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Shadows in the Code
A grieving detective tests an AI capable of solving impossible crimes—until powerful forces try to weaponize it.
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Published August 31, 2026
About the author
Collin Tobin
4 books23 followersCollin Tobin lives in Rhode Island. He holds a bachelor’s in English and master’s in Education. He has worked in the software industry for the past 20 years.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 29, 2026
Shadows in the Code
~Collin Tobin
Shadows in the Code by Collin Tobin takes the oldest ache in crime fiction and plugs it into a machine that promises to solve everything.
Max Delaney, a former workers’ compensation investigator turned detective, is down on his luck and haunted by the unsolved murder of his wife. But his luck is about to change when he wakes from a botched stakeout to find an envelope slid beneath his windshield wipers. Chosen by an anonymous source, Max is given access to an AI designed to revolutionize the way crimes are solved. The catch? Someone has to test it, and that someone is him.
Given five cold cases to solve, a half-million-dollar reward, and the chance to solve his wife’s murder if he succeeds, Max and his best friend Luca hit the road. From the salt-bitten streets of Massachusetts to the sun-bleached alleys of California, Max is chasing five ghosts with one machine, his detective skills, and a whole lot of unresolved grief. But a sinister force in the rearview mirror wants the AI for reasons nobody should want anything. Will Max manage to solve the five cases and gain access to the AI in order to finally solve his wife’s murder? Or will those chasing the same technology overtake Max and create chaos of their own?
Tobin has created a cast of complex characters who delve deep into their pasts, trauma, healing, growth, and bonds. Max is a man consumed by obsession, with grief that refuses to sit quietly in the background. It bleeds into every decision, wrong turn, and mile he travels. The emotional stakes ultimately outweigh the technology, giving Max a genuine sense of vulnerability that makes his journey feel personal rather than purely procedural.
The friendship between Max and Luca carries both weight and warmth. When danger closes in, it lands harder because you are actually scared for people you have come to like. But the real star of the story may be the AI itself. Argus, aka AI, comes equipped with wit, skepticism, sarcasm, and an uncanny ability to deliver uncomfortable truths. Even though Argus isn't human and is programmed for all of its responses, it carries a surprising amount of the story and becomes much more than a high-tech tool.
Pacing remains strong and steady from the first page. The road-trip structure keeps the atmosphere fresh as each new city brings another case, another set of secrets, and another piece of the larger puzzle. Tobin blends flashy near-future concepts with old-fashioned, shoe-leather detective work, keeping the tension firmly in place. Beneath it all, the emotional current continues to run strong.
Shadows in the Code by Collin Tobin is a tense, character-driven techno-thriller with a near-future edge and a hero who has something real to lose. Released May 20, 2026, Shadows in the Code is available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
I would like to thank author Collin Tobin for reaching out and having me preview a copy of Shadows in the Code. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of Shadows in the Code.
~Collin Tobin
Shadows in the Code by Collin Tobin takes the oldest ache in crime fiction and plugs it into a machine that promises to solve everything.
Max Delaney, a former workers’ compensation investigator turned detective, is down on his luck and haunted by the unsolved murder of his wife. But his luck is about to change when he wakes from a botched stakeout to find an envelope slid beneath his windshield wipers. Chosen by an anonymous source, Max is given access to an AI designed to revolutionize the way crimes are solved. The catch? Someone has to test it, and that someone is him.
Given five cold cases to solve, a half-million-dollar reward, and the chance to solve his wife’s murder if he succeeds, Max and his best friend Luca hit the road. From the salt-bitten streets of Massachusetts to the sun-bleached alleys of California, Max is chasing five ghosts with one machine, his detective skills, and a whole lot of unresolved grief. But a sinister force in the rearview mirror wants the AI for reasons nobody should want anything. Will Max manage to solve the five cases and gain access to the AI in order to finally solve his wife’s murder? Or will those chasing the same technology overtake Max and create chaos of their own?
Tobin has created a cast of complex characters who delve deep into their pasts, trauma, healing, growth, and bonds. Max is a man consumed by obsession, with grief that refuses to sit quietly in the background. It bleeds into every decision, wrong turn, and mile he travels. The emotional stakes ultimately outweigh the technology, giving Max a genuine sense of vulnerability that makes his journey feel personal rather than purely procedural.
The friendship between Max and Luca carries both weight and warmth. When danger closes in, it lands harder because you are actually scared for people you have come to like. But the real star of the story may be the AI itself. Argus, aka AI, comes equipped with wit, skepticism, sarcasm, and an uncanny ability to deliver uncomfortable truths. Even though Argus isn't human and is programmed for all of its responses, it carries a surprising amount of the story and becomes much more than a high-tech tool.
Pacing remains strong and steady from the first page. The road-trip structure keeps the atmosphere fresh as each new city brings another case, another set of secrets, and another piece of the larger puzzle. Tobin blends flashy near-future concepts with old-fashioned, shoe-leather detective work, keeping the tension firmly in place. Beneath it all, the emotional current continues to run strong.
Shadows in the Code by Collin Tobin is a tense, character-driven techno-thriller with a near-future edge and a hero who has something real to lose. Released May 20, 2026, Shadows in the Code is available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
I would like to thank author Collin Tobin for reaching out and having me preview a copy of Shadows in the Code. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of Shadows in the Code.
September 10, 2026
Shadows in the Code by Collin Tobin feels like the kind of thriller that digs under your skin and stays there.
From the first pages the story alone pulls you in…. a reclusive inventor hands over a revolutionary AI built from the triumphs and failures of past investigations, and the man chosen to test it is Detective Max Delaney, still raw from the unsolved murder of his wife.
The half million dollar payday is almost secondary to the story, what really matters is the chance to finally dig into the case that destroyed him.
That emotional stake turns what could have been a simple high tech mystery into something more personal and urgent.
Max and his friend Luca set out across the country, starting in the grey streets of Massachusetts and ending in the bright, deceptive heat of California, tasked with cracking five cases that had already beaten every other detective who tried.
The road trip structure keeps the story moving, each new city bringing its own atmosphere and its own buried secrets.
You can feel the weight of those cold cases pressing on Max, and the author does a strong job of letting the unresolved grief bleed into every decision he makes.
At the same time a darker force is already hunting the device, turning the investigation into a race against people who will do anything to control the technology. The tension never really lets up once that shadow appears. 😮
What I liked most is how the book balances the flashy AI concept with old fashioned detective work and the quieter cost of obsession.
The gadget is impressive, but the real engine is Max’s need for answers and the loyalty between him and Luca. Their friendship is real, which makes the danger they face hit harder.
There are moments where the plot leans into classic cat and mouse territory, and a few of the twists announce themselves a little early, yet the emotional moments stays steady enough to carry the story through.
Shadows in the Code is a solid read for anyone who likes crime fiction mixed with a near future edge and a character who has something real to lose.
It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it delivers a tense, character driven ride that stuck with me for a few days after.
🦋
*copy supplied for review
I was kindly sent a paperback to read and review. I want to thank Collin for sending a great read.
From the first pages the story alone pulls you in…. a reclusive inventor hands over a revolutionary AI built from the triumphs and failures of past investigations, and the man chosen to test it is Detective Max Delaney, still raw from the unsolved murder of his wife.
The half million dollar payday is almost secondary to the story, what really matters is the chance to finally dig into the case that destroyed him.
That emotional stake turns what could have been a simple high tech mystery into something more personal and urgent.
Max and his friend Luca set out across the country, starting in the grey streets of Massachusetts and ending in the bright, deceptive heat of California, tasked with cracking five cases that had already beaten every other detective who tried.
The road trip structure keeps the story moving, each new city bringing its own atmosphere and its own buried secrets.
You can feel the weight of those cold cases pressing on Max, and the author does a strong job of letting the unresolved grief bleed into every decision he makes.
At the same time a darker force is already hunting the device, turning the investigation into a race against people who will do anything to control the technology. The tension never really lets up once that shadow appears. 😮
What I liked most is how the book balances the flashy AI concept with old fashioned detective work and the quieter cost of obsession.
The gadget is impressive, but the real engine is Max’s need for answers and the loyalty between him and Luca. Their friendship is real, which makes the danger they face hit harder.
There are moments where the plot leans into classic cat and mouse territory, and a few of the twists announce themselves a little early, yet the emotional moments stays steady enough to carry the story through.
Shadows in the Code is a solid read for anyone who likes crime fiction mixed with a near future edge and a character who has something real to lose.
It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it delivers a tense, character driven ride that stuck with me for a few days after.
🦋
*copy supplied for review
I was kindly sent a paperback to read and review. I want to thank Collin for sending a great read.
May 21, 2026
A page-turner from beginning to end
This book has a riveting plot, strong character development, and immersive world building. Additionally, the concept of Argus, an AI designed for solving crimes, is a fascinating idea that raises questions about the future of artificial intelligence. Excellent book to read if you want an “escape”!
This book has a riveting plot, strong character development, and immersive world building. Additionally, the concept of Argus, an AI designed for solving crimes, is a fascinating idea that raises questions about the future of artificial intelligence. Excellent book to read if you want an “escape”!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews