CULPABILITY: a Novel by BRUCE HOLSINGER

INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BOOK
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spiegel & Grau
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 2025
Format:  Hardcover, Paperback, audiobook, and ebook
Print length ‏ : ‎ 380 pages
Genre:  Psychological Thriller Fiction

MY PERSONAL OPINION OF “CULPABILITY” BY BRUCE HOLSINGER

I heard a lot about this book last year, a lot of buzz about what the book was about, the subject of AI, as part of the plot, and it was recognized by several readers as one of the best books of the year. I put a hold on Libby back in November and was finally able to borrow it in January.

I really liked this book. It was a solid read. From the beginning, we are thrown into this family odyssey. And as we read, we put together why the title has so much meaning. The feeling of guilt of each family member towards a car accident that changes their lives. Secrets are revealed. Admissions are done (and not). The influence of AI. The privilege of money. The human factor that takes control of the aftermath of an accident. It was an excellent book.

PREMISE OF THE BOOK AS FOUND IN AMAZON / GOODREADS:

When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret, implicating them all in the tragic accident.

During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident—suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.

MY RATING:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bibliography:

A Gifted School: a Novel
The Displacements: a Novel

Reading Skywards – Your Friendly Bookshelf