Past Crimes

With this dark, gritty, and suspenseful sci-fi thriller, Pinter (Hide Away) launches readers headfirst into an immersive near-future world. Everyone lives 24/7 in a virtual reality called Earth+, where true crime simulations are all the rage, while people’s physical bodies are abandoned on the planet Earth. Cassandra West is an agent for V.I.C.E., the foremost licensing agency for true crimes. It’s her job to convince the families of real murder victims to sell their stories as entertainment for armchair detectives to investigate. Newly pregnant and struggling with debt, she celebrates a successful signing even as she’s haunted by the accusation that she may be taking advantage of victims. Then her own husband dies, setting her on an impossible quest for justice that will stretch her mind and body to its limits. Cassandra’s chillingly familiar struggles combine with the intricate dystopian world to make for a spellbinding story. Exploring devastating questions of parenthood, police brutality, and celebrity, Pinter provides a refreshing and exciting perspective on the rise of the true crime genre. Though the last act leaves a few too many questions unanswered, this satisfying page-turner is full of cutting critiques of the American government and justice system. Readers will be thrilled. Agent: Amy Tannenbaum, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Feb.)