In the near future a “virus” spreads around the globe eliminating the eyesight of every human being on the planet. Chaos ensues, Then, after several traumatic years scientists create a viewer that can be attached to the head, and send “images” directly to the brain.
The company that creates the viewers and their supporting software quickly becomes the most powerful global corporation that there has ever been. The analogy with today’s giants Apple, Google and Facebook is brought home with startling clarity. The viewers display advertising, messages, maps and spurious information. The wealth and power the corporation has seems limitless.
The creation of this world and its parallels with the current day are disturbingly well drawn and explored.
The analogy hangs comfortably on a very serviceable detective story where, Mark Owens, our lone detective hero battles to uncover a paramilitary group growing within the ranks of American.
Thomas Mullen’s definition of a ravaged America and the consequences of the changes wrought and how individuals are affected in all sorts of different ways was so plausible as to be quite terrifying. Loved it!

The set up of world where blindness spread like a virus is fascinating and our police detective. OWEN, has problems with the artificial 'vidder' police use to engage vision, helping with catching crooks; the abuse and daRedevil antics like shooting blind are a real event this causes. Such feats Occur throughout and it's fascinating to read how people have adapted xand the police responded. Some times the truncated dialogue flummoxed me, but I just skimmed over it, and it was clear enough ..

This was such an unsettling read that I just couldn't put down or turn away from. I was absolutely hooked all the way through

Thank you to #Netgalley and #LittleBrown for granting me access to this arc in return for an honest review.

The Blind Spots is a highly inventive, gritty thriller. It is a detective novel set in a dystopian future where everyone has gone blind following a global disaster. The story follows the lead detective, Mark Owens, still grieving the loss of his artist's wife, as he tries to make sense of the nonsensical. Mullen yields a creative, taut plot that leaves you reeling. This is a very entertaining and thought-provoking read on greed, power and survival.

I really enjoyed the concept - a world where no one can see - and the level of detail that went into creating this world. At the same time, it was a suspenseful well[-crafted, unpredictable thriller.

A virus (?) plunges the world into blindness in the matter of months. Which resulted in complete chaos, the worst of man being revealed. 7 years later, the world has found a balance, and technology has allowed our mind to perceive "vision" through an external device. But now someone has found a way to manipulate the device and control what we perceive, literally getting away with murder. Mark Owens is the detective on the case. He has his own demons, from the period of chaos and when his wife committed suicide. He will need to put his own mental state on hold, in order to solve this case, and he may have to do it blind.

Lots of characters, with enough back-story to make them feel relevant, all centered around the emotionally distant Mark Owens who is tormented and traumatized, but determined to be a good cop. The book had all the necessary elements to make a good thriller. Unexpected villain's, fighting against the odds, great pace, some red herrings. lots of anticipation, unpredictable "reveals". However, the hero of the book is the setting and the reimagining of a blind world. I loved the detail, and the thought around the repercussions a Blinding would have on the world, and the subsequent developments, both socially and technologically. The author really explored the impact from multiple angles, which made this a thoughtful and intelligent futuristic read. Loved the originality.

An incredibly enjoyable, thought-provoking thriller.

Set a world where everyone has suddenly become blind and most are reliant on technology in order to see.

During The Blinding the world was in chaos. The food supply and healthcare was in disarray. People felt helpless and many turned to suicide, violence or a hallucinogenic drug, Opsin.
Then vidders were invented, using technology to give back people's vision, and the world tried to return to normal.

There are many parallels with our recent real-life experience and modern conspiracy theories: first, the denial of the gravity of the pandemic followed by some people's rejection of the technology that will enable them to see. And naturally, because this is a thriller, the nefarious use of technology by some people in an attempt to control the situation for their own benefit.

Fortunately, these parallels are not heavy handed and the main focus of the story is the thriller aspect of the murder mystery and the scary question of how we cope when our perceptions are manipulated and we can no longer trust what we see.

A genre-bending police procedural in a sci-fi setting that skirts on the edge of a dystopia, with appealing characters and writing that is fast-paced and exciting.
Highly recommended.
I hope the author sets more books in this world.

Imagine a world where everyone has gone blind and can only "see" using technology that downloads images to your brain. Combine this with a murderer who is bypassing the technology to avoid being identified and you have a very original kind of thriller.

An incredibly exciting and gripping story.

There is something completely terrifying about how real this concept is. The idea is so unique yet I could really imagine what it would be like if this happened in today's world. I found myself invested in the characters and addicted to the twisty plot. I think that dystopian ideas can be tricky to introduce to readers because you need a lot of information to understand how the world has changed, but I found that Thomas Mullen has done a great job at explaining the situation gradually.

If enjoy a thriller with a twist then this is a definite must-read.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was an amazing SciFi story. the authors imagination abounds. Everyone in the World goes blind but Tech wizards find a way to compensate. The greedy and selfish people then find ways to manipulate the results for their own benefit. I thoroghly enjoyed the chaotic conclusion.

Brilliant dystopian novel by the always excellent Thomas Mullen. A detective novel set in the after time of a worldwide disaster, involving greed for power, greed for material gain, greed for martyrdom and those trying to survive. A powerful story that gripped me from start to end.

I have been more into dystopianesque books recently - which is no surprise with how the world is. I really enjoyed this, it was well-written with a compelling storyline and well-developed characters. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, and no significant gaps between words. Some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

Seven years ago everyone in the world went blind. After an awful several month of miserable and chaotic existence new technology enabled an approximation of sight. Owens has been a cop since before the blinding. A scientist from the eye tech. company is murdered, there is a witness but she says she couldn't see the killer , who just seemed to be a blacked out blob. Owens doesn't believe her until a second murder takes place close to him and he sees the blob but not the killer. Has someone found a way of interfering with other people's vision? The hunt for the ki8ller is a cracking detective story.

https://monikareads.wordpress.com/2023/04/06/blind-spots-by-thomas-mullen/

It’s been seven years since The Blinding, where the whole world became blind. It caused chaos and widened the gap even further between the rich and the poor.

Now, majority of population can ‘see’ again thanks to the invention of a vidder, a small disc on nearly everyone’s right temple.

Mark Owens is a police officer who’s witnessed the aftermath of The Blinding. He carries emotional baggage, too – his wife, a prominent and talented artist, committed suicide and he’s still grieving for her and what they’ve had.

One day, he questions Dr. Leila, who witnessed a murder of her co-worker, Dr. Jensen. She claims that she couldn’t see the killer, as he was a black blur, as if he was censored from her vision.

Owens disbelieves her, saying that ‘malfunction of vidders’ is a line used by many perpetrators. However, it’s not until he witnesses the black blur killing someone, that he starts to question everything that he sees.

As no one believes Owens, he becomes a prime suspect. He will have to resolve to drastic measures to prove his innocence and uncover the truth.

I really enjoyed this dystopian thriller. I found the idea of The Blinding and vidders fresh and something I haven’t encountered before.

This book packs a punch from the very first page to the last. It’s gritty, suspenseful, and exciting, with Owens as someone you root for throughout.

It’s my first book by this author but it won’t be my last.

Many thanks to Abacus Books for approving my NetGalley request.

Thomas Mullen’s world building is excellent. He has created an altogether thrilling police procedural in a world that is so well thought through it becomes entirely understandable and plausible.

This world is one in which everyone went inexplicably blind over a fairly short period of time. It happened across the world, in much the same way that the Covid pandemic travelled across continents. People’s sight got fuzzy, then it disappeared. There was, of course, mass panic. Many people behaved very badly. Crowds of newly blinded people attempted to ransack stores or storm government buildings, desperate to know how they were supposed to survive. The authorities were in no better a state. The police, themselves blind, struggled to control crowds. Bad things happened. Now there’s a Truth Commission set up to look into what happened in those desperate times and perhaps to redress some of the wrongs.

After ‘the blinding’ as it became known, technology was able to restore a form of sight using what are called ‘vidders’ metal circuitry embedded into the side of the temple and connecting to the cerebral cortex which helps people to ‘see’. It has, of course, other uses, so wearers will also get pop up ads, government notices and other detritus of today’s digital technology. Of course there are groups who refuse such additions and prefer to develop their skills while lacking sight. And though there are programmes for the poor, not everyone has a vidder for reasons of affordability.

Homicide Detective Mark Owens is one of those being investigated by the Truth Commission. He lost his life partner after the blinding. An artist, Jeanie lost her joy in painting and Mark found her hanging in her studio. Now he is dating a fellow cop, Amira, but theirs is a union that does not seem to be going anywhere.

Crime is still a major problem and Detective Owens and Safiya Khouri, alongside his long term police partner the hefty and very angry Peterson, are chasing villains in the River District, where a tense situation is boiling over and Owens vidder stops working. Owens takes a chance and using his other senses, takes a shot while blinded.

His Captain is less than happy and this, together with the Truth Commission investigation, leaves Owens somewhat isolated. Then he is given a murder case. Scientist Ray Jensen was working for Bio-Lux Technology, the company which has made its money from being the only company to patent and make vidders. He was working on ways to enhance vidders. A witness says that Jensen was attacked by a black blur. But such a thing just is not possible. If it were, that would mean that vidders could be hacked and that way madness lies.

Yet Owens has heard a similar story before and he when he experiences just this has to investigate. More murders take place and it becomes very clear that something very disturbing is happening. As Owens becomes increasingly isolated and then becomes a wanted man, he must use all his powers to find out what’s going on and why. The stakes for mankind have never been higher.

Thomas Mullen writes a thrilling police procedural set in a changed world, but one which has lessons for us all. This is a surveillance society where vidders can be tracked, messages can be sent, deep fakes created and planted in our brains. Technology rules and governments dictate what people are allowed to ‘see’ and experience.

Given where we are with tracking technology and VR, this is not a world that feels all that far away.

Verdict: A cracking police procedural set in a world that is very different, yet feels very close. Mullen creates a level of detail that enhances the plausibility of his scenario and delivers a tense and suspenseful plot alongside some thrilling action. This is top notch, sharply written, scary dystopian detective fiction and I’d certainly reach for more of his work.

I really enjoyed this author's Darktown Trilogy so I was quite excited to get my hands on this book. Having said that, this book is very far removed in genre from Darktown, being more dystopian sci-fi in themes. The quality of writing remains just as high though.
So, we early on learn that seven years ago there was an event, The Blinding, that caused everyone to slowly, over a matter of months, go blind. Technology has moved on and, for those who want it, there is a device they can have that sort of replicates the eyes, collecting visual data and downloading it directly into the brain! Obviously there are those who shun such technology, but the majority welcome the techno which, on the whole works very well.
Our MC herein is homicide detective Mark Owens who has been a cop before during and after The Blinding. He welcomes the technology not only for the personal freedom it gives him but it also cuts through the issues with "eye witnesses" that blight any investigation. Until however, one day, he comes across a case where the witness to the murder of Dr Ray Jensen insists the killer has been "blacked out" of her view. Which shouldn't happen. Can't happen. Mustn't happen. And as such is unbelievable both to him and his superiors. So not only does he have to work out who killed the Dr he also needs to know why and how in the heck they did it under stealth. And then... The witness then becomes suspect. And then victim...
I am umming and erring between 4 and five stars. I settled on 4 as it does lose its way a wee bit in the middle third where it drags a tad. That said, never enough for me to give up. And not all books have to be paced faster than the speed of light. The story was well plotted and executed and, on the whole, the characters did their jobs well. I do have to wonder though if this is a series opener as there was a lot of emphasis on the background and world building which is what I would expect from book one of a series. I do hope so as I did find the world fascinating and it would be a waste of all that creating should it be left here. And I do think the characters have more to say. I for one would be up for that!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is a really original concept- there has been a mass world event and everyone is blind. Now, individuals are divided into those who have adapted technology for the visually impaired with GPS that feeds into the occipital lobes visual cortex. Mullen writes a clever tale with a detective investigating the murder of a scientist. This novel
is futuristic but also realistic. You'll never take your sight for granted after reading this.

Such a unique sci-fi with an intriguing premise, I was reminded of 'Black Mirror' whilst reading it and it was unnerving how I could see something like that happening to humanity especially with the epidemic part. Overall it was a really nice easy to read book, although some of the format was a bit hard to read but that is probably because this is an ARC, but I did enjoy reading a twist on your typical crime thriller.

This book is an intriguing mix – a sci-fi crime thriller set in the near future. I found it a slow starter but it kept my attention once I got used to the characters. It also picked up pace nicely as the story unfolded. Overall, a good story well told.

Thomas Mullen is an author I’d never come across before, but his other books have gotten rave reviews. And this one had an intriguing premise: imagine a world where in the course of a few months, every human being is blinded. (That’s a lot easier to do now after the COVID pandemic.) The next step is a little bit less plausible: imagine that scientists come up with a way, using a device implanted in your head, to allow people to see again.

That’s implausible not because scientists can’t create amazing solutions, but because of the very possibility that such devices, connected to the net, could be manipulated. And that’s the heart of this imaginative science fiction / police procedural set in the near future.

A device that not only replaces your vision but “enhances” it by showing you the nearest restaurants, the local weather and so on is almost certainly going to be used for evil purposes. And it is.

I won’t give the main plot line away — suffice it to say that this is a well-crafted, gripping novel with characters that have some genuine depth. The author has taken a sci-fi premise and run with it, imagining all the issues that would come up in such a world. A world, by the way, that I would never want to live in.

I enjoyed this, it was a bit different from other books I have read recently. A dark part police mystery with some scifi dystopian thrown in to the mix. I would read more from this original author.

Fantastic near future thriller. Seven years ago everyone suddenly went blind, now technology 'sees' the reality around us - but someone has hacked the technology to influence what is seen, and a series of similar killings is implicating a wide range of the great and not so good....

If you enjoyed Minority Report take a look at this.