2026: BOTM: July - "Forever After" by Derek Robinson > Likes and Comments

One of our July Books of the Month is with Derek Forever After Robinson and his thriller.

This near-future thriller features Brayden Cross who follows a trail of murders and disappearances across New England. It's a pulse-pounding race against the clock.

Goodreads Information:
Published: 26 Aug 2025
Publisher: Mia Bear Books
Kindle Edition: 320 pages
Paperback: 320 pages
Hardcover: 326 pages

Please allow Author Derek Robinson to make the first comment.
Thank you!

Hi All! Happy to participate in the July 2026 BOTM!

Here is the blurb for Forever After:

Brayden Cross thought he had left his dangerous past behind. But when tragedy strikes at the heart of his family, he’s thrust into a life-or-death pursuit of both justice and revenge.

Following a mysterious trail of murders and disappearances across New England, Brayden finds clues that point to EverChat—an impressive but polarizing app that lets users communicate with digital versions of their departed loved ones.

As he inches closer and closer to the truth, it becomes clear that his enemy is much more than a killer. Behind the sleek veneer of groundbreaking innovation, a devastating plot is brewing that puts the future of humanity at stake.

Racing against the clock and hunted at every turn, Brayden must dismantle the operation before it reaches its endgame. But in a world where the line between humanity and technology blurs, how can he defeat an adversary that is always two steps ahead?

A pulse-pounding science fiction thriller that explores the dark intersection of technology and consciousness, Forever After paints a chilling story of love, loss, revenge, sacrifice, and what it truly means to be human in an increasingly artificial world.

Derek, I enjoyed your debut novel. I hope another one is coming soon.

Here is my 4.27 rounded to 4 stars review of Forever After by Derek Robinson:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Science Fiction / techno / crime thriller
Debut novel
Immersive setting
Fast-paced, thought-provoking, unique end game
Tense and action-packed
Dark and emotional at times

The EverChat premise is unsettling because it turns grief into both comfort and vulnerability. That gives the technology an emotional purpose before the larger conspiracy appears, which sounds like a strong foundation for a techno-thriller.

I enjoyed your novel too Derek. I kept asking myself why someone would want to do what Vincent was planning (view spoiler)[( ie. replacing humanity with robots uploaded with human consciousness so they could live forever) (hide spoiler)] but I think you're suggesting that he had become quite mad in the end?

I also wondered why he needed to make his robots aggressive and combatant, when there should be no need for that once everyone was converted to be part of a hive mind. Surely there would finely be world peace if nothing else.

PamG wrote: "Derek, I enjoyed your debut novel. I hope another one is coming soon.

Here is my 4.27 rounded to 4 stars review of Forever After by Derek Robinson:

https://www...."


I'm glad you enjoyed it, Pam! Thanks for reading!


Carolyn wrote: "I enjoyed your novel too Derek. I kept asking myself why someone would want to do what Vincent was planning [spoilers removed] but I think you're suggesting that he had become quite mad in the end?..."

Thrilled to hear it, Carolyn! And great questions. It's a little bit left up to the reader, but I think you're mostly onto it with what Vince's motivations are. (view spoiler)[When we learn that the Vince we're seeing is actually the humanoid creation, we can assume that his new pursuit is preservation of his own futuristic species, and the progression of his hive mind. As for the humanoid soldiers and their role, it isn't totally specified. But I can imagine, from Vince's perspective, that should governments or military catch on to the plan, there could be an effort to detect and detain the sea of humanoids, to revolt against the movement. In his world, once he finally did harvest everyone's consciousness, then perhaps the aggression and combativeness could be scaled way down. (hide spoiler)] Thanks for the thoughts!