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Trouble in Paradox: A Comical Time Travel Murder Mystery
It's Gabriel Lake's most noir, Sam Spade-ish adventure yet, and the stakes could not be higher. A chrono drive malfunction strands the Galactic Detective Agency in 1943 Indianapolis. Then a murder occurs, creating a temporal paradox and putting the timeline in jeopardy, including Gabe's very existence.
With the help of Oren, Zastra, and the rest of the crew, Gabe must step into the gumshoes of a 1940s detective to try to solve the crime and put the future back on the right track. But is Gabe hard-boiled enough to dodge both cops and gangsters? And does he remember enough from his favorite film noir movies to fit into 1943 culture? In this time-traveling mystery, there will be plenty of laughs, plenty of adventure, and plenty of Trouble in Paradox.
Q&A With Author
Q. Why did you choose to do a time travel story in Trouble in Paradox?
A. Because I love time travel stories. Star Trek IV, Back to the Future, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. C’mon.
Q. Was if difficult to get into a 1940s mindset?
A. Not too much. I wasn’t around in the forties, but elements from that time still existed in my childhood — dial telephones, soda fountains, old-style hardware stories. I did library research on Indianapolis in the 1940s. And I immersed myself in movies and mystery novels from that time.
Q. What parts of the story are true to 1940s Indianapolis, and which ones are made up?
A. The fountain in Fountain Square is accurate, as is the Fountain Square Theater building. The other businesses in the neighborhood (other than Hook’s Drugs) I made up, though they were based on types of stores that really existed at that time. The Kit Kat Club is entirely fictional, based entirely on a running gag my friends and I have, especially my friend Gary “Boss” McKinney. Garfield Park is real and existed in that time with their beautiful sunken gardens. The police headquarters did exist as described (at least the exterior), though it doesn’t exist anymore.
Q. How did you avoid anachronisms?
A. I studied a lot of photographs from the period to see how people dressed and what everything looked like. The Google Books Ngram Viewer is a great tool for seeing what terms were used in what periods. To my profound regret, I had to cut several lines that sounded right but used phrases that weren’t used until the 1960s or 70s.
Q. Can we expect more from the Galactic Detective Agency after Trouble in Paradox?
A. Let me answer with a definite probably. Trouble in Paradox wraps up an arc that began with A Town Called Potato. So as I was finishing the book, I felt a sense of completion I hadn’t felt with the others. If the series should end here, I think it ends in a good place. That being said, I have several ideas percolating in my head for more things I would like to do with these characters. My next project will be a second Pelham and Blandings book. After that, we’ll see.
With the help of Oren, Zastra, and the rest of the crew, Gabe must step into the gumshoes of a 1940s detective to try to solve the crime and put the future back on the right track. But is Gabe hard-boiled enough to dodge both cops and gangsters? And does he remember enough from his favorite film noir movies to fit into 1943 culture? In this time-traveling mystery, there will be plenty of laughs, plenty of adventure, and plenty of Trouble in Paradox.
Q&A With Author
Q. Why did you choose to do a time travel story in Trouble in Paradox?
A. Because I love time travel stories. Star Trek IV, Back to the Future, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. C’mon.
Q. Was if difficult to get into a 1940s mindset?
A. Not too much. I wasn’t around in the forties, but elements from that time still existed in my childhood — dial telephones, soda fountains, old-style hardware stories. I did library research on Indianapolis in the 1940s. And I immersed myself in movies and mystery novels from that time.
Q. What parts of the story are true to 1940s Indianapolis, and which ones are made up?
A. The fountain in Fountain Square is accurate, as is the Fountain Square Theater building. The other businesses in the neighborhood (other than Hook’s Drugs) I made up, though they were based on types of stores that really existed at that time. The Kit Kat Club is entirely fictional, based entirely on a running gag my friends and I have, especially my friend Gary “Boss” McKinney. Garfield Park is real and existed in that time with their beautiful sunken gardens. The police headquarters did exist as described (at least the exterior), though it doesn’t exist anymore.
Q. How did you avoid anachronisms?
A. I studied a lot of photographs from the period to see how people dressed and what everything looked like. The Google Books Ngram Viewer is a great tool for seeing what terms were used in what periods. To my profound regret, I had to cut several lines that sounded right but used phrases that weren’t used until the 1960s or 70s.
Q. Can we expect more from the Galactic Detective Agency after Trouble in Paradox?
A. Let me answer with a definite probably. Trouble in Paradox wraps up an arc that began with A Town Called Potato. So as I was finishing the book, I felt a sense of completion I hadn’t felt with the others. If the series should end here, I think it ends in a good place. That being said, I have several ideas percolating in my head for more things I would like to do with these characters. My next project will be a second Pelham and Blandings book. After that, we’ll see.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2023
10 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Gary Blaine Randolph
24 books6 followersIn some ways, I’ve come to writing late in life. In other ways, I’ve written in every job I ever had. When I founded and ran a software company, I wrote software manuals, newsletters, and ad copy. When I was a professor of computer technology, I wrote academic papers and textbooks. As a freelance software developer, I’ve written instruction manuals. I’ve also written blogs, drama sketches, magazine articles, poems, stories for telling, and more.
My focus nowadays is on writing, which I love. When I’m not doing that, I’m often playing guitar and memorizing stories for storytelling gigs. For fun I enjoy cycling, reading mysteries and sci-fi, drinking coffee, and hanging out with friends and grandkids.
My focus nowadays is on writing, which I love. When I’m not doing that, I’m often playing guitar and memorizing stories for storytelling gigs. For fun I enjoy cycling, reading mysteries and sci-fi, drinking coffee, and hanging out with friends and grandkids.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 30, 2023
On the eve of his wedding, Gabriel is asked to aid the Galactic Detective Agency and help Quog return to earth. All goes well until the chrono drive mulfunctions and the team are stranded in the 1940s. At first Gabe is happy to explore, until his Grampa is arrested for murder and he might just have changed history and caused his removal from it!!
December 26, 2023
Interesting and entertaining
December 6, 2024
Not my favorite of the series but still enjoyable
December 12, 2023
When the chrono drive in the Shaymus breaks down, Gabriel Lake and the Galactic Detective Agency are temporarily stranded in Indianapolis in 1943. Gabriel can't resist a unique opportunity to experience a bit of 1943, but in doing so he inadvertently ends up at a crime scene where his presence alters the course of events.
To undo the damage he has done, Gabriel has to became a 1940s detective and solve the crime. This task poses formidable challenges, leading to situations both dangerous and hilarious. (At least his expenses are covered, since the replicator on the Shaymus can produce as many dimes as he needs.) All of this adds up to a great humorous time travel mystery experience.
To undo the damage he has done, Gabriel has to became a 1940s detective and solve the crime. This task poses formidable challenges, leading to situations both dangerous and hilarious. (At least his expenses are covered, since the replicator on the Shaymus can produce as many dimes as he needs.) All of this adds up to a great humorous time travel mystery experience.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews