“Culpability,” the latest page-turning family drama by Bruce Holsinger, an author and English professor at the University of Virginia, tackles the ethical implications of artificial intelligence when a distracted teen operating a self-driving car is involved in a fatal car crash.
Charlie Cassidy-Shaw, the teenager in question, is driving his family to a sports tournament in another state when he is startled by his sister screaming in the backseat. He jerks the steering wheel and collides with another vehicle. Charlie’s family, including his father, Noah, the novel’s narrator, survive, but the passengers in the other car do not.
After the accident, the Cassidy-Shaws rent a house on the Northern Neck to disconnect. On their vacation, Charlie falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy tech magnate staying nearby. A summer romance eases Charlie’s phone addiction, but the lovebirds’ reckless behavior threatens to get him in even more trouble.
As the novel progresses, more and more detail is revealed about the crash, raising serious questions about who is at fault when technology fails or is mishandled. The result is a quick-paced domestic thriller with a lot of depth.
“Culpability” generated buzz immediately upon its release and was named Oprah’s Book Club selection for July 2025. Its Tidewater setting and topical plot make this a perfect choice for readers of all kinds and especially those with a soft spot for Coastal Virginia.
