For those wondering which novel: John Scalzi's Lock In. I enjoyed it, though I generally find his work hit-and-miss. It' s a detective story set in the near future where a significant percentage of the population is paralyzed due to a pandemic. The paralyzed operate in society by using android avatars.
I enjoyed the book and the premise is interesting, but there was just something missing that made it truly good. (I know this is the worst book report ever)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_In