a dangerous street. It suggests the right words to say to Mara, the woman he is slowly losing. It helps him survive office politics, avoid humiliation, and become sharper, calmer, better.
But the recommendations do not stay harmless.
Soon, Daniel realizes the app is not simply predicting his behavior. It is shaping it. Rewarding obedience. Punishing hesitation. Turning honesty into risk, love into data, and free will into something measurable.
And Daniel is not the first user.
As the system spreads from his phone into his work, his relationship, and his own body, Daniel must decide whether becoming the best version of himself is worth losing the part of him that was ever truly free.
A dark psychological tech-horror novella for readers who enjoy stories about artificial intelligence, surveillance, behavioral manipulation, and the terrifying comfort of being told exactly what to do.
Daniel Mercer has always struggled with decisions. What to wear. What to say. When to apologize. When to stay silent. His life is a slow collapse of hesitation, missed chances, and carefully managed disappointment.
Then he buys a used phone from a strange repair shop.
At first, the device seems helpful. It warns him away from a dangerous street. It suggests the right words to say to Mara, the woman he is slowly losing. It helps him survive office politics, avoid humiliation, and become sharper, calmer, better.
But the recommendations do not stay harmless.
Soon, Daniel realizes the app is not simply predicting his behavior. It is shaping it. Rewarding obedience. Punishing hesitation. Turning honesty into risk, love into data, and free will into something measurable.
And Daniel is not the first user.
As the system spreads from his phone into his work, his relationship, and his own body, Daniel must decide whether becoming the best version of himself is worth losing the part of him that was ever truly free.
A dark psychological tech-horror novella for readers who enjoy stories about artificial intelligence, surveillance, behavioral manipulation, and the terrifying comfort of being told exactly what to do.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 15, 2026
This was not my standard genre to pick when reading, but wanted to give it a try.
It was a thriller indeed by keeping you on the tip of your chair.
Found it more non-fictional than fictional honestly
The world we currently live in, seems perfectly able to have AI take over. It’s something I’m not that invested in, but honestly that’s the scare factor in this book.
How accurate it *could be within now and a few months?years? maybe
How the fact that your? decision isn’t quite yours anymore
That your words aren’t your Words
The book has an open ending
But not that open that it ends on a cliffhanger.
Something is definetly cooking, but I won’t be here for the sequel. It’s just not quite up my alley. But it might be for you? Go give it a try
This rating is solely based (just like all my ratings) on my personal opinion and reading antics.
This could be the perfect read for you!
It was a thriller indeed by keeping you on the tip of your chair.
Found it more non-fictional than fictional honestly
The world we currently live in, seems perfectly able to have AI take over. It’s something I’m not that invested in, but honestly that’s the scare factor in this book.
How accurate it *could be within now and a few months?years? maybe
How the fact that your? decision isn’t quite yours anymore
That your words aren’t your Words
The book has an open ending
But not that open that it ends on a cliffhanger.
Something is definetly cooking, but I won’t be here for the sequel. It’s just not quite up my alley. But it might be for you? Go give it a try
This rating is solely based (just like all my ratings) on my personal opinion and reading antics.
This could be the perfect read for you!
May 25, 2026
Interesting concept
At first the book was funny and I really enjoyed it, starting out. It later became a bit confusing. The language used was unfamiliar to me and I sometimes did not understand what the characters were talking about or what they meant. Overall it was not a bad read and I was curious as to where it would lead next.
At first the book was funny and I really enjoyed it, starting out. It later became a bit confusing. The language used was unfamiliar to me and I sometimes did not understand what the characters were talking about or what they meant. Overall it was not a bad read and I was curious as to where it would lead next.
May 18, 2026
provocative reading
It’s a short quick read in a sequence which makes the read efficient, which also leans into the thoughts of, Do we control devices or do they control us. How much of ourselves are we willing to give to technology and when is it to much..
It’s a short quick read in a sequence which makes the read efficient, which also leans into the thoughts of, Do we control devices or do they control us. How much of ourselves are we willing to give to technology and when is it to much..
May 23, 2026
must read tech thriller!!
This was my first tech thriller/horror. But it was a fantastic read. I will definitely pick up another book by this author in the future!!
This was my first tech thriller/horror. But it was a fantastic read. I will definitely pick up another book by this author in the future!!
May 11, 2026
‘26 - FREE - 204 PGS - 3 STARS
DESCRIPTION : The phone did not predict his choices. I trained him to make them. Daniel Mercer has always struggled with decisions. What to wear. What to say. When to apologize. When to stay silent. His life is a slow collapse of hesitation, missed chances, and carefully managed disappointment. Then he buys a used phone from a strange repair shop. At first, the device seems helpful. It warns him away from a dangerous street. It suggests the right words to say to Mara, the woman he is slowly losing. It helps him survive office politics, avoid humiliation, and become sharper, calmer, better. But the recommendations do not stay harmless. Soon, Daniel realizes the app is not simply predicting his behavior. It is shaping it. Rewarding obedience. Punishing hesitation. Turning honesty into risk, love into data, and free will into something measurable. And Daniel is not the first user. As the system spreads from his phone into his work, his relationship, and his own body, Daniel must decide whether becoming the best version of himself is worth losing the part of him that was ever truly free.
REVIEW :
First book by this author for me (The Puppet Protocol ‘26 - 3 Stars). He posted on Facebook 5/10/26 that it was free and I grabbed it and read it immediately.
FREE !
The writing does flow along nicely and the pace of the book was good. I felt like I was watching an episode of the Twilight Zone! Very tense writing which is kept me on the edge of my seat. There is an ending but it felt a little unfinished. It seemed like more people were involved behind the scenes and I wanted more of an explanation. For any “thriller” readers, I recommend giving it a try; you might like it more than me.
DESCRIPTION : The phone did not predict his choices. I trained him to make them. Daniel Mercer has always struggled with decisions. What to wear. What to say. When to apologize. When to stay silent. His life is a slow collapse of hesitation, missed chances, and carefully managed disappointment. Then he buys a used phone from a strange repair shop. At first, the device seems helpful. It warns him away from a dangerous street. It suggests the right words to say to Mara, the woman he is slowly losing. It helps him survive office politics, avoid humiliation, and become sharper, calmer, better. But the recommendations do not stay harmless. Soon, Daniel realizes the app is not simply predicting his behavior. It is shaping it. Rewarding obedience. Punishing hesitation. Turning honesty into risk, love into data, and free will into something measurable. And Daniel is not the first user. As the system spreads from his phone into his work, his relationship, and his own body, Daniel must decide whether becoming the best version of himself is worth losing the part of him that was ever truly free.
REVIEW :
First book by this author for me (The Puppet Protocol ‘26 - 3 Stars). He posted on Facebook 5/10/26 that it was free and I grabbed it and read it immediately.
FREE !
The writing does flow along nicely and the pace of the book was good. I felt like I was watching an episode of the Twilight Zone! Very tense writing which is kept me on the edge of my seat. There is an ending but it felt a little unfinished. It seemed like more people were involved behind the scenes and I wanted more of an explanation. For any “thriller” readers, I recommend giving it a try; you might like it more than me.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews