Bestselling crime author Jo Callaghan, whose novels explore the role of artificial intelligence in policing, is to appear at The Hive for a special event marking the release of her latest book.
Photo courtesy of Edward Moss
The free event on Wednesday, June 3, from 6.30-8pm, marks the launch of her latest novel, Body of Lies, the fourth and final instalment in the Kat and Lock crime fiction series.
Birmingham-based Jo will be in conversation with University of Worcester Lecturer in Cultural Studies Dr Charlotte Barnes, discussing the new book, her journey into writing, her writing process, the advantages and challenges of writing a crime fiction series, and her use of AI.
Her award-winning debut crime novel and the first in the series, In the Blink of an Eye, was published in 2023. Set in the Midlands, the series features police officer DCS Kat Frank and an AI detective she is paired with called Lock. Kat must engage with AI to solve the cases.
“The question at the heart of the novels is ‘how much can AI learn, and what happens when it does?’” said Jo, whose latest book involves the National Grid falling prey to a cyber-attack.
“We suddenly realise how reliant we are on technology, whether that be electricity or heating or Wi-Fi or phones, everything is on the grid,” said Jo. “And that's actually become much more pertinent.”
The idea for the series grew from questions around how far artificial intelligence can be trusted in decision-making.
“It has a really interesting effect on the dynamic of the wider [police] team, the way Lock fits into the team, and what that means for the people coming up who would ordinarily progress to those roles,” she added.
Jo continued: “AI is something that everyone is thinking about. That means there’s so much to work with when writing about it, with debates around policing, fairness and justice, and like all good crime books, my series explores what it means to be human. How do we want to live our lives, and where do we add value?”
Dr Barnes, herself a crime fiction novelist, believes the event will appeal to those interested in crime fiction reading and writing, but also AI.
“A lot of the time when AI makes appearances in crime, it's not always being used for the most respectable of reasons,” she said. “I do think that Jo is trying to shift that, which I think marks her as very different, but also very relevant in terms of contemporary culture.”
Places are free but must be booked. Visit Worcestershire County Council’s events webpages: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/events/jo-callaghan-body-lies.
For information on courses at University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries telephone 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk
