The Real-Town Murders

Impossible Murder in a too possible future.

The Real-Town Murders by Adam Roberts

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This book is like the author's prior book (Jack Glass) in featuring an impossible murder in the ultimate locked room. In this case, it is a body that mysteriously appears in a locked car trunk (or boot, since this is set in England) manufactured by a robot automobile assembly plant under minute recorded observation by an artificial intelligence (AI). How did the body mysteriously get put there when no one was seen or videoed putting it there?

Private investigator Alma is called in to investigate. Alma is sharp but works under a disability. Her lover, Rita, has been infected with a genetic phage that will kill Rita unless Alma - and only Alma - diagnoses and implements a cure every four hours. This limitation keeps the clock ticking at all times.

The mystery goes deeper than the murder. 90% of humanity has become addicted to a virtual reality existence called the “Shine.” They exist in the real world as comatose bodies that are taken out for walks by their “mesh” suits to keep the bodies working. The Shine is captivating like the best video games. Anything can happen there. The real world cannot compete and does not have to compete since robots and AIs can make the few things that humans need in the real world.

Because of Rita's dependence on her, Alma lives exclusively in the real world, which is virtually depopulated, apart from the occasional human body being taken out for exercise while the human mind continues to enjoy the Shine. Real-world government has attempted to compete by making the real world more exciting, such as by sculpting the White Cliffs of Dover into giant faces of British historical figures and renaming towns like Reading into “catchier” names like R! Town.

But it is a losing proposition, and real-world governments are feeling the power shift to their Shine equivalents.

If only real-world governments had a game-changer that could lure the population out of the Shine?

Like, teleportation.

I like this book. The writing and observations are insightful. Ultimately, though, the write-up fell short of tying up some loose ends (like Jack Glass), making me think that there might be a sequel in the works (like Jack Glass.)