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An Improbable Hypothesis
Academic ambition, a biological mystery, and a long-hidden family secret come together to reveal that serendipity may be far less random than it seems.
In a laboratory in London, PhD student Emily is halfway to becoming a scientist when an accusation of fraud threatens to shatter all she has worked for. Abandoned by those she trusted, she turns to her staunchly unscientific flatmate, Penny, and with just a cheap bottle of wine, a handful of coins, and a reckless indifference to plausibility, they try to discover why her experiments are behaving so … improbably.
A puzzling anomaly draws them deep into Emily’s DNA, the dusty aisles of the library, and eventually the Arctic Circle, where they unearth a family secret hidden since the end of the Second World War – a story of lost love, tragedy, and extraordinary events echoing across generations.
But there’s a bigger secret, one that reveals something amiss in the workings of fate. And someone knows they’ve found it.
Blending dry humour, accessible science, and unexpected heartbreak, An Improbable Hypothesis is a smart, inventive story about academia’s darker corners, the bonds of love and friendship, and how things don’t always work out as you’d expect.
"A brilliantly off-beat blend of science, secrets, and sheer narrative charm."
"This quirky story leads you gently through the science and takes you on an unexpectedly moving and thought-provoking journey through the tensions of friendship, life, and missed opportunities."
"Full of quirky characters, laughs and tears, and an astonishing scientific twist — an utterly original delight.”
"The science is wonderful. Absolutely preposterous, but wonderful."
In a laboratory in London, PhD student Emily is halfway to becoming a scientist when an accusation of fraud threatens to shatter all she has worked for. Abandoned by those she trusted, she turns to her staunchly unscientific flatmate, Penny, and with just a cheap bottle of wine, a handful of coins, and a reckless indifference to plausibility, they try to discover why her experiments are behaving so … improbably.
A puzzling anomaly draws them deep into Emily’s DNA, the dusty aisles of the library, and eventually the Arctic Circle, where they unearth a family secret hidden since the end of the Second World War – a story of lost love, tragedy, and extraordinary events echoing across generations.
But there’s a bigger secret, one that reveals something amiss in the workings of fate. And someone knows they’ve found it.
Blending dry humour, accessible science, and unexpected heartbreak, An Improbable Hypothesis is a smart, inventive story about academia’s darker corners, the bonds of love and friendship, and how things don’t always work out as you’d expect.
"A brilliantly off-beat blend of science, secrets, and sheer narrative charm."
"This quirky story leads you gently through the science and takes you on an unexpectedly moving and thought-provoking journey through the tensions of friendship, life, and missed opportunities."
"Full of quirky characters, laughs and tears, and an astonishing scientific twist — an utterly original delight.”
"The science is wonderful. Absolutely preposterous, but wonderful."
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2025
About the author
Ellery Shaw
1 book1 followerI was originally from the UK, where I went to university in Manchester and London, which figure heavily in my book(s). When I'd just finished my PhD and was starting my first real job in academia, the HR person took one look at me and said, "You're not a scientist!"
It took me a while to work out she was right, and I was much too easily distracted to be a research scientist. Also, I was born to live in bare feet, not a lab coat, let alone a suit.
So I dropped out of academia, packed my bags and moved to the beach in Australia. For 10 years or so, I've been a freelance science writer, zipping between my office and the surf in my elderly VW kombi.
Having written hundreds of papers and articles about science, I started writing my first novel – An Improbable Hypothesis – during the pandemic lockdowns. Inevitably, I got somewhat distracted, and it went through many iterations and wasn't published until late 2025.
An Improbable Hypothesis is a cosy scientific mystery, if there is such a thing, mixed in with some history, academic politics, British humour, and a bit of love story. There is some science in there, but it's science in fiction and not science fiction.
My second book is on the way and should be published towards the end of 2026, as long as the kombi keeps going and the surf isn't too good.
Ellery
It took me a while to work out she was right, and I was much too easily distracted to be a research scientist. Also, I was born to live in bare feet, not a lab coat, let alone a suit.
So I dropped out of academia, packed my bags and moved to the beach in Australia. For 10 years or so, I've been a freelance science writer, zipping between my office and the surf in my elderly VW kombi.
Having written hundreds of papers and articles about science, I started writing my first novel – An Improbable Hypothesis – during the pandemic lockdowns. Inevitably, I got somewhat distracted, and it went through many iterations and wasn't published until late 2025.
An Improbable Hypothesis is a cosy scientific mystery, if there is such a thing, mixed in with some history, academic politics, British humour, and a bit of love story. There is some science in there, but it's science in fiction and not science fiction.
My second book is on the way and should be published towards the end of 2026, as long as the kombi keeps going and the surf isn't too good.
Ellery
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