What happens when a cursed 1930s automaton survives the criminal underworld of 1970s London, only to become the unlikely catalyst for the downfall of a 2030s AI-driven government?
Step into a multi-generational British saga that seamlessly blends gritty East End crime with a chilling, satirical vision of the near future. In 1972, a corrupt detective pushes his luck too far against an antique dealer, resulting in a fiery encounter with Sailor Jack, a laughing mechanical doll. Decades later, in a dystopian 2030 Britain ruled by soulless algorithms, an eccentric restorer unwittingly unleashes the doll's dark history. When a government propaganda film is hijacked by a subversive, century-old ghost in the machine, the political elite scramble to find the conspirators.
Readers will enjoy a masterfully plotted mystery that connects a 1970s honey trap, a 1990s oligarch yacht bust, and a futuristic cyber-political scandal. This novel offers sharp social commentary on artificial intelligence, government overreach, and the enduring power of human rebellion.
If you love clever British thrillers, biting political satire, and mysteries where the past dictates the future, this is your next great read.