Perfect for fans of Naomi Alderman's The Power and Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures comes The Psychology of Time Travel, a mind-bending, time-travel debut.

In 1967, four female scientists worked together to build the world’s first time machine. But just as they are about to debut their creation, one of them suffers a breakdown, putting the whole project—and future of time travel—in jeopardy. To protect their invention, one member is exiled from the team—erasing her contributions from history.

Fifty years later, time travel is a big business. Twenty-something Ruby Rebello knows her beloved grandmother, Granny Bee, was one of the pioneers, though no one will tell her more. But when Bee receives a mysterious newspaper clipping from the future reporting the murder of an unidentified woman, Ruby becomes obsessed: could it be Bee? Who would want her dead? And most importantly of all: can her murder be stopped?

Traversing the decades and told from alternating perspectives, The Psychology of Time Travel introduces a fabulous new voice in fiction and a new must-read for fans of speculative fiction and women’s fiction alike.

Genre: Science Fiction / Time Travel

Author: Kate Mascarenhas

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: February 12th, 2019

Publication House: Crooked Lane Books

My Review

Russian roulette, secrets, time travel! Multi-dimensional with layers upon layers...

This book is very different from any of the other time travel books I have ever read before. Where most other books focus on the journey, destination, places or the life forms encountered, this book has a central focus on the women that invented time travel in 1967, their families and lives that surround the successes and the repercussions from instituted time travel.

As one woman receives a paper note that predicts her death, there is a murder mystery shrouded within the Psychology of Time Travel.

Four Women will invent time travel.
Three will make their mark on history.
Two will do anything to be remembered.
One will not survive.

The novel opens with 4 scientists working on their time travel project and they receive a parcel of rabbits to send the first organic matter through time. From there it proceeds to tell in different timelines what happens after their success and failures. One of the scientists becomes affected psychologically by time travel and future recruitment measures to the Conclave are put in place by evaluating time traveler’s psyches with better questionnaires.

The women’s personal lives and relationships are hopped in and out of in different segments at the time, giving the reader an idea of internal workings like happiness or depression. An unhappy marriage, infidelity and initiation rituals of new time travel recruits all play a role on how the plot unfolds to a twisted conclusion at the end and the one woman who tirelessly tries to solve a murder.

***

This novel is very unique and a brilliant mess. With interludes and layers upon layers the plot unfolds sometimes out of context only to bring it in at the end. It lends to a very different reading experience as at times it seems in cohesive, yet the intricacies are brilliant.

The Psychology of Time Travel is one of those books you may want to take notes with to understand everything that is going on. Both writing and plot are unique and special and I am glad I had the chance to read it.

I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher Crocked Lane Books in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you :)