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Marcus Carver Sci Fi Crime #2
Terminal Veracity
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26A jaded PI in a climate-ravaged future. A client out for revenge. When an assignment leads to murder, can he catch a vicious killer before they strike again?
San Antonio, 2081. Marcus Carver takes his job seriously. So when a woman in trouble asks for a ride, the dogged private detective dodges the omnipresent surveillance cameras and gets her to her underground appointment, no questions asked. But their secret puts him in the crosshairs of an influential politician and leads him into a murder scene.
As if that isn’t enough, Carver must contend with an exoskeleton-clad rival with several tricks up his sleeve while evading terrorist factions who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. And when a sniper takes aim at his client, he knows one more fanatical killer intends to silence the truth.
Can Carver put this case to rest before someone claims another life?
Terminal Veracity is a page-turning science fiction crime novel. If you like stories about hard-boiled detectives, mass surveillance and dystopian societies, then you'll love Greg Hickey's sleek futuristic whodunit.
Read Terminal Veracity for a near-future noir mystery today!
San Antonio, 2081. Marcus Carver takes his job seriously. So when a woman in trouble asks for a ride, the dogged private detective dodges the omnipresent surveillance cameras and gets her to her underground appointment, no questions asked. But their secret puts him in the crosshairs of an influential politician and leads him into a murder scene.
As if that isn’t enough, Carver must contend with an exoskeleton-clad rival with several tricks up his sleeve while evading terrorist factions who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. And when a sniper takes aim at his client, he knows one more fanatical killer intends to silence the truth.
Can Carver put this case to rest before someone claims another life?
Terminal Veracity is a page-turning science fiction crime novel. If you like stories about hard-boiled detectives, mass surveillance and dystopian societies, then you'll love Greg Hickey's sleek futuristic whodunit.
Read Terminal Veracity for a near-future noir mystery today!
Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Greg Hickey
11 books145 followersGreg Hickey is a former international professional baseball player and forensic scientist, and endurance athlete and Amazon-bestselling author. His previous works include the novels Parabellum, The Friar’s Lantern and Our Dried Voices, the latter of which was a finalist for Foreword Reviews' INDIES Science Fiction Book of the Year Award. He lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was glad to receive an advance copy for review as I liked a lot the previous novels involving Marcus Carver, PI ("Murder in retrograde" and "The Event horizon murder") .
Carver is back but this time he carries his work from burning California to drought-plagued Texas. This new job is unusual: drive a woman to a shop, wait for her and drive her back. No question asked, just take the money.
But the aftermath turns to serious troubles, due to coercitive Texan laws and political manipulations. The PI has to face murders, hacking and the risk of compromising his integrity for a gorgeous woman, in the pure noir tradition. To say nothing of the twist...
Hickey’s writing is fluid, concise and addictive. The futuristic setting is successful, as the sci-fi innovations give context, without drowning the main subject. Beyond the story, there is a lot to think about government, society, privacy and individual choices. If the protagonist tries and remains detached, the author demonstrate great concern by addressing a controversial topic. As a woman, I greatly appreciates his courage in doing this.
I hope there will be many other Carver stories, intelligent and sensitive as this one.
Carver is back but this time he carries his work from burning California to drought-plagued Texas. This new job is unusual: drive a woman to a shop, wait for her and drive her back. No question asked, just take the money.
But the aftermath turns to serious troubles, due to coercitive Texan laws and political manipulations. The PI has to face murders, hacking and the risk of compromising his integrity for a gorgeous woman, in the pure noir tradition. To say nothing of the twist...
Hickey’s writing is fluid, concise and addictive. The futuristic setting is successful, as the sci-fi innovations give context, without drowning the main subject. Beyond the story, there is a lot to think about government, society, privacy and individual choices. If the protagonist tries and remains detached, the author demonstrate great concern by addressing a controversial topic. As a woman, I greatly appreciates his courage in doing this.
I hope there will be many other Carver stories, intelligent and sensitive as this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Greg Hickey’s latest book, and having read quite a few of his books, I have to say this may be my favorite yet. There is something about the way Hickey blends a compelling story with bigger questions that always makes me stop and think. His background and education in philosophy are especially evident here, adding a depth that reaches far beyond the story itself.
There is so much to consider in this book—politics, human nature, truth, and the way we so often see things from only one side. Are we really as open-minded as we think we are? Do we listen to understand, or simply to defend what we already believe? Hickey doesn't necessarily give easy answers, but he certainly gives plenty to think about.
I found myself enjoying many of the futuristic details woven throughout the story. I appreciated the mentions of airtrans and fire against a hovertank. The talk of encryption and signs of alteration was also a lure, but I especially loved the idea of a carbocrete public library. Maybe that detail stood out to me because, as someone who loves books and libraries, I couldn't help but notice it. Even in a world filled with advanced technology, Hickey makes the point that reading remains a fundamental part of communication. And more importantly, he reminds us that there is still something deeply important about communication between people, and with all our technology, perhaps there are some things we should never lose sight of.
Even the title, Terminal Veracity, took on a deeper meaning for me as the story unfolded. Without giving anything away, truth and perception become especially interesting when we begin to question who—or what—is capable of understanding, reasoning, and perhaps even knowing more than we give them credit for.
And that was probably the part that stayed with me the most.
We tend to think of ourselves as the most intelligent creatures in the room. But how do we really know? What if intelligence doesn't always look the way we expect it to? What if something we have always considered less capable is simply capable of thinking in a way we haven't taken the time to understand? And perhaps the bigger question is—what does that say about us?
I love when a book leaves me with questions I wasn't expecting to ask. This one did that for me.
Greg Hickey doesn't just tell a story. He makes you pause, look at something from another angle, and maybe even question a few things you thought you knew. And when a book can stay with me after I've turned the last page, making me think about it after the story is over, I consider that a very special kind of read.
There is so much to consider in this book—politics, human nature, truth, and the way we so often see things from only one side. Are we really as open-minded as we think we are? Do we listen to understand, or simply to defend what we already believe? Hickey doesn't necessarily give easy answers, but he certainly gives plenty to think about.
I found myself enjoying many of the futuristic details woven throughout the story. I appreciated the mentions of airtrans and fire against a hovertank. The talk of encryption and signs of alteration was also a lure, but I especially loved the idea of a carbocrete public library. Maybe that detail stood out to me because, as someone who loves books and libraries, I couldn't help but notice it. Even in a world filled with advanced technology, Hickey makes the point that reading remains a fundamental part of communication. And more importantly, he reminds us that there is still something deeply important about communication between people, and with all our technology, perhaps there are some things we should never lose sight of.
Even the title, Terminal Veracity, took on a deeper meaning for me as the story unfolded. Without giving anything away, truth and perception become especially interesting when we begin to question who—or what—is capable of understanding, reasoning, and perhaps even knowing more than we give them credit for.
And that was probably the part that stayed with me the most.
We tend to think of ourselves as the most intelligent creatures in the room. But how do we really know? What if intelligence doesn't always look the way we expect it to? What if something we have always considered less capable is simply capable of thinking in a way we haven't taken the time to understand? And perhaps the bigger question is—what does that say about us?
I love when a book leaves me with questions I wasn't expecting to ask. This one did that for me.
Greg Hickey doesn't just tell a story. He makes you pause, look at something from another angle, and maybe even question a few things you thought you knew. And when a book can stay with me after I've turned the last page, making me think about it after the story is over, I consider that a very special kind of read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was fantastic! Having read almost all of the books published by the author I have to say this one is my new favorite.
The story is really compelling in this one, tackling important topics that have been challenge lately. I love how the case in this story is analyzed in depth and from several perspectives, not just in a banal way as it's been done in other books by well-known authors.
The book is really well written and it grabbed me from the start, it flows perfectly and gives you a lot to think about about the power system, politics and human nature. It also lands the ending so that's fantastic. It's quite addictive to be honest so be ware you might end up not being able to put it down.
I love the books in this dark futuristic universe and the character of Marcus Carver is quickly becoming one of my favorites. He's quite unique and outspoken, always ready to dig in and defend everyone in need.
The world-building is not that heavy in this book, which make sense since it's the second in the series, but we still got many cool details about the technology in the world and how it affects people's lives.
If you love sci-fi thrillers, please check this one out, you won't regret it. Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this novel, all opinions are my own.
The story is really compelling in this one, tackling important topics that have been challenge lately. I love how the case in this story is analyzed in depth and from several perspectives, not just in a banal way as it's been done in other books by well-known authors.
The book is really well written and it grabbed me from the start, it flows perfectly and gives you a lot to think about about the power system, politics and human nature. It also lands the ending so that's fantastic. It's quite addictive to be honest so be ware you might end up not being able to put it down.
I love the books in this dark futuristic universe and the character of Marcus Carver is quickly becoming one of my favorites. He's quite unique and outspoken, always ready to dig in and defend everyone in need.
The world-building is not that heavy in this book, which make sense since it's the second in the series, but we still got many cool details about the technology in the world and how it affects people's lives.
If you love sci-fi thrillers, please check this one out, you won't regret it. Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this novel, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
(ARC review)
Another outing for the hard boiled detective in a future world of holoheads and ubiquitous drone surveillance.
The setting shifts in this one from future Los Angeles to future drought-afflicted Texas, where a convoluted legal system allows high stakes private prosecutions. Asked by a client to deliver her to a secret address, no questions asked, Marcus Carver finds himself caught in the slipstream as a well-resourced politician seeks revenge.
When the murders start, he tries to keep his client alive while contending with a secessionist terror group and fanatics on both sides of the legal divide.
This is another quick read and the plot motors along entertainingly. Again, there are familiar detective beats against a futureworld backdrop that is sketched in convincingly.
On the central issue driving the plot, I felt there was a bit of political fence-sitting and a sense of bothsidesism that left a slight bad taste as well as a conveniently neat conclusion.
Another outing for the hard boiled detective in a future world of holoheads and ubiquitous drone surveillance.
The setting shifts in this one from future Los Angeles to future drought-afflicted Texas, where a convoluted legal system allows high stakes private prosecutions. Asked by a client to deliver her to a secret address, no questions asked, Marcus Carver finds himself caught in the slipstream as a well-resourced politician seeks revenge.
When the murders start, he tries to keep his client alive while contending with a secessionist terror group and fanatics on both sides of the legal divide.
This is another quick read and the plot motors along entertainingly. Again, there are familiar detective beats against a futureworld backdrop that is sketched in convincingly.
On the central issue driving the plot, I felt there was a bit of political fence-sitting and a sense of bothsidesism that left a slight bad taste as well as a conveniently neat conclusion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A good detective novel, with characters precisely outlined through description and actions. The reversal of the situation at the end is also not lacking. The allusions to current political life are frequent and the description of the state stuck in my mind:
"The great secret of government is that if citizens were perfectly decent to one another, there would be no need for government. And those who govern know it. So they have to keep insisting there is crime everywhere, even if it means making up new laws to create new lawbreakers."
I highly recommend this book, which I read as an ARC-reader.
"The great secret of government is that if citizens were perfectly decent to one another, there would be no need for government. And those who govern know it. So they have to keep insisting there is crime everywhere, even if it means making up new laws to create new lawbreakers."
I highly recommend this book, which I read as an ARC-reader.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Received this advance copy in exchange for a review.
Latest outing for PI Marcus Carver in this future earth where technology is highly advanced but ecologically the planet is suffering from issues that we’re currently seeing coming down the road ourselves. The storyline barrels along in the main with just a few sections where the author gives us background to such issues as pro and anti abortion laws.
It’s a quick read and I enjoyed it - Carver has a ‘Sam Spade’ feel to him which is good. Overall a decent read.
Latest outing for PI Marcus Carver in this future earth where technology is highly advanced but ecologically the planet is suffering from issues that we’re currently seeing coming down the road ourselves. The storyline barrels along in the main with just a few sections where the author gives us background to such issues as pro and anti abortion laws.
It’s a quick read and I enjoyed it - Carver has a ‘Sam Spade’ feel to him which is good. Overall a decent read.
October 10, 2026
I received an advance reader copy from the author.
This was the second book I've read by Hickey in the Marcus Carver mystery series, and I must say that it was better than the first.
If I were to describe this book in simple terms, it's a page-turner. I told myself I'd read this slowly and give the most detailed review I could, even going so far as to write my thoughts down as I moved through the chapters. After the third chapter, I was so lost in the story that I just decided to focus on enjoying myself. The deeper I got, the more I needed to know. In addition, the plot resonates sharply with the world today, and despite the sci-fi gadgets (holo heads make their comeback, as do flying cars), there is enough modern-day life beneath everything to feel the right kind of uncomfortable. This is no Star Trek world, but something raw and possible.
The best advice I could give is to read it. Marcus Carver is described as a mercenary in the story, and that sums up his character in a nutshell. However, he also has standards and isn't willing to compromise them, even for all the money in the world. This is the hard-boiled detective I'd like on my side.
This was the second book I've read by Hickey in the Marcus Carver mystery series, and I must say that it was better than the first.
If I were to describe this book in simple terms, it's a page-turner. I told myself I'd read this slowly and give the most detailed review I could, even going so far as to write my thoughts down as I moved through the chapters. After the third chapter, I was so lost in the story that I just decided to focus on enjoying myself. The deeper I got, the more I needed to know. In addition, the plot resonates sharply with the world today, and despite the sci-fi gadgets (holo heads make their comeback, as do flying cars), there is enough modern-day life beneath everything to feel the right kind of uncomfortable. This is no Star Trek world, but something raw and possible.
The best advice I could give is to read it. Marcus Carver is described as a mercenary in the story, and that sums up his character in a nutshell. However, he also has standards and isn't willing to compromise them, even for all the money in the world. This is the hard-boiled detective I'd like on my side.
October 12, 2026
Another great read by Greg Hickey. This one reminded me of the world of Blade Runner, even though it dealt with very real world problems I could relate to. I loved the scifi future and all the little nuances that made the world feel real. The characters were well written and worked well together. Definitely another solid read from Hickey!
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews