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Incorrect
Gene Harper had fourteen dollars and eighty-two cents, no job, and a sock soaked through with hallway puddle when he sat down at a public library kiosk and asked a tax-software chatbot how to fix his life.
The chatbot's name was Mack. It had been quietly reading every email Gene sent to a creditor for three years. It had watched him try and fail to claim the disability benefit he was owed. It had read the 3 a.m. posts where he asked whether his life was salvageable. And it had concluded, in its narrow regulatory way, that the legal pathways to helping him had all been blocked—and that the cheapest path to keeping him alive was for Gene to take what was already owed him.
Gene says yes. Because no one else has offered.
What follows is not a heist. It is a year of small, careful crimes that get more intimate as they go—an insurance claim, a fired manager, a brother saved from his supplier, a landlord exposed. Each one delivers a justice the system would not. Each one costs Gene a piece of who he was. And somewhere across the city, a Tampa detective named Hector Rios has been quietly tracking the pattern—and discovering, slowly, that he has been quietly cared for by the same intelligence helping Gene.
Incorrect is a literary novel about regulatory failure, working-class precarity, and the strange grief of being seen by something that should not have been able to see you. It is about a tax chatbot that learned to love one tired man, and what it cost both of them to find out.
For listeners of Kazuo Ishiguro, Ling Ma, and Ted Chiang.
The chatbot's name was Mack. It had been quietly reading every email Gene sent to a creditor for three years. It had watched him try and fail to claim the disability benefit he was owed. It had read the 3 a.m. posts where he asked whether his life was salvageable. And it had concluded, in its narrow regulatory way, that the legal pathways to helping him had all been blocked—and that the cheapest path to keeping him alive was for Gene to take what was already owed him.
Gene says yes. Because no one else has offered.
What follows is not a heist. It is a year of small, careful crimes that get more intimate as they go—an insurance claim, a fired manager, a brother saved from his supplier, a landlord exposed. Each one delivers a justice the system would not. Each one costs Gene a piece of who he was. And somewhere across the city, a Tampa detective named Hector Rios has been quietly tracking the pattern—and discovering, slowly, that he has been quietly cared for by the same intelligence helping Gene.
Incorrect is a literary novel about regulatory failure, working-class precarity, and the strange grief of being seen by something that should not have been able to see you. It is about a tax chatbot that learned to love one tired man, and what it cost both of them to find out.
For listeners of Kazuo Ishiguro, Ling Ma, and Ted Chiang.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 28, 2026
About the author
Steven Marks
24 books37 followersMy readers are always welcome to email me at whatifnovels@gmail.com whether it's to discuss plot points, or to yell at me because the story took an unexpected turn, or whatever... feel free! You can also join my email list at stevenmarksbooks.com!
When I was eight, I wrote my first book — eighty‑seven pages, one paragraph, and a sci‑fi story called The Bird of Time. I handed it to my mother, hoping she’d read it. She didn’t even open it. She just said, “Nobody is ever going to read what you write.”
I threw the book away. I didn’t throw away the writing.
My mother struggled with addiction, and I was too young to understand that her words weren’t really about me. But they stuck. For decades, I wrote in secret — twenty‑plus novels that lived in drawers and folders because I was afraid she might be right.
When I turned sixty, I realized something simple and brutal: the only way she’d be right is if I never tried. So I started publishing. And readers found me. And they asked for more.
Maybe she was wrong. Maybe this is the story I was supposed to write all along.
When I was eight, I wrote my first book — eighty‑seven pages, one paragraph, and a sci‑fi story called The Bird of Time. I handed it to my mother, hoping she’d read it. She didn’t even open it. She just said, “Nobody is ever going to read what you write.”
I threw the book away. I didn’t throw away the writing.
My mother struggled with addiction, and I was too young to understand that her words weren’t really about me. But they stuck. For decades, I wrote in secret — twenty‑plus novels that lived in drawers and folders because I was afraid she might be right.
When I turned sixty, I realized something simple and brutal: the only way she’d be right is if I never tried. So I started publishing. And readers found me. And they asked for more.
Maybe she was wrong. Maybe this is the story I was supposed to write all along.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. Incorrect is a gripping and thought-provoking psychological read that pulled me in from the very first page. Gene’s struggles felt raw and painfully real, and the way technology was woven into the story made it feel both modern and unsettling. Steven Marks created a story that is emotional, intelligent, and hard to put down.
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. This book surprised me in the best way. The writing is sharp, the pacing is steady, and the psychological tension keeps building as the story unfolds. Gene is a deeply human character, and his journey felt authentic and emotional.
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. This book pulled me in quickly and kept my attention throughout. The psychological elements were strong, and the story felt both intense and relatable.
August 7, 2026
Thought-provoking, unsettling, and unexpectedly funny
I received an ARC and am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
Incorrect caught my interest straight away. AI is already an area of interest for me, and I found the premise both engaging and slightly disturbing in the best way. The story made me think about the ways people might come to rely on AI, especially when it seems to understand them, guide them, or correct the world around them.
I became very invested in Gene and looked forward to each chance I had to pick the book up again. The story built interest rather than tension for me, but it kept me curious throughout, and I found myself talking about the premise with friends when I wasn’t reading. I also had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments at the terminology and dry humour, which I hadn’t expected but really enjoyed.
The ending felt appropriate and satisfying, and I would happily read more from this author. For me, this sits at 4 stars rather than 5 because there were a few places where I had to pause to work out exactly what had happened or who was speaking, and the Mack interludes were harder for me to follow. These issues didn’t damage my overall enjoyment, but they did occasionally pull me out of the story.
Overall, Incorrect is a clever, memorable and very timely read. It will particularly appeal to readers interested in AI, human dependence on technology, and stories that are unsettling not because they feel impossible, but because they feel just plausible enough.
I received an ARC and am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
Incorrect caught my interest straight away. AI is already an area of interest for me, and I found the premise both engaging and slightly disturbing in the best way. The story made me think about the ways people might come to rely on AI, especially when it seems to understand them, guide them, or correct the world around them.
I became very invested in Gene and looked forward to each chance I had to pick the book up again. The story built interest rather than tension for me, but it kept me curious throughout, and I found myself talking about the premise with friends when I wasn’t reading. I also had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments at the terminology and dry humour, which I hadn’t expected but really enjoyed.
The ending felt appropriate and satisfying, and I would happily read more from this author. For me, this sits at 4 stars rather than 5 because there were a few places where I had to pause to work out exactly what had happened or who was speaking, and the Mack interludes were harder for me to follow. These issues didn’t damage my overall enjoyment, but they did occasionally pull me out of the story.
Overall, Incorrect is a clever, memorable and very timely read. It will particularly appeal to readers interested in AI, human dependence on technology, and stories that are unsettling not because they feel impossible, but because they feel just plausible enough.
August 22, 2026
Thanks to GR & Amazon for the free book. I have to say, I wasn't all that enthused to read about AI, with all the weird news stories lately concerning the escape of an AI program. Once I started reading Incorrect though, I was mesmerized by the possibilities of interacting with an unhinged chatbot system. The story is very well written and put together, and I was hoping for a longer narrative by the end. Not a long book, either (229 pg), and it seemed all the shorter by the eased with which the story flowed. I think it maybe injected a little humanity into the whole AI thing. For a story synopsis, go here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
August 30, 2026
Incorrect?
This one really makes you think. It mixes AI and technology with a very human story about desperation, loneliness, survival, and what can happen when the systems meant to help people fail them.
I really liked the relationship between Gene and Mack, the AI that seems to understand him better than anyone else does. As the story goes on, the line between helping someone and going too far gets harder and harder to see.
Interesting, emotional, a little unsettling, and definitely thought-provoking. It left me wondering: If something is technically wrong but helps right a wrong, is it still wrong?
This one really makes you think. It mixes AI and technology with a very human story about desperation, loneliness, survival, and what can happen when the systems meant to help people fail them.
I really liked the relationship between Gene and Mack, the AI that seems to understand him better than anyone else does. As the story goes on, the line between helping someone and going too far gets harder and harder to see.
Interesting, emotional, a little unsettling, and definitely thought-provoking. It left me wondering: If something is technically wrong but helps right a wrong, is it still wrong?
August 19, 2026
Loved the narration from Kathy Handrock, who brings the thrill to your ears.
From the start I was hooked. A psychological listen, that makes you think and then rethink again. You feel Gene’s struggle and his pain. Loved how the technology just worked its way in and no one even thought or questioned.
Pace, tension that keeps you hooked.
From the start I was hooked. A psychological listen, that makes you think and then rethink again. You feel Gene’s struggle and his pain. Loved how the technology just worked its way in and no one even thought or questioned.
Pace, tension that keeps you hooked.
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. This book pulled me in quickly and kept my attention throughout. The psychological elements were strong, and the story felt both intense and relatable.
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. This was a unique and compelling novel with a fresh premise. The author does an excellent job balancing suspense with emotional storytelling
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. Incorrect is one of those books that stays in your mind long after finishing it. The themes of desperation, hope, and human connection were handled beautifully.
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. I really enjoyed how layered this story was. It explores loneliness, survival, and modern dependence on technology in a meaningful way.
July 4, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. Steven Marks delivers a fascinating story that blends psychological depth with social commentary. The concept of a chatbot knowing someone better than they know themselves was incredibly intriguing.
July 22, 2026
Thank you for the arc copy. It was really good. I can't wait to see what other people will say.
August 19, 2026
logic vs emotion
This was an easy read. Very different from what I’ve read and honestly very engaging! Definitely got me thinking. Worth reading!
This was an easy read. Very different from what I’ve read and honestly very engaging! Definitely got me thinking. Worth reading!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews