THE LAST EXIT

In this sci-fi mystery set in a richly imagined near future, listeners are introduced to Washington, DC, detective Jen Lu and Chandler, a piece of AI technology implanted in Jen's brain. Jen and Chandler work on cases concerning parents who, at age 65, can opt for euthanasia in exchange for their children receiving a treatment that slows aging and immunizes them against deadly diseases. Narrators Emily Woo Zeller and JD Jackson are an excellent team. Zeller brings a thoughtful, nuanced humanity to Jen and the supporting characters. Jackson makes Chandler sound like both a brash, wisecracking cop and an AI entity in its intellectual adolescence. The unlikely partners tackle an insidious conspiracy in this launch of a promising series. A.T.N. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2021]