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Culpability
Set at a summer rental on the Chesapeake Bay, a riveting family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence, from the bestselling author of the “wise and addictive” (New York Times) The Gifted School.
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.
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.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2025
3743 people are currently reading
55867 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Holsinger
15 books1,064 followersBruce Holsinger is the author of five novels, including Culpability (forthcoming from Spiegel & Grau), The Displacements and The Gifted School (both from Riverhead), and many works of nonfiction, most recently On Parchment: Animals, Archives, and the Making of Culture from Herodotus to the Digital Age (Yale University Press). His books have been recognized with the Colorado Book Award, the John Hurt Fisher Prize, the Philip Brett Award, the John Nicholas Brown Prize, the Modern Language Association's Prize for a First Book, and others. His essays and reviews have appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and many other publications and he has been profiled on NPR's Weekend Edition, Here & Now, and Marketplace. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.
He teaches in the Department of English at the University of Virginia, where he specializes in medieval literature and modern critical thought and serves as editor of the quarterly journal New Literary History. He also teaches craft classes and serves as board chairman for WriterHouse, a local nonprofit in Charlottesville.
He teaches in the Department of English at the University of Virginia, where he specializes in medieval literature and modern critical thought and serves as editor of the quarterly journal New Literary History. He also teaches craft classes and serves as board chairman for WriterHouse, a local nonprofit in Charlottesville.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,767 reviews
July 9, 2025
This is one of those books that seems unsure what it wants to be, so it straddles the line between family drama and a meditation on AI ethics and never really satisfies with either.
I was really excited when I read the blurb because it sounded like a timely premise: a family get into a car accident in their self-driving minivan, killing two people and starting a conversation about culpability when it comes to AI. The five Cassidy-Shaws were all absorbed in their own world, their own devices, letting the minivan do its own thing. Are they to blame? Can they be held responsible for the accident?
Except the waters are quickly muddied by several secrets the family members are hiding, changing the conversation from one about AI ethics to one about the characters and their personal issues.
Still, though disappointing, I love a family drama as much as anyone. The problem was I didn't find much to sink my teeth into there either. The characters are a bit basic, and even cliche in Alice's case-- she seems to be a typical ansgty teenager obsessed with an AI chatbot (the interactions were a bit of an eye roll, honestly).
Noah is the narrator and I couldn't stand him. He has an inferiority complex toward his wife and is frequently insecure, but his insecurities are just touched upon and not explored in a way that would add depth to his character. The way he views his teenage son and comments on his girlfriend is just weird, too, and I am unsympathetic to his drunk driving with his daughters in the car. Maybe I could have given the guy a break if we'd gotten to know him better, if his character development had been more complex.
The themes are messy and inconsistent as the book tries to juggle too many things at once: Lorelai's OCD, criticism of sheltered and entitled teens, the use of AI drones in war zones, Alice's chatbot, Charlie's new girlfriend and mental health, and somewhere in there the whole discussion about guilt and responsibility after the road accident.
Nothing much in terms of AI ethics or compelling family drama. An extra star because the use of mixed media made it more readable and easy to get through.
I was really excited when I read the blurb because it sounded like a timely premise: a family get into a car accident in their self-driving minivan, killing two people and starting a conversation about culpability when it comes to AI. The five Cassidy-Shaws were all absorbed in their own world, their own devices, letting the minivan do its own thing. Are they to blame? Can they be held responsible for the accident?
Except the waters are quickly muddied by several secrets the family members are hiding, changing the conversation from one about AI ethics to one about the characters and their personal issues.
Still, though disappointing, I love a family drama as much as anyone. The problem was I didn't find much to sink my teeth into there either. The characters are a bit basic, and even cliche in Alice's case-- she seems to be a typical ansgty teenager obsessed with an AI chatbot (the interactions were a bit of an eye roll, honestly).
Noah is the narrator and I couldn't stand him. He has an inferiority complex toward his wife and is frequently insecure, but his insecurities are just touched upon and not explored in a way that would add depth to his character. The way he views his teenage son and comments on his girlfriend is just weird, too, and I am unsympathetic to his drunk driving with his daughters in the car. Maybe I could have given the guy a break if we'd gotten to know him better, if his character development had been more complex.
The themes are messy and inconsistent as the book tries to juggle too many things at once: Lorelai's OCD, criticism of sheltered and entitled teens, the use of AI drones in war zones, Alice's chatbot, Charlie's new girlfriend and mental health, and somewhere in there the whole discussion about guilt and responsibility after the road accident.
Nothing much in terms of AI ethics or compelling family drama. An extra star because the use of mixed media made it more readable and easy to get through.
July 22, 2025
A tragedy delivers a blow to a family of 5. The consequences will create irreparable damage. The complexity of technology - AI- playing a monumental role.
The Cassidy-Shaw family take a vacation immediately following the accident, still trying to piece it together. This technology they have become so reliant on - could it have failed? If it failed, was it human error?
Moral complexity under scrutiny.
This technology created by humans. But the algorithms are far from perfect.
We see the flaws in the algorithms of a family: The dynamics of siblings and spouses. The secrets kept that threaten its fragility.
We see how AI can have benefits but also how it can wield destruction when in the wrong hands.
Which begs the question of Culpability - when things go sideways, who is responsible? Humans or machines?
While I didn’t love it and didn’t connect to any of these characters, there are uncomfortable truths.
3.75⭐️
The Cassidy-Shaw family take a vacation immediately following the accident, still trying to piece it together. This technology they have become so reliant on - could it have failed? If it failed, was it human error?
Moral complexity under scrutiny.
This technology created by humans. But the algorithms are far from perfect.
We see the flaws in the algorithms of a family: The dynamics of siblings and spouses. The secrets kept that threaten its fragility.
We see how AI can have benefits but also how it can wield destruction when in the wrong hands.
Which begs the question of Culpability - when things go sideways, who is responsible? Humans or machines?
While I didn’t love it and didn’t connect to any of these characters, there are uncomfortable truths.
3.75⭐️
July 22, 2025
Artificial intelligence is accelerating faster than a Tesla toward an oak tree. Every day brings a fresh story — possibly written by AI — about the wonders of a world remastered by autonomous billionaires and their silicon golems. Perplexity, indeed.
Bruce Holsinger’s novel “Culpability,” about a deadly crash involving a self-driving vehicle, was originally slated for October, but Oprah just named it her July book club pick, so you can already find it parked in your local bookstore. Whatever the reason, that was a fortuitous rescheduling. When it comes to writing about artificial intelligence, three months is the distance between rubbing sticks together and splitting an atom.
But for all its eerie timeliness, “Culpability” should age better than yesterday’s Instagram post. Holsinger, a medievalist at the University of Virginia, has a sharp eye for the eternal values and foibles that animate human affairs. He’s written mysteries set in the 14th century and domestic dramas set in the 21st. The plot of his latest book may feel copy-pasted from the risk factors outlined in some hot IPO, but it’s a searching examination of family dynamics and the
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
Bruce Holsinger’s novel “Culpability,” about a deadly crash involving a self-driving vehicle, was originally slated for October, but Oprah just named it her July book club pick, so you can already find it parked in your local bookstore. Whatever the reason, that was a fortuitous rescheduling. When it comes to writing about artificial intelligence, three months is the distance between rubbing sticks together and splitting an atom.
But for all its eerie timeliness, “Culpability” should age better than yesterday’s Instagram post. Holsinger, a medievalist at the University of Virginia, has a sharp eye for the eternal values and foibles that animate human affairs. He’s written mysteries set in the 14th century and domestic dramas set in the 21st. The plot of his latest book may feel copy-pasted from the risk factors outlined in some hot IPO, but it’s a searching examination of family dynamics and the
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
May 4, 2025
Bruce Holsinger’s Culpability may be one of the first contemporary novels to address the ethical consequences of AI as it’s now understood in our current world. Some may argue the first AI story was Karl Capek’s Rossum’s Universal Robot in 1920, when the term “robot” was first coined. Science fiction would later have a heyday speculating how our world could or would eventually be commandeered by machines. What makes Holsinger’s Culpability so different is it’s not science fiction, but rather a realistic family drama. This could’ve been written by Ann Patchett or Mary Beth Keane. And correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think this kind of novel exists, yet?
After a fatal crash involving AI car technology, a shattered family retreats to Chesapeake Bay—only to unravel the truth that each of them, in some way, holds a thread of culpability. As secrets unfold—including ties to a powerful tech magnate (thinly disguised Elon Musk)—the novel explores not just guilt and grief, but the deeper question of responsibility in an age of automation. Though plot-driven, the writing occasionally soars with vivid, poetic descriptions of the Bay, grounding the emotional turbulence in place. A timely and unsettling look at the illusion of control, and a reminder that no matter how advanced our machines, human accountability remains.
Note: I put my own take on the book as a prompt into ChatGPT and it wrote the above paragraph. I thought that was appropriate for the topic. Back to my own, less compelling voice.
This is a must-read for anyone wrestling with the ethics of AI and our role as humans in a world dominated by machines.
Thank you to Goodreads and Spiegel & Grau for review copy and the chance to read this early. I’m looking forward to hearing Holsinger do interviews about this book and the research he did to be able to present the ethical consequences of AI in the format of realistic fiction - a real feat.
After a fatal crash involving AI car technology, a shattered family retreats to Chesapeake Bay—only to unravel the truth that each of them, in some way, holds a thread of culpability. As secrets unfold—including ties to a powerful tech magnate (thinly disguised Elon Musk)—the novel explores not just guilt and grief, but the deeper question of responsibility in an age of automation. Though plot-driven, the writing occasionally soars with vivid, poetic descriptions of the Bay, grounding the emotional turbulence in place. A timely and unsettling look at the illusion of control, and a reminder that no matter how advanced our machines, human accountability remains.
Note: I put my own take on the book as a prompt into ChatGPT and it wrote the above paragraph. I thought that was appropriate for the topic. Back to my own, less compelling voice.
This is a must-read for anyone wrestling with the ethics of AI and our role as humans in a world dominated by machines.
Thank you to Goodreads and Spiegel & Grau for review copy and the chance to read this early. I’m looking forward to hearing Holsinger do interviews about this book and the research he did to be able to present the ethical consequences of AI in the format of realistic fiction - a real feat.
July 20, 2025
150% anxiety inducing for parents of teenagers.
Noah is used to living in his wife, Loralai’s shadow. She is a brilliant professor of both philosophy and artificial intelligence and engineering. He’s just a lawyer. They have a 17-year-old son Charlie, as well as two young daughters. Then the unthinkable happens. While in their self driving minivan, with Charlie at the wheel, they get into a terrible car accident. Young Alice screams as she sees a car heading towards them, Charlie grabs the wheel away from the AI, and the elderly couple in the other car dies. The family is injured, but ultimately all five of them survive.
The accident is building guilt in all five of them, as they have secrets that they don’t want to share with each other. Will Charlie be held accountable for the deaths? Will Noah? Will he be arrested and put on trial for vehicular manslaughter?
I am a fan of Bruce Holsinger‘s work. His previous novel, the displacements, I read in my book club and haven’t stopped thinking about since. It’s a unique situation that helps us to understand that even if you are very upper middle class, with the right bad luck you can end up desolate. Because I read one to two books every single day, it is really saying something to say that a plot of a book stayed with me. I’ve read more than 1000 books since I read the displacements.
I will also be thinking about this book for years to come. It takes The things that we worry the most about and puts all of them together in one family. In particular, who is culpable when AI is created and AI makes a mistake. If artificial intelligence has free will, it is still humans that are responsible for the decisions that artificial intelligence makes. The characters in this one are very strong, you can see how each character is driven by very human tendencies in their very AI driven world.
If artificial intelligence being added to cars prevents hundreds of thousands of vehicle deaths per year, and yet it causes the death of one, is the risk worth the reward?
Not if you’re that one.
Noah is used to living in his wife, Loralai’s shadow. She is a brilliant professor of both philosophy and artificial intelligence and engineering. He’s just a lawyer. They have a 17-year-old son Charlie, as well as two young daughters. Then the unthinkable happens. While in their self driving minivan, with Charlie at the wheel, they get into a terrible car accident. Young Alice screams as she sees a car heading towards them, Charlie grabs the wheel away from the AI, and the elderly couple in the other car dies. The family is injured, but ultimately all five of them survive.
The accident is building guilt in all five of them, as they have secrets that they don’t want to share with each other. Will Charlie be held accountable for the deaths? Will Noah? Will he be arrested and put on trial for vehicular manslaughter?
I am a fan of Bruce Holsinger‘s work. His previous novel, the displacements, I read in my book club and haven’t stopped thinking about since. It’s a unique situation that helps us to understand that even if you are very upper middle class, with the right bad luck you can end up desolate. Because I read one to two books every single day, it is really saying something to say that a plot of a book stayed with me. I’ve read more than 1000 books since I read the displacements.
I will also be thinking about this book for years to come. It takes The things that we worry the most about and puts all of them together in one family. In particular, who is culpable when AI is created and AI makes a mistake. If artificial intelligence has free will, it is still humans that are responsible for the decisions that artificial intelligence makes. The characters in this one are very strong, you can see how each character is driven by very human tendencies in their very AI driven world.
If artificial intelligence being added to cars prevents hundreds of thousands of vehicle deaths per year, and yet it causes the death of one, is the risk worth the reward?
Not if you’re that one.
June 9, 2025
4.5/5 stars Wow! What a great concept for a book.
This is such a bingeable book! It captured my attention from the opening moments of the book and kept reeling me in every step of the way.
On the way to a lacrosse tournament, the Shaw family's autonomous minivan is involved in a fatal car collision. They must each come to terms with what has happened. In the aftermath, they take a trip to Chesapeake Bay, to get away and try to heal, but the repercussions follow them. I loved the use of some interesting plot devices in the story, and how individual family secrets play a big role in the decisions and choices that are made.
Things to consider |
•Feelings about AI
•Roles of parents
•Moral and ethical questions
•Consequences
•Realistic family drama
I think this is a book to watch for. It will make you question how you feel about AI and moral consequences, and what your culpability is in a given situation. This is so relevant in today's world. Don’t read the synopsis of the book, I feel like it gives too much away. Such a compelling story!
Highly recommend! Loved this one. 👍
[Thanks to the publisher, Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for the advance electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
⚠️| Contains some instances of strong profanity, not frequent. Some mentions of drug use, and a very brief steamy scene, with mild details.
This is such a bingeable book! It captured my attention from the opening moments of the book and kept reeling me in every step of the way.
On the way to a lacrosse tournament, the Shaw family's autonomous minivan is involved in a fatal car collision. They must each come to terms with what has happened. In the aftermath, they take a trip to Chesapeake Bay, to get away and try to heal, but the repercussions follow them. I loved the use of some interesting plot devices in the story, and how individual family secrets play a big role in the decisions and choices that are made.
Things to consider |
•Feelings about AI
•Roles of parents
•Moral and ethical questions
•Consequences
•Realistic family drama
I think this is a book to watch for. It will make you question how you feel about AI and moral consequences, and what your culpability is in a given situation. This is so relevant in today's world. Don’t read the synopsis of the book, I feel like it gives too much away. Such a compelling story!
Highly recommend! Loved this one. 👍
[Thanks to the publisher, Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for the advance electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
⚠️| Contains some instances of strong profanity, not frequent. Some mentions of drug use, and a very brief steamy scene, with mild details.
July 7, 2025
2.5 ☆
culpability is one of those books that should have been a home run for me. i am a well-established hater of AI, and the concept of a novel that explores the ethics of AI and its integration with human philosophies and blame is so compelling. probing the relevant 21st century questions about tech ethics in the context of a family drama rather than speculative fantasy/sci-fi could, in theory, make these concepts feel much more pressing and tangible.
the first third/half-ish of the novel was really working for me. aside from noah spending a weird amount of time convincing the reader of how hot his son was (did this really need to be written in first person??), i found the questions that it posed about AI to be interesting, the story tightly paced and effectively sinister when it needed to be. but the middle dragged a bit, and the elements of the story that initially felt dark and mysterious started to fizzle and drag without ever really becoming interesting, the twists predictable, the characters stagnant.
and with every chapter, yet another social problem is probed at without really fleshing out any of the ones before it. we jump from the military industrial complex to bias in the american judicial system to the contemporary trolley problems baked into decision-making algorithms. it all just feels so flat in the end, and the ending leaves me questioning a bit what holsinger’s opinions on AI really are, let alone what he’s trying to express through each character.
the mixed-media format added a nice texture to the novel, and this book does feel prescient in really undeniable ways. but i also resist the idea that runaway AI is a foregone conclusion, or that these kinds of pseudo-human decision making technologies are something that is mostly good with a dash of ethical dilemma thrown in. holsinger might just be a bit more centrist about the issue than i wanted and was expecting 🤷♀️
thank you to netgalley and spiegel & grau for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
culpability is one of those books that should have been a home run for me. i am a well-established hater of AI, and the concept of a novel that explores the ethics of AI and its integration with human philosophies and blame is so compelling. probing the relevant 21st century questions about tech ethics in the context of a family drama rather than speculative fantasy/sci-fi could, in theory, make these concepts feel much more pressing and tangible.
the first third/half-ish of the novel was really working for me. aside from noah spending a weird amount of time convincing the reader of how hot his son was (did this really need to be written in first person??), i found the questions that it posed about AI to be interesting, the story tightly paced and effectively sinister when it needed to be. but the middle dragged a bit, and the elements of the story that initially felt dark and mysterious started to fizzle and drag without ever really becoming interesting, the twists predictable, the characters stagnant.
and with every chapter, yet another social problem is probed at without really fleshing out any of the ones before it. we jump from the military industrial complex to bias in the american judicial system to the contemporary trolley problems baked into decision-making algorithms. it all just feels so flat in the end, and the ending leaves me questioning a bit what holsinger’s opinions on AI really are, let alone what he’s trying to express through each character.
the mixed-media format added a nice texture to the novel, and this book does feel prescient in really undeniable ways. but i also resist the idea that runaway AI is a foregone conclusion, or that these kinds of pseudo-human decision making technologies are something that is mostly good with a dash of ethical dilemma thrown in. holsinger might just be a bit more centrist about the issue than i wanted and was expecting 🤷♀️
thank you to netgalley and spiegel & grau for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
August 22, 2025
Culpability is a story centered around the intersection of humans, AI, and responsibility. When the Cassidy-Shaw family departs on a roadtrip, 17 year old Charlie is behind the wheel of their autonomous minivan, with his dad, Noah, riding shotgun. Charlie’s mom and sisters are riding in the back. The van collides with another car and the accident is fatal for the other car’s passengers.
The Cassidy-Shaws attempt to process the accident and its impact, and reset for a weeklong stay in a house they rented elsewhere. Noah tries to hold the family together and works to protect Charlie, but several family members are keeping secrets.
Culpability is a timely and thought-provoking story, exploring themes about human responsibility, especially in relation to the use of AI and other tech. I wasn’t sure where the story was going at times, and it would start to feel unwieldy. I didn’t necessarily like the characters but appreciated that they weren’t perfect.
I felt similarly about Culpability and Holsinger’s other book I’ve read, The Gifted School — I liked them both enough but didn’t love either — 3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Cassidy-Shaws attempt to process the accident and its impact, and reset for a weeklong stay in a house they rented elsewhere. Noah tries to hold the family together and works to protect Charlie, but several family members are keeping secrets.
Culpability is a timely and thought-provoking story, exploring themes about human responsibility, especially in relation to the use of AI and other tech. I wasn’t sure where the story was going at times, and it would start to feel unwieldy. I didn’t necessarily like the characters but appreciated that they weren’t perfect.
I felt similarly about Culpability and Holsinger’s other book I’ve read, The Gifted School — I liked them both enough but didn’t love either — 3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2025
CULPABILITY
By Bruce Holsinger
An of-the-moment novel.
If only I hadn’t …
If only she had …
If only he hadn’t …
If only we had …
If only.
4.5 stars rounded down
Culpability is both a family drama and thriller as it builds tension around an accident—an emotional heart-wrenching story that also explores life in the digital age. It follows the Cassidy-Shaw family as their lives are upended by a tragic accident involving their self-driving minivan. Teen Charlie is at the wheel, his father, Noah, is riding shotgun and his mother, and teen sisters are in the back. As blame shifts and secrets began to surface, each family member must confront their role in what happened. AI weaves through the plot in numerous intriguing ways.
It explores grief, responsibility, and the ethical challenges of life in a world shaped by advanced technology—blending intense emotion with gripping suspense.
I really enjoyed this novel and thought the writing was clear and emotional. He kept the story moving with suspense while also showing the deep feelings and struggles of the characters. So many emotions and questions after the final page This is my first read by Holsinger and look forward to reading more of his work. Would be a great choice for book clubs discussing the ethics and legalities of artificial intelligence.
Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks. Pub date July 8, 2025
The narration by Stacy Carolan, and January LaVoy was good and fit for the tone of the book for me.
By Bruce Holsinger
An of-the-moment novel.
If only I hadn’t …
If only she had …
If only he hadn’t …
If only we had …
If only.
4.5 stars rounded down
Culpability is both a family drama and thriller as it builds tension around an accident—an emotional heart-wrenching story that also explores life in the digital age. It follows the Cassidy-Shaw family as their lives are upended by a tragic accident involving their self-driving minivan. Teen Charlie is at the wheel, his father, Noah, is riding shotgun and his mother, and teen sisters are in the back. As blame shifts and secrets began to surface, each family member must confront their role in what happened. AI weaves through the plot in numerous intriguing ways.
It explores grief, responsibility, and the ethical challenges of life in a world shaped by advanced technology—blending intense emotion with gripping suspense.
I really enjoyed this novel and thought the writing was clear and emotional. He kept the story moving with suspense while also showing the deep feelings and struggles of the characters. So many emotions and questions after the final page This is my first read by Holsinger and look forward to reading more of his work. Would be a great choice for book clubs discussing the ethics and legalities of artificial intelligence.
Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks. Pub date July 8, 2025
The narration by Stacy Carolan, and January LaVoy was good and fit for the tone of the book for me.
May 6, 2025
4.5 stars. So compelling.
July 18, 2025
TITLE: Culpability (Oprah’s Book Club, July 2025): A Novel
AUTHOR: Bruce Holsinger
PUB DATE: 07.08.2025
This novel is such a wild ride—it's thrilling, thought-provoking, and emotional all at once.
The story kicks off with a terrifying crash: the Cassidy-Shaw family’s autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, and suddenly, their lives are turned upside down. Charlie, the seventeen-year-old son, is at the wheel, and his parents, Noah and Lorelei, along with his younger sisters, are in the car. But here’s the catch: each family member is hiding a secret, and as the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the real cause of the accident might not be as simple as human error.
What really stuck with me was how this story digs into the moral dilemmas of AI. Lorelei is a leader in the field of artificial intelligence, and the book raises a huge question: When machines start making the decisions, where does responsibility lie? Is it on the tech? The creators who design it? Or the people using it? The novel really made me think about how technology is changing the way we think about accountability—and how fast it’s happening.
With Culpability, Bruce Holsinger has delivered a contemporary masterpiece that combines the best of thriller, family drama, and philosophical inquiry. This is a novel that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page, challenging your assumptions about technology, morality, and the nature of responsibility in a world that feels increasingly out of our control. Culpability is unmissable—an exhilarating, thought-provoking triumph.
AUTHOR: Bruce Holsinger
PUB DATE: 07.08.2025
This novel is such a wild ride—it's thrilling, thought-provoking, and emotional all at once.
The story kicks off with a terrifying crash: the Cassidy-Shaw family’s autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, and suddenly, their lives are turned upside down. Charlie, the seventeen-year-old son, is at the wheel, and his parents, Noah and Lorelei, along with his younger sisters, are in the car. But here’s the catch: each family member is hiding a secret, and as the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the real cause of the accident might not be as simple as human error.
What really stuck with me was how this story digs into the moral dilemmas of AI. Lorelei is a leader in the field of artificial intelligence, and the book raises a huge question: When machines start making the decisions, where does responsibility lie? Is it on the tech? The creators who design it? Or the people using it? The novel really made me think about how technology is changing the way we think about accountability—and how fast it’s happening.
With Culpability, Bruce Holsinger has delivered a contemporary masterpiece that combines the best of thriller, family drama, and philosophical inquiry. This is a novel that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page, challenging your assumptions about technology, morality, and the nature of responsibility in a world that feels increasingly out of our control. Culpability is unmissable—an exhilarating, thought-provoking triumph.
August 3, 2025
I don't ask for much in life. I want to read good books, cook as little as possible, have some time in the mornings before my kids wake up to greet the day, and maybe a little time after they go to bed to watch a show with my husband. And after the school year ends and I'm on summer break, sometime between the months of June and August, I want to read one excellent book. I don't mind reading pretty good books or even (in the right mood) truly mediocre books as long as there is something to recommend them. But at least once I want to read a perfectly executed story that will not let go of me. I'm happy to announce that today, just under the wire before the time when I need to report back to school as Mrs. Lundgren, I got to read that book.
Culpability by Bruce Holsinger sounds the depths of the moral quandaries raised by our increasing reliance on artificial intelligence. None of the technology mentioned in this book feels more than 5 years away from possibility and some if it is probably already being developed somewhere. Even the brandnames like Sense-Tech sound plausible. But Holsinger seems remarkably attuned, like his dear, sensitive fictional counterpart Lorelei, to the most difficult philosophical questions we will have to answer once we start employing AI to replace human intelligence.
Holsinger raises really important and heavy philosophical questions, but those questions never weigh down this story. It's a complex work of literature disguised as a compulsive beach read, and it would (since this is an Oprah pick, I might even predict that it WILL) make an excellent movie in the hands of the right director. As I read, my ideas about who or what was culpable for the initial car crash continually changed and evolved; ultimately, the very concept of culpability grew and expanded so that I could see the complex web that binds us all together in the face of a great tragedy.
Culpability by Bruce Holsinger sounds the depths of the moral quandaries raised by our increasing reliance on artificial intelligence. None of the technology mentioned in this book feels more than 5 years away from possibility and some if it is probably already being developed somewhere. Even the brandnames like Sense-Tech sound plausible. But Holsinger seems remarkably attuned, like his dear, sensitive fictional counterpart Lorelei, to the most difficult philosophical questions we will have to answer once we start employing AI to replace human intelligence.
Holsinger raises really important and heavy philosophical questions, but those questions never weigh down this story. It's a complex work of literature disguised as a compulsive beach read, and it would (since this is an Oprah pick, I might even predict that it WILL) make an excellent movie in the hands of the right director. As I read, my ideas about who or what was culpable for the initial car crash continually changed and evolved; ultimately, the very concept of culpability grew and expanded so that I could see the complex web that binds us all together in the face of a great tragedy.
July 9, 2025
4.5⭐️
Since almost anything I say would be a spoiler, I’ll keep my review brief.
This novel brings up so many thought provoking questions about AI, its role in our lives- the good and bad.
☺️What worked:
The plot moved along nicely, especially in the second half. The combination of imperfect characters, strange events , and the omniscient perspective we are privy to as readers made for an incredible reading experience!
This was perfect amount of suspense and strangeness.
🤷♀️Should you read it?
I think most people will enjoy Culpability. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is because it’s missing the heart wrenching element I normally look for in a five star read.
⚠️Sexual content: 2/5 (a fade to black scene and some crude language about sex)
Profanity: 3/5 (occasional use of the f-word; about 15-20 total)
Other: Drug and alcohol use; a car accident
Since almost anything I say would be a spoiler, I’ll keep my review brief.
This novel brings up so many thought provoking questions about AI, its role in our lives- the good and bad.
☺️What worked:
The plot moved along nicely, especially in the second half. The combination of imperfect characters, strange events , and the omniscient perspective we are privy to as readers made for an incredible reading experience!
This was perfect amount of suspense and strangeness.
🤷♀️Should you read it?
I think most people will enjoy Culpability. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is because it’s missing the heart wrenching element I normally look for in a five star read.
⚠️Sexual content: 2/5 (a fade to black scene and some crude language about sex)
Profanity: 3/5 (occasional use of the f-word; about 15-20 total)
Other: Drug and alcohol use; a car accident
July 29, 2025
I DESPISED this MMC. Epitome of fragile, egotistical, insecure little man with a huge superiority complex. From the way he regards his wife in some scenes to the way he talks about how inferior he feels to his super smart wife and her siblings— CUT ME A BREAK. The entire story felt like he had something to sob about every other scene that had to do with his short comings.
And not to kick it while it’s down, but if I knew this whole book was going to be in the POV of a man who shields his equally fragile son from the consequences of his own actions I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. Bonus points for the shit ending.
One star for the Delaware shout outs throughout the book
And not to kick it while it’s down, but if I knew this whole book was going to be in the POV of a man who shields his equally fragile son from the consequences of his own actions I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. Bonus points for the shit ending.
One star for the Delaware shout outs throughout the book
June 19, 2025
I really wanted to enjoy this one, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. Things picked up a bit around the 65% mark, and I was curious to see how a particular situation would unfold—but once that resolved, the story fell flat again. I can see how others might enjoy it, but it wasn’t the right fit for me. It leaned too technical and lacked the emotional depth I needed to connect with the characters.
Thanks to @netgalley for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.
⚠️ Content notes: strong language throughout (including the use of God’s name), alcohol use, mentions of drug use, complex family dynamics, and one open-door scene between a married couple (brief). Car accident resulting in deaths.
Thanks to @netgalley for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.
⚠️ Content notes: strong language throughout (including the use of God’s name), alcohol use, mentions of drug use, complex family dynamics, and one open-door scene between a married couple (brief). Car accident resulting in deaths.
July 18, 2025
At the base of this story is a family torn after their AI operated car gets into an accident and two elderly people tragically die. Who is truly to blame? Charlie the 17 year old behind the wheel? Noah who was too busy working to notice? Alice or Izzy, who were on their phones? Or Lorelei, the brilliant leader in AI who is also working in the backseat?
What does the family do? Go on a week long journey to the wealthy Chesapeake Bay to heal of course, but guilt arises and truths are untold.
At the heart of this story is how AI is quickly taking over, except AI doesn’t have a conscious or a heart.
The book is a thriller of sorts with an unsuspecting ending.
What does the family do? Go on a week long journey to the wealthy Chesapeake Bay to heal of course, but guilt arises and truths are untold.
At the heart of this story is how AI is quickly taking over, except AI doesn’t have a conscious or a heart.
The book is a thriller of sorts with an unsuspecting ending.
July 4, 2025
A fun and quick read but i didn't really feel that it added anything new to the conversation about AI.
Also the fact that the entire cause of the crash was actually just Alice screaming to get a reaction from her family really sort of cut the legs out from under the "who is responsible in this AI-driven car????" element.
Also the fact that the entire cause of the crash was actually just Alice screaming to get a reaction from her family really sort of cut the legs out from under the "who is responsible in this AI-driven car????" element.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
I do not recommend this book. It was sophomoric, trite and superficial. I felt it was a waste of my time and not an enjoyable read. the only salvation is the font is large and quite a few of the chapters are less than 3 pages so you rapidly get to the next book in your list.
July 24, 2025
I'm so happy I was able to get to this one after seeing so many people loving it! It was a compelling read. A family drama that also deals with AI. The Cassidy Shaw family is in an accident in an autonomous minivan that's controlled by AI. The other vehicle's passengers die when the car catches on fire. They all feel culpable for the accident. When they all go on trip to Chesapeake Bay, they confront their moral dilemmas that are triggered by this accident. Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative.
I found this book very well written and interesting . This would make a great book club choice. There would be so much to discuss.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
I found this book very well written and interesting . This would make a great book club choice. There would be so much to discuss.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
July 23, 2025
This was shallow and misogynistic.
August 10, 2025
Library book.
Great writing. Inventive plot. Some silliness and questionable behaviors, but highly entertaining nonetheless. Will definitely recommend to others.
Great writing. Inventive plot. Some silliness and questionable behaviors, but highly entertaining nonetheless. Will definitely recommend to others.
July 21, 2025
I loved The Displacements, Holsinger quickly becoming an auto-buy for me. Culpability is brilliant. The writing shines, and the story captures both the mechanics of AI and the mental/emotional components. Neither can be underestimated. I've long been preaching: AI/the internet's strengths are its greatest weaknesses. Holsinger sheds remarkable, well-researched light on this timely topic (which requires more of our attention) through an unputdownable family drama. Highly recommend.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. Opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. Opinions are my own.
July 28, 2025
I find it amazing that each of the last three books by Bruce Holsinger have come out just before/just as the fictional events depicted are headline news. And right before I started this one, I had a very creepy experience with ChatGPT which further convinced me that we are all doomed by AI.
I pre-ordered Culpability from my local library and also from audible. Of course the audiobook came first. And I was ALL in! The narrator is excellent. The characters and the plot grabbed me and I may have lost some sleep. Again.
This is a great, fast, gripping read. What will Cassandra Holsinger think of next? I eagerly await...
EDIT TO ADD that my GoodReadsLess husband just finished too. His comment was "this should be required reading!". Five stars from him. I'm going to add one of his starts to my rating for the full set of 5 since we both have been thinking and talking about it all month.
I pre-ordered Culpability from my local library and also from audible. Of course the audiobook came first. And I was ALL in! The narrator is excellent. The characters and the plot grabbed me and I may have lost some sleep. Again.
This is a great, fast, gripping read. What will Cassandra Holsinger think of next? I eagerly await...
EDIT TO ADD that my GoodReadsLess husband just finished too. His comment was "this should be required reading!". Five stars from him. I'm going to add one of his starts to my rating for the full set of 5 since we both have been thinking and talking about it all month.
June 3, 2025
I think this book has the perfect formula of all the things that make reading amazing and so valuable in my life!
-a quick grab entry into the book
-engaging plot that doesn't waver
-good character development
-multiple POV's, and I didn't prefer one over another! A rare thing.
-a strong look at decisions and after effects
-a lot of morals to consider, and makes the reader unsure how one should handle the situation
-a few twists that keeps the reader engaged
-light mystery with a concern for those involved
-makes the reader assess their own life
You don't need to know a lot going into this one, but here are a few points of interest to know if it's for you. The effects of the looming AI in our real world, and the devastating effects that can be brought upon us by a computer of sorts. Interpersonal relationships within our own families, considering that a "secret can be more wounding than a lie".
This is an easy recommendation for me to share. I literally read this book in one day which I haven't done in years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the gifted e-arc of this book.
-a quick grab entry into the book
-engaging plot that doesn't waver
-good character development
-multiple POV's, and I didn't prefer one over another! A rare thing.
-a strong look at decisions and after effects
-a lot of morals to consider, and makes the reader unsure how one should handle the situation
-a few twists that keeps the reader engaged
-light mystery with a concern for those involved
-makes the reader assess their own life
You don't need to know a lot going into this one, but here are a few points of interest to know if it's for you. The effects of the looming AI in our real world, and the devastating effects that can be brought upon us by a computer of sorts. Interpersonal relationships within our own families, considering that a "secret can be more wounding than a lie".
This is an easy recommendation for me to share. I literally read this book in one day which I haven't done in years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the gifted e-arc of this book.
July 30, 2025
@spiegelandgrau | #gifted Some of you may have heard me say on a recent podcast episode that I wasn’t reading ANY books that had to do with AI. I’m here today to eat my words. I definitely planned on avoiding books about AI, but I found that impossible to do when the author was Bruce Holsinger with his latest book, 𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗣𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬.
This is the story of the Cassidy/Shaw family riding in their auto-driving mini-van when a rapid turn of events causes a fatal car accident. The two killed were in the other car, and the guilt of it all lives inside the hearts of all five members of the family. Even as they try to tell themselves nothing could be done, there is an abundance of guilt to share.
Within this story there’s a lot about the increasing variety of AI commonly used. In all honesty, that was a little scary. Holsinger tempered that with a deep dive into the moral responsibilities of using and/or relying on AI. It’s not going away, so when something goes wrong, just who is culpable for the damage it causes? That, obviously, is the true theme of this book. The word “culpability” comes up over and over, really hammering in that point. That angle of this being a family story worked surprisingly well for me as did the characters themselves. There were a few parts that were a stretch and I feel like the last 10-20% was a bit too much, but the majority of 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 was a win for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the story of the Cassidy/Shaw family riding in their auto-driving mini-van when a rapid turn of events causes a fatal car accident. The two killed were in the other car, and the guilt of it all lives inside the hearts of all five members of the family. Even as they try to tell themselves nothing could be done, there is an abundance of guilt to share.
Within this story there’s a lot about the increasing variety of AI commonly used. In all honesty, that was a little scary. Holsinger tempered that with a deep dive into the moral responsibilities of using and/or relying on AI. It’s not going away, so when something goes wrong, just who is culpable for the damage it causes? That, obviously, is the true theme of this book. The word “culpability” comes up over and over, really hammering in that point. That angle of this being a family story worked surprisingly well for me as did the characters themselves. There were a few parts that were a stretch and I feel like the last 10-20% was a bit too much, but the majority of 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 was a win for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 12, 2025
I liked the premise and it raised some interesting ideas and questions, but every single character was REALLY annoying and I couldn't sympathise with any of them.
August 18, 2025
Remember the movie Fatal Attraction and how it made people think twice about having a fling? Hopefully Culpability will make people think twice about texting and driving!
Beyond the predictable storyline about a privileged family who make some mistakes that end in tragedy, there is a more serious discussion about AI and its ramifications for society.
The ship has sailed on AI for better or worse, and the “warning” from this book is a bit too late. Still, some readers may not yet find their lives impacted and everything in this book will be pretty commonplace for folks in the next couple of years if it isn’t already. So, all of us should be more aware and careful about where we get our information and how we and our society and government are easy pawns of AI.
This is a quick read with few surprises and a predictable storyline.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Beyond the predictable storyline about a privileged family who make some mistakes that end in tragedy, there is a more serious discussion about AI and its ramifications for society.
The ship has sailed on AI for better or worse, and the “warning” from this book is a bit too late. Still, some readers may not yet find their lives impacted and everything in this book will be pretty commonplace for folks in the next couple of years if it isn’t already. So, all of us should be more aware and careful about where we get our information and how we and our society and government are easy pawns of AI.
This is a quick read with few surprises and a predictable storyline.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 17, 2025
5 stars. Excellent.
August 10, 2025
Sadly wouldn’t recommend. While I think the idea of the book is interesting, the story left much to be desired. I personally would’ve found it more interesting to dive into the legality and dare I say culpability of AI and self driving cars, versus what I felt to be more heavy of a focus on poorly developed interpersonal relationships.
I liked the minor twist at the end, but really hated all of Lorelei‘s work drama and secrecy. I think the author was trying to focus on the moral responsibility, but it fell short.
I liked the minor twist at the end, but really hated all of Lorelei‘s work drama and secrecy. I think the author was trying to focus on the moral responsibility, but it fell short.
August 4, 2025
If The Anxious Generation and Murderbot had a baby, this would be it. Plus a whole lotta jealous/insecure husband stuff.
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