Although some agreed with USA Today that "Killing Time" was "a techno-terrifying tale of the information age run amok" and "a daring departure from the successful Alienist formula, but Carr is still a master of the cliffhanger, serving up a non-stop thrill ride as the story builds to a surprising finish," many found its stark view of information manipulation and its consequences too pessimistic, and the book was only briefly a "New York Times" bestseller.