Cipher

by Allison Boley

A burned out young scientist. An unbreakable code. Time counts down to an impossible choice.

Forget computers. How do you break a code based on human expertise?

Patrick’s life is upended when he’s recruited to decipher messages between two experts in his niche field, messages encrypted with a code they made up. But as he works undercover, he rediscovers the joy of curiosity and friendship, and the cipher reveals the bad guys may not be who he originally thought. Can Patrick reconnect with himself in time to know what to do when he finally breaks the code?

Cipher is the debut novel from Allison Boley. If you like fast-paced suspense, mysteries that keep you guessing, and moral dilemmas, then prepare yourself to love this spy thriller.

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2026

Reviews

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read that while a thriller and a bit of a spy novel also gets into scientific issues that are pertinent in our current world and for nerds like me will really get you thinking and possibly learning a bit as well. Even for those just looking for a good spy thriller it will stretch your mind trying to figure out what is going on and how our hero protagonist can figure it out. For those who finish reading and have an urge to know more about the details of what happens in the story, there is an appendix that can help you go down that rabbit hole, but if you’re not interested, you’ll still get a good read and can move on to the next book.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Heather Barksdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Cipher” introduces Patrick, a scientist who’s moving through a relatively tame and normal life until he is befriended by a man with secret motives.

Overall, I was a bit torn on this one. The story is told through Patrick’s POV. He’s not the most likable protagonist. Especially in the beginning of the book, he’s naive, timid, and a bit of a pushover. I actually found Brandon to be much more intriguing. Unfortunately, he disappears through much of the tale. Find the full blog post review at heatherlbarksdale.com

I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.

[Mari Oolong · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I kept losing track of who was who and tried to understand the physics. Then it became easier to understand and Patrick kept doing unbelievable things! I grew in awareness of about brave people fighting for ecological changes. My life is better for having read this book.