Gravity Gone

Gravity Gone #1

by Martin Singer

A fusion accident in 1977 creates mysterious fluorescent stones which are soon introduced to a bright young man, Ray Holland. Ray eventually goes to Stanford University, and while there encounters a mysterious levitation event which directly involves the stones. He meets Tessa Holmes and together they begin an adventure in unraveling the power of the stones. Ray creates two experiments which go beyond expectation. The first launches across the bay area attracting all sorts of attention and the second creates a hole in the desert. To complicate matters, two FBI agents start poking around not seemingly with a direct purpose. Initially they are interested in Tessa and an accident that occurred at a facility she had worked at, and then turn their interest to Ray and his experiments. The agents then encounter a Russian man who has a similar interest in the Hollands and their experiments which ends badly for the agents. Eventually the Russian man is able to steal one of Rays’ experimental devices and is determined to force Ray to show him what it is capable of. They eventually meet up and Ray provides all the answers, but things come to a dramatic end. Come join in this adventure of science, mystery, murder, and investigation with Ray and Tessa.

456 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 31, 2020

About the author

Martin Singer writes fast‑paced science‑driven thrillers set in real locations, blending high‑stakes suspense with grounded characters and believable technology. He is the author of the Gravity Gone series, including Gravity Gone – The Stone Mystery and Desperate Measure, as well as the standalone mystery Beyond the Bridge. He lives in Washington State.

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and one-half stars

Review of eBook

In 1977, the massive failure of the Magnetic Mirror Fusion test at Laubner Labs in Palo Alto California puts an end to the ultra-expensive cost of development. All the materials from the test site were collected, including some bluish-green stones, and sent to the storage site.

Years later, Ray Holland, an electrical engineer at Laubner Labs, acquires some of the unusual stones and develops an experiment called GG-1. But testing the GG-1 is not his top priority as he is about to marry Tessa Holmes. And, to complicate matters, two FBI agents begin poking around; Ray and Tessa have no idea why they are there.

After the wedding, Tessa and Ray get ready to test the GG-1. However, they find themselves ducking the persistent FBI agents who switch from investigating an accident at Chemco where Tessa once worked, turning their investigations to Ray and his experiments. And then Victor Mishkin pops up to question Tessa about her husband’s work.

Who is Mishkin and why is he so interested in Ray’s work? And what brought the FBI agents to the Hollands’ doorstep?

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With well-developed, believable characters and a strong sense of place, the mystery here is intriguing; the plot, filled with twists and turns, keeps the reader guessing. As the unfolding story pulls the reader into the Hollands’ lives, their ways of dealing with the intrusions into their lives are both clever and fascinating; many of their decisions are made while deciding what and where to eat. Somehow, however, it all comes together in a page-turning narrative that keeps readers invested in the telling of the tale.

There’s an undercurrent of urgency running throughout the story as questions mount about the FBI agents and Victor Mishkin plays cat and mouse with Ray and Tessa. Readers who enjoy a bit of science with their mystery will find much to appreciate here; most of the story threads are neatly tied up, but readers are likely to want to know what happens with Ray’s experiments. Might there be a second book?

Highly recommended.

[Rachel A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gravity Gone – The Stone Mystery is the kind of book that caught my attention because of its unusual premise and then kept me interested as the mystery gradually became more complicated. I enjoyed the way Martin Singer combines science-fiction ideas with mystery, investigation, suspense, and adventure rather than relying on just one element.

The concept surrounding the unusual stones was especially intriguing to me. What begins with an extraordinary event eventually develops into something much larger, particularly once Ray Holland becomes involved with the stones and begins working on the GG-1 device. I liked the feeling of discovery that comes with watching Ray try to understand something that clearly has capabilities beyond what he initially expects.

I also thought the addition of Tessa and the FBI investigation helped broaden the story. Just when Ray's experiments seem to be taking the story in one direction, the outside attention and the appearance of the Russian character introduce another layer of uncertainty. It creates that feeling that the characters are dealing with something much bigger and more dangerous than they originally realized.

One of my favorite aspects was the gradual escalation. The story doesn't simply present the mystery and immediately explain it. Instead, questions build around the stones, the experiments, and what other people might want to do with the technology. That kept me curious about where everything was ultimately going.

Overall, I found this to be an imaginative and entertaining science mystery with plenty of unanswered questions, unexpected developments, and adventure. Readers who enjoy stories involving unexplained phenomena, experimental technology, investigations, and a touch of suspense should find plenty to appreciate here. It was an enjoyable journey from the initial mystery through to the dramatic conclusion.