A review by andareadstoomuch
Coded Justice by Stacey Abrams

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Thank you to Doubleday Books | Doubleday for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

Ok first of all I was super excited to get approved for this ARC because Stacey and I live in the same state and I did vote for her to be our governor. So I might be a little biased because I do think she’s awesome. Especially with her guest star role in Star Trek Discovery. But I digress. I will be a fair reviewer of her third Avery Keene novel (and my first).

As a tech nerd, I absolutely loved the premise of the book. Find out if the AI neural network, that could eradicate bias in medical care and keep people healthy no matter where they are, is a potential killer. Sign me up. I have long been a proponent of AI as a tool (run by humans, mind you), so this felt like a natural fit for me to stretch my brain against that value. The set-up, the functionality and the tech driving it felt very natural and plausible. Absolutely nothing jumped out as too far into the future, which I loved. 

This is my first Avery Keene novel. Though there are a few mentions of the previous cases, it hasn’t been a barrier to enjoying the book. I’m impressed at the level of detail Abrams is managing to cover without it feeling like I’m being lectured or data-crammed in order to move the plot. Given the topic, that is no easy feat here. It’s grappling with what are very real issues to machine learning, and AI in a medical setting, particularly those in our vulnerable veterans community. I won’t spoil the plot or give away the ending. I will say all my techy colleagues are getting a copy of this book! Well worth the read and purchase! 

(And maybe I should plan to use those chat AI apps a smidge less. *shudder*)