Artificial Selection: A Near-Future Science Fiction Mystery Novel
About this audiobook
HIGH TECH, HIGH WATER, AND THE HEAD OF AWKWARD QUESTIONS
A cozy sci-fi mystery from the winner of the Green Stories Prize!
The year is 2101, and half of England is underwater.
But society is recovering from the Melt, thanks to ArkTech, whose eco-friendly headquarters sit serenely above the newly formed Fenland Sea.
As ArkTech's Head of Awkward Questions, Charlotte Vance is dedicated to helping Ben, the company's curious AI. Ben has a fondness for dad jokes, a knack for spotting anomalies, and happens to be Charlotte’s best friend.
Naturally, when Ben notices a geneticist vandalising pre-Melt books and a librarian looking the other way, he sends Charlotte to investigate.
What starts as a quirky case of stolen blank pages and clandestine book clubs soon leaves Charlotte caught between the black-market operation she thought she’d left behind and the company she's always trusted.
Set in a near future that is neither utopia nor wasteland, Artificial Selection is ideal for readers who enjoy character-driven whydunnits, or charming sci-fi with humour and heart – perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, Martha Wells, and Becky Chambers.
“Honestly, I devoured it in one go, in just a single day – it was that good. It left me feeling hopeful, which is rare these days, isn’t it?” – Reader review
Discover more
About the author
Kristin Atherton is a bi-lingual voice-over performer and stage/screen actress, who trained at LAMDA. She has narrated over 400+ audiobook titles, winning multiple awards and rave reviews for her work. Her video game VO work includes METAPHOR:REFANTAZIO, WARHAMMER 40k: BATTLESISTER, LORDS OF THE FALLEN, and SYNCHED: OFF PLANET. When not behind the microphone, her screen work includes roles in OUTLANDER (Starz/Amazon), WATERLOO ROAD (BBC) and SHAKESPEARE AND HATHAWAY (BBC), and she has worked extensively on stage with the English National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Marianne Pickles writes mystery novels set in the future. She grew up in Scotland near Aberdeen, where many people worked on offshore oil rigs in the North Sea. Now she lives on low-lying land in the Fens with her partner, David. They are contemplating learning to kayak.
She studied English Literature and Classics at the University of Edinburgh. In 2023, Marianne’s novel Time Hack won first prize in the Green Stories novel competition.
