I have to admit that the blurb of EMPATHY didn't bode well for this reader who is a tad allergic to unrealistic scenarios, let alone one that's all about empathy in a bottle, and a game which involves people learning to understand one another without direct communication. So I approached EMPATHY with a slight twitch, with the thought in mind that the author is an Ockham finalist so the writing should be good. And it definitely was.
EMPATHY also came with the promise (from some quarters) of being an edge of the seat, high energy, plot focused thriller. Which is an interesting take for a book that instantly, to this reader at least, came across as engaging, and particularly skilled at building reader empathy for the characters. Which, after a very strong start, did quickly settle into a heavily character driven narrative, that was, ... well slow, detailed, very domestic focused, less interested in the thriller side, more devoted to family dynamics and household tensions.
Which could be a very good thing if you're looking for something which leans towards character driven, has a strong focus on the philosophical, and oddly seemed to be teetering more towards the cozy side of the spectrum than right up there in thriller territory.
Empathy
Marketing executive Alison Morris bets her reputation on a project to sell empathy in a perfume bottle. Her husband, Jim, is inspired to try a similar thing in a game he's developing - sinking all their money into EmPath, where people progress by learning to understand one another without direct communication. All at once Alison's fragrance develops dangerous effects and Jim's game falters in the market, then the chemist working on the perfume project vanishes. His son, David, seems to be the only one looking for him. A widower with two children, David is a man of routine who just wants to get on with his life, but his love for his father takes him into a murky world where empathy can be bought and sold and can lead to murder.
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