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Cameron Caldwell #1
There is No Cloud
You never know what’s listening….
As a sales rep for SmartTech, the world’s largest home automation company, Cameron Caldwell’s job is to keep customers happy… and buying. That means the current bane of her existence is a rival company’s home AI device, the HomeTech Hub. Her customers want to use the HTH’s voice commands to control the electronics she’s selling them—and if she wants to keep selling to them, she needs to make sure that happens. Why can’t they just ask it the weather and be happy with that?
While attempting to get tech support for one of her clients, Cameron finds something strange in a HomeTech Hub and is immediately curious. Is there something about the product no one’s supposed to know? But when people start dying, she knows something far more complex is going on, and she’s determined to find out what the technology the whole world has let into their homes actually does.
As Cameron digs deeper into something she never thought would be possible, she starts to wonder what she’s gotten herself into… and whether she’ll be able to get out.
As a sales rep for SmartTech, the world’s largest home automation company, Cameron Caldwell’s job is to keep customers happy… and buying. That means the current bane of her existence is a rival company’s home AI device, the HomeTech Hub. Her customers want to use the HTH’s voice commands to control the electronics she’s selling them—and if she wants to keep selling to them, she needs to make sure that happens. Why can’t they just ask it the weather and be happy with that?
While attempting to get tech support for one of her clients, Cameron finds something strange in a HomeTech Hub and is immediately curious. Is there something about the product no one’s supposed to know? But when people start dying, she knows something far more complex is going on, and she’s determined to find out what the technology the whole world has let into their homes actually does.
As Cameron digs deeper into something she never thought would be possible, she starts to wonder what she’s gotten herself into… and whether she’ll be able to get out.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2021
About the author
Kat Wheeler
2 books17 followersKat has worked for eighteen years in sales in the AV industry, her love for technology starting early with her first computer, a Commodore64 at age six. She loved it until she realized you could put a magnet to the screen and it made pretty colors.
Kat spends a lot of her time traveling. She’s been to forty-six states and lived in six. She loves yoga, poker, sports, and all things technology. Her dreams are to one day stop traveling so much and be able to own a dog and to be the first woman to win the World Series of Poker Main Event.
Kat spends a lot of her time traveling. She’s been to forty-six states and lived in six. She loves yoga, poker, sports, and all things technology. Her dreams are to one day stop traveling so much and be able to own a dog and to be the first woman to win the World Series of Poker Main Event.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 31, 2021
There Is No Cloud definitely makes me think a bit differently when it comes to technology. Now this is the first time technology has tried to take over the world.. or murder someone. But I did think it was an interesting take on it all.
In this, you will meet Matt. He is the inventor of HomeTechHub. He created an AI that can do basically anything for you. Turning on/off yours lights for example. The one thing the didn't count on was them turning on someone and killing them.
Enter into this murder mystery, we get to meet Detective Will and Cam. Now Cam isn't a detective but she is a saleswomen with burning questions. Together they were the unlikely duo to solve any crime but they somehow made it work.
I'll admit that some of what happened gave me the creeps because I would just never think about it actually happening. BUT it does make sense that it all did. It just gave me the creeps. As for the actual investigation, it kept me on the edge of my seat. If this ever became a movie, I would hands down watch it but would want things to be a little less predictable.
In the end, the truth eventually comes out. Just prepare yourself for it all.
In this, you will meet Matt. He is the inventor of HomeTechHub. He created an AI that can do basically anything for you. Turning on/off yours lights for example. The one thing the didn't count on was them turning on someone and killing them.
Enter into this murder mystery, we get to meet Detective Will and Cam. Now Cam isn't a detective but she is a saleswomen with burning questions. Together they were the unlikely duo to solve any crime but they somehow made it work.
I'll admit that some of what happened gave me the creeps because I would just never think about it actually happening. BUT it does make sense that it all did. It just gave me the creeps. As for the actual investigation, it kept me on the edge of my seat. If this ever became a movie, I would hands down watch it but would want things to be a little less predictable.
In the end, the truth eventually comes out. Just prepare yourself for it all.
November 27, 2021
Rating: 3.5
This would make a cool episode of Black Mirror :D
This would make a cool episode of Black Mirror :D
January 14, 2021
Great fast paced tech mystery
The characters were well thought out and developed. I loved the mystery crime solving element, but it was really the characters that I fell for. Carmen is relatable in so many ways. I found myself wanting to say, “yes I too enjoy a nice glass of bourbon, a good football game, and mystery.” There was a romance element, but it wasn’t in your face or the predominant theme. It was a slow build and didn’t take over the storyline. Well done. Can’t believe this a first time author.
The characters were well thought out and developed. I loved the mystery crime solving element, but it was really the characters that I fell for. Carmen is relatable in so many ways. I found myself wanting to say, “yes I too enjoy a nice glass of bourbon, a good football game, and mystery.” There was a romance element, but it wasn’t in your face or the predominant theme. It was a slow build and didn’t take over the storyline. Well done. Can’t believe this a first time author.
September 24, 2021
if you’re into mystery - this is really a good read 🤍 Mixed with tech, even better!
August 12, 2021
Okay, Google, I’d like to set up a Routine. When I am murdered alone in my office, please call the police, unlock the door, and turn off the coffee pot. Matt Rodriguez is the inventor of the HomeTechHub, a network-integrated device with an inbuilt AI which can control any smart device in its same network – from lights to window shades. It’s made Matt and his partners ludicrously rich, but all the automation in the world didn’t stop someone from swiping their way into the building, sneaking into his office, and whacking him with an old fashioned crowbar. Detective Will Justus is assigned to investigate the murder, while simultaneously Cam, a bourbon-sipping saleswoman turned with a question bugging her is poking into a defective Hub to find out why it’s not playing nice with the network. What she discovers will risk forcing her to share a fate with the hub’s creator. There is No Cloud does double duty as a murder mystery and a tech-thriller, centered on the amount of information digital assistants and smart devices can corral about their users.
Despite the apparent creepiness of a mic’d-up device sitting in one’s home, passively listening our every word and sending it off to Amazon or Google, over half of Americans regularly use a voice assistant -- through their phones, if nothing else, using them for everyday tasks like shopping, calendars, and media interaction. There is No Cloud focuses on how vulnerable we can be if these devices are compromised – or deliberately used against us, to chilling effect. Although I’m a little skeptical of the book’s over-powered Home Tech Hubs (which integrate with any third-party smarttech, and once on the network have Total Access to anything that on the same network, permissions or encryption be damned). There Is No Cloud succeeds in creating a story based on the potential for abuse inherent in these devices. and each main character’s private investigation ultimately brings them together, looking for the truth. Although it’s fairly obvious from the start that the cases are connected, the question is how – was Matt murdered for creating spyware, was he being spied on and just coincidentally murdered, or was it something else? The reader is kept fairly well teased as to whether the solution will be a personal grudge or a matter of business.
Despite the apparent creepiness of a mic’d-up device sitting in one’s home, passively listening our every word and sending it off to Amazon or Google, over half of Americans regularly use a voice assistant -- through their phones, if nothing else, using them for everyday tasks like shopping, calendars, and media interaction. There is No Cloud focuses on how vulnerable we can be if these devices are compromised – or deliberately used against us, to chilling effect. Although I’m a little skeptical of the book’s over-powered Home Tech Hubs (which integrate with any third-party smarttech, and once on the network have Total Access to anything that on the same network, permissions or encryption be damned). There Is No Cloud succeeds in creating a story based on the potential for abuse inherent in these devices. and each main character’s private investigation ultimately brings them together, looking for the truth. Although it’s fairly obvious from the start that the cases are connected, the question is how – was Matt murdered for creating spyware, was he being spied on and just coincidentally murdered, or was it something else? The reader is kept fairly well teased as to whether the solution will be a personal grudge or a matter of business.
January 30, 2021
Rating: 4.5*
I like to mix things up every now and then and take a step back from my favourite genre of romance and indulge in a suspense/thriller read. I needed a change when I got the opportunity to read this and I was not disappointed.
This book wove its story around the fact that technology is in every part of our lives and we rely on it so much but equally we are producing so much data around what we are doing at every moment online. But what happens if this could all be collected - the power it could wield for the person collecting it. It explores power beyond the big techs' data collection and the power they wield.
Cameron is a sales rep for a home automation company who comes across devices that won't integrate as they should. Closer investigation reveals an extra chip in the devices. What Cameron quickly discovers is that those behind the chip have already killed once and won't hesitate to kill again to keep their secret and power. With the tech savvy behind the scenes, it doesn't look likely that anyone will get close enough to the killer, until Cameron starts to close in.
This was a book with present day relevance. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and kept me guessing. There were plenty of twists and turns along the way that had me hooked and not wanting to put it down.
***Reviewed for LBM Book Blog***
I like to mix things up every now and then and take a step back from my favourite genre of romance and indulge in a suspense/thriller read. I needed a change when I got the opportunity to read this and I was not disappointed.
This book wove its story around the fact that technology is in every part of our lives and we rely on it so much but equally we are producing so much data around what we are doing at every moment online. But what happens if this could all be collected - the power it could wield for the person collecting it. It explores power beyond the big techs' data collection and the power they wield.
Cameron is a sales rep for a home automation company who comes across devices that won't integrate as they should. Closer investigation reveals an extra chip in the devices. What Cameron quickly discovers is that those behind the chip have already killed once and won't hesitate to kill again to keep their secret and power. With the tech savvy behind the scenes, it doesn't look likely that anyone will get close enough to the killer, until Cameron starts to close in.
This was a book with present day relevance. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and kept me guessing. There were plenty of twists and turns along the way that had me hooked and not wanting to put it down.
***Reviewed for LBM Book Blog***
March 19, 2021
This book is just phenomenal. There’s no other words. It checks all the boxes for a mystery. It features a strong female lead. Plus it’s completely relatable, even if you’re not super technical. Couldn’t recommend it enough, even if you’re not in the AV industry!
There are one or two typos/layout issues, but they definitely don’t stop this from being an enjoyable read.
There are one or two typos/layout issues, but they definitely don’t stop this from being an enjoyable read.
March 16, 2021
Such and awesome nerdy tech book! Nice job bridging tech and mystery 👏👏
March 24, 2021
Good clean book. Makes you think about how technology can affect our lives.
July 5, 2021
I LOVED this book. it was perfect. A technology thriller
July 28, 2021
Held my interest throughout
August 31, 2021
3.5 stars! This was a really enjoyable quick read- seemed a little predictable, but really highlighted the dangers of AI! Thank you to Goodreads for the free copy.
September 7, 2021
This book was very entertaining and fast-paced. It wasn’t what I expected it to be but I liked it.
July 5, 2021
Super fun, fast-paced read. The concept was interesting and the tech was explained in a way that was easy to understand. Cool characters Hope it becomes a series because I'd like to see what they get up to next.
December 6, 2021
Really interesting and fun to read tech mystery. I liked it. Cameron Caldwell is a badass.
June 23, 2022
It was fine.. lol
I haven’t read a book in .. longer than I’d like to admit - but I wanted to jump back into it with something easy and interesting.
The story is pretty boiler plate, but I was surprised - once - in the storyline. Character development for the main character was great, but the rest of the characters were a little anti-climactic. Very easy and a quick read. Probably more geared towards YA.
I haven’t read a book in .. longer than I’d like to admit - but I wanted to jump back into it with something easy and interesting.
The story is pretty boiler plate, but I was surprised - once - in the storyline. Character development for the main character was great, but the rest of the characters were a little anti-climactic. Very easy and a quick read. Probably more geared towards YA.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews