The Cinderella Plan

When the only thing worse than being found guilty is being found not guilty

‘A tense thriller wrought from a cutting-edge subject’ The Times

When a self-driving car ploughs into a young family, the consequences are deadly. It belongs to the boss of an eco-friendly company pioneering new-technology vehicles. If he is proved to be driving, he will go to prison. If he admits the car was driving itself, he will lose his company.

Will the car’s ‘black box’ reveal what really happened, or will the industry, poised to launch these products to an eager public, close ranks? And can the government, which has spent millions on the self-drive car project, code-named Cinderella, be trusted to seek out the truth?

In their third outing together, legal investigators Judith Burton and Constance Lamb seek to find answers, and in doing so they confront some further difficult questions about the speed at which technology is taking over our lives.

‘Who will be to blame in the event of an accident? The person inside the car? The car manufacturer itself? The software engineers? All these questions and more are bought into sharp focus by Abi Silver’ Daily Telegraph

‘The Burton and Lamb series always provides excellent courtroom moments and a thoughtful exploration of an area of life where technology is likely to make a big difference in the not-so-far-off future’ Crime Review

‘Abi Silver has carved a niche exploring the moral and practical issues thrown up by technology, and how the law responds. She is adept at turning complex legal debate into compelling legal thrillers ...If The Cinderella Plan finds its way on to your holiday reading list, expect to deliver a favourable verdict’ Jewish Chronicle

‘More a whatdunnit than a whodunnit... it is a good story which discusses factual issues society will have to tackle. Previous books by the author have won well-deserved praise’ Law Society Gazette

Paperback: 448pp

Published: Lightning (July 2019)

ISBN: 9781785632730