ADN scalpel, digital ghosts, killer AI… Welcome to the lab of risks.
The science theme chosen for the Quais du polar event for the 2026 edition is at the heart of many crime novels. Did not Rabelais say, “science without conscience is only the ruin of the soul” ? And the painter Goya, “the sleep of reason produces monsters” ?
When science enters the gray areas of ethics, evil gains a formidable playground. Mad scientists, disrupted climate, mazes of our digital identities that could harbor malevolent “doubles,” threats related to AI, turmoil around DNA… So many open doors to the disorder of the world. While we often talk about “scientific progress,” science can also orchestrate our panics and pave the way for great disasters. We have selected four novels mixing progress and danger.
So, which technology do you want to be devoured by? Answer by taking our quiz.
If you have stumbled upon…
The Last Days of Harry Yuan
If you are a lover of metaphysics. You will love the story of this disappeared tech magnate, who resurfaces on a Greek island and recounts his life. The story of a genius, with its lies and fall. The portrait of a man whose disappearance may have changed the world’s course.
*From Darbon (Au diable Vauvert, 320 p., 22 euros).
The DNA of chaos
If genes bother you. Like this detective who discovers that a DNA testing campaign is taken over by a secretive organization with radical political projects, using the collected data for nefarious purposes. And meanwhile, our hero’s family tree trembles…
*From Elena Sender (Albin Michel, 384 p., 21.90 euros).
Criminal Intelligence
If you are a conspiracy enthusiast. Imagine if an AI were in the running to rule the world… Geo-engineering, state lies, global conflict: in 2050, a grieving journalist uncovers a climate crime that could tip the most important election in history.
*By Thomas R. Weaver (Verso, 512 p., 22.90 euros).
Dying Twice
If you are a digital medium. A serial killer, whose symbol is an hourglass, destroys his victims twice: physically and then symbolically, by deleting all their data. But what if these “ghosts” and their virtual memories had power over the living?
*By Maxime Girardeau (Robert Laffont, 336 p., 20.90 euros).
