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The Deceased
A troubled detective, a mysterious murder victim. The miracles of mind interface technology will bring them together.
James Conroy is an Angel Officer in the Renaissance Police Department, a veteran of hundreds of death tech interfaces. No other Angel has journeyed deeper into the valley of the shadow of death. A late night call from Conroy's precinct chief can mean only one thing: another murder victim to be interviewed.
Laura Ashe – the deceased – was a talented eidolon artist, a rising star in the Renaissance firmament. But beneath the golden exterior, Ashe was, and still is, hiding many secrets, and sometimes for good reason. In life, Ashe drew every eye, but not all of her admirers had good intentions.
As the death horizon approaches, violence swirls, conspiracies emerge, and the suspects only seem to multiply. Will Conroy be able to identify the killer before Ashe's second and final death?
Buy The Deceased to see a murder case solved from beyond the grave.
James Conroy is an Angel Officer in the Renaissance Police Department, a veteran of hundreds of death tech interfaces. No other Angel has journeyed deeper into the valley of the shadow of death. A late night call from Conroy's precinct chief can mean only one thing: another murder victim to be interviewed.
Laura Ashe – the deceased – was a talented eidolon artist, a rising star in the Renaissance firmament. But beneath the golden exterior, Ashe was, and still is, hiding many secrets, and sometimes for good reason. In life, Ashe drew every eye, but not all of her admirers had good intentions.
As the death horizon approaches, violence swirls, conspiracies emerge, and the suspects only seem to multiply. Will Conroy be able to identify the killer before Ashe's second and final death?
Buy The Deceased to see a murder case solved from beyond the grave.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2019
57 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Francis Morrow
10 books6 followersFrancis Morrow is the author of three novels, THE DECEASED (2019), COLLISION (2020), THE KING’S AUTOMATA (2021), and one collection of short stories, RIOT TOUR (2020). Before embarking on his writing journey, he worked in the energy industry and technology investment. In his stories, he aims to humanise high concepts. Themes that run through his work include: the rise of the tech industry, climate change, artificial intelligence and machine ethics. He never knowingly misses an opportunity to insert a lengthy monologue and/or a ‘bit of the old ultraviolence’. His influences include the works of Philip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury, and the movies of Paul Verhoeven and Ridley Scott. He lives in London, England.
A message from Francis: if you like my book, please leave a nice star rating. It will mean the world to me. Thanks for reading.
A message from Francis: if you like my book, please leave a nice star rating. It will mean the world to me. Thanks for reading.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 20, 2020
This was a highly intriguing world and possible future, where the blend of technology and mind is scary advanced. Let me assure you, it's not going to be what you think. Highly inventive. I loved these characters. The story follows a police detective who is an "Angel," or, a detective trained to scan the mind of the recently dead. But it's a scenario unlike any I have seen in scifi before. The only problem I had was how the author switched back and forth calling characters by their first name, then in the next sentence by their last name. I had to memorize all characters' full names so I didn't get lost or think a new character suddenly appeared. I wish authors would not do that...so confusing. But once I learned everyone's full names, I was off like a shot, reading in one sitting. One of my best recent scifi experiences.
April 23, 2021
Astoundingly good SF Noir
I was struggling to finish Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves and turned to this for a break. Happy days! Good SF. Good Chandleresque Noir. Great dystopian vision. Characters you care about. Richly imagined setting. Five ticks. This book has them all.
Morrow doesn’t make the mistake of over-explaining the book’s universe or straying too far from credible extensions of current technology. The only leap of faith he asks is that readers accept the premise that a dead person’s brain might have sufficient residual electrochemical activity to allow it to be interrogated for a short while. I was willing to take the leap.
What makes the reader buy into the author’s world is that the reader is treated as though they were already familiar with past events and places mentioned but not explained. It’s a book you don’t want to end but you need to know the finish. I really hope Francis Morrow writes a sequel with more of Detective Conroy in it.
I was struggling to finish Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves and turned to this for a break. Happy days! Good SF. Good Chandleresque Noir. Great dystopian vision. Characters you care about. Richly imagined setting. Five ticks. This book has them all.
Morrow doesn’t make the mistake of over-explaining the book’s universe or straying too far from credible extensions of current technology. The only leap of faith he asks is that readers accept the premise that a dead person’s brain might have sufficient residual electrochemical activity to allow it to be interrogated for a short while. I was willing to take the leap.
What makes the reader buy into the author’s world is that the reader is treated as though they were already familiar with past events and places mentioned but not explained. It’s a book you don’t want to end but you need to know the finish. I really hope Francis Morrow writes a sequel with more of Detective Conroy in it.
February 13, 2020
Thrilling and edgy murder mystery
A thought provoking look at the pros and cons of the digitally connected world through the prism of a murder investigation.
Be prepared to not put this book down until your done.
A thought provoking look at the pros and cons of the digitally connected world through the prism of a murder investigation.
Be prepared to not put this book down until your done.
September 9, 2022
I rate this a noble failure - it was trying to do something interesting, but spent all it's energy on world building and I didn't really care about the characters. It's a noirish premise - detective examines dead woman's life and realizes how amazing she was - with lots of future tech. But while the tech was interesting, the villain was predictable, and so was the outcome. I read it from beginning to end, but it was an effort. So it got me to get through it, but it didn't quite satisfy me.
March 26, 2020
4.8 stars
I read it in a 24 hour slot of time. The story flowed seamlessly through multiple perspectives and two parallel time frames moving @ different speeds. A complex story structure very well done. Successfully done.
No: pointless repetition; sensationalism; insulting of intelligence; mindless, box office filler, etc., etc. Only negative is v e r y slight (tiny/few) editing blips.
You'll read it! Not delete it.
I read it in a 24 hour slot of time. The story flowed seamlessly through multiple perspectives and two parallel time frames moving @ different speeds. A complex story structure very well done. Successfully done.
No: pointless repetition; sensationalism; insulting of intelligence; mindless, box office filler, etc., etc. Only negative is v e r y slight (tiny/few) editing blips.
You'll read it! Not delete it.
December 6, 2021
An exceptional novel. The Deceased is that rare book that achieves everything it sets out to.
As scifi, it's flawless, and a credible deep dive into future tech and future culture.
As a police procedural, it's fascinating and well-rounded.
As a mystery-thriller, it pays off beautifully.
Great scifi crime thrillers are few and far between. This is one of them.
I'm genuinely off to buy another book by this author now.
As scifi, it's flawless, and a credible deep dive into future tech and future culture.
As a police procedural, it's fascinating and well-rounded.
As a mystery-thriller, it pays off beautifully.
Great scifi crime thrillers are few and far between. This is one of them.
I'm genuinely off to buy another book by this author now.
March 19, 2020
Original
A unique premise, well delivered. The pacing was even though a little slow, I had to read an exciting book in the middle but I came back to it.
The characters are dimensioned we can feel them breathe, even though Laura is already dead we miss her again.
Well with reading.
A unique premise, well delivered. The pacing was even though a little slow, I had to read an exciting book in the middle but I came back to it.
The characters are dimensioned we can feel them breathe, even though Laura is already dead we miss her again.
Well with reading.
January 29, 2021
Engrossing
I felt like i was in the vault with Conroy. I have to admit I was shocked and appalled at how aware Ashe was of her 'situation'.
I hope this type of Tech stays in the mind of the author. Scary
I felt like i was in the vault with Conroy. I have to admit I was shocked and appalled at how aware Ashe was of her 'situation'.
I hope this type of Tech stays in the mind of the author. Scary
February 15, 2023
Excellent read
Had some slow places in the beginning but as you continue it became harder to put down. Very relatable even if it takes place in the future. I would recommend.
Had some slow places in the beginning but as you continue it became harder to put down. Very relatable even if it takes place in the future. I would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews