DCS Kat Frank has been on extended leave from the police force due to the death of her husband. Kat & her teenage son, Cam, are adjusting to their new 'normal' although it has understandably not been easy. Cam had depression & anxiety, but he is now going out a lot more with his friends, whilst Kat is just trying to keep everything together. She is called in to head a new pilot scheme trialling the use of an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) which can perform calculations & trawl through data at superspeed. The Promoter reserves the right to publish entries (including parts of entries) other than the winning entry and publication does not necessarily mean the entrant has won a prize. Kat’s just returning to work when we meet her. We soon learn she’d cared for her dying husband. I initially suspected he was a cop who died by some nefarious means, but it’s nothing like that. Less dramatic, if you like. But of course no less tragic. A standout debut with a unique and thrilling take on the detective novel. Engaging, exciting and superbly readable. I loved it' SARAH HILARY An incredible book. So original, gripping and wonderfully written. I raced through it’ Karen Hamilton

It's so much more than a dystopian police procedural and asks questions about who we are and what it means to be human. Brilliant' Nikki SmithJo Callaghan makes her entry into the crowded police procedural genre with a fresh take on the buddy-buddy cop trope. In the Blink of an Eye predicts the near future when police officers and their AI counterparts will work hand-in-holographic-hand. The human-AI interactions between the lead protagonists as they pursue their quarry are illuminating and, at times, hilarious. Provocative and compelling. A TV series seems a certainty’ VASEEM KHAN

Firstly I really liked the characters in this book who were on the whole a very likeable bunch and not your average stereotypical detectives. I like that they all seemed to actually like each other and it was good to see each of them bringing something different to the investigation. Kat was an interesting main character that I sympathised a lot with not least because I’m dreading the day my children are teenagers. I admired her for her strength and passion for her job but she also frustrated me at times with her absolute conviction she was right. She hasn't but I loved that Callaghan gives us a senior, experienced and confident protagonist and one who's a significant way through her career and life. Kat's likeable but has baggage. She's talented but also fallible.In the Blink of an Eye is fresh, innovative and very very clever. Flawlessly paced, plotted and researched, it’s laugh out loud, heart-achingly sad and doesn’t have a dull moment. I raced through it. Simply sensational' M. W. CRAVEN

A very well put together and entertaining police drama. I highly recommend it. You will feel all the emotions.These terms and conditions apply to all competitions (unless and to the extent that) the competition states otherwise. The pilot scheme will start with cold cases; people who have disappeared over the years, with no leads. The whole process of choosing which missing persons to concentrate on is complex in itself, and as time moves on, it becomes clear that there's far more to these cases than originally thought. Fresh, innovative and very, very clever. Flawlessly paced, plotted and researched, it's laugh out loud, heart-achingly sad and doesn't have a dull moment. I raced through it. Simply sensational' M. W. Craven The kind of fresh and fearless debut I just adore. Wildly original, heartfelt, funny, and properly thrilling. Take a bow, Jo Callaghan’ CHRIS WHITAKER In your thank you section at the end of the book you list some of the people who helped your research with the technical data. There must have been some interesting discussions about the possibilities of using AI in police work that seem like Science fiction now?

A truly original premise that is both compelling and filled with heart. Highly recommended’ Olivia Kiernan The promoter of this competition is News Group Newspapers Ltd (publishers of The Sun) (the “Promoter”). She hasn’t but I loved that Callaghan gives us a senior, experienced and confident protagonist and one who’s a significant way through her career and life. Kat’s likeable but has baggage. She’s talented but also fallible. Thrilling, thought-provoking and cinematic — a slam dunk for movie/TV adaptation' Alexandra Sokoloff, author of the Huntress Moon thrillers Fabulous! A rare crime novel truly as much about character as it is about plot…cried at the ending…huge potential series exploring the human AI connection. Loved' Lindsay GalvinStories are a powerful way to engage people in these vital conversations, so although I have (hopefully) written In the Blink of an Eye in an entertaining and sometimes humorous way, I also explore questions of how the police make decisions, the use (and abuse) of data, and the line between ‘gut instinct’ and prejudice. The Promoter reserves the right at any time to cancel, modify or supersede the competition (including altering prizes) if, in our sole discretion, a competition is not capable of being conducted as specified. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal value in the event that circumstances beyond their control make this unavoidable. It's most certainly crime fiction, but there's an element of speculative fiction too, with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (or AI) used as a tool to help police investigations. It may sound a little far-fetched, but when we look around our world today, there's certainly the possibility that this could happen .... or maybe it already is?? For a list of winners please send a stamped envelope to News UK, Competitions Department, 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF stating for which competition you would like winners’ details.