Blind Spots was a great read by Thomas Mullen. Everyone in the world went blind in a matter of months seven years ago. Technology was a way to help people adjust to their new normal. They created a device that approximates vision which downloads visual data directly to people's brains. Mark Owens is a homicide detective who has been on the force since the blinding. There is a scientist who is murdered and the only witness insists that the killer was blacked out of her vision. He doesnt believe her until a similar murder happens in front of him. I enjoyed reading this book and cant wait to read more by the author.

“Blind Spots” by Thomas Mullen is a riveting crime novel with a speculative edge. Set in a high-tech future, the world grapples with a mysterious event that left everyone blind. Technology steps in, creating devices called “vidders” that approximate vision by downloading visual data directly to people’s brains. When a scientist is murdered, homicide detective Mark Owens faces a perplexing case: the witness insists the killer was blacked out of her vision. As bodies pile up, Owens investigates in a world of surveillance and disinformation, where truth is elusive.

"Blind Spots” explores manipulated perceptions and the blurred line between reality and illusion. Mullen’s writing keeps readers guessing, questioning their own eyes.

"Blind Spots" is a riveting sci-fi thriller that skillfully keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The gripping narrative and suspenseful twists create an immersive experience, making it a must-read for fans of the genre. The author's ability to blend science fiction elements with thrilling storytelling has resulted in a captivating and enthralling journey through the unknown. Highly recommended for those seeking an adrenaline-pumping exploration of futuristic suspense.

Consider my interest piqued at various levels throughout this book. After an event known as The Blinding, the entirety of the world goes blind. As with other such catastrophes of this scale, it takes this widescale event to fund research to "cure" it. This doesn't quite cure blindness, but rather introduces a new way to see. I enjoyed the sci-fi and dystopian nature of this book, but police procedurals not set in Nordic countries often miss the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book!

I enjoyed this one and I highly recommend. I thought the narrators really captured the essence of the characters.

This is a very interesting story, compelling and gripping. It will most likely leave you gripping the sides of your comfy reading chair. Incredibly entertaining.

"Blind Spots" by Thomas Mullen is a thought-provoking and meticulously crafted novel that skillfully explores themes of race, identity, and the complex realities of American society. Mullen's writing is both compelling and unflinching, taking readers on a journey through the lives of diverse characters, exposing their innermost thoughts, struggles, and prejudices.

Set against the backdrop of contemporary Atlanta, the novel delves into the lives of its protagonists, unveiling their personal blind spots, biases, and misconceptions. Mullen's characters are richly developed and multi-dimensional, making it easy to empathize with their experiences and dilemmas. Their interconnected stories serve as a powerful reflection of the broader issues of racism and discrimination that persist in today's world.

One of the strengths of "Blind Spots" lies in Mullen's ability to tackle difficult and uncomfortable topics with sensitivity and nuance. The book prompts readers to question their own biases and confront the uncomfortable truths that often hide in plain sight. It's a compelling and necessary narrative that encourages self-reflection and dialogue about the complex issues of race and privilege.

Mullen's writing style is immersive, with a keen attention to detail that brings the city of Atlanta to life. His ability to weave together multiple perspectives and storylines creates a mosaic of experiences that feels true to life. The pacing keeps readers engaged as they become invested in the characters' journeys and the overarching narrative.

"Blind Spots" is not just a novel; it's a powerful social commentary that challenges us to examine our own preconceived notions and to seek a deeper understanding of the world around us. Thomas Mullen's ability to shine a light on the blind spots we all possess is a testament to his storytelling prowess. This book is a must-read for those who appreciate fiction that grapples with important social issues and encourages readers to confront their own biases and preconceptions.

This book was intriguing. The concept was unique and it kept my attention from start to finish. The narrator did a great job for a long read.

As someone who works in the ophthalmology world I am always fascinated with anything that revolves around vision and seeing, so when I saw the premise/title and cover of this book I wanted to read it.

I applaud the author for coming up with a new frightening concept of mass blindness. Basically it took the entire world 75 days to go from 20/20 vision to zero. Can you imagine navigating a world where no one can see? Just reading the bits when the narrator goes full blind made me uneasy.

After the whole world went blind they worked together to find a way to be able to "see" and came up with vidders basically video screens implanted into your head to give vision. Cops were the first to receive this new technology and can even see through walls. Then there starts to be complaints of blurred out areas on the vidders. Is this people misremembering what they see or the vidders not working properly or could it be something more sinister?

Overall I think the setting and storyline were new and interesting, but I didnt' find the mystery that exciting.

DNF :( Just couldn't get into it, unfortunately. Enjoyed the sci-fi premise and I think the narrator did a good job. Just not my thing, at least in this moment.

A futuristic look at a world where the people have been blinded. Are there dirty cops? What is their mission? This was well written and captivating. Mr. Tideman did an excellent job narrating.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

Seven years ago, everyone in the world went blind over the course of just a few months. With little warning and no known reason for it, scientists and techies raced to find a way to help people see again. Now, people use a device that approximates vision, downloading data directly into people's brains. When rumors begin to spread of people who can seemingly black-out their image, detective Mark Owens finds himself struggling to believe it. But when he has his own dangerous encounter, a chain of executions begins that force him to question everything he thought he knew.

This speculative dystopian detective mystery (that's a lot of adjectives) was fascinating. It does start off a little bit difficult to get situated in the world, but as the story continues, the author continues to incorporate relevant information at a good pace. This was a great way to get background about The Blinding, the responses to it, and the new technology that was introduced. I enjoyed how the author incorporated the different hypothesis for The Blinding, rather than leaving it as a big unknown. And I also liked the different factions this event caused and how well the author incorporated that into the story.

I'm not often entertained by police/crime fiction, but I appreciated that aspect of this work. It allowed us to have inside information relating to technology and the world that regular folks wouldn't have known, and allowed the protagonist to go places and do things that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. There were aspects of the author's writing that I disliked, though. A couple examples include abrupt changes in POV and timeline as well as the unnecessarily constant describing of everyone's race and ethnicity. I also didn't find it easy to become emotionally invested in any of the characters and their emotions never really shone through, though they were written okay enough to not detract from the work overall. I do wish there was more exploration/discussion of some of the themes that were incorporated into this work to add some more depth and meaning to the read as a whole. Also the reveal of the antagonist was not surprising, but since I wasn't sure of the motivations I still mostly enjoyed it.

Overall, this was a solid work of speculative fiction that was entertaining. I liked the idea of the world and the tech even if other aspects of the work were just okay. My thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Blind Spots is a Science Fiction with a mix of Detective and Crime story. This one grabbed my attention and did not let go until the very end.

This is a story about seeing the truth.

I’m torn on this one. On one hand, the sci fi thriller elements reminded me of minority report & I loved the writing & world building. On the other, the messaging woven in about good cops just trying to help out a friend/having to live in fear of being held responsible for “mistakes” didn’t super work for me & felt a bit contrived. I think this is a solid bet for sci fi thriller fans who also enjoy police procedurals!

Thank you so much @macmillan.audio & @minotaur_books for the copies! I really enjoyed the audio.

Just okay. Throughout the reading, I never reached story level -- I stayed at book level. The premise I found intriguing, even though it was science fiction, not my goto. However nothing flowed, it read like a creative writing paper with lots of holes and unanswered questions. Unfortunately, the characters were not likable and there was too much profanity.

The narrator was good, and I give him credit for me finishing.

Published: 04/04/23
Narrator: Gary Tiedemann

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review Blind Spots.

2.5 stars (not rounding up).

I enjoyed the narration and the story. There were some spots where I felt like the story could have moved faster but overall I really enjoyed it.

Detective Mark Owens is blind. But then, so is everyone else. Seven years ago, there was a wave of blindness that went through the country, slowing taking away everyone’s vision and leaving anxiety in its wake. Eventually, a tech company invented a way for people to restore their sight, with special glasses that connect to the brain to project reality in a way that feels like sight.

But the years before the vidders were especially difficult for the police. Without being able to see what was going on, the danger was everywhere. The job is better with them, but it’s still difficult. It’s still a dark and dangerous world, and Owens is still heartbroken from the loss of his wife. But he’s done what he can to move on and to keep bringing criminals to justice.

When a prominent scientist is killed, Owens is given the case. There is a witness, another scientist and a colleague to the victim. She was there when someone walked up and shot the man, so it seems like an easy case to close. But she says that she didn’t see anything. There was a black spot where the shooter was, so she can’t describe the shooter.

This is an excuse that Owens has heard for years from criminals, that there was something wrong with their vidders, some glitch, that kept them from seeing something happening. Owens wants to believe the woman when she says that couldn’t see the shooter, but the vidders don’t work that way.

And then it happened to him. His witness is killed right in front of him, and all he could see was a black blur where the person should be.

Suddenly, Owens is having to solve not just one murder but two, and to solve them blind. Clearly, someone has figured out how to hack the vidders to keep themselves hidden. But who is doing that and why? Could one of the tech billionaires be taking advantage with their superior understanding of the vidders? Or is it possible that a criminal enterprise cracked the code to help them succeed? Or is it a sabotage from one of the groups who are against the use of the vidders? All Owens knows is that the bodies are piling up and he is investigating them at a definite disadvantage. Will he be able to solve the crimes before they come for him, or will he be left in the dark?

Blind Spots is a thrilling crime novel set in a dystopian world. It blends a police procedural with a dark post-pandemic thriller and includes a hearty helping of tech on the side. It asked questions about power and control and the choices that we make when our way of life is threatened.

I listened to Blind Spots on audio, narrated by Gary Tiedemann. Listening to this story was intense, and there were some parts of the novel that were a little confusing to me (particularly the busier action sequences where there were several characters moving at the same time). But overall, I could follow the story pretty well and I thought Tiedemann did an exceptional job with the character of Owens.

I am a fan of crime novels, and I liked the crime here a lot. I thought the Blinding and the vidders brought an interesting dimension to this story, with the interplay between being able to see versus being in the dark. I’m not a huge fan of dystopian fiction, and I heard that those who were wanting to read this for the dystopian story were disappointed that it was more a crime novel, so that is something to consider before buying the book. But either way, this is an interesting book with an intriguing crime and some important questions about what it means to see the world.

A copy of the audio book for Blind Spots was provided by Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Blind Spots takes place in an interesting world where everyone went blind gradually due to a virus, yet were able to create "vidders" to restore vision -- and of course the rollout of that was choppy; similar to the COVID vaccines in our world -- even including a group opting to stay blind.
Our hero is a police officer/widower who gets drawn in to reports of people appearing only as shadows -- their version of deepfake technology. This is at first passed off to drug/stress-related hallucinations but quickly becomes much more than that when he sees them himself at an attack on a tech executive with vital information.
The novel is very interesting in both the main story and the related aspects of dealing with the aftermath of the chaotic times and roles of police and others in power; as well as the perspectives on that.
The pacing is mostly good until the end, where there is a ton to unravel/reveal along with keeping the action going. Overall, a fun and thought provoking read.

If you’re looking for a book full of conspiracy theories and speculation then this is the one for you. Blind Spots is set in the future where an unknown source has caused the world’s population to go blind. Thanks to a young genius, technology is created to give people their sight back, but only if they have the right connections or enough money to obtain what is known as a vitter. There are those who have the means to own a vitter but choose not to use them. The main character, Mark Owens is forced to begin to take the conspiracy theories about vitters being hacked to be true, when he experiences it firsthand while investigating a mysterious murder. A sci-fi filled crime novel!

Unfortunately this title was a DNF for me. After several attempts to get into the story and connect with the characters I just could not. Perhaps it was the writing that I just didn’t mesh well with. I’m sure Sci-Fi readers will find this story interesting. I just was not the intended audience.