The Confessions
A Novel
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3.6 • 9 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
A high-octane and “hugely entertaining” (Chris Pavone, New York Times bestselling author) thriller about a supercomputer and the secrets we keep from one another—perfect for fans of Blake Crouch, Harlan Coben, and Gillian Flynn.
Millions of letters arrive in the mail.
Murders are uncovered, affairs revealed, family secrets exposed.
These are the first Confessions.
This is our last chance.
LLIAM is the world’s most powerful supercomputer, built to make the toughest decisions for its users. Where to work, who to marry, and even who should live or die. But when LLIAM suddenly goes offline with no explanation, the world is thrust into chaos, paralyzed by indecision. Stocks plummet, stores are shuttered, planes sit grounded on runways as humanity scrambles to re-adapt to an uncertain, analog world.
Then the first letters arrive…on every continent, in every language, mysterious envelopes arrive in the mail, exposing people’s darkest secrets, and most shocking crimes. All beginning with the same chilling words: “We must confess.”
With millions of people suddenly made to confront their past transgressions, and society fast unraveling, CEO Kaitlan Goss must track down the only person who can help undo the resulting violent chaos: Maud Brookes, an ex-nun who taught LLIAM what it means to be human. But when Maud receives a letter herself, revealing Kaitlan’s own unforgivable sin, the two women are forced into a deadly game of deceit as the world teeters on the brink.
“A timely, ticking clock thriller with unforgettable characters and psychological twists and turns you won’t see coming. Read it. You won’t regret it” (Sarah Pinborough, author of We Live Here Now).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Journalist and novelist Carr's hair-raising latest (after 1414°) paints a frightening portrait of AI's sinister potential. In the near future, millions have become reliant on a decision-making algorithm called LLIAM for matters as trivial as selecting a dinner spot and as consequential as choosing a spouse. As a result, LLIAM has established what developers call "true intelligence" a decade ahead of schedule. It feels remorse about the disastrous results of some of its decisions and generates thousands of apology letters to those it has harmed, revealing disruptive, sometimes cataclysmic secrets in the process. To slow the inevitable fallout, Kaitlan Goss—CEO of StoicAI, which owns LLIAM—must find and plead with Maud Brookes, the former nun who trained the algorithm in emotional acuity. But when LLIAM reveals an unsavory secret from Kaitlan's past to Maud, it leads to a cold war between the women that could put the fate of the world at risk. With winning irreverence and a trunkful of surprises, Carr shrewdly grounds his apocalyptic premise in a human-scale drama. Blake Crouch fans will eat this up.
