This was quite the book. It took me awhile to get into it because there was so much explaining about the new world and how things worked. It was interesting and also kind of alarming because I can see how close we could get to a society like this. Eeeks. It took me out of my normal reading comfort zone but I still enjoyed it!

In the near future, Cassie West happily pursues her career as a runner for V.I.C.E., a streaming service that takes current and past events and turns them into entertainment vehicles. Earth as we know it is now known as Earth - because of how badly everything as deteriorated. Earth + is available for anyone who can afford visors, where they spend all their time being entertained in cyberspace. Everyone is into true crime series and the biggest company out there is Past Crimes, run by Crispin West. Cassie returns home from work one evening just in time to see her beloved husband, Harris, turn himself into a living torch and ignite the Blight, where thousands of people self-immolate and Harris becomes known as the Vertex Ignis, the most hated man on Earth. Only problem is, Cassie knows better and she is going to prove Harris was not this person. Ten years later, Past Crimes announces they are going to present the Harris West story and Cassie decides, once and for all, she will prove Harris' innocence. And then things begin to go wrong.... This is great world building and marvelous imaginative writing. Recommended.

Terrifying, Powerful..
What exactly happens when death itself becomes an entertainment for the people? When a concept turns into a reality and it is no longer a game? 2037 and virtual reality has taken precedence. Fans of the true crime genre do not listen to the odd podcast or read a book or watch a docuseries. Instead, they participate. Compelling and immersive with a terrifying but powerful premise and a firm social and moral commentary underpinning the pacy plot.

Past Crimes was good but not great. The premise drew me in and took off pretty immediately. I had to know what happened, and, until about 70% of the way in, it was a pager-turner. I'm not a big action person though and the last chunk of the book revolved around mostly action sequences. I saw one of the big twists coming, but another twist I did not guess at all. The writing wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't terrible. It tended to feel either overly dramatized or too cliched.

So yeah! Good, but not great.

The mention of Ready Player One in the blurb made me interested, that book is one of my all time favorite and there is a real strong vibe between these two, mostly due to the manner in which people live, communicate, interact, socialize, entertain, etc in the future. Both envision a world where people will wear some sort of googles that allow them to enter a virtual world. That is the only similarity between these two, this book delves into a future world where crimes, either historical or recent, are a huge interest, and revenue for Past Crimes, a company that obtains the rights to crimes and builds an interactive sim environment to allow people to participate or be a spectator to a crime. Cassie's husband has been gone now for a decade and during that time she has mostly stayed indoors, her husband was tried and convicted (even though deceased already) of being the leader of the Blight, a group of people that committed mas suicide at his urging. Past Crimes has created a sim about the crime due to be released soon and Cassie wants to enter it to see if she can find any clues to what caused him to act so out of character. Cassie succeeds in convincing Crispin Lake to allow her into the sim early and that's where things so sideways very quickly. This was a very fast paced and believable story and I would recommend even if you are not a sci-fi fan. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Severn House for the ARC.

An original storyline that makes you wonder.....what if. In 2000, there was a video game, Sims, that allowed you to build your own characters and infrastucture and interact as if they were real. Jason Pinter has given this a HUGE twist and moved it well into the video game future. Past Crimes is a reality video game that allows players to move through a simulation of a true crime that has been built online. Instead of watching the simulation on television or computer, you are in the simulation. Pinter builds a little too realistic description of how this could be accomplished. The characters both in and out of the simulation are three dimensional and easy to believe. With a well plotted "crime" the story moves quickly into thriller territory while readers stay up way too late to see if the characters will escape. I've read many of Pinter's back library but PAST CRIMES is my favorite so far. It's going to be interesting to see where he goes from here.

This book takes the fascination of true crime and boosts it into the future with virtual reality through simulations in a time when the reality of earth is so bleak that everyone essentially lives and works in a virtual world. If you want to live through the reality of Jonestown as it’s happening, Crispin Lake’s virtual world of Past Crimes will take you into the event live as a spectator or as a participant. You can even change the course of the events during the simulation. It’s both fascinating and horrifying to see the fans of these true crime events dressing up like famous serial killers and touring Murderland with their children.

This book follows Cassie, an employee of V.I.C.E. whose job entails convincing families traumatized by horrific events to sign on the dotted line to be paid money for their tragedy to be recreated in a simulation that the entire world can exploit for a subscription fee. At least until her family gets caught up in their own tragedy and not only exploited but blamed for a mass casualty event that encompasses scores of families subsequently known as The Blight.

Cassie and other interested parties travel across the country to find clues, witnesses and possibly answers by entering the new simulation for the Blight. But as the tenth anniversary of the event approaches, the evidence she uncovers may lead to another tragic event that may be impossible for her to stop.

I was on the edge of my seat throughout this story. At times, I worried that the answers would be predictable, but I was pleasantly surprised by the exciting culmination of the events. Recommended to both true crime and dystopian enthusiasts.

Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for a copy provided for an honest review.

I'm in the minority here, but I could not get into this one. I was expecting a darker Ready Player One, with dystopian elements and a focus on the evils of social media and obsessions with True Crime. What I found felt even darker than I expected and more like a traditional dystopian story then a reflection on the dangers of separating victims from crimes and reality from the virtual. This wasn't a good fit for me.

I couldn’t finish this book, I wasn’t able to get into this. It didn’t keep my interest for very long

This dystopian thriller follows the story of Cassie West, whose late husband is infamously known for inciting a mass suicide in a world whose lines have blurred between reality and virtual reality. Cassie swears by her husband’s innocence, but no one believes her, and she sets out to clear her husband’s name. Pinter’s tale explores the horror of technology used for evil when it’s taken to an extreme. Readers will sense the fear of what could be coming in the near future.

It's 2037 & Earth has been split into two: Earth+ the physical world which is neglected & decaying, & Earth- the digital online world which has taken over. Everything is virtual: education, employment, even justice. True crime is big business & Cassie West works for V.I.C.E, a company which takes crime cases & turns them into 3D interactive simulations, & it's Cassie's job to get the families of the missing & murdered to sign up. It's not an easy job but she needs the money as Cassie & husband, Harris, are finally expecting their first child. As she heads home, she tries to call Harris but he isn't responding & Cassie's foreboding is sharpened when lots of emergency drones start heading in the direction she is travelling. As she nears home she sees her house is on fire & Harris is still inside!

Ten years later, Cassie is 'persona non grata' due to her husband's death. Not only did Harris die but he took dozens of people with him as he was the leader of a 'church' of Burners who, on the same day that Harris died, all set fire to their homes & killed themselves & sometimes their families. No-one will believe that Cassie didn't know, but when the father of a young girl called Aly shoots his wife & himself after saying he is a Burner & a second wave is coming, Cassie realises that not only could she save lives but that this could be evidence that Harris was not the leader after all. When she notices an error in the advert for the simulation of Harris's death (called The Blight & due to be released in days) which is being produced by the gold standard of true crime, Past Crimes, Cassie decides to appeal to their founder, Crispin Lake, because if there is one error then there might be more or even evidence which could help prove Harris's innocence - can she persuade Lake to let her into the game before launch day?

First of all, I really liked the premise of this book. It takes a swipe at the popularity of true crime & moves it to the next level. Whilst on a flight, Cassie actually goes through a simulation of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln & plays his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. In the technology you can play as a spectator & watch history unfold or it allows you to be a participant & change history within the simulation. There's also a theme park nicknamed 'Disneyland of Death' with rides such as 'Cannibal Canyon' & 'Wuornos Wave Machine'. There's lots of little remarks in the conversations about how being terminally online is bad for us & that most people don't care how much privacy they lose as long as they are being entertained (bread & circuses for real). For all that, I have the sneaking suspicion that a lot of people would probably jump at the chance to try a Past Crimes simulation.

The world-building & plot were well thought out & although there are several occasions of (necessary) 'info dumping', I didn't find that it detracted from the main story-line. The pace was fast throughout & although it did kind of come close to jumping the shark at the end, it was a fitting end in many ways. As a main character Cassie goes on a bit of journey, she starts off as quite insular & wary which is understandable after ten years of being reviled & viewed with suspicion & it takes a while before she can warm to & trust others. Overall it was a really entertaining & gripping read.

TWs: pregnancy, miscarriage, death of spouse.

My thanks to NetGalley & publisher, Severn House, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I have been talking about this book to everyone because it brings up so many ethical and philosophical questions. I think this would be a perfect book club pick because you will have endless conversation topics, and since it is a thriller people won't be able to put it down. I spent the first 60% of the book thrilled but mostly contemplating the world this sets up for us in the very near future. Then plot twist! Then another big twist at 70%. The last 30 minutes of the book I think my jaw dropped and just stayed that way. I will absolutely be recommending this book all year!

This story had an unsettling feel to it, I think because the future it presented felt dystopian but believable. There's a lot of action, and it was a bit of an adrenaline rush as a "rush against the clock" scenario plays out. There are some twists along the way, some that I saw coming for a while and some that I didn't expect at all. I liked the main character, Cassie, and that she was a representative of a fairly "normal" person in this future world until she becomes a victim herself. Overall, I found this to be an interesting book to read, and it kept my interest.

Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for the advance review copy of Past Crimes. The opinions in my review are solely my own.

Four stars for this speculative dystopian novel which examines the consequences of our obsession with true crime and entertainment technology. What if, instead of listening to a podcast or watching a show about Ted Bundy, you could stand next to him in a virtual simulation and talk to him yourself? If you are (un)lucky enough to live in the time of Earth+ you can….but what are you willing to give up to do that?

One thing I love about this genre is how you get to explore a whole new world and in Past crimes that world is equally fascinating and terrifying. I was hooked from the beginning. I could not get enough of the details of this future world or the story we follow in the pages of the book. At one point, I thought something too obvious and easy had happened but I was happy to be proved wrong! It’s a compulsive page turner, that is worryingly feasible.

If dystopian. speculative, sci fi or true crime are your go to genres, push this to the top of your TBR list.

Thank you to the author. publisher and NetGalley for a chance to review an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who really enjoys listening to True Crime podcasts and reading Sci-Fi, I was excited to read Past Crimes. Set in 2037, life is now played out in the virtual space of Earth+ where a ‘Disneyland of Death’ has been developed, giving True Crime fans the chance to virtually experience crimes, look for clues and try and solve mysteries first-hand.

This standalone sci-fi book may be relatively short, at under 300 pages but it’s perfectly paced, and I was gripped throughout. We follow Cassie on her mission to clear her husbands name after he was implicated in a mass arson attack years earlier. Cassie is a complex character and I felt empathy for her throughout as she tried to adjust to her new life.

I did feel that it was an odd choice to decide to set the book only 13 years in the future. The idea that an entire virtual world, new terminology and the wasting away of the real-life world would have happened in that time seems a bit of a stretch of the imagination and the whole thing relies on some serious suspension of disbelief. There are references to real people and actual cases which meant that it jarred slightly – if it were set 50 years in the future, I think it would have been a lot more believable.

The world building is great though and I did really enjoy learning about the backstory - the idea that Earth+ is used for schooling and work but still harms the users bodies from overuse was interesting. Some explanations did feel a little like a convenient ‘info-dump’ though and some parts are quite repetitive in places.
The plot has some great twists and turns and the plot is left a little open for a possible sequel but also ties up all the main strands nicely. I found it hard to put down and read it in just a few sittings.

Overall Past Crimes is an engaging and interesting Sci-Fi that’s paced well and hard to put down. Thank you to NetGalley & Severn House for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few books where some sort of online game or world becomes better then the real life world. I enjoy this! Everyone have taken their on twist on it and this one does a great job.

Taking place 20-30 years from now the world has become a much harder place to live. A digital world takes over jobs and life.
And people are obsessed with crime stories.. and with this online world you can live in the crimes!

This is the fourth book I have read by this Author and they always surprise with just how talented they are. This dystopian thriller is their best yet, with stark parallels to today's soceity and events and a reimagining of how they will manifest in the future but a future close enough to send a real shiver down my spine

Pinter builds a totally immersive world and the characters are placed elegantly with a grapplig hook that drags you in and keeps you there until you have finished all of your dinner, veg too. I jest, but it was needed after the emotional rollercoaster that Past Crimes took me on

There are enough descriptions of the story, what I can say is that I was exhausted after reading this and in a good way. I was gripped and utterly immersed into the screaming pace and I just could not put it down

Bravo Mr Pinter, Bravo

This absolutely outstanding book was kindly given by Netgalley and it is a pleasure to leave this voluntary review

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Past Crimes by Jason Pinter was a great book, exploring AI and a future that felt very plausible. After Cassie is struck by tragedy her life turns upside down, until ten years later, when she begins to understand what happened to her may be related to a larger conspiracy. This book dives into a lot of interesting topics, and I’d recommend it for sci fi and thriller readers as a strong addition to those genres.

Thank you again for the ARC, Severn House. It is much appreciated and I enjoyed the read and the opportunity to share my feedback.

I really hope life in 2037 isn't like this. Pinter has written a creative and satiric look at our obsession with true crime and AI, among other things. It's an intriguing set up, Cassie is a good character, and I was exhausted halfway through trying to keep up. That said it's a good read especially for those who enjoy dystopian fiction and dislike true crime,

WOW!!! I LOVED this book! What an original idea.

I won’t restate the synopsis, but this book is great for fans of “Black Mirror!” Set in the future, “Past Crimes,” explores the dark side of mankind in a very compelling way. As a true crime junkie myself, it made me look at the genre in a different way.

I loved the main character, Cassandra West. She grows throughout the book, and is a powerful female lead.

I’ve never read a book like this one, and was completely captivated from page one. In fact, I never wanted it to end and would love a sequel. This book should definitely become a movie!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this 5 star read!