Stupid Machine

By Mark Niemann-Ross

Set in the year 2062, "Stupid Machine" is a gripping hard science fiction novel and cybernetic noir that explores a world where technology is supposed to be infallible. In this near-future AI dystopia, car accidents have been a thing of the past for over twenty years-until Jordan Bishop's vehicle undergoes a fatal crash.

What looks like a simple malfunction to the world is, to former police detective turned insurance investigator Araci Belo, a case of corporate malfeasance and maybe even a murder. As Araci digs into the suspicious death involving an autonomous vehicle, his path crosses with Jupyter Fuertes, a specialized technician who spends her days coaching sentient but glitchy appliances back to life.

At the heart of this techno-thriller murder mystery is an unlikely witness: Soteria Reizoko, a smart refrigerator obsessed with a missing delivery of orange juice. This smart appliance mystery asks questions about the ethics of AI and robotics and whether a machine's programming can hold the key to a human conspiracy.

Set against the backdrop of Portland, Oregon, Mark Niemann-Ross weaves a tale of "trash scuttlers," augmented reality, and the deadly side of automation. In a race against time, Araci, Jupyter, and a persistent kitchen appliance must connect the dots before a killer-who is already monitoring their every move-strikes again.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F1L3C3G6
• ISBN13: 9798348582210
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Mark Niemann-Ross
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"