Paradox Bound

The hero and heroine of this lively, likable tale cover a lot of territory and zigzag through a lot of history as they drive a Model A Ford through secret passages in time. After Eli Teague encounters Harriet “Harry” Pritchard fleeing from a murderous faceless man, he joins her on a road quest to recover the lost American Dream. They are part of a loose swarm of travelers who can move forward or back in time in their various vehicles, pursued by the ubiquitous, indistinguishable, and apparently indestructible government agents who want to stamp out individual freedom. The menace is convincing, as is Eli and Harry’s friendly romance. Like Eli, readers will be surprised by revelations about some characters’ true identities, and they’ll be pleased to see how Clines connects details that looked like mere decorative flourishes. This adventure makes no attempt to be deep; it’s a superior time-passer, a wonderfully amusing yarn. Agent: David Fugate, LaunchBooks Literary. (Oct.)