Silver Gravity Books
The Human Resource:A Shadow Files Thriller, Book 3 by Rose Sandy, Female-led espionage & techno-thriller
The Human Resource:A Shadow Files Thriller, Book 3 by Rose Sandy, Female-led espionage & techno-thriller
Crime & mystery, Action & adventure, Thriller & suspense, Romance, Suspense, Technology, and Drama
Every Silver Gravity story centres women with agency.
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As artificial intelligence threatens to overshadow human achievement, Vienne Washington is determined to uncover what truly separates man from machine.
When Vienne’s best friend Kimmy Hara vanishes inside the global tech giant ALTUS, Vienne knows something is terribly wrong. Determined to find her, she infiltrates the company from the inside — posing as a senior HR executive. It’s a dangerous move, but ALTUS was once her late father’s company, and Vienne knows its culture, its blind spots, and its secrets.
What she uncovers is far more disturbing than a corporate cover-up.
At the heart of ALTUS lies the Creative Intelligence Programme — a covert operation designed to unlock hidden human potential and compete with artificial intelligence by pushing the human mind beyond ethical limits. As Vienne digs deeper, she uncovers a web of betrayal that reaches the highest levels of power — and reveals how easily innovation can become exploitation.
With the help of Keil Stone, a former corporate lawyer turned Navy officer, Vienne races to expose the truth before the programme disappears forever. But as they close in, they become targets of a ruthless enemy determined to bury the secret — no matter the cost.
The Human Resource is a thought-provoking techno-thriller that explores the ethics of artificial intelligence, corporate power, and what happens when humanity itself becomes the most valuable asset on the market.
Perfect for fans of Michael Crichton, James Rollins, and Daniel Silva, this gripping thriller blurs the line between innovation and control — and asks how far is too far when playing God with the human mind.
READER PRAISE
“Relentless and frighteningly plausible. AI, DNA, and power, this thriller has teeth.”
“Vienne Washington is a brilliant, human heroine, equal parts heart and hacker.”
“From Capri to Tokyo to London, the set pieces are cinematic and tense.”
“Smart, emotional, and wildly propulsive, couldn’t put it down.”
★★★★★ “A masterful blend of intrigue and action that kept me on the edge of my seat!”
★★★★★ “A thought-provoking thriller that challenges how we think about AI and humanity.”
★★★★★ “Unputdownable — a complex web of secrets and lies done brilliantly.”
FEATURED LOCATIONS
Capri, Italy — Private Clinic & Escape: Vienne’s high-stakes awakening triggers the first chase.
East China Sea — Submarine Incident: Keil uncovers irregular cargo and the first threads of Leviathan.
London — ALTUS HQ, Canary Wharf: Boardroom power plays, encrypted calls, and R&D showcases.
Tokyo & Shirakawa-go, Japan: A village past unlocks Vienne’s origin and her mother’s hidden research.
Zurich, Switzerland — Vault Archive: Legacy files, life’s work, and the cost of genius.
Monaco — Under-the-floor deals: High-roller fronts for a market in engineered human “resources.”
About the Shadow Files Thrillers
About the Shadow Files Thrillers
The Shadow Files Thrillers is a female-led espionage and techno-thriller series exploring what happens when intelligent women uncover secrets powerful systems are desperate to protect.
Set in a world of covert intelligence, corporate espionage, cyber warfare, and emerging technology, the series follows brilliant operatives, hackers, scientists, and insiders who are pulled into global conspiracies where information is the most dangerous currency of all.
Each story exposes the shadow networks operating behind governments, corporations, and international institutions — and asks what it costs to tell the truth when silence is safer.
Every novel works as a standalone thriller while contributing to a wider thematic world of power, surveillance, and moral consequence.
What Kind of Thriller Is This?
What Kind of Thriller Is This?
This series is best described as female-led espionage and techno-thrillers.
It combines:
- Modern spycraft and intelligence operations
- Cyber-espionage, AI, biotech, and data warfare
- Corporate and governmental conspiracy
- High-stakes action driven by investigation and discovery
- Smart female protagonists whose intelligence drives the plot
If you enjoy thrillers grounded in real-world technology and global power structures, this series is written for you.
If You Love Bond, Bourne, or Intelligence Thrillers…
If You Love Bond, Bourne, or Intelligence Thrillers…
Readers often compare The Shadow Files to James Bond, Jason Bourne, and Tom Clancy–style geopolitical thrillers — reimagined with female leads at the centre of the action.
- Like Bond, these stories feature global stakes, espionage, and shadow organisations.
- Like Bourne, they explore identity, betrayal, and the cost of living off the grid.
- Like Clancy, they root their danger in realistic technology, intelligence systems, and political consequence.
What sets The Shadow Files apart is its focus on female authority, psychological tension, and ethical choice — not spectacle alone.
Story Tropes & Reader Appeal
Story Tropes & Reader Appeal
This book features many of the tropes readers love, including:
- A brilliant woman infiltrating a powerful institution
- Corporate secrets buried behind innovation
- AI-adjacent threats rooted in human ambition
- Betrayal from within trusted systems
- A race against time to expose the truth
Book-specific:
- A missing best friend
- A covert human-potential programme
- Infiltration via corporate HR and internal politics
Is This Book for You?
Is This Book for You?
This book is ideal if you love:
- Female-led techno-thrillers
- Corporate espionage and AI ethics
- Smart protagonists solving problems from the inside
- Stories that challenge where humanity ends and technology begins
You’ll especially enjoy this instalment if you’re fascinated by artificial intelligence, corporate secrecy, and thrillers that question the future of human potential.
Do I Need to Read the Series in Order?
Do I Need to Read the Series in Order?
Each Shadow Files novel is written to stand alone, with its own central threat and resolution.
However, reading the series in order allows you to spot recurring themes, escalating dangers, and deeper connections between the shadow networks operating across the books.
New readers can start here with confidence, while returning readers will uncover richer layers as the series progresses.
The Shadow Files Thrillers In Order
- Book 1: The Code Beneath Her Skin
- Book 2: The Kohinoor Conspiracy
- Book 3: The Human Resource
- Book 4: Spy in My Bed
- Book 5: Caribbean Connection
- Book 6: Black Swan Asset
- Book 7: The Seed Vault
About the Author — Rose Sandy
About the Author — Rose Sandy
Rose Sandy writes female-led espionage, action, and techno-thriller fiction focused on intelligent women navigating high-stakes global conspiracies.
She is the author of multiple internationally set thriller series that blend real-world technology, covert intelligence, and ethical tension. Her work centres on heroines who survive not through brute force, but through insight, courage, and the willingness to challenge powerful systems.
Read or Hear a Sample
Read or Hear a Sample
Genres, Themes & Content Notes
Genres, Themes & Content Notes
Genres:
- Espionage Thriller
- Techno-Thriller
- International Conspiracy Thriller
- Corporate Espionage / Intelligence Thriller
Core Themes:
- Power, secrecy, and who controls the narrative
- Surveillance, data ownership, and hidden systems
- Ethics of emerging technology (AI, biotech, cyber warfare)
- Trust, betrayal, and loyalty under pressure
- Women operating inside hostile institutions
Series DNA (recurring elements):
- Investigations that uncover global conspiracies
- Technology-driven threats with real-world plausibility
- High-stakes decisions with moral consequences
- International settings and elite power structures
Tropes you’ll often see:
- Secrets buried inside institutions
- Shadow organisations and covert ops
- Double agents / shifting loyalties
- Race-against-time reveals
- The heroine who outthinks the system
This book had me questioning everything about corporate culture and AI development. The way Sandy portrays the ALTUS corporation as both innovative and sinister is masterfully done. Vienne's journey from employee to whistleblower is believable and emotionally engaging. The tech aspects are well-researched without being too technical, and the human elements - the search for Kimmy, the family mysteries - keep you emotionally invested. The Shadow Files organization adds an intriguing backdrop that I hope gets explored more in future books. Can't recommend this highly enough!
What starts as a missing person case quickly spirals into a globe-spanning conspiracy involving AI mind control and corporate espionage. Sandy's attention to technical detail is impressive - the Neurosynth technology feels like it could exist today, which makes the story even more unsettling. Vienne is a fantastic protagonist who uses both her tech skills and emotional intelligence to unravel the mystery. The romantic subplot with Keil is well-handled and doesn't overshadow the main plot. The ending left me desperate for the next book!
The Human Resource is exactly what thriller fans ordered - intelligent women caught in dangerous webs of technology and espionage. Vienne's character development from the previous books pays off beautifully here as she takes on ALTUS from the inside. The Creative Intelligence Lab concept is chilling, and Sandy's exploration of how corporations might weaponize human psychology feels ripped from tomorrow's headlines. The action sequences are expertly crafted, especially the chase scenes and the explosive climax. My only complaint? I finished it too quickly!
In an era where AI ethics dominate headlines, The Human Resource feels incredibly relevant. Sandy's vision of a corporation using AI to manipulate and control human resources is chilling because it feels so possible. Vienne is a strong, complex protagonist who uses her unique position to fight back against corruption. The pacing is relentless - just when you think you know what's happening, Sandy throws another twist that changes everything. The ending with Seth's apparent death opens up so many questions for the next book. This series deserves a much wider audience!
Rose Sandy continues to prove why The Shadow Files series is a must-read for anyone who loves smart, action-packed thrillers. The way she blends cutting-edge AI concepts with old-school espionage tradecraft is masterful. Vienne's investigation into her parents' legacy while battling corporate corruption creates multiple layers of tension that kept me turning pages well past midnight. The supporting characters, especially Aaren and Bailey, feel genuine and add emotional weight to the high-stakes plot. This is thriller writing at its finest.
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