The Website by Miriam Verbeek


The Website
Title : The Website
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0648885453
ISBN-10 : 9780648885450
Language : English
Format Type : ebook
Number of Pages : 334
Publication : Published July 31, 2022

Saskia van Essen, an amateur detective immersed in the world of the internet, works with Interpol and police around the world to track down those who misuse the dark net to post images of exploited children. She lands on Si'Empra to help Einar and Lian Marene find who's the manager of a dark net site posting images of Crystalmaker children. In short order, she finds herself immersed in not only tracing code but untangling messy relationships with origins in past conflict and changing social rules.

The Website Reviews

  • Chris O'Neill

    This fascinating stand alone novel covers a wide range of reading interests from science fiction to anthropology to mystery to crime. Three separate well-described cultures intersect in an international pornography ring, though the Si'Empra people receive the most attention, and their world unfolds in a three volume series previously published.
    Locating the action on an isolated mountain island in an inhospitable sea of the Southern Hemisphere gave the author a lot of room to invent, and she makes the most of it. I especially like the main character, Saskia, who uses her diminutive height to advantage with children while giving the reader a taste of what it's like to inhabit a world where most people are taller. The focus on child sexual abuse crimes is handled clearly and without excessive detail (a welcome feature if you're squeamish). Best of all, you don't have to read the three previous novels in the Si'Empra series to grasp what's going on--the reader can enjoy the mystery of a fantasy world from the first chapter. Enjoy!

  • TaniaRina

    A unique concept re: human trafficking

    Since the main character is working with government officials, the author provides details about Si’Empra infrastructure, societies, history, and cultures. She has many nuances to interpret before she can truly understand what to look for and how.
    Bureaucracy and turf wars are no different “down under”!
    ‘I think we should leave Lianthem politics to the Lians.’

    Trafficking is a horrendous crime and technology only makes it easier for perpetrators to find their victims and to research methods of (fill in the blank). Fitting this cozy crime story into a fantasy world was a great way to heighten awareness.

    It’s everybody’s job to protect the world’s children.

  • Louise

    Saskia receives calls from police and interpol to go beyond investigating those who upload photos of exploited children on the internet. Whenever she receives such calls, this isn't great news - particularly if it's an ongoing case such as this one. The story touches on real dangers in a fantasy setting.


    I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
    Thank you to StoryOrigin and author.