Reactions to the Direct to Consumer Genetic Testing Industry in Michael Connelly’s Fair Warning
Peer-reviewed and published by ASAP/J.

Michael Connelly’s Fair Warning (2020) is one of the first crime novels to take on the direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) industry, focusing on issues of privacy, regulation, and the risks of stolen DNA data. My study analyzed 150 Goodreads reviews that mention the book’s genetic testing theme. Readers often echoed the novel’s worries about poor oversight, voiced fear about the safety of their own genetic data, and in some cases reconsidered or even canceled their use of companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com. Many praised the story as “chillingly authentic,” linking it to real cases such as the Golden State Killer. These responses show how popular fiction can stir emotions, shape opinions, and even influence behavior in relation to science and technology.