This is the third book in the series featuring Gil Peck and Jess Neeskens. Having read the previous two books, I was already familiar with the characters and their history. However, this can easily be read as a standalone novel. I just prefer knowing the characters’ backstories before diving into a new instalment.The story is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Gil and Jess. They have recently separated after Jess threw Gil out, but despite their personal differences, they continue working together on their podcast. Gil also remains a part of the lives of his stepdaughter Amy, and son Ciaran.The author explores the ever-growing role of AI and asks an intriguing question: just how far could this technology develop? Gil and Jess are interviewing the current Prime Minister, Stella Barnsbury, for their podcast. Jess has a personal history with Stella dating back to their younger days. During the recording, Stella suddenly becomes seriously ill and is rushed away. The official story is that she has contracted a virus and is expected to return to work the following week, clearly an attempt to keep the situation under wraps.It isn’t long before the shocking news breaks that the Prime Minister has died, with the Deputy Prime Minister stepping in while matters are dealt with. Gil and Jess are immediately summoned and tested to ensure whatever killed Stella isn’t contagious. But Jess is a journalist through and through, believing the public has a right to know the truth, so they release the podcast recording. The question is, who is behind the attack? Russia? China? Or someone else entirely? And this is only the beginning.The UK government wants to keep everything quiet, but that’s never going to happen with Gil and Jess involved. As they dig deeper, they uncover details of a contract the late Prime Minister had been considering involving AI and highly sensitive data—a deal she pulled out of at the last minute. Could this be what the attackers were really after?The story takes a fascinating look at artificial intelligence and whether it could one day develop cognitive abilities that match or even surpass those of humans. It may seem slightly futuristic, but when you consider how much technology has advanced over the past decade, it’s not difficult to imagine. We rely on technology every day, our phones, computers, tablets, and smart devices, so perhaps it’s not such a far-fetched idea after all.This is a tense and gripping read that pulls you in from the very beginning. The pacing is excellent, moving quickly during the action before slowing just enough to let you absorb the important details. There is a strong cast of characters, with a good balance of those you’ll root for and those you’ll love to dislike.I will say this book stirred up emotions I wasn’t expecting, with a few developments that genuinely caught me by surprise. Overall, this is a well-plotted, well-written political thriller that flows effortlessly. If you enjoy stories involving journalism, politics, conspiracy, and the possibilities, and dangers, of AI, then this is definitely a book worth picking up.Thank you to @ZaffreBooks for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fairly enjoyable book, but there are too many plot holes. If you're going to make a big thing about a massive power cut, it may be better not to have someone's electric gates still working. It also flip-flopped between overstating and understating the effects of the cyber attacks that are a key element of the story. I think that it's good that a writer such as Robert Peston is highlighting the, only too real, threats that exist today. However I found this book to be a bit of a slog. I shall be checking out the previous two novels in the series, so it wasn't that bad.

The author clearly knows his way around political intrigue and the workings of Westminster. Unfortunately, I found the plot itself rather slow to gain momentum and difficult to become invested in. The alternating narration between the two main characters added little in the way of fresh insight and often disrupted the flow of the story. The protagonists’ voices are so similar as to be almost indistinguishable. Both come across as self-important and somewhat self-absorbed, making it difficult to form much of an attachment to either of them. Remove the names from the chapter headings, and I suspect many readers would struggle to identify who is narrating. By the time I reached the first third of the novel, I realised I no longer particularly cared what happened next. A backdrop of public-school politics, a mysterious virus, malevolent AI and the Russian mob should make for a gripping, fast-paced thriller. Instead, it felt like a collection of familiar ingredients that never quite came together, relying rather too heavily on well-worn tropes.