In a terrifyingly plausible novel of modern warfare, invisible code becomes the most dangerous weapon of all.
NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, January 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Author Kevin McGuire delivers a pulse-pounding and unnervingly realistic techno-thriller with Sleeper Code, a novel that plunges readers into the unseen battlefield of America’s critical infrastructure. Blending cutting-edge cybersecurity threats with deeply human stakes, the book explores what happens when the systems that power modern life become weapons turned inward.
At the center of Sleeper Code is Phantom, a self-learning piece of malicious code planted deep within the nation’s power grids. Dormant, undetectable, and patient, Phantom waits silently until the moment it is activated. When the lights flicker and a single word appears on a secure screen “PHANTOM: AWAKE” the realization hits: the enemy is no longer at the gates. It is already inside.
Leading the response is Max Shaw, a brilliant but battle-worn cybersecurity chief at the National Infrastructure Protection Agency. Having spent his career defending systems most people never think about, Max now faces a threat unlike anything before, one that evolves faster than human defenders can react. As pressure mounts, Max assembles a team racing against cascading failure and national collapse.
Alongside him is Tara Lin, an MIT-trained code-breaker carrying the unresolved trauma of her brother’s stolen identity, and Sam Rourke, a field-hardened deputy marked by past wars and a permanent limp. Together, they follow the digital trail from Washington’s hidden command bunkers to data farms buried beneath the Kansas plains, uncovering a web of deception that threatens power, water, communication—and public trust itself.
What sets Sleeper Code apart is its chilling plausibility. McGuire draws readers into a world where cyber warfare is not theoretical, but operational—where a single keystroke can shut down cities and where defense depends as much on human courage as technological expertise. The novel captures the psychological toll on those tasked with protecting systems that must never fail.
The inspiration behind the book reflects growing real-world anxieties about cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure vulnerability. McGuire examines not only how such threats emerge, but how individuals respond when the margin for error disappears. At its core, Sleeper Code asks how far people are willing to go to protect the systems and the people they love.
The book is now available — secure your copy here: https://a.co/d/cyl1dqo
For review copies, interview requests, or additional information, please contact:
Kevin McGuire
BrightKey PR
Kevinmmcguire@yahoo.com
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