Culpability

A Novel

De: Bruce Holsinger

Narrado por: Stacy Carolan, January LaVoy

• Oprah’s Book Club Pick •

“I was riveted until the very last shocking sentence!”—Oprah Winfrey

“The most of-the-moment novel I’ve read all year, and it’s the book of the summer.”—Real Simple

Set at a summer rental on the Chesapeake Bay, a riveting family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence.

When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret that implicates them in the accident.

During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident—suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.

Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative.

To hear Oprah Winfrey interview author Bruce Holsinger, please visit the July 8 episode of the ‘Oprah’s Book Club: Presented by Starbucks’ podcast on the platform of your choice.

©2025 Bruce Holsinger (P)2025 Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks

Thought Provoking

I enjoyed this book. In a world where I daily use some type of AI and have conversations with my personal assistant named Clark, this story made me take pause. It is both believable and entertaining. I highly recommend it.

Cautionary Tale

Excellent premise and the book was interesting, overall. There were things about the book that I found irksome (i.e., it was overwrought at times, particularly when describing the perfect spoiled son's difficulties). The family was rich, the children were spoiled brats, and in the end, there was little accountability for the characters' misdeeds. Maybe I'm too judgy but having the mad genius Lorelei write a book to warn others about AI seems hypocritical and not really a fitting atonement. Despite my criticism of the lack of justice and the overly-emotional prose, the book showcased the different set of rules for the well off, ticking me off. Any book the creates feelings is a success. To sum this up: it's not my favorite book of the year but I found it credit worthy and it kept me engaged until the end (I kept hoping one of them would end up in the clink!).

what about AI in real life?

A lesson about artificial intelligence intermingling with real life
circumstances and situations was delivered in an engagingly relevant human condition. Excellent read!

Complexity of story

Fascinating from the beginning. Gives the layperson an insight to AI, what’s part of our lives now, what’s to come. Chilling and incredibly thought provoking encased in an actual story of a family.
Highly recommend!

Timely

The story line kept the reader engaged. Was hard to put down. Loved the twists especially the last one. Listen/Read to the very end.

Engaging , thought provoking listen!

This novel was thought-provoking about the impact of AI. Just as Noah explains to Laura Lee her purpose to relay to society what was coming, the book did just that. The algorithms themselves seemed to become a character in the book. The Shaw family so relatable to many who will read this novel. And a great reminder to us all just how quickly things can change in seconds Higjly recommend. Xquisit!

Really made me think

Drew me in quickly and kept me interested. No formulaic writing here! Really made me think about AI and its effects both negative and positive.

Title!

So current and timely. Very relatable. Im excited to recommend this book. It could happen to you

Culpability

Loved everything! Great title! Thought provoking and so appropriate for current times. Loved the Silicon Soul interludes!

Timely and important to consider

Disliked that there were sex scenes….neither was needed in any way at all and, to me, keep this novel from becoming a “classic.”
The story was brilliant without anything superfluous.