Carey's novel Amnesia is an aggressively quick progression of events surrounding the lives of Felix Moore and Gaby Baillieux. Amidst some political turmoil in Australia, Moore is approached by an old, well-connected friend to track down Gaby. In a tight space financially due to a lawsuit, Moore agrees and sets out to research and locate Gaby, not understanding her importance. She's a blackhat hacker, bent on bringing justice to Australia's corporation-ruled corrupt government.
As the book plays out, readers discover a number of astonishing truths about Gaby and her past deeds. She becomes a figure of intense respectability for Moore and others whom he interviews, despite the fact that she's a wanted fugitive for computer hacking and terrorism. The first half of the book is told from Moore's perspective as he searches for Gaby. The second half is a series of transcripts from tape recordings which Moore is given to aid him on his project. Each nugget of information reveals a new facet of the extent of the Australian government's corruption. With time, an immense conspiracy is played out due to Gaby's intrepid dedication to truth, and Moore's careful following.
Readers are left with an unsettled feeling after finishing Amnesia. The intense political corruption and loss of privacy which run through the novel are dangerously possible. With technology governing our lives, people make choices to sacrifice privacy and security on a daily basis. If greedy and enterprising corporations have not already caught on to the endless potential for monetary gain due to this concession, they soon will. Carey's novel is less of an absent musing than a stern prediction of a world where the criminals are the true heroes.
