How far will power go to hide the truth?
In a world on the edge of collapse, where nuclear devastation and environmental ruin have ravaged the real world, the wealthy retreat into Verisim, a sanitized and tightly controlled virtual haven. Their bodies rest in fully encapsulated pods, living as avatars in a glittering simulation, while the poor toil for survival. Strapped to VR headsets, "tourists" spend their days working in digital arcades, scraping together enough credits for full immersion technology-though for most, it remains forever out of reach. Offline, they must endure the harsh wasteland that remains.
Homicide detective Dylan McKnight is one of Verisim's few who straddles both worlds. A citizen of the virtual utopia, yet disillusioned by its commercialization, he walks a precarious line-viewed with disdain by the wealthy for enforcing laws that don't truly apply to them, and seen as a traitor by the tourists, who are often scapegoated by the police in this divided society.
When a high-profile murder rocks Verisim's pristine facade, Dylan becomes the target of a mysterious killer who forces him to question not only the nature of the crime, but the very fabric of the simulation he's sworn to protect. As the body count rises, Dylan must uncover the truth about Verisim's layered system of control-a truth that could unravel both the digital dream and the brutal reality outside.
Caught between the digital illusions that pacify the masses and the harsh real world tearing at the seams, Dylan must race against time to stop the killer. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more he risks becoming another pawn in a game far larger than he ever imagined.
Shadows of Verisim immerses readers in a world where every shadow hides a secret, and every truth has its price. If you enjoy the intricate plotting of Nick Harkaway's Titanium Noir or the high-stakes intrigue of Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon, this novel will keep you hooked until the last page.
"Thrilling exploration of the intersection between digital escapism and reality."
- Publishers Weekly
"Mark Campbell is a fantastic storyteller. The world and character building throughout the book is incredibly well done, with so many twists that keep you turning the pages."
- The Twilight Bookworm, Goodreads
"A compellingly dark blend of noir, cyberpunk, and dystopian fiction."
- Kirkus Review
