A "darkly engrossing" novel that "shines a stark light on the age-old question, what does it mean to be human?" (Julie Kagawa, New York Times–bestselling author of Shadow of the Fox)

They look like us. Act like us. But they are not human. Created to perform the menial tasks real humans detest, synthetics were designed with only a basic intelligence and minimal emotional response. It stands to reason they have no rights. Like any technology, they are designed for human convenience. Disposable.

In the city of New Lyons, Det. Jason Campbell is investigating a vicious crime: A female body was found mutilated and left in the street. Once the victim is identified as a synthetic, the crime is designated no more than the destruction of property, and Campbell is pulled from the case.

But when a stranger approaches Campbell and asks him to continue his investigation in secret, Campbell is dragged into a dark world of unimaginable corruption—one that leaves him questioning the true nature of humanity. And what he discovers is only the beginning . . .