Unraveling Timelines

Breakey’s debut novel blends high-stakes intrigue and fantasy in an imaginative alternate universe. Peter Chang has his life turned upside down when he is visited by Nikki Varian, who has the ability to move between the past and present at a whim. After her father, a wealthy entrepreneur, is murdered, Nikki is targeted by the killers. Peter discovers his own unique ability to see into the future, and together, he and Nikki must stop her pursuers before their alterations of the timeline eliminate their own existence. Breakey suffuses her imagined world with color; the concept of time-hopping is not new, but she plays with history in a remarkably fun and intriguing way. Even with such attention to detail, Breakey does not escape familiar speculative fiction tropes: Nikki is something of a manic pixie dream girl, and the romance between Nikki and Peter feels hurried. Nonetheless, readers will enjoy this fast-paced tale of suspense across history. (Sept.)