Off-Line

by Lawrence Goldstone

The year is 2020. Glynnis Rodman, brilliant and beautiful, a senior executive at MicroLink, one of the country's most powerful cyber companies, has been found dead in her apartment after an S&M encounter with a stranger. Veteran senior investigator Phil Gagliardi Jr., forty-two, bored, and recently divorced, is called to the scene. Computer analysis determines the cause of death to be cardiac arrest induced by an overdose of an illegal, orgasm-enhancing drug. Records prove that the drug had been supplied by the partner. The case seems to be open and shut, but Phil cannot get the image of the dead woman out of his mind. Despite skepticism within the department and pressure from higher-ups, he decides to investigate on his own. Phil soon learns that in the twenty-first century investigating a crime is not so easy. In a society where ColorMatch selects the contents of a clothes closet, ArtTech chooses wall decor, and an AccuStove prepares dinner, criminal analysis has been entirely entrusted to microchips. For the first time in years, Phil must solve a crime without help from machines, a skill that he has almost forgotten.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 1998

About the author

Lawrence Goldstone is the author of fourteen books of both fiction and non-fiction. Six of those books were co-authored with his wife, Nancy, but they now write separately to save what is left of their dishes.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshire Eagle. He has also written for a number of magazines that have gone bust, although he denies any cause and effect.
His first novel, Rights, won a New American Writing Award but he now cringes at its awkward prose. (Anatomy of Deception and The Astronomer are much better.)
Despite a seemingly incurable tendency to say what's on his mind (thus mortifying Nancy), Goldstone has been widely interviewed on both radio and television, with appearances on, among others, "Fresh Air" (NPR), "To the Best of Our Knowledge" (NPR), "The Faith Middleton Show" (NPR), "Tavis Smiley" (PBS), and Leonard Lopate (WNYC). His work has also been profiled in The New York Times, The Toronto Star, numerous regional newspapers, Salon, and Slate.
Goldstone holds a PhD in American Constitutional Studies from the New School. His friends thus call him DrG, although he can barely touch the rim. (Sigh. Can't make a layup anymore either.) He and his beloved bride founded and ran an innovative series of parent-child book groups, which they documented in Deconstructing Penguins. He has also been a teacher, lecturer, senior member of a Wall Street trading firm, taxi driver, actor, quiz show contestant, and policy analyst at the Hudson Institute.
He is a unerring stock picker. Everything he buys instantly goes down.

Reviews

[Calamity · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason I finished this book was because I have no intentions to start something I can’t finish. However, if I’m being honest I wish I hadn’t touched this book. While the idea of Ai and computerized systems evolving beyond human comprehension/becoming the superior “species” was fascinating; I’m utterly disgusted with this author’s obsession with rape, sex, and necrophilia. I’m noticing a pattern from male authors in similar genres and frankly I’m tired of them finding anyway to include these storylines in any book. “Phil” the main protagonist constantly circled back to view a woman’s corpse, repeatedly mentioning her appearance and the horrendous things he wished of her. Every woman he met, it was the same reaction. Basically, how the female character A) looked without clothes on B) had a busty figure C) could possibly have an attraction to him D) is somehow walking seductively. Also, wow the part about Annie looking over a raped 10 year old girl and how him and Noel would circle back for looks or to stay in the room? Let’s additionally not forget how he almost masturbated to a dead woman’s recorded face. I’m just sickened by how depraved this book was. And there’s no justification for it, or the characters alike whatsoever. Humans can be awful, selfish and in so many ways inferior to Ai but that can be done and related without using ways to excuse/employ these weird corrupt fantasies in your book

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting futuristic novel where we all become too dependent on machines. I don't think that AI will progress that fast, but it was an interesting idea.