Kevin G. Brooks

Bob Johansson didn't believe in an afterlife, so waking up after being killed in a car accident was a shock. To add to the surprise, he is now a sentient computer and the controlling intelligence for a Von Neumann probe. Bob and his copies have been spreading out from Earth for 40 years now, looking for habitable planets. But that's the only part of the plan that's still in one piece.

Widow walks the side of the road at night when a pair of headlights is headed his way. It’s the first car in hours. With a thumb out, he hopes to get a ride. But when the car drives erratically at high speeds, Widow dodges, nearly being rammed to death. The driver barrels the car into a tree. It turns out the driver had a heart attack. Waiting for help to arrive, the driver enlists Widow’s help. The driver is a US Marshal. He was on his way to stop an attack on one of his witnesses. She’s been in the witness relocation program, hiding, living a new life.

Kyle Riggs is snatched by an alien spacecraft sometime after midnight. The ship is testing everyone it catches and murdering the weak. The good news is that Kyle keeps passing tests and staying alive. The bad news is the aliens who sent this ship are the nicest ones out there.

Detective Elijah Baiey is called to the Spacer world Aurora to solve a bizarre case of roboticide. The prime suspect is a gifted roboticist who had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to commit the crime. There's only one catch: Baley and his positronic partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, must prove the man innocent. For in a case of political intrigue and love between woman and robot gone tragically wrong, there's more at stake than simple justice. This time Baley's career, his life, and Earth's right to pioneer the Galaxy lie in the delicate balance.