Sam Anderson is a scientist and one of the original six founders of Absolom, a device that sends criminals millions of years back in time to an alternate timeline – a fate worse than death. The mysterious and uncertain punishment virtually eradicated all crime overnight. One day, he and his daughter Adeline and son Ryan are visiting his late wife’s grave. Suddenly, he is arrested for the murder of Nora – another founder of Absolom and Sam’s lover. Considering Adeline is also a suspect, Sam comes to the conclusion that he must falsely confess to the murder in order to protect his daughter. As a result, he is next to go through Absolom. While Sam fights for survival in the Triassic period, Adeline stops at nothing to prove her father’s innocence. But the remaining founders all have secrets, and she’s not sure who to trust. Lost in Time by A.G. Riddle is a different kind of murder mystery, filled with suspense, time travel, and a few twists that will knock you off your feet if you’re not paying attention.

Riddle throws readers right into the action from the start. Authorities arrest and detain Sam. After consulting his good friend and fellow Absolom-founder, Elliot, he realizes that the evidence stacked against him and his daughter is solid. They were seen visiting Nora the night she was murdered, after all. Accepting his fate in exile in the age of dinosaurs, another Absolom founder Daniele does her best to help prepare him for the inevitable. The remaining founders, Hiro and Constance, also visit as well. Naturally, readers are led to believe that one of the six founders murdered Nora and framed Sam and Adeline. The question for both characters and readers now is, which one of them did it, and why? 

Once Sam goes through Absolom, Lost in Time kicks into even higher gear. The story switches back and forth between Sam’s life in the Triassic period and Adeline’s quest to clear his name and possibly bring him back. She starts investigating the Absolom Six hoping to find out the killer’s identity. This feat is challenging, however, seeing as she and her brother are now under guardianship of one of the suspects – Daniele. Turns out that Daniele wants to find the killer too. So Adeline and Daniele begin working together to investigate the other founders – earning their trust and hoping to learn their secrets. But just when Adeline thinks she’s getting close to solving the mystery, she becomes unwittingly thrown into a larger part of the big picture, and everything she thought she knew changes in an instant. 

I really can’t give away any more details without approaching spoiler territory. Just trust me when I say that Lost in Time is worth a spot on your reading list. Besides the twists and suspense, I loved the character development that Adeline goes through. She lost both of her parents unfairly and at a young age. Yet readers see her go from angsty emotional teen to determined and intelligent woman who seems to be two steps ahead of everyone. Riddle’s ability to lead the readers on to one motive, only to throw us for a loop a short time later, is also impressive. 

A.G. Riddle joins our Cantina Conversation guest list where we talk about the research involved to tell this story, what draws him to the suspense/thriller genre, and his experiences as a writer. Check out an upcoming episode of The Nerd Cantina Show podcast and pre-order Lost in Time, available September 1.