This races off in top gear from the start and the pace never slackens. A true page-turner. ~ Nick Ferrari, radio and TV presenter, newspaper columnist and author

Definitely a thinking reader's thriller. I was delighted to find that this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill procedural, but rather a rich and complex story with such a shocking twist at the end that I was genuinely unprepared for it. It’s the sort of revelation that makes the reader want to read the book again from start to finish, to look for any subtle hints or signs that the author may have seeded throughout. It’s such a clever and intelligent narrative, especially the way the big secret is revealed. I also admired the way Salman Shaheen embeds politics, philosophy, religion and science into such a fast-paced story. It reminded me in its complexity of the novels of Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell): grisly, shocking, darkly funny, with more twists and turns than Snake Pass. ~ Trezza Azzopardi, Booker-shortlisted author of The Hiding Place

Freebourne is a stunning debut from Salman Shaheen. Compelling, propulsive and endlessly surprising, it might just be the thriller of the year. ~ Charles Elton, bestselling author of Richard and Judy Book Club pick Mr Toppit

This is an edgy, fast-paced excursion into the near future, with a series of murders set against a background of artificial intelligence and opportunistic populist politics. It raises big questions about individual free will and whether moral codes can be overwritten by computer code. ~ Sean Coughlan, BBC News

Shaheen creates a recognisable universe before upending expectations with a series of violent twists and a denouement that had me gasping aloud. Midsomer Murders meets The Matrix. A riveting read. ~ Judith Woods, The Telegraph

A gripping murder mystery with a sci-fi flavour and an utterly original twist that keeps you guessing at every turn. Playing out in a convincing near-future setting, this riveting thriller grapples with the implications of unrelenting technological advancement and its impact on the human experience. One for the AI age. ~ Aristos Georgiou, Newsweek

Freebourne by Salman Shaheen is a standout debut. Shaheen explores the intersection of technology, morality, and justice with incredible nuance. The story grips you with its suspense while also offering a profound commentary on the human condition. With unforgettable characters, Freebourne is a thought-provoking and exhilarating read that keeps you hooked from start to finish. A truly compelling read from an extraordinary new voice. ~ Lord Bilimoria, CBE DL

Freebourne is a gripping thriller that blends suspense, science, and human nature into a compelling narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat. ~ Channi Singh OBE, lead singer of Alaap and the 'godfather' of Bhangra in the west

Harry arrives in a new town and makes a horrific discovery, the body of a young woman in the snow. He is the witness to a murder. In an opening reminiscent of a film noir, the witness suddenly becomes a suspect. Salman Shaheen's writing style is lean and fast-paced, laced with brief, telling poetic descriptions. In this novel set in the immediate future, he sets up all the elements of a thriller, an incident that sets a life on a new, dangerous track, a secret lurking in the past. You will be hooked. I was. ~ Alan Gibbons, bestselling author of Blue Peter Book Award-winning Shadow of the Minotaur

A twisty debut thriller set in a near-future that is both reassuringly familiar and frighteningly not. Nothing in Freebourne is quite as it seems, least of all the meaning of friendship, or what it means to be free. ~ Andrew Cowan, author of Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award-winning Pig

Freebourne raises timely questions about the future use of AI, for both good and bad, as well as social debates around free will that reminded me of one of my favourite novels of all time, A Clockwork Orange. ~ Attila the Stockbroker

Freebourne is a gripping, mind-bending thriller that will have you questioning reality at every turn. Prepare for a tension-filled ride where nothing is as it seems. ~ Andy Fryers, Sustainability Director, Hay Festival

An outstanding novel, full of suspense. Salman Shaheen's mind-bending, speculative thriller, with its richly-drawn world and characters, will have you racing to the denouement and a twist that will knock you sideways. You won't be able to put it down. ~ Seema Malhotra MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office

Freebourne is a brilliant novel from a great writer. Its beautiful setting and compelling characters draw you into an ever-deepening mystery where the stakes are at the same time highly personal and of huge national and political importance. The ending will take your breath away. ~ Ruth Cadbury MP

Beneath the picturesque façade of Freebourne’s rural idyll lies something much darker. A cautionary tale about human freedom and the excesses of technology amid a page-turning hunt for a killer. Freebourne is a masterpiece and absolutely thrilling right up to its final moments. And then. Wow. The twist blew my mind. ~ Jaz Delorean, lead singer of Tankus the Henge

Salman Shaheen has crafted a classic thriller with a very modern twist for our AI age. It's like Black Mirror meets Broadchurch! The opening scenes are filled with horror and intrigue, giving way to a deepening sense of claustrophobia as we explore the town of Freebourne through Harry's eyes for the first time and uncover the secrets it holds. ~ Andria Zafirakou MBE, author of Those Who Can, Teach and Lessons in Life

A riveting and original read full of twists and turns that held my attention from beginning to end. Definitely one you won't want to miss. ~ James Bloodworth, author of Hired and Lost Boys

From the moment Harry steps off the train to discover her dead body, to the gut-punch of an ending that is both terrifying and ingenious and has you questioning everything that came before, Freebourne takes hold of you and it never lets go. It is an assured debut, brilliantly written and fiendishly plotted. ~ Vikas Pota, author of India Inc and Founder & CEO of T4 Education

Totally gripping! It had me hooked from the first line to the final, shocking conclusion. You’ll never see it coming. ~ Jen Offord, author of Sunday Times shortlisted The Year of the Robin

A masterpiece. Beautifully written and utterly compelling, Freebourne is one of those thrillers that just simmers, long after you've finished reading it. The twist is completely original and mind-blowing. Freebourne is one of the best thrillers I've ever read. ~ Karim Theilgaard, award-winning actor

What begins as a small-town murder mystery in the not-too-distant future turns into something wholly original that left me guessing throughout all its twists and turns until the final revelation. ~ Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of the London Borough of Hounslow