Two Truths and a Lie by Cory O'Brien

Two Truths and a Lie

A Novel

Cory O'Brien

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · Print & ebook · March 4, 2025

From the beloved internet humorist, a debut novel that introduces an unforgettable investigator to the drowned streets of L.A. in a hugely imaginative and heartfelt blend of noir and cyberpunk.

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Who it’s for
A funny, heartfelt cyberpunk noir pairs murder, traded memories, and a romance under pressure.
Themes
Memory and identity, Love and loyalty, Corporate conspiracy
Pacing
Fast

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About this book

From the beloved internet humorist, a debut novel that introduces an unforgettable investigator to the drowned streets of L.A. in a hugely imaginative and heartfelt blend of noir and cyberpunk. In a mostly underwater near-future Los Angeles, aging combat-drone veteran Orr Vue now lives a simple and small life, trading snippets of what's become the most valuable currency: information.

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So when the cops show up at his door looking for data on a murder he’s not even aware has happened, things get interesting for the first time in 25 years. At first, Orr is happy to exchange whatever he knows about the demise of InfoDrip’s top exec to buy booze and pay rent on his memory storage, but that plan goes to hell when Orr’s old boyfriend, Auggie Wolf, shows up as the number one suspect. Forced to stretch his atrophied spy skills and take his illegal horde of drones out of retirement alongside his busted knees, Orr finds himself in the crosshairs of the militarized police, a family of megarich corporate heirs, a clan of emancipated AIs, and a cult. Barely avoiding getting killed with every clue he collects, Orr realizes he's uncovered not just a murder, but a conspiracy that threatens Auggie’s very existence. Ahh, the things we do for love... But in a world where memories can be bought and sold, how can you truly know who anyone is—or what you yourself are capable of? Fast paced, funny, and shockingly romantic, Two Truths and a Lie is Raymond Chandler reinvented for the 22nd century.

Noir, Rewired

A funny, heartfelt cyberpunk noir pairs murder, traded memories, and a romance under pressure.

Come here for

  • Drowned Los Angeles, where information is currency
  • A retired spy pulled back into danger for love

Expect

  • Fast-paced clues and a conspiracy with personal stakes
  • Noir grit, cyberpunk strangeness, and dry humor

Where it sits

Cyberpunk72%
Sci-Fi Crime45%
Gay Fiction36%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Gay Fiction
  • Cyberpunk
  • Sci-Fi Crime
Authors
Cory O'Brien
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published
March 4, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Memory and identity · Love and loyalty · Corporate conspiracy
Reading lane
Gay Fiction