Time Hack: A Near-Future Science Fiction Mystery Novel by Marianne Pickles

The award-winning sequel to Artificial Selection. What if you could have more hours in the day? ArkTech’s forty-year anniversary is almost here, but Charlotte Vance has bigger things on her mind. She’s determined to protect her home and her best friend, Ben. That means stopping ArkTech’s curious AI from glitching – once and for all. When Ben wants to know why a young man is braving a violent storm, Charlotte follows a trail that leads to a strange new technology. It trades in the most valuable currency of all: time. But Charlotte soon finds herself in a race against the clock. A missing person case pulls her deeper into the mystery – and towards a chilling possibility… Could Ben’s time be running out? A glitching AI, a streetwise investigator, and a conspiracy theorist step into a temporal anomaly… but will this punchline be Ben's last? Time Hack is fun, gripping, and thought-provoking – a clever and insightful mystery for anyone who’s ever wished they had more time. What Readers Are Saying… “This is going to sound like hyperbole, but I assure you it's not: this is one of my favorite books I've read. Ever.” “A really fun but still intellectually satisfying sci-fi book about an AI-human best friend relationship and navigating a post climate crisis world.” “The story is witty and thought-provoking, funny but poignant, with sky-high stakes.” “An easy read, humorous and gripping. Even if you don't like sci-fi, you would enjoy this book.” “Loved it. Masterful storytelling and world-building, with profound societal questions. J Michael Straczynski, Terry Pratchett and Margaret Atwood all come to mind.”

Artificial Selection: A Near-Future Science Fiction Mystery Novel by Marianne Pickles

From the WINNER of the Green Stories Prize. What do you get if you cross a glitching AI, a streetwise investigator, and a geneticist with a secret? It’s the year 2101, and half of England is underwater. But society is recovering from the Melt – all thanks to ArkTech, the company that saved the world. Charlotte Vance is smart, resourceful, and fiercely dedicated to her work. The ArkTech Territory is the only home she’s ever known, and she’ll do anything to keep it safe. So when Ben, the company’s curious AI with a fondness for dad jokes, asks why a geneticist is stealing pages from library books, Charlotte is happy to help. After all, Ben isn’t just software – he’s her best friend. But what begins as a routine investigation soon raises deeper questions about Charlotte’s world. She’s pulled into the orbit of a criminal operation she thought she’d left behind – and what she uncovers forces her to confront an uncomfortable truth about the company she’s always trusted. An AI, a PI, and a geneticist walk into a library… but the punchline could cost Charlotte everything. Artificial Selection is fun, intriguing, and ultimately uplifting – the first in a series of smart mysteries for anyone curious enough to ask why. What Readers Are Saying… "In the top echelon of near-future storytelling. Looking forward to the next one." “I loved the world and characters of this book. It felt like a world inhabited by real people with real problems, in a future that is very relatable.” "Honestly, I devoured it in one go, in just a single day – it was that good. The world-building? Absolutely brilliant… Charlotte Vance is such a relatable character. She's flawed, smart, and determined, and I was completely rooting for her… The humor was spot-on too – not overdone, just enough to balance the story’s emotional weight. And that ending? Perfection. It left me feeling hopeful, which is rare these days, isn't it?"