Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for the book #TheMurderMachine by #HeatherGraham. Jude and Vickie, both agents, have been tasked with the job of finding out who is responsible for a house killing a woman. Not just any house, a completely AI house. Realizing that person is behind all of the AI killings, they have to avoid anything that can be powered by AI while trying to find the person responsible. Can they solve this case before they become the next victim?

The Murder Machine by Heather Graham is a gripping blend of classic suspense and modern tech terror. When a smart home turns deadly, FBI agents Jude Mackenzie and Victoria Tennant dive into a chilling investigation where artificial intelligence meets cold-blooded murder. The premise is intriguing and timely, with fast pacing and just the right dose of creepy. While some plot points stretch believability, the tension never lets up, and the cybercrime angle adds a fresh twist. A solid, thrilling read that’ll make you side-eye your smart devices.

Thank you Heather Graham, Harlequin Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

The premise of this book is what drew me in… I was hoping for a Smart House mixed with FBI type book. On a base level, yes that’s the beginning, but as the book went on, it was disappointing. The plot moved very fast, with introductions of characters that we never saw again, but it also just felt like the author was trying to throw too much into one book, including a very unnecessary relationship that felt forced into the novel.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a flop for me. While I find the idea of someone using smart houses and cars etc. to kill people the immediate opening scene was way too unbelievable. There are more subtle ways a house could kill someone. From there it seemed like the book was sort of all over the place and I had a hard time following what was actually going on. Then the insta love between the main characters felt forced. I liked the idea but the execution was very much lacking:

A great idea to place this book in the world on Artificial Intelligence. It was a unique and interesting concept brought to life in the capable hands of author Heather Graham. The FBi played a central role, but not the Krewe. This was solved without the help of ghosts or other phenomena. The narrator did an excellent job of keeping me involved throughout.

Book friends... I really tried to give this a fair shot.
I really tried to enjoy it, but I just couldn't get into it.
I had to DNF this book.
I did read about 60% of the book, but I couldn't finish it.
It wasn't the thriller that I thought it would be based on the portion of the book I did get through.
I couldn't connect with the FBI Agents.. I tried, but nothing was there for me.
I think part of my problem was the pace of the book.. nothing was happening and it got montonous.

Thank you NetGalley for sending this ARC for a review!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Man, the beginning of this book was great but it quickly went downhill for me. I just couldn't get into the story especially after 50%. I didn't care about the characters. And the mystery was boring after the 50% mark. Definitely disappointed overall with this read.

A quick and easy read. It's about the risk of AI in our lives and how it can be dangerous. In this story, it turns out to be deadly. This book makes you think about how dependent our lives have become on computers. They're in everything, our houses, our cars, our boats, and so much more. I listened to the audiobook for this one, Tim Paige is great at the men's voices.

Thank you to NetGalley, Heather Graham, and Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

I received The Murder Machine as an audiobook, and it was a fascinating listen from start to finish. This story explores the intriguing—and at times chilling—possibilities of artificial intelligence and what it can be programmed to do.

Heather Graham delivers a gripping narrative that blends mystery, suspense, and technology into a cautionary tale that feels both timely and thought-provoking. The concept of AI as both a tool and a threat is handled in a way that really makes you think about the fine line between innovation and danger.

The narration was engaging and well-paced, helping bring the tension and intensity of the plot to life. If you're interested in thrillers with a tech twist, this one is worth a listen.

Overall, The Murder Machine is a smart and unsettling story that reminds us to be mindful of how far technology can go—and what happens when it goes too far.

I only made it about half way through and just couldn’t finish it. It started off pretty well and sounded intriguing. But pretty quickly, it got a little monotonous and slow and just lost my attention.

I did enjoy the narration, it was just the story line that couldn’t keep my attention.

Heather Graham's The Murder Machine plunges us into a world where cutting-edge technology becomes a terrifying instrument of death. This isn't about ghosts or ancient curses, but aPresent day threat: the potential for artificial intelligence to be weaponized.

The story follows FBI agents Jude Mackenzie and Victoria Tennant as they investigate a series of deaths linked by a common thread: advanced technology gone awry. As they race to unravel the mystery, they find themselves in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a killer who seems to be one step ahead.

Most of the times when I rate a book 2 stars or less it is because the book is incredibly woke, the story is all over the place, terrible writing, or utterly ridiculous. I am unable to actually formulate a coherent thought about how terrible this book was. I am almost in shock. How do I even start this review?
Should I try to justify why I requested this book to begin with? Well the idea was kinda cool, who is guilty when AI commits the murder or how can we STOP AI from actually committing murder?

Those are questions that will for sure make you wait with Forest Gump at the Bus Stop for a while and ponder. I figured why not, I will try it out.
Sad to say, after the first chapter, Graham departs from this premise and it becomes clear that is an actual WHO behind the crime and thus begins the swan dive into the sea of waste.
The time hops, and utter ridiculous scenarios that unfold were not even eye rolling worthy.
We are introduced to the 2 main detectives : Jude a 33 year old "hot" guy who apparently operates like AOL, and is paired with "hot" victoria the cyber detective. They pretty much jump each other after 2 days together and Graham continually reminds us of hot hot they are...so unprofessional. The scene that made me want to throw the towel in was when our delicious duo managers to narrow down their suspect list to a mob boss in a TN bar. Victoria somehow able to seduce this master mind criminal within 8 minutes of them first meeting in a bar and he confesses to having killed his daughter in law....Um really Graham? You think we are going to buy that? I don't care if Victoria was the most beautiful woman in the world, not even the idiot who kills his cousin earl in WV with no front teeth would confess to someone about killing a person....So dumb.

The ending also wraps up like a Scooby Doo scene, I beg of you, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK>
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to review this book. I was not influenced or paid for this review.

I could not connect with this story. I made it 25% in and just didn't care. I apologize for dnfing and not being able to give a proper review.

as soon as I saw this one I was so excited because I love Heather Graham and her writing style, so I'm was 100% excited for this one and got it as book the audiobook and e ARC to read on my kindle, but I soon realized that this one way different then her other books, I would say it was more of a Futuristic thriller then anything else , and maybe it was just me because at the time I was listening to this I was having a really bad migraine, which made my enjoyment not so pleasant but it could be also there was times that I didn't really like narrator especially when he did the voice of the female character. With that said I'm, still glad I read this one and I did like the concept of the story.

Thought provoking murder mystery, crime thriller. I would firmly place this in a speculative fiction category. It took a bit to get into the characters but I did find this to be enjoyable and I loved the two main characters interaction that did not feel forced or fake. I did predict the villain for this one, but getting to the finale paid off. I would love more thrillers with the two main characters. Thank you Harlequin Audio for the ALC. The narration for the audiobook was great and kept my attention.

I enjoyed the idea of this book AI house takes its revenge on home owner. Diving into the AI world we are living in today. But the story really dove right into the action throwing Jude and Victoria onto the case. They had very great chemistry and that was one of my favorite parts about the story their relationship growing throughout, the type you would find in a romance book not a thriller. It was the other characters that I didn’t care for they were unremarkable even the early suspects none of were detailed or memorable enough to make me think they were going to be the end suspect. Overall I didn’t feel that connected to the story and likely wouldn’t recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and HTP Audio for the audiobook arc in exchange for my honest review

DNF @50%

The writing in this felt very repetitive while also sounding like a cheesy after school special. The “old man doesn’t understand AI” gimmick was also annoying since Jude was only 33. Speaking of Jude, his internal monologue about Vicky and any other woman was gross. Jude and Vicky have only known each a handful of days and he’s already hitting on her while she falls all over herself to impress him. No thanks.

Thanks Netgalley, MIRA and Harlequin audio for providing this ARC to me!

While I received the e-book version of this book, I also like a good audiobook and was excited to receive a copy of it as well. Great story both ways.

Remember that 1999 Disney movie "smart house"? Katie sagal is a house that becomes a bit too domineering. Well if that movie was made into a thriller, this would be it. The dialoge is clunky and bland. Somehow, despite only have two incidents in separate states with different murder types, the FBI is able to make a whole serial killer out of that and they send in an agent who "happens" to come across the third scene. Again, with no known ties to the other two deaths. The agents, Vikki, is hot. In fact that is repeated many times in the book and is basically the only adjective we receive about her. Hot and young. This point is belabored when she is paired with Jude, who we are told multiple times is so much older than her. We are also told he is 33, which must put Nikki at about 20. He has lots of lascivious comments about her body and how she must have "just stepped off a runway, which are just gross.
At one point these two agents go to a federal prison and get a man to flip on his father for aggravated murder in about 3 questions, despite the man being on death row and most certainly not wanting to be there. This whole book was implausible and poorly written. I would have quit this book after chapter one had I not gotten it from NetGalley. I haven't tried a book from this author before, so I'm hopeful this is a one off and other books are better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for my ARC of this audiobook.

The FBI is called in when a woman is murdered by her smart home. Every appliance is online and AI helps everything keep running, leaving no trace of the killer. This is just the first in a string of similar incidents so two FBI agents begin to investigate trying to uncover the humans behind these nefarious deeds. Will they make it out alive?

When I was reading through the descriptions, the plot of the murder machine jumped out of something I would enjoy, I love to explore AI as a theme. Unfortunately the execution just wasn't there for me. The AI was almost an afterthought, the middle dragged on with barely a mention of it. The characters were pretty run of the mill, not good, not bad, merely existing to fill out the story. Because of this it is purely a passable/average read. 2.75 stars rounded to 3.

I received this advance audio copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.