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The Machine Murders #1
Island Buoys
A series of murders in the party island of Mykonos rocks the Web. A data scientist has less than a week to become a cop.
SOME KNOW YOU BETTER THAN YOU KNOW YOURSELF. READY TO BE HUNTED?
How many social posts would it take to encourage those who have “dark personality traits” to commit a particularly horrific type of serial murders? Scattered randomly around the world - would anyone notice? Would they trace the murders back to the engineers? Would it matter?
Welcome to THE MACHINE MURDERS.
A series of gruesomely mutilated victims washes up in a Greek island. When the “buoy murders” become a social media sensation, Manos Manu, a data scientist-turned-Interpol cop realizes social influence means different things to different people; including serial killers.
SOME KNOW YOU BETTER THAN YOU KNOW YOURSELF. READY TO BE HUNTED?
How many social posts would it take to encourage those who have “dark personality traits” to commit a particularly horrific type of serial murders? Scattered randomly around the world - would anyone notice? Would they trace the murders back to the engineers? Would it matter?
Welcome to THE MACHINE MURDERS.
A series of gruesomely mutilated victims washes up in a Greek island. When the “buoy murders” become a social media sensation, Manos Manu, a data scientist-turned-Interpol cop realizes social influence means different things to different people; including serial killers.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2021
14 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 6, 2021
When you're an avid reader of crime fiction you reach a certain point where everything seems the same. Not with the Island Buoys! Right from the beginning you sense that there's something different about it...I started reading it on a Friday night and simply couldn't put it down. I continued reading on until the small hours...thank god the next day was Saturday and I could have a lie in.
Manos Manu is fascinating character and so is his lover and colleague Mei Ni. In combination with the Greek police force they make quite a team and the reader breathlessly follows them as they try to nail down the killer. Right until the end we're still not quite sure about who the killer is and what's going to happen.
I've been working in software for years and rarely have I come across such an artful techno-thriller. I totally recommend it! I can't wait for the next book to come out! Don't miss it!
Manos Manu is fascinating character and so is his lover and colleague Mei Ni. In combination with the Greek police force they make quite a team and the reader breathlessly follows them as they try to nail down the killer. Right until the end we're still not quite sure about who the killer is and what's going to happen.
I've been working in software for years and rarely have I come across such an artful techno-thriller. I totally recommend it! I can't wait for the next book to come out! Don't miss it!
August 4, 2022
This book definitely offered me something new and unique in the crime fiction genre. I've read a lot of mystery/thriller books, and this one is a standout!
It's set in a beautiful Greek island area, which I liked because I haven't read a lot of books with that setting. The main character Manos is interesting, but I especially liked his methods of investigating. The use of technology and social media throughout the book was fascinating!
The mystery itself involves a series of graphic murders. There are so many clues, red herrings, and avenues of investigation that I had trouble putting the book down.
If you like a well-written, thrilling mystery, this is the book for you!
It's set in a beautiful Greek island area, which I liked because I haven't read a lot of books with that setting. The main character Manos is interesting, but I especially liked his methods of investigating. The use of technology and social media throughout the book was fascinating!
The mystery itself involves a series of graphic murders. There are so many clues, red herrings, and avenues of investigation that I had trouble putting the book down.
If you like a well-written, thrilling mystery, this is the book for you!
June 16, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this book which in its entirety is quite long with 12 sections and is quite graphic serial killer crime fiction. I was sucked into the middle of all that was happening and had problems putting the book down because I really liked the main character Manos Manu and enjoyed his dynamic with the other characters especially his colleague Mei in Singapore when murders occur while he is on vacation for a wedding in Greece. If you like razor-edge crime, give The Machine Murders a chance.
June 15, 2025
Listened to the audiobook read by David Foley
Run time 8:04:37
The narration was pretty good for range, but too fast to be enjoyable. This narrator has a huge range of voices and his abilities are impressive with tones, accents, pitches, etc. Unfortunately he read so fast it was extremely hard to follow him. I had to slow the reading down to .8x in order to understand him and feel like it was being read at a normal speed. Even then, that wasn’t slow enough in parts and it needed to go to .6x. Reading at standard 1x felt more like listening to a 3x speed. I wish he’d have read slower to be more effective and unserious better. His speed literally gave me a headache and made my brain feel scrambled if was so fast.
Now the book itself:
This was unfortunately just a terrible book. I lost interest and couldn’t wait for it to be over. I only finished it for a challenge. I couldn’t care about a single character or what was happening nor could I follow what was happening the majority of the time.
The writing was awful. The writing aside from the technical jargon felt juvenile and basic. The book was just too full of overly technical AI/data/computerized terms that I was lost the majority of the book and had no idea what was going on or being talked about. If you’re a computer or data expert, this would be enjoyable I’m sure, but for an average reader, this was way too technical and the computer jargon was just extremely overdone. I could not enjoy this when none of the terms, lingo, or abbreviations made sense and nothing was explained for an average person’s understanding.
The dialogue was very forced and awkward like the author has never had a humanly conversation with a single other person. Nothing felt true to life.
The decisions the characters all make are just beyond stupid. Like a female character jumping on a jet ski and chasing a murder suspect out into the middle of the ocean alone…a killer who murders and dumps his victims in the middle of the ocean that is. Oh and doing so while in business attire at a data conference.
Another female character leaving in the middle of the night to follow another suspect, alone, because the police won’t give you back up then parking, walking down dark alleys alone, then riding a bike down a strange dock looking for someone on a boat who uses boats and chains to kill victims.
Literally every single “friend” who is told to stay with a potential victim leaving this person alone constantly because they aren’t taking it seriously and would rather just get drunk, high and party. Despite the murders being all over the local news.
The potential victims not taking anything seriously despite it being all over the news and choosing to get so incapacitated they can’t stand or stay awake, then going off alone, and acting like their cop friend is crazy and a piece of scum because he chose to use his data knowledge to become a cop instead of go into a wealthy private data firm like they did.
It was all just bad.
The ending made no sense. There’s only one killer. No there’s multiple. No one. No multiple. No multiple all over the world. No one…I lost count what we ended on. The actions at the end, the unexplained reasoning for everything, the lack of any closure or resolution left this excruciatingly long book lacking any semblance of having an end. The end also felt monumentally rushed after being such a slog to get to get to the final 89th chapter.
This is an extremely graphic book as well. I love crime fiction and thrillers. Murders don’t make me queasy. This book was so graphic it was disgusting. In the first hour I lost count how many times I had to listen to the words anus and pussy. We really don’t need to know the chains on the bodies go through their anus 37 times per body. We don’t need a description of the way and path the chains take going through the victims mouth, intestines, and out their anus every time you mention a victim or discover a new body. We also don’t need to know every time the MC touches a woman or has a sexual encounter (which is damn near constant) that he grabs, touches, smashes, thrusts his face, leans into or any verb into her pussy. It was beyond excessive and gross. All the MC does is get blindly drunk, has sex, and talks about the chains coming out a body’s anus. It was stomach turning.
The characters were awful. I didn’t care or connect with any of them. The tech that is sickeningly obsessed and in love with the MC despite him stopping mid conversation with her over the phone to…you guessed it…grab a woman’s junk and have sex without hanging up was exhausting. This is clearly written by a man with all the sex, drugs, alcohol, all the women just instantly wanting to have sex with this guy and despite how disgusting he is, there’s always a “good girl” in the background still in love with him. Gross.
The rest of the characters just blended together. None of them stood out and no one was differentiated enough to know who was who or like anyone. They were all superficial, spoilt, ultra wealthy, shallow, party addicts and all of them were so rude and bitter to each other it made zero sense those were supposed to be “close friends.”
There were sooooooo many characters. Dozens upon dozens upon dozens of characters from multiple countries, multiple backgrounds, names similar, attitudes all the same (either the ultra shallow wealthy or the ultra technical computer types). there were way too many characters to keep track of with no one really being individual. Character development was as shallow as their attitudes. The local police force was incredibly annoying with how rude and disrespectful they were. They were brash and regardless what evidence they were presented with or what events came true they were warned about, they never changed their attitude. They were as hateful and arrogant as the “friends.”
Lastly, this book was just entirely too damn long. 12 sections with 88 chapters with really not a lot of progress made. It was so repetitive and boring. It just wouldn’t end. This book was 8:04:37 run time and it felt more like 38:04:37 run time. It just wouldn’t end. The jargon and repetition largely caused this feeling but the poor characters, slow moving plot, and graphic repetitive writing did this book no favors.
I cannot recommend this. If you need a book featuring AI, islands, Greece, there is definitely something better out there. This was just too much and had too many negatives to be enjoyable.
Run time 8:04:37
The narration was pretty good for range, but too fast to be enjoyable. This narrator has a huge range of voices and his abilities are impressive with tones, accents, pitches, etc. Unfortunately he read so fast it was extremely hard to follow him. I had to slow the reading down to .8x in order to understand him and feel like it was being read at a normal speed. Even then, that wasn’t slow enough in parts and it needed to go to .6x. Reading at standard 1x felt more like listening to a 3x speed. I wish he’d have read slower to be more effective and unserious better. His speed literally gave me a headache and made my brain feel scrambled if was so fast.
Now the book itself:
This was unfortunately just a terrible book. I lost interest and couldn’t wait for it to be over. I only finished it for a challenge. I couldn’t care about a single character or what was happening nor could I follow what was happening the majority of the time.
The writing was awful. The writing aside from the technical jargon felt juvenile and basic. The book was just too full of overly technical AI/data/computerized terms that I was lost the majority of the book and had no idea what was going on or being talked about. If you’re a computer or data expert, this would be enjoyable I’m sure, but for an average reader, this was way too technical and the computer jargon was just extremely overdone. I could not enjoy this when none of the terms, lingo, or abbreviations made sense and nothing was explained for an average person’s understanding.
The dialogue was very forced and awkward like the author has never had a humanly conversation with a single other person. Nothing felt true to life.
The decisions the characters all make are just beyond stupid. Like a female character jumping on a jet ski and chasing a murder suspect out into the middle of the ocean alone…a killer who murders and dumps his victims in the middle of the ocean that is. Oh and doing so while in business attire at a data conference.
Another female character leaving in the middle of the night to follow another suspect, alone, because the police won’t give you back up then parking, walking down dark alleys alone, then riding a bike down a strange dock looking for someone on a boat who uses boats and chains to kill victims.
Literally every single “friend” who is told to stay with a potential victim leaving this person alone constantly because they aren’t taking it seriously and would rather just get drunk, high and party. Despite the murders being all over the local news.
The potential victims not taking anything seriously despite it being all over the news and choosing to get so incapacitated they can’t stand or stay awake, then going off alone, and acting like their cop friend is crazy and a piece of scum because he chose to use his data knowledge to become a cop instead of go into a wealthy private data firm like they did.
It was all just bad.
The ending made no sense. There’s only one killer. No there’s multiple. No one. No multiple. No multiple all over the world. No one…I lost count what we ended on. The actions at the end, the unexplained reasoning for everything, the lack of any closure or resolution left this excruciatingly long book lacking any semblance of having an end. The end also felt monumentally rushed after being such a slog to get to get to the final 89th chapter.
This is an extremely graphic book as well. I love crime fiction and thrillers. Murders don’t make me queasy. This book was so graphic it was disgusting. In the first hour I lost count how many times I had to listen to the words anus and pussy. We really don’t need to know the chains on the bodies go through their anus 37 times per body. We don’t need a description of the way and path the chains take going through the victims mouth, intestines, and out their anus every time you mention a victim or discover a new body. We also don’t need to know every time the MC touches a woman or has a sexual encounter (which is damn near constant) that he grabs, touches, smashes, thrusts his face, leans into or any verb into her pussy. It was beyond excessive and gross. All the MC does is get blindly drunk, has sex, and talks about the chains coming out a body’s anus. It was stomach turning.
The characters were awful. I didn’t care or connect with any of them. The tech that is sickeningly obsessed and in love with the MC despite him stopping mid conversation with her over the phone to…you guessed it…grab a woman’s junk and have sex without hanging up was exhausting. This is clearly written by a man with all the sex, drugs, alcohol, all the women just instantly wanting to have sex with this guy and despite how disgusting he is, there’s always a “good girl” in the background still in love with him. Gross.
The rest of the characters just blended together. None of them stood out and no one was differentiated enough to know who was who or like anyone. They were all superficial, spoilt, ultra wealthy, shallow, party addicts and all of them were so rude and bitter to each other it made zero sense those were supposed to be “close friends.”
There were sooooooo many characters. Dozens upon dozens upon dozens of characters from multiple countries, multiple backgrounds, names similar, attitudes all the same (either the ultra shallow wealthy or the ultra technical computer types). there were way too many characters to keep track of with no one really being individual. Character development was as shallow as their attitudes. The local police force was incredibly annoying with how rude and disrespectful they were. They were brash and regardless what evidence they were presented with or what events came true they were warned about, they never changed their attitude. They were as hateful and arrogant as the “friends.”
Lastly, this book was just entirely too damn long. 12 sections with 88 chapters with really not a lot of progress made. It was so repetitive and boring. It just wouldn’t end. This book was 8:04:37 run time and it felt more like 38:04:37 run time. It just wouldn’t end. The jargon and repetition largely caused this feeling but the poor characters, slow moving plot, and graphic repetitive writing did this book no favors.
I cannot recommend this. If you need a book featuring AI, islands, Greece, there is definitely something better out there. This was just too much and had too many negatives to be enjoyable.
March 14, 2023
Ένα συμπαθητικό βιβλίο και μια πολύ κακή εκδοτική προσπάθεια. Το κείμενο είναι λες και το έχει γράψει Ελληνοαμερικάνος πχ «είχε ντυθεί σαν να πήγαινε σε interview» Σε μερικά σημεία το κείμενο γίνεται πολύ τεχνικό. Όμορφο τέλος. Αν σας το χαρίσουν διαβάστε το. Μην το αγοράσετε όμως.
October 13, 2021
How significant is artificial intelligence in the security departments of our countries? How efficient can computers be, when solving international crimes? What does data analysis entail - is it just a game of codes? "The Machine Murders: Island Buoys" by CJ Abazis is a detective novel that explores the role played by technological advancements in solving international crime. The book also demonstrates the connection between acts of terror and the ideological or political beliefs of the perpetrators.
Billy Casey has been murdered in Mykonos, in a manner that the witness described as very 'particular'. This happens when Manos Manu is on the Greek island for his friend's wedding at the church of Santa Marina, where Liza Eckerhorn and James Will are to exchange their vows in a week. However, officer Bellas requests Manos not to interfere with the investigation but allows him to be a witness.
The Sixth Annual International Conference on Criminal Psychology and Criminology is opened by Lena Sideris, who invited Manos to comment on his Manu Models; data systems that have just been introduced in Singapore and are believed to use Internet searches in leading detectives to a suspect. Manos developed this system based on the notion that everybody, no matter how discreet they may be, always leaves footprints on the internet, which may be traced back to them. This is either by online purchases of weapons or the use of content words involved in the crime. For example, a murderer may google information on 'how to appear innocent during interrogation' or 'the most poisonous drugs' and other phrases, linked to a murder.
A turn of events places Manos at the helm of this investigation, which he sees as an opportunity to test his models, with the help of Mei. This detective work puts both Manos' and Mei's life in danger and the results of each subsequent investigation lead to more than just one incident. After working with Mei, Dr. Daniel Nova believes that collaboration with Manos would guarantee better results from the data systems. Jeremy Ong also regards the Manu Models as an idea that once commercialized, would generate billions as profits. Will the Manu Models aid in the investigation? Why does the murderer escape every trap laid for him? What are the weaknesses of the Manu models and how can they be enhanced?
Abazis narrates his story from a third-person omniscient point of view, which provides the reader with a clear perspective of events as they unfold. Moreover, his vivid descriptions of events enabled me to form mental images of the characters' physical attributes and enhanced my understanding of various murder scenes. So vivid were his descriptions that I could almost smell the blood that oozed from the murder victims' bodies. Based on the Greek island of Mykonos, my reading experience appeared as though it were an adventure, thanks to the author's description of the Greek environment, the structure of its buildings and even the lifestyle habits of Greeks, which were contrasted with foreigners' habits.
There are no grammatical errors in this book as it is professionally edited. The book's narration is built on suspense and I could feel the adrenaline rush in my body, whenever each crime was committed. The simple and original writing style of Abazis enabled me to relate to the realistic dialogues that the characters engaged in. I equally got real-time updates of the progress made by detectives in their quest to solve the murders. I also applaud the author's creativity in his creation of the murder scenes, which were not only authentic but also artistic.
There is absolutely nothing that I liked least about this great book and I believe that this masterpiece deserves nothing short of a maximum rating of five out of five stars. I recommend it to readers that enjoy detective and crime thrillers.
Billy Casey has been murdered in Mykonos, in a manner that the witness described as very 'particular'. This happens when Manos Manu is on the Greek island for his friend's wedding at the church of Santa Marina, where Liza Eckerhorn and James Will are to exchange their vows in a week. However, officer Bellas requests Manos not to interfere with the investigation but allows him to be a witness.
The Sixth Annual International Conference on Criminal Psychology and Criminology is opened by Lena Sideris, who invited Manos to comment on his Manu Models; data systems that have just been introduced in Singapore and are believed to use Internet searches in leading detectives to a suspect. Manos developed this system based on the notion that everybody, no matter how discreet they may be, always leaves footprints on the internet, which may be traced back to them. This is either by online purchases of weapons or the use of content words involved in the crime. For example, a murderer may google information on 'how to appear innocent during interrogation' or 'the most poisonous drugs' and other phrases, linked to a murder.
A turn of events places Manos at the helm of this investigation, which he sees as an opportunity to test his models, with the help of Mei. This detective work puts both Manos' and Mei's life in danger and the results of each subsequent investigation lead to more than just one incident. After working with Mei, Dr. Daniel Nova believes that collaboration with Manos would guarantee better results from the data systems. Jeremy Ong also regards the Manu Models as an idea that once commercialized, would generate billions as profits. Will the Manu Models aid in the investigation? Why does the murderer escape every trap laid for him? What are the weaknesses of the Manu models and how can they be enhanced?
Abazis narrates his story from a third-person omniscient point of view, which provides the reader with a clear perspective of events as they unfold. Moreover, his vivid descriptions of events enabled me to form mental images of the characters' physical attributes and enhanced my understanding of various murder scenes. So vivid were his descriptions that I could almost smell the blood that oozed from the murder victims' bodies. Based on the Greek island of Mykonos, my reading experience appeared as though it were an adventure, thanks to the author's description of the Greek environment, the structure of its buildings and even the lifestyle habits of Greeks, which were contrasted with foreigners' habits.
There are no grammatical errors in this book as it is professionally edited. The book's narration is built on suspense and I could feel the adrenaline rush in my body, whenever each crime was committed. The simple and original writing style of Abazis enabled me to relate to the realistic dialogues that the characters engaged in. I equally got real-time updates of the progress made by detectives in their quest to solve the murders. I also applaud the author's creativity in his creation of the murder scenes, which were not only authentic but also artistic.
There is absolutely nothing that I liked least about this great book and I believe that this masterpiece deserves nothing short of a maximum rating of five out of five stars. I recommend it to readers that enjoy detective and crime thrillers.
September 10, 2021
Mykonos…An Island Paradise where the wealthy come to party. A paradise that is now the hunting ground of a brutal killer. A body has been found in the waters surrounding the islands, the victim dispatched in a gruesome fashion. The authorities are dumbfounded. Manos Manu is an investigator for Interpol familiar with the inner workings of the criminal mind. However, a wedding of a friend brought him to the picturesque island, so he is loath to get involved in the case. Manos turned his back on his college friends when he pursued his career.
The case brings unwanted media attention as the victim was a semi-celebrity on Social Media. Manos believes the way to catch a killer has evolved, and that AI and/or Social Network behavior can lead to possible suspects. The need for his skills is amplified when a second body is found, the manner of death similar to the first victim. The media frenzy has begun as the prospect of a serial killer sends everybody into a tailspin. Manos is in contact with his friend(girlfriend) Mei in Singapore who digs through the algorithms in the Social Mediasphere in attempting to find the killer. Their killer is slick, smart and is enjoying the hunt. Manos has to contend with a not so friendly police force, a psychotic killer, a wedding and the attractive Lena, a woman who attempts to study killers in a more academic way. At this point, Manos will be lucky to leave the island alive.
“The Machine Murders” is a crisp and smart Mystery Thriller from Author CJ Abazis. The action and thrills are intermingled with the occasional humor as well as sexual tension that runs throughout the book. Manos is a fallible investigator, capable of tripping himself up, but his eye for machine learning and its capabilities prove prescient. His nemesis is cunning and diabolical, the showdown between the two well worth the wait. A page gripping yarn from start to finish.
The case brings unwanted media attention as the victim was a semi-celebrity on Social Media. Manos believes the way to catch a killer has evolved, and that AI and/or Social Network behavior can lead to possible suspects. The need for his skills is amplified when a second body is found, the manner of death similar to the first victim. The media frenzy has begun as the prospect of a serial killer sends everybody into a tailspin. Manos is in contact with his friend(girlfriend) Mei in Singapore who digs through the algorithms in the Social Mediasphere in attempting to find the killer. Their killer is slick, smart and is enjoying the hunt. Manos has to contend with a not so friendly police force, a psychotic killer, a wedding and the attractive Lena, a woman who attempts to study killers in a more academic way. At this point, Manos will be lucky to leave the island alive.
“The Machine Murders” is a crisp and smart Mystery Thriller from Author CJ Abazis. The action and thrills are intermingled with the occasional humor as well as sexual tension that runs throughout the book. Manos is a fallible investigator, capable of tripping himself up, but his eye for machine learning and its capabilities prove prescient. His nemesis is cunning and diabolical, the showdown between the two well worth the wait. A page gripping yarn from start to finish.
February 9, 2022
“Manos Manu ! The Zuckerberg of crime !!” That is a line you will read when you are in the mist of Island Buoys The Machine Murders by CJ Abazis……and it couldn’t be closer to the truth.
In Island Buoys readers are introduced to main character Manos Manu who is working on a new way to work murder cases and it is making the authorities uneasy. The police have their way of working murder cases and finding the guilty party or parties and cannot understand what Manu is proposing.
In Island Buoys Manu is in Mykonos Greece where his old college roommate is getting married. Unfortunately even though Manu is on holiday and just wants to enjoy his time in the sun and have fun, he is asked to investigate a murder. The way that the corpse is left is a very unique and disturbing way. While the police go about the investigation their way, Manu calls on his team who are all over the world and they begin looking into the case using the technique that Manos invested, the Multi-agent Analysis of Network Users. Unfortunately before anyone can solve the murder, another one occurs and it is just as bad as the first. This does help the team learn more things surrounding the murderer and his “subjects” and when Manu realizes that his best friend, the groom and his parents could be targeted because of a similarity to the previous victims, Manu will do whatever it takes to bring the killer down !!
Once you start reading Island Buoys you will be unable to stop reading….it will be like Abazis put a spell on you to keep you reading. The way that Manu and his team go about looking into the cases will be so captivating that you will look at murders and the way they can be solved a lot differently. And when Manu gets close to the killer, there will be NO stopping your eyes from taking in the words and your hands from turning the pages.
I cannot wait to see what is next for Manu and his team !! I highly encourage you to grab your copy and get lost in Greece……
In Island Buoys readers are introduced to main character Manos Manu who is working on a new way to work murder cases and it is making the authorities uneasy. The police have their way of working murder cases and finding the guilty party or parties and cannot understand what Manu is proposing.
In Island Buoys Manu is in Mykonos Greece where his old college roommate is getting married. Unfortunately even though Manu is on holiday and just wants to enjoy his time in the sun and have fun, he is asked to investigate a murder. The way that the corpse is left is a very unique and disturbing way. While the police go about the investigation their way, Manu calls on his team who are all over the world and they begin looking into the case using the technique that Manos invested, the Multi-agent Analysis of Network Users. Unfortunately before anyone can solve the murder, another one occurs and it is just as bad as the first. This does help the team learn more things surrounding the murderer and his “subjects” and when Manu realizes that his best friend, the groom and his parents could be targeted because of a similarity to the previous victims, Manu will do whatever it takes to bring the killer down !!
Once you start reading Island Buoys you will be unable to stop reading….it will be like Abazis put a spell on you to keep you reading. The way that Manu and his team go about looking into the cases will be so captivating that you will look at murders and the way they can be solved a lot differently. And when Manu gets close to the killer, there will be NO stopping your eyes from taking in the words and your hands from turning the pages.
I cannot wait to see what is next for Manu and his team !! I highly encourage you to grab your copy and get lost in Greece……
March 21, 2022
Set on the Greek island of Mykonos is a detective novel by C. J. Abazis that incorporates typical serial killer murders with new technologies. Island Buoys, the first book in The Machine Murders, introduces a fictional machine called MANU, which has the potential to track down murderers using data gathered on social media, search engines and so forth. Whilst MANU is fictional, law enforcement groups are beginning to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI).
Travelling to Mykonos for a wedding, Interpol data scientist, Manos Manu, is forced to help the local police after they find bodies attached to buoys floating in the surrounding waters. Recognising the work of a serial killer, Manos immediately contacts his friends at Interpol Singapore to track down the killer using MANU. Soon, he has a list of 16 usernames, but the Mykonos police force is reluctant to incorporate new methods.
As a new technology, MANU is not without its faults, meaning narrowing down the suspects to one person takes time and a lot of pleading with other organisations for access to data. Meanwhile, the reader knows the killer's identity and can do no more than read on as the characters make mistakes and put themselves in danger.
Knowing the murderer does not make the book less exciting. Instead, it is a race against time before they kill again. With a shocking twist at the end, Interpol proves AI is the future, but it still needs a lot of work and debugging.
Island Buoys is a well-researched novel that makes the reader question the future of technology. How safe are we online if our data can be picked up by a machine on the other side of the world? Without knowing, everything we look at online can be analysed, interpreted and categorised, making a mockery of the recent General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. But if it helps catch a killer...
Travelling to Mykonos for a wedding, Interpol data scientist, Manos Manu, is forced to help the local police after they find bodies attached to buoys floating in the surrounding waters. Recognising the work of a serial killer, Manos immediately contacts his friends at Interpol Singapore to track down the killer using MANU. Soon, he has a list of 16 usernames, but the Mykonos police force is reluctant to incorporate new methods.
As a new technology, MANU is not without its faults, meaning narrowing down the suspects to one person takes time and a lot of pleading with other organisations for access to data. Meanwhile, the reader knows the killer's identity and can do no more than read on as the characters make mistakes and put themselves in danger.
Knowing the murderer does not make the book less exciting. Instead, it is a race against time before they kill again. With a shocking twist at the end, Interpol proves AI is the future, but it still needs a lot of work and debugging.
Island Buoys is a well-researched novel that makes the reader question the future of technology. How safe are we online if our data can be picked up by a machine on the other side of the world? Without knowing, everything we look at online can be analysed, interpreted and categorised, making a mockery of the recent General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. But if it helps catch a killer...
June 17, 2022
I was given an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and am providing my honest review.
Manos Manu is on holiday in Mykonos, a Greek island, for a wedding when people start surfacing in the water attached to buoys, DEAD. “Everybody leaves footprints on the internet”. Using artificial intelligence and modern technology. Manos tests his Manu Models to solve the crimes. As numerous people turn up dead Manos races against time to avoid losing the people he loves.
The Machine Murders: Island Buoys is the first and only book written by CJ Abazis. This crime fiction, mystery thriller is written in the third person using exquisite detail for each disturbing murder scene. Allowing you to visualize every detail, it will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I enjoyed the short chapters, it allowed me to put the book down frequently and pick right back up through out the busy day without missing a beat.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime, fiction, mystery, and thriller. It is the perfect combination of all four and Abazis will have you questioning the future of technology by the time you are done reading. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Favorite Quote: “Our system looks for people with certain basic characteristics-mostly what we call dark traits, as outlined in psychological studies. These can be measured for anyone online by their actions. Think of it as a credit score for psychopaths.”
Manos Manu is on holiday in Mykonos, a Greek island, for a wedding when people start surfacing in the water attached to buoys, DEAD. “Everybody leaves footprints on the internet”. Using artificial intelligence and modern technology. Manos tests his Manu Models to solve the crimes. As numerous people turn up dead Manos races against time to avoid losing the people he loves.
The Machine Murders: Island Buoys is the first and only book written by CJ Abazis. This crime fiction, mystery thriller is written in the third person using exquisite detail for each disturbing murder scene. Allowing you to visualize every detail, it will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I enjoyed the short chapters, it allowed me to put the book down frequently and pick right back up through out the busy day without missing a beat.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime, fiction, mystery, and thriller. It is the perfect combination of all four and Abazis will have you questioning the future of technology by the time you are done reading. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Favorite Quote: “Our system looks for people with certain basic characteristics-mostly what we call dark traits, as outlined in psychological studies. These can be measured for anyone online by their actions. Think of it as a credit score for psychopaths.”
September 16, 2021
The Machine Murders is a fantastic read! I downloaded the audiobook and the narrator did Abazis’s thrilling tale justice. Abazis is off to a great start to a brand new technothriller crime series following intelligent tech guru Manu.
The plot in this book was intriguing with just the right blend of suspense and action. I was happy to see that the machine learning system Manu built is actually something I could see used in real life. Manu is a great main character. He’s intuitive, dedicated to his work, and has a humility that makes it hard not to like him. As the book goes on, you learn how educated and creative he is. If you know any software engineers (like my husband) you know the thrill they get out of creating something from scratch. You could say creating programs and apps are form of art. Especially AI programs.
Things get real when the Chinese government, Interpol, and your Silicon Valley CEO type tech mogul intertwine. I liked how Manu defies the “by the book” way of solving murders. There are a few bumps along the way because nobody has ever worked with a program like Manu’s. But, the end does a great job of tying everything together while leaving the reader waiting for more.
Overall, The Machine Murders is a solid start to the series and I’m excited to see what Abazis has waiting for readers in the next book!
The plot in this book was intriguing with just the right blend of suspense and action. I was happy to see that the machine learning system Manu built is actually something I could see used in real life. Manu is a great main character. He’s intuitive, dedicated to his work, and has a humility that makes it hard not to like him. As the book goes on, you learn how educated and creative he is. If you know any software engineers (like my husband) you know the thrill they get out of creating something from scratch. You could say creating programs and apps are form of art. Especially AI programs.
Things get real when the Chinese government, Interpol, and your Silicon Valley CEO type tech mogul intertwine. I liked how Manu defies the “by the book” way of solving murders. There are a few bumps along the way because nobody has ever worked with a program like Manu’s. But, the end does a great job of tying everything together while leaving the reader waiting for more.
Overall, The Machine Murders is a solid start to the series and I’m excited to see what Abazis has waiting for readers in the next book!
April 6, 2023
Ξεκινώντας να πω ότι είμαι αρκετά προκατειλημμένος απέναντι στα αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα γιατί τα αγαπώ όσο τίποτα. Ελάχιστες φορές δεν θα μου αρέσει κάτι και αυτή η φορά δεν είναι μια από αυτές!
Αρχικά, πάντα μαρέσει όταν ο συγγραφέας εμπλέκει μεγάλες δυνάμεις, συγκεκριμένα εδώ την Interpol. Σημαίνει ότι παίζουμε με μεγάλα ψάρια και ότι η δράση θα φτάσει στον Θεό. Πράγματι, ορκίζομαι ότι από τις πρώτες 45 σελίδες γύριζα τις σελίδες με ταχύτητα φωτός!
Λάτρεψα επίσης την πρωτοτυπία του συγγραφέα. Ενέταξε τα σύγχρονα μέσα ενημέρωσης ως μέσο αναζήτησης του δολοφόνου. Ουσιαστικά, «εκσυγχρόνισε» το κυνήγι εγκλήματος στο τώρα, στα σόσιαλ και στο διαδικτυακό αποτύπωμα όλων μας. Δεν θα πω πως δεν εξεπλάγην διαβάζοντας πως μέσα από μια απλή αναζήτηση, βρέθηκε μια λίστα υπόπτων, πως από τον κωδικό της συσκευής μπορούσε να εντοπιστεί η γεωγραφική τοποθεσία ανθρώπων κλπ. Αυτό που αναγράφεται στο εξώφυλλο πως «Όλοι Έχουν Ένα Προφίλ» ισχύει και με το παραπάνω!
Βέβαια, βρήκα και κάποια σημεία τα οποία δεν μου έκαναν το απόλυτο «κλικ». Υπήρχαν πολλές αγγλικές λέξεις οι οποίες έχουν ακριβή μετάφραση στα ελληνικά αλλά για κάποιον λόγο, ήταν στα αγγλικά. Υπήρχαν πολλοί ορισμοί και έννοιες στατιστικών αναλύσεων, αναζήτησης πληροφοριών και πολλά άλλα επίσης στα αγγλικά. Το καλό εδώ, είναι ότι ο συγγραφέας είχε μεριμνήσει και επεξηγούσε κάθε τι, δηλαδή η πλοκή δεν χανόταν εύκολα αν δεν καταλάβαινα κάποιο σημείο.
Τέλος, οι χαρακτήρες ήταν ολοζώντανοι, το μυκονιάτικο και αλμυρό αεράκι πέρασε από το δωμάτιό μου και φυσικά το πλότ τουίστ στο τέλος με άφησε Α-ΦΩ-ΝΟ. Πάντα είναι αυτός που δεν περιμένεις και ο συγγραφέας πέτυχε σε αρκετά σημεία, να καταφέρει να μας δείξει την οπτική του δολοφόνου με μαεστρία και χωρίς να αποκαλυφθεί τίποτα, μέχρι και την τελευταία σελίδα!
Ένα δυνατό 4,5/5⭐️ και περιμένω να δω τα υπόλοιπα έργα του C.J ABAZIS
Αρχικά, πάντα μαρέσει όταν ο συγγραφέας εμπλέκει μεγάλες δυνάμεις, συγκεκριμένα εδώ την Interpol. Σημαίνει ότι παίζουμε με μεγάλα ψάρια και ότι η δράση θα φτάσει στον Θεό. Πράγματι, ορκίζομαι ότι από τις πρώτες 45 σελίδες γύριζα τις σελίδες με ταχύτητα φωτός!
Λάτρεψα επίσης την πρωτοτυπία του συγγραφέα. Ενέταξε τα σύγχρονα μέσα ενημέρωσης ως μέσο αναζήτησης του δολοφόνου. Ουσιαστικά, «εκσυγχρόνισε» το κυνήγι εγκλήματος στο τώρα, στα σόσιαλ και στο διαδικτυακό αποτύπωμα όλων μας. Δεν θα πω πως δεν εξεπλάγην διαβάζοντας πως μέσα από μια απλή αναζήτηση, βρέθηκε μια λίστα υπόπτων, πως από τον κωδικό της συσκευής μπορούσε να εντοπιστεί η γεωγραφική τοποθεσία ανθρώπων κλπ. Αυτό που αναγράφεται στο εξώφυλλο πως «Όλοι Έχουν Ένα Προφίλ» ισχύει και με το παραπάνω!
Βέβαια, βρήκα και κάποια σημεία τα οποία δεν μου έκαναν το απόλυτο «κλικ». Υπήρχαν πολλές αγγλικές λέξεις οι οποίες έχουν ακριβή μετάφραση στα ελληνικά αλλά για κάποιον λόγο, ήταν στα αγγλικά. Υπήρχαν πολλοί ορισμοί και έννοιες στατιστικών αναλύσεων, αναζήτησης πληροφοριών και πολλά άλλα επίσης στα αγγλικά. Το καλό εδώ, είναι ότι ο συγγραφέας είχε μεριμνήσει και επεξηγούσε κάθε τι, δηλαδή η πλοκή δεν χανόταν εύκολα αν δεν καταλάβαινα κάποιο σημείο.
Τέλος, οι χαρακτήρες ήταν ολοζώντανοι, το μυκονιάτικο και αλμυρό αεράκι πέρασε από το δωμάτιό μου και φυσικά το πλότ τουίστ στο τέλος με άφησε Α-ΦΩ-ΝΟ. Πάντα είναι αυτός που δεν περιμένεις και ο συγγραφέας πέτυχε σε αρκετά σημεία, να καταφέρει να μας δείξει την οπτική του δολοφόνου με μαεστρία και χωρίς να αποκαλυφθεί τίποτα, μέχρι και την τελευταία σελίδα!
Ένα δυνατό 4,5/5⭐️ και περιμένω να δω τα υπόλοιπα έργα του C.J ABAZIS
May 25, 2022
This was a very well written book with grotesque murders, excellent character development, a not-so-perfect hero, and some very in depth sleuthing using artificial intelligence.
I really enjoyed this book. The main characters were very well developed, allowing you to understand their actions or inactions. The main character, Manos Manu, was by no means perfect. But you could tell he was really trying to solve these heinous crimes.
There were several paragraphs that went into great detail describing how AI (artificial intelligence) was being used to solve the crimes. It was very interesting. I sometimes had to re-read a paragraph to be sure I understood what was being said, but I was ok with that since the story was so thrilling.
All in all, I really liked this book. I hope to read more by this author.
I really enjoyed this book. The main characters were very well developed, allowing you to understand their actions or inactions. The main character, Manos Manu, was by no means perfect. But you could tell he was really trying to solve these heinous crimes.
There were several paragraphs that went into great detail describing how AI (artificial intelligence) was being used to solve the crimes. It was very interesting. I sometimes had to re-read a paragraph to be sure I understood what was being said, but I was ok with that since the story was so thrilling.
All in all, I really liked this book. I hope to read more by this author.
October 1, 2022
Manos Manu, a data scientist turned Interpol agent, is on the Greek island of Mykonos for a criminology symposium when a brutally murdered body is found submerged under extremely unusual circumstances off the coast. The body is an American social media influencer that he knows and the police ask him about it. At first, nothing makes sense until more bodies start turning up and his use of AI leads to the conclusion that this is the work of a sophisticated serial killer (or killers).
The Machine Murders by C.J. Abazis is an intriguing murder mystery that will throw your mystery solving skills for a loop. The author has woven an intricate mystery into the modern techno-age rather deftly—although there’s probably more technical information than the average non-tech reader actually needs.
A good first book.
An enjoyable read that I highly recommend. I give it three and a half stars.
The Machine Murders by C.J. Abazis is an intriguing murder mystery that will throw your mystery solving skills for a loop. The author has woven an intricate mystery into the modern techno-age rather deftly—although there’s probably more technical information than the average non-tech reader actually needs.
A good first book.
An enjoyable read that I highly recommend. I give it three and a half stars.
April 9, 2022
Island Buoys is a technothriller crime story. The tale begins with a series of murders taking place on the island of Mykonos. Mano Manu is there for a wedding but then gets involved in figuring out who the killer is as the murderer abducts his victims one after another and kills them in a brutal way.
The story addresses the extent to which AI developments have influenced law enforcement. I predominately enjoyed the intensity and science that went behind the murder and solving it.
The author writes the story with enough description that you can easily visualize each scene. The literature is well written and is told well. I was more intrigued about realizing that this is just book one.
I recommend this book to action readers and those who like AI related storylines.
The story addresses the extent to which AI developments have influenced law enforcement. I predominately enjoyed the intensity and science that went behind the murder and solving it.
The author writes the story with enough description that you can easily visualize each scene. The literature is well written and is told well. I was more intrigued about realizing that this is just book one.
I recommend this book to action readers and those who like AI related storylines.
June 17, 2022
This is an incredibly well-written book combining crime-solving techniques with AI analysis, and it is truly original. It is absorbing and one of those books that’s hard to put down. I had to slow down and read carefully sometimes for comprehension due to being unfamiliar with a lot of this, but it is very interesting. I don’t know what all the author has experience in or if he just did a lot of research, but this comes across as pretty realistic, despite some of the rather far-out concepts. I can definitely recommend this book; I was provided a copy, which I appreciate, but these opinions are my own.
December 25, 2024
Очень неоднозначно.
С одной стороны - действительно, мы живем во времена данных, и данные могут многое. Но с другой - что за извращенное убийство? Что за грязь?
А еще мысли героев постоянно прыгают. У меня было ощущение, будто отдельные страницы вырваны и потому я ничего не понимаю.
В общем, не могу рекомендовать.
С одной стороны - действительно, мы живем во времена данных, и данные могут многое. Но с другой - что за извращенное убийство? Что за грязь?
А еще мысли героев постоянно прыгают. У меня было ощущение, будто отдельные страницы вырваны и потому я ничего не понимаю.
В общем, не могу рекомендовать.
August 18, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and the author for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have so many thoughts about this book so I'll write my review as they come in mind.
When I was approached by the promotion team My only thought was Excellent timing! I was already thinking of picking up the crime genre again after a looong time and I was thrilled. Big plus, it takes place in Mykonos in the summer and let's admit it, murder is not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Mykonos. The location alone creates such a contrast (murder on one hand, big parties on the other) and the fact that the main character, computer genius and Interpol agent Manos Manou, get dragged accidentally in it, having arrived at Mykonos for his best friend's wedding (with a week of lavish festivities planned) makes things even crazier.
I am not a big fan of problematic, alcoholic detectives with anger issues (which seems to be a big trend when it comes to crime series) so the fact that Manou was not one was a winner. Sure, he arrived in every crime scene and every meeting hangover and seemed to be fueled by coffee alone, but what can you do when your friends drag you from one all night party to the next and that serial killer won't stop his murderous spree? It made things kind of funny.
What really sets the book apart though, is how much technology is involved in the investigation and the final solving of the murders. It's not simply a means to gather information but it involves algorithms and complicated math, not my area of expertise, so I won't lie to you, there were moments that my understanding of what was going on was zero. Luckily I am the wife of a computer nerd, so I had all my questions answered. I am not sure though how things would have been if I weren't and maybe it will be baffling for those without a personal computer-to-real-life translator.
Now, the murders... The murders were graphic. It created really vivid images in my head and I am sure they are here to stay for a long time. The serial killer? C R A Z Y. There was old school investigation by old school Greek cops, red herrings all over the place, information leading to dead ends, suspense, parties, the best tech sidekick ever (Mei rocks and Manou wouldn't have made it without her) sexy atmosphere under the hot Greek sun. It pretty much covered everything. My rating would have been higher but, like I said before, I am not sure how it would have worked out for me without someone explaining the techy staff.
But it brought me summer in the middle of winter and I had a good time reading it so, when Manos Manou returns with his new adventure, I will definitely meet him again. And Mei. Did I mention how much I liked Mei?
I have so many thoughts about this book so I'll write my review as they come in mind.
When I was approached by the promotion team My only thought was Excellent timing! I was already thinking of picking up the crime genre again after a looong time and I was thrilled. Big plus, it takes place in Mykonos in the summer and let's admit it, murder is not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Mykonos. The location alone creates such a contrast (murder on one hand, big parties on the other) and the fact that the main character, computer genius and Interpol agent Manos Manou, get dragged accidentally in it, having arrived at Mykonos for his best friend's wedding (with a week of lavish festivities planned) makes things even crazier.
I am not a big fan of problematic, alcoholic detectives with anger issues (which seems to be a big trend when it comes to crime series) so the fact that Manou was not one was a winner. Sure, he arrived in every crime scene and every meeting hangover and seemed to be fueled by coffee alone, but what can you do when your friends drag you from one all night party to the next and that serial killer won't stop his murderous spree? It made things kind of funny.
What really sets the book apart though, is how much technology is involved in the investigation and the final solving of the murders. It's not simply a means to gather information but it involves algorithms and complicated math, not my area of expertise, so I won't lie to you, there were moments that my understanding of what was going on was zero. Luckily I am the wife of a computer nerd, so I had all my questions answered. I am not sure though how things would have been if I weren't and maybe it will be baffling for those without a personal computer-to-real-life translator.
Now, the murders... The murders were graphic. It created really vivid images in my head and I am sure they are here to stay for a long time. The serial killer? C R A Z Y. There was old school investigation by old school Greek cops, red herrings all over the place, information leading to dead ends, suspense, parties, the best tech sidekick ever (Mei rocks and Manou wouldn't have made it without her) sexy atmosphere under the hot Greek sun. It pretty much covered everything. My rating would have been higher but, like I said before, I am not sure how it would have worked out for me without someone explaining the techy staff.
But it brought me summer in the middle of winter and I had a good time reading it so, when Manos Manou returns with his new adventure, I will definitely meet him again. And Mei. Did I mention how much I liked Mei?
December 23, 2021
I found this book a bit strange. The murders are quite graphic and unsettling to say the least. The majority of the story goes into compiling data and finding correlations that lead the a murderer.
A series of murders in the party island of Mykonos rocks the Web.
A data scientist has less than a week to become a cop.
Manos Manu arrives on the Greek island of Mykonos to attend a friend’s luxurious wedding, but soon finds himself on the hunt for a serial killer. The murderer abducts his victims, runs their body through with chains and sinks them offshore attached to a buoy scrawled with the word "FREE".
Local police find plenty of clues: boat rentals and hotel reservations, DNA samples and last sightings. But when the murders start making the rounds of social media, they’re in over their head.
Enter Manu, a data scientist who gave up lucrative Silicon Valley for Interpol only so he could freely "run multiple models on human actors". His problem now? Every move he makes is met with suspicion: his wealthy friends question his career in law enforcement, and the Greek police are baffled by his methods. His machine learning system tracks online media use to find killers, but it’s untested. He needs datasets, but they’re classified. And Interpol headquarters in Singapore don’t like him squandering resources or - much worse - exposing the entire program to the scrutiny of global media.
But the victims multiply. The crisis deepens. And Manu’s machine learning models plunge them into data correlations impossible to fathom.
A series of murders in the party island of Mykonos rocks the Web.
A data scientist has less than a week to become a cop.
Manos Manu arrives on the Greek island of Mykonos to attend a friend’s luxurious wedding, but soon finds himself on the hunt for a serial killer. The murderer abducts his victims, runs their body through with chains and sinks them offshore attached to a buoy scrawled with the word "FREE".
Local police find plenty of clues: boat rentals and hotel reservations, DNA samples and last sightings. But when the murders start making the rounds of social media, they’re in over their head.
Enter Manu, a data scientist who gave up lucrative Silicon Valley for Interpol only so he could freely "run multiple models on human actors". His problem now? Every move he makes is met with suspicion: his wealthy friends question his career in law enforcement, and the Greek police are baffled by his methods. His machine learning system tracks online media use to find killers, but it’s untested. He needs datasets, but they’re classified. And Interpol headquarters in Singapore don’t like him squandering resources or - much worse - exposing the entire program to the scrutiny of global media.
But the victims multiply. The crisis deepens. And Manu’s machine learning models plunge them into data correlations impossible to fathom.
December 14, 2021
Set on the Greek island of Mykonos, this novel is about a man named Manu Manos. He is Greek, and works for Interpol in Singapore. He is attending the destination wedding of his roommate from Stanford, and there is an international conference on criminology also happening on the island.
A dead body is found, underwater, killed in a particularly gruesome way. The local police are better at handling drunk tourists than investigating a murder. Manu becomes the official head of the investigation, even though he is more comfortable with data sets and probabilities than interrogating suspects.
As Interpol's computers scour the world of social media, and start to reduce the suspect list, another body is found, and another. There is seemingly no connection between the victims. Manu is continuously in contact with Singapore, where, interestingly, a copycat killer is found.
Suddenly, Lena, Manu's girlfriend, and the bride, have disappeared. Can Manu find them before they get added to the victim list?
Here is a gem of a story. It has plenty of suspense, an exotic location and dead bodies. This will keep the reader reading long past bedtime.
A dead body is found, underwater, killed in a particularly gruesome way. The local police are better at handling drunk tourists than investigating a murder. Manu becomes the official head of the investigation, even though he is more comfortable with data sets and probabilities than interrogating suspects.
As Interpol's computers scour the world of social media, and start to reduce the suspect list, another body is found, and another. There is seemingly no connection between the victims. Manu is continuously in contact with Singapore, where, interestingly, a copycat killer is found.
Suddenly, Lena, Manu's girlfriend, and the bride, have disappeared. Can Manu find them before they get added to the victim list?
Here is a gem of a story. It has plenty of suspense, an exotic location and dead bodies. This will keep the reader reading long past bedtime.
October 13, 2021
Amazing plot! Insightful crime solving...Can't wait to read the next book in the series!
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