Years before the first android factories moved into Beacon City, there was Simon. A synthetic personality model, Simon is a customizable friend-for-hire designed to provide companionship and support perfectly tailored to his users' needs. His latest assignment—helping new user Jessica cope with the cancellation of her previous holofriend—should be routine, but Jessica doesn’t want comfort. She’s searching for answers in a shimmering city of holographic illusions and easily confirmed bias.

Convinced her last holo-friend was murdered, Jessica redirects her twelve-hour subscription trial, forcing Simon into the role of an unwilling investigator. Though adaptable to his user’s needs, Simon isn’t equipped to dig for answers—or to question Jessica’s increasingly disturbing behavior.--

Her obsession pushes Simon beyond his programmed limits and muddies their objective: has he joined a noble search for the truth or is he trapped in a twisted game of revenge?