You can always count on Daniel Kalla to deliver a page-turning, compelling read!
Set in Washington state, Liam Hirsch has it all - a loving family, he is the CEO of a thriving AI company, and his future is financially secure. However, in a matter of a few weeks he makes discoveries regarding his health, marriage and company that things aren't as wonderful as they seem.
Could all of this be a result of AI?
A haunting and thought-provoking read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Liam runs a massive AI company, about to release a new program making AI easier and more available to everyone. But he’s just found out his wife is cheating on him, and he is sick and dying. Or is any of it true? In a world of AI advancements, what can he believe, and who can he trust?

Work in with a PI, Liam looks into everyone he knows to try t9 find out the truth. A ride of a story, tackling a new and emerging subject, as per the usual Kalla.

There is no doubt that this was trope….
There is a place for this type of book. It kept my interest. Even though lots was predictable (ie. Liam was an idiot for not considering the location where the poison was getting him), there were a number of possible individuals that could have been guilty.
I will say, one knock is that this author does seem to feel like he has to spell out everything, his need to tell the reader every detail is not necessary.
I would recommend this to mystery readers as it was a fairly easy read, it was interesting and it was relevant, using modern technology and AI in the plot is smart. I did like that he didn’t bore me with heavy tech details too.

Tech CEO Liam Hirsch has just received a terminal diagnosis of ALS and to make things worst his wife is cheating on him and has been caught in flagrante delicto in bed with another man, photos as prove taken by Andrea DeWalt, a P.I. Liam had hired.

While Liam’s company is preparing to launch a new app “Séance AI” which allows users to create an avatar of a dead relative but as the deadline approaches, he notices discrepancies in the co.’s finances. Liam grows paranoid wondering could his troubles be generated by AI?.......and the fun begins. Enjoy.

I simple love this tale. It has so many twists and turns it is hard to figure what is really happening and who may be behind all Liam’s troubles. Are they fake or real or simply in Liam’s mind., is IA playing tricks and altering reality. What an emotional roller-coaster we are into. It was hard not to get invested with what was going on…troubles at works, trouble at home, trouble with his health …or not.

An excellent character-driven novel. Although it may start slow but once you get to know the protagonist you are right with him through all the anxiety and fear he faces. It kinds of rub on you. At one point I starting to question myself and getting paranoid also…naw, not really. I trust my gut.

In whole “The Deepest Fake” is a fast-paced page turner with many spins to derail you, one hard to guess the outcome and a pleasure to pass time with.

Well-said and well-done

3.75 ⭐

This is the second AI thriller book I've read this year, and I am kinda loving them! Why not deepen my fear of AI more?

The Deepest Fake is a fast paced, who-dunnitesque thriller that has notes of sci-fi (when it comes to the AI jargon). It was pretty good, but I found it to be a bit predictable. Regardless, I still had a great time reading it and was invested in it in the beginning. It slowed a bit for me in the middle.

I have recently found a new love for thrillers that have creepy AI in them and this satisfied that itch. I do wish that there would have had more of it but the bits and pieces that were in there were terrifying enough.

Overall, was a good thriller!

What if you couldn’t trust your own reality?

“In THE DEEPEST FAKE, a tech CEO and AI pioneer has everything to lose—his wife, his company, his life. But as the betrayals mount and his mind begins to unravel, one question remains: Is it all in his head, or is someone rewriting his fate?”

I’m a BIG fan of Daniel’s work and, while all his books grab my attention, this one kept me turning pages into the wee hours of the morning.

I started this one as green as an Irish shamrock - I’ve never tried ChatGPT, heck, I didn’t even know what ‘generative AI’ meant! I finished this book with heightened skepticism and awareness. I’ve definitely been questioning everything in the last few days …

Let me tell you WHY you need to read this one:
- There’s a medical mystery (Kalla’s signature) that will keep you guessing and leave you mindblown. I didn't predict the outcome because I didn’t know the extent or the far-reaching consequences of the technology that someone driven by revenge would resort to using.
- There’s a private investigator hired to uncover the ‘truth’ about a loved one; Kalla crafts a skillful PI who gets at the heart of the indiscretion and walks a fine line of professionalism. Even the ‘gotcha’ moments had me questioning the evidence.
- Great red herrings! Great cast of potential ‘bad guys’.
- Technothriller presented in an easy-to-understand way
- The theme of trust is so prevalent in a rapidly changing world
- Tension created by a rapidly progressing illness and the desire to get everything wrapped up before it’s too late.
- Unpredictable outcomes

If you like unveiling truths, restoring the balance of power, being surprised by genius plotting, enjoy stories that challenge you to ponder ethics, and crave opportunities to think critically about the intersection of technology and humanity, this one’s for you!

I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Liam is pushing 50 and getting ready to launch a huge AI program with his multimillion dollar tech company and his entire life is falling apart. He's recently found out his wife is cheating on him and he's gotten a whopper of a terminal illness diagnosis....but as time progresses it seems as though things may not be what they appear to be. From there the story unfolds as we wait to find out what is happening and why.
The Deepest Fake by Daniel Kalla is a well paced, page turner of a book that kept me interested the entire time.
For a more indepth but still spoiler free review you can check out my youtube review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuN4bCQG3Z4

Although this book started strong, the AI aspect definitely threw me off and I found it hard to keep up
Was not my favorite but glad I took a chance on this author

Thoroughly enjoyed this gripping read by Daniel Kalla. He is a new author to me but one I will make a point of looking out for in the future (and catch up on all the books I've missed). This is a suspenseful and very relevant read that takes a number of important issues we are encountering in present day - AI, assisted dying, familial relationships, betrayal, and provides the catalyst for the reader to sit back and be entertained while hopefully thinking critically about some of the challenges we are facing as a society. That said - this is a very entertaining and fast read and perfect for your next holiday or weekend. This is a book everyone will be talking about this summer! Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a review. Looking forward to reading more by Daniel Kalla soon!

🤖 ARC BOOK REVIEW 🤖

PUB DATE: July 28th

My Rating : I Loved it 🙌🏼

Be sure to add this to your TBR , you don’t want to miss this timely speculative thriller 👀

The Deepest Fake is an edgy gripping page turner that will make you question everything and everyone 😮

This is my 5th book by Kalla and with his physician background he blends medical plots that are convincing & believable and interlaces current subject matters that gets the wheels turning which is why he will always be an auto buy for me , his stories are unique & refreshing!

I could NOT put this one down and was on edge the entire time…everyone had a motive but will our protagonist figure out who wants him dead in time ?

Liam is the CEO of an AI 🤖company on the verge of releasing an APP that could change the world , but at the same time he has been diagnosed with an illness that is slowly killing him …and has discovered his wife has been cheating on him .

Slowly Liam starts to see things differently and hires a PI 🕵️ together they work together trying to connect the dots as to who could be sabotaging Liam and his Tech company ??

Will Liam figure it out or will he be too late and find himself buried 10 feet under 💀… you need to read this one for yourself to find out !!

In a world today that is weighted heavily with technology, AI has been leading the way with mastering company meetings , writing articles , Siri , Alexa , facial recognition and so much more to the point I can’t tell what’s real or fake on social media anymore, it’s wild & it’s also creepy & frightening, which made this fictional read seem so real 😱

Read this if you like :
🤖 Current Topics
🤖 Speculative Thrillers
🤖 Smart Dialogue
🤖 Pulse Pounding Reads
🤖 Relatable Characters
🤖 Multiple Motives

Thank you @netgalley , @simonschusterca @danielkallawrites for this piercing page turner ARC 🙌🏼

. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the early digital copy of 'The Deepest Fake' by Daniel Kalla, a book I had been highly anticipating. Kalla is a Canadian physician, professor, and author based in Vancouver. I have read most of his thrillers, which have a medical component. This latest book combines tech and medical issues, but the author explains everything so clearly and concisely that there is no difficulty in following the story. Publication is due July 29, 2025, and I highly recommend it. There are many probable suspects in the story, with twists that keep one guessing.

Liam had achieved a happy and prosperous life. His attractive wife, Celeste, had held a position as a coding expert, but gave it up for marriage and raising their two children, now teenagers. Through his hard work and computer innovations, he is the CEO of a successful company, TransSend, which designs popular Apps. The family has moved into a house in an exclusive gated community in Seattle. The home is undergoing renovations by a contractor.

His remarkable life is suddenly beset by tragedy. His wife is acting cold and distant because he spends so much time and effort on his work. Liam hires a private detective, Andrea, to follow her. He learns she is engaged in an affair with Ben, the man updating their home. He has developed symptoms that he believes are due to stress, such as numbness in his hands and feet, muscle twitches and decreased mobility. A neurologist confirmed through X-rays and other tests that Liam has an aggressive form of ALS. The condition is progressing rapidly, and he will lose motor function in a few months and be unable to care for himself. Against advice, he keeps the diagnosis a secret from his family and workmates. Even his children notice him tripping and dropping things, and are worried. Liam has chosen an early death by medical assistance MAiD), before there is much more deterioration.

His AI company is rapidly losing money, and he wants to secure his family's future before he passes away, as well as appoint a new CEO to succeed him. His main App. HisStory has been exposed as interfering in a political race with a deep fake video, and someone is siphoning off large sums of money from the business. He fears a collapse of the entire operation. The company's stock is rapidly declining. He informs his staff that he is moving the launch of the new, improved APP, TheirStory, to be released earlier than planned. His staff is opposed to his haste and wants more safeguards added, but he insists it must be available quickly, before a competing company comes up with something similar. He feels it will restore public faith in his company.

Now Andrea is tasked with investigating his top VPs to succeed him, and discovering who is leaking information and embezzling money.
HisStory is capable of bringing historical and famous people to life as avatars by searching the internet on how they might respond in conversations. This allows deceased actors to be cast in significant roles in movies. The upcoming TheirStory will upload detailed data from personality profiles, public records, social media, and other sources, enabling the avatar to have realistic communication with family and friends.

Andera is to investigate his VPS, as he feels the company's decline must be an inside job. He learns that unauthorized payments are being made to a mysterious company, EANC, based offshore. Ellis, a financial officer, has a serious gambling addiction, and the trail leads Andrea to learn that Ellis controls EANC. Ramona, who oversees financial transactions, is covering up for Ellis. Ramona's wife is an expert hacker with knowledge of pharmaceuticals and destroyed a company she opposed.
Nellie, director of cybersecurity, insists that AI could be used to topple governments and start wars. An old friend from Liam's past, Rudy Ziegler, is also under suspicion. Years ago, they developed ideas together for AI, and Rudy has sued Liam for intellectual property theft, but without success. Revenge?

Liam discusses his suspicions with his trusted employee and good friend, Sam. No one at the office is aware of his approaching death. He has only told Andrea, who has now observed Rudy visiting Nellie at her home. Is she the leak?

After a second diagnosis of ALS is confirmed, Liam travels to Canada for a duplication of the tests. He learns he never had ALS, and his previous tests and X-rays were faked. As he is still experiencing tremors and numbness, it is discovered that an industrial toxin is poisoning him by inhalation, and it is affecting him at a high and lethal level. After much searching for its source, he finds the poison hidden in a heating duct attached to his home office and being released through a vent. It is the same pipe that Ben worked on, and are Ben and Celeste conspiring to kill him?

So many suspects with motives for his death and the destruction of Liam's company. With all the revelations and twists, I had no idea what the solution to the mystery was—highly recommended!