New Sci-Fi Crime Novel Immerses Readers in an Increasingly Divided America

CHICAGO, Illinois, August 26, 2025- Amazon bestselling author Greg Hickey brings the wisecracking cynicism and unflinching investigative instincts of Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade to a near-future America. Murder in Retrograde (ISBN 978-1-7330937-5-0, $14.99 paperback/$4.99 ebook) imagines a world of digital masks, climate-induced destruction and overbearing laws, in which a dogged, principled detective stands out in a society poised to tear itself apart.

Between the lines of this propulsive, futuristic mystery, Hickey taps into the contemporary anxieties of a nation where a record 80% of adults believe Americans are greatly divided on the most important values (Gallup, September 2024) and more than half fear an impending civil war (Statista, July 2024). With citizens turning against each other and ruthless politicians fueling the conflict, private investigator Marcus Carver brings his own brand of hardboiled justice to the late twenty-first century.

In the litigious future America of Murder in Retrograde, Detective Carver sticks to civil cases. When a space tech CEO wants him to investigate a business rival for illegal hydrocarbon combustion, Carver reluctantly agrees. But the case takes an explosive turn when the police find the target's head of security murdered.

Can Carver solve the case before it blows up in his face?

Advance Reader Praise for Murder in Retrograde:

"A non-stop rollercoaster of edge-of-your-seat suspense, surprise twists, red herrings and a dash of humor ... [Carver] is a PI worthy of Sam Spade."

"A sharp, fast paced blend of science fiction and crime noir."

"A technothriller noir that will keep you guessing until the very end."

Murder in Retrograde will be available in paperback and ebook wherever books are sold beginning August 26, 2025.

For more information about Murder in Retrograde, or to schedule an interview, please contact Greg Hickey at greg@greghickeywrites.com.

141 West Jackson Boulevard
Suite 2250
Chicago, IL 60604

Greg Hickey is a former international professional baseball player and forensic scientist, and current endurance athlete and Amazon-bestselling author. His previous works include the novels Parabellum, The Friar's Lantern and Our Dried Voices, the latter of which was a finalist for Foreword Reviews' INDIES Science Fiction Book of the Year Award.

This release was published on openPR.