Wife, mother, or robot?

Ren feels alone. Uncomfortable in her own skin. The world is against her. Strangers treat her with contempt. Her family are exhausted with her mood swings and the weird stories she tells. Ren knows she is different, but why can’t she be accepted for who she is?

After the loss of his wife and mother to his child, Jan Wiskirski decides to purchase one of a new generation of robots to replace her. Perfectly designed, with a human-like artificial intelligence, and a human look and feel, he believes the clone is everything he needs to bring the family together.

But Ren v. 4.3 may not be quite the all-perfect model advertised. She begins to develop real feelings, and a powerful protectiveness over her step-child, Kamil. Indeed what happened to the boy’s mother, why won’t Jan talk about it?

As suspicions grows within the home, nobody is sure whom to trust. When Ren starts to suspect Kamil is being abused by his father, she decides to act. But doing so will have consequences for the whole family. How can this assemblage of organic matter and machine know what’s best for a young boy? Yet, in turn, how can she be dealt with, without undermining the very role she was to perform as wife, mother and carer?

From film maker and author, Piotr Ryczko, and soon to be a motion picture, PANACEA is a dark psychological thriller that will stay with you for a long time. If you liked Black Mirror, you’ll love this book.