Customer Reviews

Click Here for Murder (A Turing Hopper Mystery)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Turing is shocked to discover, while reading files of police reports, that Ray Santiago has been killed. He was the chief programmer at Alan Grace Enterprises, building the network that would become the new home for Turing and other AIP's. Shock quickly turns to concern when she discovers that Ray's laptop is missing. On it was information that could put Turing and her AIP friends at risk. So she, Tim, and Maude started investigating on their own to find the killer and the laptop. But that's not as easy as it first appears since Ray had constructed a secret life and wasn't necessarily who he claimed to be. While Tim follows the trail to find out who Ray really was, Maude and Turing try to make sense of the little they can find in his office and apartment. Who was Ray? And will that lead them to his killer and the all important laptop?

I completely fell in love with these characters in the first book in this series, and this second adventure was as much fun as the first. Turing is a very real character who grows over the course of the story once again. Having established Turing in the last book, Maude and Tim get a bit more of the spot light this time around, and I enjoyed getting to know them better. The story itself provides some interesting twists. I had some parts of the story figured out, but there were a few surprises that I never saw coming. The ending was a bit rushed, but when I went back and reread it, I was able to put everything together.

If you're new to this series, start with the first (You've Got Murder.) Not only does it set up the world that Turing lives in, but this book makes reference to a few key events from the last one. Both books are highly recommended for a great read. Hopefully, Ms. Andrews is working hard to bring us more with these characters. I'm sure looking forward it.

This is the second of the Turing Hopper mysteries. In it, Turing discovers that Ray Santiago, a friend of hers, has been murdered. Because Turing is an artificial intelligence personality (AIP), she can't very well look into his murder by himself, so she enlists the help of other friends of hers and Ray's: Maude and Tim. Finding out who murdered Ray isn't just a justice thing - whoever murdered Ray also stole his laptop, which puts Turing and the other AIPs in danger. Maude, Tim, and Turing's investigation takes them into unfamiliar territory: a dark, violent computer game and even live-action roleplaying (LARP).

I actually think this book deserves a 4.5. It was better than the first book. It didn't feel as bogged down by Turing and her agonizing over whether the things she was doing were morally correct. She still analyzes herself, and several times she wonders is she's becoming Hal-like, but it didn't feel like Turing's mental dialogue was trying to take over the book. I thought Tim and Maude were great in this book. Tim was still trying to adjust to being a PI, and his part of the investigation led to a new addition to the group: another PI named Claudia. Claudia was really interesting, tough and professional but still very likeable, and I'm looking forward to hearing more about her in the next book. It'll probably help to have read the first book, since that book sets up nicely what Turing is and what she can do. This second book also occaisionally refers to events from the first book. However, since the series isn't too far along, I don't think starting with this book would be too confusing. I definitely recommend this book and the series.

When one of her staff members is killed, artificial intelligence personality Turing Hopper suspects that she may also be a target. The only clues are the role-playing game that the victim spent so much time playing, and his strange lack of a true identity. Turing assigned her two friends to find out more about the game and more about what Ray Santiago did before he became Ray Santiago and joined her company. What she doesn't expect is that she'll be sending her friends into danger--or that Santiago's killers just might be a threat for a bright artificial intelligence--like her.

Author Donna Andrews does an excellent job making computer crime approachable, using non-technical language and humanizing her computer-program protagonist (as well as providing a couple of very human sidekicks). Turing's concerns about turning into HAL (from 2001) and worries about following the law and respecting privacy add to reader safety. The role-playing game that Andrews describes is also believable, even as it spills out from the computer into the real-world of Washington D.C. Andrews is a skilled writer and provides a page-turning thrill-ride.

Although I liked Turing (despite her occasional descents into self-appraisal, I found sidekick Maude a little harder to like. Her moonlighting for Turing's company sounded unethical to me. Worse, she didn't seem to hesitate to shoot to kill, even when she wasn't fully aware of the situation. Nor did she seem to suffer any ethical consequences after she'd actually killed. The hints at the use of games for pedophilia also struck an incongruous note. Although this was an important justification for Santiago's initial involvement, Andrews should either have made this a bigger element or left it out.

CLICK HERE FOR MURDER isn't a perfect story, but it is a well written and entertaining adventure. The use of an artificial intelligence character creates an enjoyable alternate spin to the usual mystery novel and Andrews develops this story line convincingly, in a way that will be enjoyable both to computer professionals and to those who remain a bit concerned about the role of computers in our lives.

Turing Hopper is a great protagonist. Because she is an Artificial Intelligence Personality (AIP) who is sentient, she gets help from her friends Tim Pincoski and Maude Graham.

Their employee Ray Santiago is killed. They begin to investigate. Unfortunately they end up with more questions than answers. They soon discover that Ray wasn't exactly who he presented himself to be. Plus they can't find his laptop and are concerned that if it fell into the wrong hands, their entire computer security system could be breached. Many things begin to happen. And they discover that Ray was deeply involved in role playing games. They log in to play the computer game only to find it more sinister than they would expect him to be involved with. Then they become aware of the live-action role playing game that goes along with the computer game. It seems that Ray played that too, possibly even the night he was killed. Could this have anything to do with his murder?

Can they find the missing laptop and discover who killed Ray and why before someone else is killed or their computer system is breached?

This is a terrific series. What a unique protagonist. Ms. Andrews has written it so well that you truly believe a computer could do this. The way she uses Tim and Maude to assist her seems so natural. The many things that happen and the way the story twists and turns keeps your interest to the point of finding it hard to put down the book.

She also does a great job of telling the story without using a lot of unrecognizable technical jargon. Computer enthusiast or not, I believe you will enjoy this book.

This is the second in the series and I can't wait to read the third. I highly recommend this book and its predecessor You've Got Murder. They are a fast read with a story that will keep you guessing.

"Click Here for Murder" is Donna Andrews' second novel, which features Turing Hopper...who is a computer. Well, not JUST a computer, but an AIP (Artificial Intelligence Personality), who solves crimes.

When Ray Santiago is murdered and his laptop disappears, Maude, Tim, and Turing are frantic. Not only are they grieving over the death of their newest member, but apprehensively they must discover how much information has been revealed. As they delve deeper into the mystery, they begin to discover that their co-worker had a few mysteries of his own.

Although I enjoyed the first book, "You've Got Murder," a little more - I really thought that Claudia was a great addition. However, the dual personality with Turing was a little creepy. Overall, I think that most readers would like this series, however.

After finding the murderer of her creator, she took over The Universal Library business after it was decided to do away with AIP's (Artificial Intelligence Personality). Now nobody can argue the point that Turing Hopper is a sentient silicon based life form. She and her friend Maude own and run UL. They also manage the Alan Grace company where systems engineer Raymond Santiago is building a new network that will be totally under Turing's control.

A former UL employee, Tim works as a private detective. He and Turing remain friends. At Ray's request they play an on-line game Beyond Paranoia. One night Tim is supposed to meet Ray but gets sidetracked playing the game. Tim later learns that Raymond has been murdered. His PDA and portable PC are missing and Turing fears her identity has been compromised. When it turns out Raymond has been using an alias, she sends Tim to learn why he went underground and if his reasons will affect her. Meanwhile Maude and Turing investigate Beyond Paranoia and find it is much more than an on-line game and it will impact the AIP in ways impossible to imagine.

The sequel to YOU'VE GOT MURDER is charming, endearing and adorable. The reader will forget that the heroine is an AIP because she is a just as uncertain, frightened and confused as most humans. Donna Andrews is a terrific storyteller who creates a world (the web) within a world and makes it seem a part of actual reality. There is a cliffhanger ending that will be addressed in the next book in this series that readers will be very eager to read.

Harriet Klausner

i thought the first book was good but "click here for murder" is clearly better. I look forward to "access denied".Special thanks to Miss Andrews. Edward Lorentson

Turing Hopper stars again in the 2nd book of the series. When the computer engineer who has been building a new ahead-of-the-curve home for her turns up dead, the police suspect a drug deal gone bad, but Turing and her friends believe the truth could be much worse - for Turing, at least. For Turing is a different kind of person; an Artificial Intelligence Personality who has achieved sentience, Turing fears that someone is out to delete her, or steal her for their own nefarious purposes. The story is well-paced, the plot is exciting, the characters are well-developed. I especially enjoyed the use of a LARP in the climactic "scene", because I have a brother who was at one time very involved in an ongoing LARP. It is very helpful to have read the first book, "You've Got Murder" before reading this book, but it is totally not necessary to be a computer person to enjoy this engaging series.

This is the second "computer sleuth" book I've read in this series and I
must say, they are indeed distinctly different. The story is told
simultaneously from both Turing's and a third person perspective. The
typeface is enough to set them off from each other, but is really
unnecessary because Turing's "voice" is distinctly her own. An
interesting premise, I must say. One caution -- you have to read these
books in the proper order because they build on each other and this one
ends with a cliffhanger.

Click Here for Murder is the second book in a new series featuring Turig Hopper, an Artificial Intelligence Personality. In this installment, a talented system engineer that is working on creating a secure new home for Turig is murdered. As Turig and coworkers / friends decide to look into Rays murder, they discover that Ray Santiago does not really exist. Not only is the group concerned about how well they knew Ray, his access to the passwords that could shut Turig down introduces a new urgency to solving the crime.

Assisted by Maude, a coworker at Turigs birth company, and Tim, a new private detective, Turig discovers that Ray was involved in a virtual reality game that had moved into the physical world as a live action role play. This plot line adds intensity to the story, and smoothes the introduction of a new character, Claudia, a private detective from Florida. After a chase involving a good mix of technology and old fashioned who dun-it, the group solves Rays murder while setting up the reader nicely for the 3rd entrant in the series.

Donna Andrews does a great job intertwining technology and crime. Turigs intelligence allows for a challenging story line, but her nascent personality prevents the book from becoming impersonal. This is a fun read that both mystery lovers and technologists will enjoy, with unique characters that catch the readers attention.