Summary
When a flu-like pandemic swept the world, a lot of people got sick. One percent of those who contracted it found themselves “locked” inside their immobile bodies. Their bodies continue to live, but their consciousnesses are trapped inside. The condition is called Haden’s syndrome. Those with Haden’s cannot interact with the physical world any more without the assistance of a mechanical suit that serves as a personal transportation device. The other option for those with Haden’s is to work with an “Integrator,” others who had the illness but did not get locked in. Instead, their brains developed the ability to work with hardware installed in their skulls to allow a locked in person to push their consciousness into the Integrator’s brain in order to take over the body for a time.
On Chris Shane’s first day with the FBI, Chris is partnered with a former Integrator named Vann. They stumble into a weird case involving an Integrator and a dead man. While the Integrator seems guilty, if he was hosting someone with Haden’s at the time of the murder, there’s another culprit to find. Things get even weirder with an explosion at a Haden’s research lab and also an assassination attempt. Recent legislation is changing the world for the locked in. There’s been a walk out and a march, and the march organizer seems to be tied into everything that’s happening in Chris’ case. Since Chris is locked in (Chris uses a mechanical suit to get around)and Vann is a former Integrator, they are perfectly positioned to understand some of the intricacies of this case and figure out what is really going on!
Review
This was amazing! The world building with the disease and the technology pieces is exceptional. And behind all of the tech is a fantastic mystery. I loved every bit of this. There’s some terrific humor through the story that I enjoyed, too. It’s hard to give a good summary and explain the differences in the world that are central to the mystery without giving anything important away. Just trust me – this was excellent.
If you love an intricate science fiction world and a just-as-intricate mystery, run right out and pick this up! The sequel, Head On, is just as fantastic – with a football-ish spin to the Haden’s story. There’s also a prequel about Haden’s that I am eager to read. If audiobooks are your style, this one is read by Wil Wheaton, who does a terrific job with audiobooks. Don’t miss this one! I had my husband read it last summer for our family reading challenge, and he loved it, too! (Language, some violence)