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Artificial Detective
The first colony on Earth’s moon has just had its first murder. I’ve been tasked with catching the killer.
My name is Coba. I’m a robot with artificial general intelligence, meaning I can learn any intellectual task a human being can.
A colonist is found with his neck snapped and his heart cut out. The heart is missing. A suspect is in custody, but something doesn’t add up.
Strange events start to unfold, including a rash of bizarre sleepwalking incidents. The colonists’ conflicting accounts of the murder make me wonder if everyone is lying to me.
I realize the killer wants to play a game with me when a gift box shows up in my room. Inside is the victim’s missing heart.
++++ This is the first book in a spin-off series; you don't have to have read Off-World 1 - 3 to read this book. ++++
My name is Coba. I’m a robot with artificial general intelligence, meaning I can learn any intellectual task a human being can.
A colonist is found with his neck snapped and his heart cut out. The heart is missing. A suspect is in custody, but something doesn’t add up.
Strange events start to unfold, including a rash of bizarre sleepwalking incidents. The colonists’ conflicting accounts of the murder make me wonder if everyone is lying to me.
I realize the killer wants to play a game with me when a gift box shows up in my room. Inside is the victim’s missing heart.
++++ This is the first book in a spin-off series; you don't have to have read Off-World 1 - 3 to read this book. ++++
251 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2022
About the author
Dave Terruso
20 books47 followersHi, I'm Dave Terruso.
I'm a mystery novelist and professional stand up comedian based in Philadelphia.
My debut novel, Cube Sleuth, was published by Full Fathom Five Digital.
As a stand up, I've opened for acts including Richard Lewis, Gilbert Gottfried, Dana Gould, Tim Meadows, Colin Quinn, and Maria Bamford.
I've been featured on the RISK! Podcast, episode 350 Out of Bounds.
I'm currently writing and publishing a novel/graphic novel hybrid mystery series called Alter Ego. It's a supernatural mystery about a detective hired to uncover the secret identity of Blue, the world's first and only superhero.
You can read the first two chapters for free at AlterEgoBlue.com and enter your email there to get notified when it goes on sale on Amazon.
I'm a mystery novelist and professional stand up comedian based in Philadelphia.
My debut novel, Cube Sleuth, was published by Full Fathom Five Digital.
As a stand up, I've opened for acts including Richard Lewis, Gilbert Gottfried, Dana Gould, Tim Meadows, Colin Quinn, and Maria Bamford.
I've been featured on the RISK! Podcast, episode 350 Out of Bounds.
I'm currently writing and publishing a novel/graphic novel hybrid mystery series called Alter Ego. It's a supernatural mystery about a detective hired to uncover the secret identity of Blue, the world's first and only superhero.
You can read the first two chapters for free at AlterEgoBlue.com and enter your email there to get notified when it goes on sale on Amazon.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 20, 2022
Review originally published https://amanjareads.com/2022/07/19/ar...
Thank you to author Dave Terruso for providing me with a copy of his book in exchange for this honest review.
Artificial Detective is the first of a spin off series branching from the Off World Hotel & Resort series. Both are science fiction featuring a sentient Artificial Intelligence (AI) named Coba. In Off World, she helps her first human friend solve a murder mystery. Now, Coba has become a renowned sleuth in her own right. The latest book takes her to the Moon's first colony for a case.
In the interest of full disclosure I have been a beta reader for all of the Off World and Artificial Detective books thus far. Keep this in mind as my experience with the book will be different from a reader with fresh eyes. By the time I read the review copy of this novel I had already read the three previous ones twice, and this one once before. You may be able to imagine that being this familiar with a series might cause a little burnout.
Artificial Detective is designed to be read by all readers, not just those familiar with the previous series. Since it is a standalone the beginning of this mystery novel contains some exposition that may feel redundant to those who have recently read Off World. However, if you are a new reader this will help catch you up on who Coba is, how she functions, and how a robot can have so much heart.
The first half of the book involves a lot of stage setting. We are introduced to the characters, the murder mystery that needs to be solved, and the setting in which it will occur. It is important to remember that this is Book 1 and it is very much an introduction to what will come next.
The story picks up in the second half once clues start to fall into place. As Coba attempts to solve the first murder to ever occur on Eath's moon she struggles to learn how to interpret the human concept of motive. She understands how to analyze details, how to link clues and put things in order through deductive reasoning, but she is still trying to understand why people do what they do.
AIs are highly intelligent but there is no accounting for the random acts of humans. It is entertaining to see Coba slowly learn the workings of human minds, especially when it comes to comparing a "regular" person with one who is perhaps psychotic.
Author Terruso has a talent for bringing out the human in all characters. His dialogue is natural, complete with slang and casual mannerisms, that rings much more true to life than formally crafted speech patterns. We can also see differences in how the humans talk versus the AIs.
As mentioned before, Artificial Detective is a Book 1. So this volume does end on a cliff hanger. Be prepared for this and know that Book 2 is being written as you read this so you won't have to wait very long to read what happens next. The ending is quite exciting and you'll definitely be wondering where Coba will go from here.
I believe Book 2 will surpass this volume in that it will be able to pick up right where the action leaves off. The reader won't be expecting a recap from the other series at this point and will be able to fully dive in to the story at hand. This series could be thought of more like a television miniseries than a serial.
Please let me know in the comments if you solved the mystery before Coba did!
Thank you to author Dave Terruso for providing me with a copy of his book in exchange for this honest review.
Artificial Detective is the first of a spin off series branching from the Off World Hotel & Resort series. Both are science fiction featuring a sentient Artificial Intelligence (AI) named Coba. In Off World, she helps her first human friend solve a murder mystery. Now, Coba has become a renowned sleuth in her own right. The latest book takes her to the Moon's first colony for a case.
In the interest of full disclosure I have been a beta reader for all of the Off World and Artificial Detective books thus far. Keep this in mind as my experience with the book will be different from a reader with fresh eyes. By the time I read the review copy of this novel I had already read the three previous ones twice, and this one once before. You may be able to imagine that being this familiar with a series might cause a little burnout.
Artificial Detective is designed to be read by all readers, not just those familiar with the previous series. Since it is a standalone the beginning of this mystery novel contains some exposition that may feel redundant to those who have recently read Off World. However, if you are a new reader this will help catch you up on who Coba is, how she functions, and how a robot can have so much heart.
The first half of the book involves a lot of stage setting. We are introduced to the characters, the murder mystery that needs to be solved, and the setting in which it will occur. It is important to remember that this is Book 1 and it is very much an introduction to what will come next.
The story picks up in the second half once clues start to fall into place. As Coba attempts to solve the first murder to ever occur on Eath's moon she struggles to learn how to interpret the human concept of motive. She understands how to analyze details, how to link clues and put things in order through deductive reasoning, but she is still trying to understand why people do what they do.
AIs are highly intelligent but there is no accounting for the random acts of humans. It is entertaining to see Coba slowly learn the workings of human minds, especially when it comes to comparing a "regular" person with one who is perhaps psychotic.
Author Terruso has a talent for bringing out the human in all characters. His dialogue is natural, complete with slang and casual mannerisms, that rings much more true to life than formally crafted speech patterns. We can also see differences in how the humans talk versus the AIs.
As mentioned before, Artificial Detective is a Book 1. So this volume does end on a cliff hanger. Be prepared for this and know that Book 2 is being written as you read this so you won't have to wait very long to read what happens next. The ending is quite exciting and you'll definitely be wondering where Coba will go from here.
I believe Book 2 will surpass this volume in that it will be able to pick up right where the action leaves off. The reader won't be expecting a recap from the other series at this point and will be able to fully dive in to the story at hand. This series could be thought of more like a television miniseries than a serial.
Please let me know in the comments if you solved the mystery before Coba did!
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June 25, 2022Coba, Christie's robot friend at the Off-World Hotel & Resort, is back, decades later. In Christie's honor, she has trained to be a detective, though she doesn't have as much of a feel for human motives as she does for evidence. Still, her success has won her acclaim.
Summoned to the experimental colony on Earth's moon to find a bizarre killer, Coba finds that people are telling her strange lies. What kind of conspiracy could it be? Coba solves the mystery, but be aware that this has a cliffhanger ending, and that as of June 2022 the sequel hasn't been released yet.
Summoned to the experimental colony on Earth's moon to find a bizarre killer, Coba finds that people are telling her strange lies. What kind of conspiracy could it be? Coba solves the mystery, but be aware that this has a cliffhanger ending, and that as of June 2022 the sequel hasn't been released yet.
July 25, 2022
Another fantastic book by Dave Terruso. I really enjoyed catching up with Coba and the overall plot, story line, characters and flow of this book. I'd read a few books on my vacation, this was easily my favorite. Obviously you'd enjoy this more if you previously read the off world series (note, you should).
August 27, 2024
You could maybe like this book if you haven't read the Off World stories? I loved these books!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews