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Paradox P.I. #3
The Clockwork Game
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A MURDER THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET?
Private detective Greyson Travers is on a case he can’t quit.
Isolated at a remote lodge with a half-dozen other guests, he’s on the trail of a priceless historical artifact. But when the body of a stranger goes missing in the fog, the treasure hunt quickly becomes a murder investigation.
Suspicion grows as Greyson plays a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with a killer who is making up all the rules.
No one at the lodge is who they seem and Greyson will need to decipher friend from foe if he wants to escape the island alive.
Take a trip in time, and solve a page-turning mystery that will keep you reading late into the night.
Download now, because yesterday may be too late…
Private detective Greyson Travers is on a case he can’t quit.
Isolated at a remote lodge with a half-dozen other guests, he’s on the trail of a priceless historical artifact. But when the body of a stranger goes missing in the fog, the treasure hunt quickly becomes a murder investigation.
Suspicion grows as Greyson plays a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with a killer who is making up all the rules.
No one at the lodge is who they seem and Greyson will need to decipher friend from foe if he wants to escape the island alive.
Take a trip in time, and solve a page-turning mystery that will keep you reading late into the night.
Download now, because yesterday may be too late…
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2022
132 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Van Coops
28 books505 followersNathan Van Coops lives in St. Petersburg, Florida on a diet comprised mainly of tacos. When not tinkering on old airplanes, he writes heroic adventure stories that explore imaginative new worlds. He is the author of the time travel adventure series In Times Like These, the time travel detective series Paradox PI, and The Skylighter Adventures. His recent series, Kingdom of Engines explores a swashbuckling alternate history where the modern and medieval collide. He also writes aviation mystery thrillers under the name Nate Van Coops. Learn more at www.nathanvancoops.com or www.natevancoops.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 27, 2025
Entertaining time travel listening ✨
This kindle ebook novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 3 of 4
He travels by time gates to an island where he is welcomed. The gate is moved and gun shots lead to blood and the fun begins. It all comes to and end when he uncovers the truth leading to the conclusion 🙄
I would recommend this series and author to readers futuristic world 🌎 time travel adventure action mystery novels 🎊😯 2025 🤓👒
This kindle ebook novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 3 of 4
He travels by time gates to an island where he is welcomed. The gate is moved and gun shots lead to blood and the fun begins. It all comes to and end when he uncovers the truth leading to the conclusion 🙄
I would recommend this series and author to readers futuristic world 🌎 time travel adventure action mystery novels 🎊😯 2025 🤓👒
May 8, 2022
An intriguing Time Travel Mystery
I love a good mystery with interesting characters and an intriguing puzzle. This was just such a book with an interesting time travel twist as well. Highly recommended. :-)
I love a good mystery with interesting characters and an intriguing puzzle. This was just such a book with an interesting time travel twist as well. Highly recommended. :-)
May 3, 2022
"It’s hard to catch a killer who isn’t one yet."
Nathan Van Coops is a master of genres, offering yet another brilliant page-turner. The Clockwork Game is a classic murder mystery with a twist: time travel. Our favourite private investigator, Greyson Travers, is stuck on an island investigating a murder. The colourful collection of characters he is surrounded with are all suspects, including himself. Featuring Nathan's signature witty humour and exciting pacing, this is a brilliant addition to the series. I would recommend it to any lover of mystery, noir and time travel books.
Nathan Van Coops is a master of genres, offering yet another brilliant page-turner. The Clockwork Game is a classic murder mystery with a twist: time travel. Our favourite private investigator, Greyson Travers, is stuck on an island investigating a murder. The colourful collection of characters he is surrounded with are all suspects, including himself. Featuring Nathan's signature witty humour and exciting pacing, this is a brilliant addition to the series. I would recommend it to any lover of mystery, noir and time travel books.
May 3, 2022
Time travel stories are probably the hardest to get right as they involve many scenarios which if the author gets it wrong, can blow the whole believability element out of the water.
Nathan has a unique way of filling in the holes that other time travel writers sometimes gloss over, these holes if not covered can results in the reader coming back to reality with a bump and or not completing the story.
Nathans unique approach to his time travel stories, really stand out from the crowd to the point if time travel ever does become a reality, then Nathan would be the obvious choice to write the user guide. This latest book is a real page turner and follows a private investigator who gets stuck on an island with an unexpected mystery to solve, using a mix of time travel and good old fashioned sleuthing techniques with plenty of twists and turns. A real edge of seat stuff right till the end.
Nathan has a unique way of filling in the holes that other time travel writers sometimes gloss over, these holes if not covered can results in the reader coming back to reality with a bump and or not completing the story.
Nathans unique approach to his time travel stories, really stand out from the crowd to the point if time travel ever does become a reality, then Nathan would be the obvious choice to write the user guide. This latest book is a real page turner and follows a private investigator who gets stuck on an island with an unexpected mystery to solve, using a mix of time travel and good old fashioned sleuthing techniques with plenty of twists and turns. A real edge of seat stuff right till the end.
May 5, 2022
I like Greyson. There is a certain fragility to him and he hides it with sarcastic comments, which he sometimes instantly regrets. He is smart, and he is observant. Well, mostly.
In this book he is asked to go to a remote Island, to retrieve something very special, a historical artefact, and a picture is produced to prove he did take the case. But, some very unsavoury people are also on the Island, and people die.
A very famous detective is called in, but something isn't as it appears and Greyson has to solve the mystery. Of course, he does. You also get a glimpse into a future that maybe will involve Greyson and the lovely Heavens Archer, the manager of the inn Rose´n Bridge Inn and Tavern.
In this book he is asked to go to a remote Island, to retrieve something very special, a historical artefact, and a picture is produced to prove he did take the case. But, some very unsavoury people are also on the Island, and people die.
A very famous detective is called in, but something isn't as it appears and Greyson has to solve the mystery. Of course, he does. You also get a glimpse into a future that maybe will involve Greyson and the lovely Heavens Archer, the manager of the inn Rose´n Bridge Inn and Tavern.
June 19, 2022
I have loved every time travel book by Nathan Van Coops that I have read and thats all of them! The Paradox P.I. series is a spin off of the In Times Like These series but you do not really need to have read the first series to read these (other than the fact that the first series is awesome and you should read it for your own mental health and happiness). The first book in the In Times Like These series does take a while to get going, I think it took me six months to read the first half of the book and six hours to read the last half. I then devoured the rest of the books that were out and he is now an auto buy for me, I do not need to read the synopsis or reviews, I just grab it.
This continues the story line from the first two Paradox P.I. books so I do suggest you read those first or you wont understand a few things, there are also a few things you wont quite get if you do not read the In Times Like These but they are not necessary to get this book like the earlier books in this series are. So you SHOULD read the earlier series, you must read the earlier books in this series, got it? Good.
If you like time travel books then you should be reading Nathan Van Coops, he gets it. He makes them fun adventures popping the characters through time and not just once at the start and then its really just a historical book but with some changes. The Paradox P.I. Series are like noir private eye book but with time travel and I love it.
#timetravel
#paradoxpi
#nathanvacoops
This continues the story line from the first two Paradox P.I. books so I do suggest you read those first or you wont understand a few things, there are also a few things you wont quite get if you do not read the In Times Like These but they are not necessary to get this book like the earlier books in this series are. So you SHOULD read the earlier series, you must read the earlier books in this series, got it? Good.
If you like time travel books then you should be reading Nathan Van Coops, he gets it. He makes them fun adventures popping the characters through time and not just once at the start and then its really just a historical book but with some changes. The Paradox P.I. Series are like noir private eye book but with time travel and I love it.
#timetravel
#paradoxpi
#nathanvacoops
May 3, 2022
Another great addition to the series and the ITLT multiverse! I love how Nathan VanCoops adds in the time travel element to this detective series without depending on it for all of the main characters sleuthing. It’s just the right mix of mystery, deduction, and time travel. I couldn’t put it down!
May 3, 2022
As always with Nathans books you never know whats going to happen next, this book is a real page turner, i couldnt put it down. Loved it!!!
May 3, 2022
Otra historia de nuestro time travel detective favorito.
Cosas positivas: Un ritmo entretenido y por momentos trepidante, muy típico de Van Coops. Personajes nuevos e interesantes, otros ya conocidos y bien explotados. Me gustó mucho el detective veterano que aparece a mitad de la historia, un homenaje de los grandes detectives de la literatura. Pero lo mejor de todo es que ésta aventura cambia una vez más de estilo: ahora tenemos un misterio a lo Agatha Christie, con un montón de sospechosos y un criminal suelto. Cualquier autor que tenga cierto éxito con una saga se contentaría con repetir la fórmula exitosa una y otra y otra vez, libro tras libro, y mantener felices a sus fans (me viene Rick Riordan a la mente). Pero Nathan no, después de un primer libro trepidante en este saga detectivesca, cambia el estilo en el segundo y lo vuelve a cambiar en este tercero, lo cual lo hace familiar y novedoso a la vez.
Cosas negativas: El único "pero" que tiene la saga es que, aunque la historia criminal se sostiene por si sola, si necesitas haber leído los demás para entender. en particular debes haber leído la saga "In Times Like These" para entender como funciona el viaje en el tiempo en el universo del detective Travers, y todo lo que existe alrededor de ello.
Fuera de eso, un libro que disfrutarán por igual los amantes del viaje en el tiempo y las historias de misterios criminales.
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Another story from our favorite time travel detective.
Positives: An entertaining and at times frenetic rhythm, very typical of Van Coops. New and interesting characters, others already known and well exploited. I really liked the veteran detective who appears in the middle of the story, a tribute to the great detectives of literature. But best of all, this adventure changes its style once again: now we have an Agatha Christie-style mystery, with a bunch of suspects and a criminal on the loose. Any author who has had any success with a series would be content to repeat the successful formula over and over and over again, book after book, and keep their fans happy (Rick Riordan comes to mind). But not Nathan, after a fast-paced first book in this detective saga, he changes the style in the second and changes it again in this third, which makes it familiar and new at the same time.
Negatives: The only "but" that the saga has is that, although the criminal history stands on its own, you do need to have read the others to understand. In particular you must have read the "In Times Like These" saga to understand how time travel works in detective Travers universe, and everything that exists around it.
Other than that, a book that lovers of time travel and criminal mystery stories will enjoy equally.
Cosas positivas: Un ritmo entretenido y por momentos trepidante, muy típico de Van Coops. Personajes nuevos e interesantes, otros ya conocidos y bien explotados. Me gustó mucho el detective veterano que aparece a mitad de la historia, un homenaje de los grandes detectives de la literatura. Pero lo mejor de todo es que ésta aventura cambia una vez más de estilo: ahora tenemos un misterio a lo Agatha Christie, con un montón de sospechosos y un criminal suelto. Cualquier autor que tenga cierto éxito con una saga se contentaría con repetir la fórmula exitosa una y otra y otra vez, libro tras libro, y mantener felices a sus fans (me viene Rick Riordan a la mente). Pero Nathan no, después de un primer libro trepidante en este saga detectivesca, cambia el estilo en el segundo y lo vuelve a cambiar en este tercero, lo cual lo hace familiar y novedoso a la vez.
Cosas negativas: El único "pero" que tiene la saga es que, aunque la historia criminal se sostiene por si sola, si necesitas haber leído los demás para entender. en particular debes haber leído la saga "In Times Like These" para entender como funciona el viaje en el tiempo en el universo del detective Travers, y todo lo que existe alrededor de ello.
Fuera de eso, un libro que disfrutarán por igual los amantes del viaje en el tiempo y las historias de misterios criminales.
-------------------------------
Another story from our favorite time travel detective.
Positives: An entertaining and at times frenetic rhythm, very typical of Van Coops. New and interesting characters, others already known and well exploited. I really liked the veteran detective who appears in the middle of the story, a tribute to the great detectives of literature. But best of all, this adventure changes its style once again: now we have an Agatha Christie-style mystery, with a bunch of suspects and a criminal on the loose. Any author who has had any success with a series would be content to repeat the successful formula over and over and over again, book after book, and keep their fans happy (Rick Riordan comes to mind). But not Nathan, after a fast-paced first book in this detective saga, he changes the style in the second and changes it again in this third, which makes it familiar and new at the same time.
Negatives: The only "but" that the saga has is that, although the criminal history stands on its own, you do need to have read the others to understand. In particular you must have read the "In Times Like These" saga to understand how time travel works in detective Travers universe, and everything that exists around it.
Other than that, a book that lovers of time travel and criminal mystery stories will enjoy equally.
June 8, 2022
'Some futures were worth the wait.'
The way Nathan writes time travel is incredible! Every single part thought out down to the finest detail.
To avoid a Paradox. Gray is coaxed into a mission involving a remote island, a murder, stolen goods and plenty of secrets.
Including his own that he doesn't even know himself yet.
Can he find the murderer, before its even happened?
Extremely fast paced and unputdownable!
The way Nathan writes time travel is incredible! Every single part thought out down to the finest detail.
To avoid a Paradox. Gray is coaxed into a mission involving a remote island, a murder, stolen goods and plenty of secrets.
Including his own that he doesn't even know himself yet.
Can he find the murderer, before its even happened?
Extremely fast paced and unputdownable!
May 3, 2022
Since I was young I've always loved classic murder mysteries. I also love time travel books. In The Clockwork Game those two genres are combined into a delicious combo that kept me reading into the night. All the necessary elements a there - a witty and observant private detective, an intriguing assignment, and cunning criminals, waiting to be caught. The time travel side is minimal, but still an integral part of the story. But what I've really grown to love about this author's books, this one being no exception, is the underlying humour, clever dialogue, and colourful characters, every one of them vivid and painted with bold strokes. So, if you would like to read a classic murder mystery in a contemporary take, this book is for you.
May 3, 2022
Fast paced from the beginning and never really slows down. The "who done it" will keep you on your toes.
A very Clue-like storyline, very visual. Characters you'll be surprised to root for. Grey is a character whom I've really enjoyed reading about. He's "normal" as in, a person you feel like you could know in your own life. He thinks things through and always tries his best to do what's right from all angles.
I love the darker humor that Grey has (there is a bit less of it in this book and, to me, this book had an overall darker/more serious tone to it than the others) and I love the few relationships he has. There are characters I'd love to learn more of including Heavens, Zigzag, and Roman.
Really good, engaging read.
A very Clue-like storyline, very visual. Characters you'll be surprised to root for. Grey is a character whom I've really enjoyed reading about. He's "normal" as in, a person you feel like you could know in your own life. He thinks things through and always tries his best to do what's right from all angles.
I love the darker humor that Grey has (there is a bit less of it in this book and, to me, this book had an overall darker/more serious tone to it than the others) and I love the few relationships he has. There are characters I'd love to learn more of including Heavens, Zigzag, and Roman.
Really good, engaging read.
March 21, 2023
Another kickass instalment in this series.
I thoroughly enjoyed it - even if I figured out the way things were connected a while before Greyson did.
This usually bothers or annoys me, but the time travel aspect + Greyson himself is just so well written, I don't even care. I enjoyed how the story was structured instead. The little winks at old school murder mysteries - lovely!
Also: The narrator is great.
This series is turning into one of my favourites.
Can't wait for book 4!
I thoroughly enjoyed it - even if I figured out the way things were connected a while before Greyson did.
This usually bothers or annoys me, but the time travel aspect + Greyson himself is just so well written, I don't even care. I enjoyed how the story was structured instead. The little winks at old school murder mysteries - lovely!
Also: The narrator is great.
This series is turning into one of my favourites.
Can't wait for book 4!
May 3, 2022
Solving a Crime yet to Happen
Once again Nathan Van Coops crafts a great time travel detective narrative. How do you solve a crime that has not happened? How do you use you time travel abilities without creating a paradox or splitting the multiverse into a new branch?
A thoroughly enjoyable tale with great characters and crisp dialogue. Nathan pulls you in and throws in a few twists that will keep you guessing. Think "locked door" mystery and Agatha Christie's "And then there were none".
Time traveling detective noir. Highly recommended.
Once again Nathan Van Coops crafts a great time travel detective narrative. How do you solve a crime that has not happened? How do you use you time travel abilities without creating a paradox or splitting the multiverse into a new branch?
A thoroughly enjoyable tale with great characters and crisp dialogue. Nathan pulls you in and throws in a few twists that will keep you guessing. Think "locked door" mystery and Agatha Christie's "And then there were none".
Time traveling detective noir. Highly recommended.
May 3, 2022
Another great murder mystery featuring my favorite PI Greyson Travers and his hilarious sidekick, Waldo. I love the great descriptions Nathan uses, one feels like they are there with the protagonist. This particular story is set on a remote island in the far north near Alaska. Our cast of characters is an interesting lot; easy to keep straight. It is a "closed door" type mystery but even more difficult to figure out when you add in time travel. Yikes. Nathan's writing is excellent. His pacing is superb and fun. I highly recommend this book. Total enjoyment.
May 3, 2022
An absorbing and engaging read
Grayson Travers is puzzled when he receives a mission request alongside a photo of himself from the past. It might not sound strange but when Grayson sees the image he realises that the situation hasn't happened yet. Accepting the mission appears to be predestined as in linear time he already has.
This book follows Greyson Travers' complex journey and the constant mysteries that continue to occur. You'll quickly become engaged and find yourself trying to find explanations. I 100% recommend reading it.
Grayson Travers is puzzled when he receives a mission request alongside a photo of himself from the past. It might not sound strange but when Grayson sees the image he realises that the situation hasn't happened yet. Accepting the mission appears to be predestined as in linear time he already has.
This book follows Greyson Travers' complex journey and the constant mysteries that continue to occur. You'll quickly become engaged and find yourself trying to find explanations. I 100% recommend reading it.
May 7, 2022
Great continuation of the time detective! I read the original series and to see this continue with a second series that is connected to the original is awesome. Nathan really us a full grasp of time travel and possible paradox creation while making it a great ride!! the I will look for every new release from him.
May 5, 2022
Another win for Nathan! I loved the whole “locked room mystery” concept but on a remote island instead. It kept me guessing right up until almost the very end. It was a fun group of characters to hang out with for a while! More Greyson Travers mysteries, please!
July 3, 2022
For those who love a great murder mystery the reader is challenged to solve, this is the book for you. A group of time travelers are invited to a remote island in the Aleutian chain. Reachable only by boat, the island has been equipped with a temporary time gate to allow the arrival of temporal travelers. They are there to receive a courier who is to bring a valuable relic from World War II and possibly another treasure from that time period. Once all guests are present, the time gate is closed, set to reopen at a specified time to allow the arrival of the courier, but then locked again. During the time of the gate's closure, no one can arrive or leave. A murder occurs right after the time gate is locked. The murderer has to be one of the guests, but which? The clues are all there, a trail easily followed in retrospect when the final chapter reveals all, but can you spot them first? This is a really fun read, even if you don't pass the test. A remote, barren, foggy island on which a comfortable lodge normally accommodates birders, who are usually the island's only visitors, though banned while the time travelers are there. The only resident is the lodge manager, a "linear" (not time-traveling) no-nonsense woman. The intriguing setting and the array of characters are reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel and will delight readers of this genre, even those who are not normally time-travel fans.
January 11, 2024
Brilliant continuation of the series
in typical Nathan Van Coops manner
I'll keep my eye on this author
Closed room mystery with a time travel twist.
So worth-while even on the second reading.
(But not a good idea when you should be working)
in typical Nathan Van Coops manner
I'll keep my eye on this author
Closed room mystery with a time travel twist.
So worth-while even on the second reading.
(But not a good idea when you should be working)
May 11, 2022
A classic whodunit, murder mystery, PI story with a time travel twist.
A Clockwork Game is the third novel by Nathan Van Coops in his “Paradox P.I.” series, which in itself is a spin-off of his “Times Like These” series of books. Now you don’t need to read all the books in both series leading up to this one, but I would suggest you do, for two reasons: 1) It really helps to get the background on the time travel universe and characters that Coops has built and 2) They are really good books, seriously, the very first book “Times Like These” is one of my favourite novels of all time and one of, if not the best time travel novel ever.
The “Paradox P.I.” series follows a time-traveling private detective named Grayson Travers (the son of the main character of the “Times Like These” series) who uses time travel and technology from the future to solve cases through various time periods. The first, “Times Like These” series were all straight-up time-traveling adventure stories. The “Paradox P.I.” series on the other hand is more of a straightforward P.I. crime-solving stories with a time travel twist.
“A Clockwork Game” sees Grayson offered a job to go to a remote island and aid in the retrieval of an artifact. Greyson is not alone though, a group of other characters is also on the island, for various reasons in relation to the artifact. Not long after Greyson arrives a mysterious murder occurs and the group finds themselves trapped on the island for 24 hours without weapons and most importantly, their time travel devices. So, it’s up to Grayson to solve the murder and find out what’s going on, all without the use of most of his usual gadgets and his time travel device.
It was nice to see Grayson having to work a case in a very old-school way without his usual gear. I like the way this series is progressing, the first book had a more current day setting and the second book was set in the future with a lot of future technology and now the third is more in the past, well kind of anyway.
What I’ve always loved about Coops’ writing are his characters and his dialogue, it’s always so entertaining to read. Even Grayson’s artificial intelligence system that talks to him via an earpiece are an interesting and funny character. For example, in this book, it recently did research on different alternate phrases to use for sex and it keeps using them in conversation with Grayson, it was hilarious. As usual, all the characters in this book were unique and interesting, even the more minor ones.
I think my only problem with this book, other than one of the characters’ betrayal twist at the end is quite obvious from a mile away (but the second one took me by surprise though), was that it was too short! I wish these books were longer, but all in all a nice quick, very entertaining joyride and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
A Clockwork Game is the third novel by Nathan Van Coops in his “Paradox P.I.” series, which in itself is a spin-off of his “Times Like These” series of books. Now you don’t need to read all the books in both series leading up to this one, but I would suggest you do, for two reasons: 1) It really helps to get the background on the time travel universe and characters that Coops has built and 2) They are really good books, seriously, the very first book “Times Like These” is one of my favourite novels of all time and one of, if not the best time travel novel ever.
The “Paradox P.I.” series follows a time-traveling private detective named Grayson Travers (the son of the main character of the “Times Like These” series) who uses time travel and technology from the future to solve cases through various time periods. The first, “Times Like These” series were all straight-up time-traveling adventure stories. The “Paradox P.I.” series on the other hand is more of a straightforward P.I. crime-solving stories with a time travel twist.
“A Clockwork Game” sees Grayson offered a job to go to a remote island and aid in the retrieval of an artifact. Greyson is not alone though, a group of other characters is also on the island, for various reasons in relation to the artifact. Not long after Greyson arrives a mysterious murder occurs and the group finds themselves trapped on the island for 24 hours without weapons and most importantly, their time travel devices. So, it’s up to Grayson to solve the murder and find out what’s going on, all without the use of most of his usual gadgets and his time travel device.
It was nice to see Grayson having to work a case in a very old-school way without his usual gear. I like the way this series is progressing, the first book had a more current day setting and the second book was set in the future with a lot of future technology and now the third is more in the past, well kind of anyway.
What I’ve always loved about Coops’ writing are his characters and his dialogue, it’s always so entertaining to read. Even Grayson’s artificial intelligence system that talks to him via an earpiece are an interesting and funny character. For example, in this book, it recently did research on different alternate phrases to use for sex and it keeps using them in conversation with Grayson, it was hilarious. As usual, all the characters in this book were unique and interesting, even the more minor ones.
I think my only problem with this book, other than one of the characters’ betrayal twist at the end is quite obvious from a mile away (but the second one took me by surprise though), was that it was too short! I wish these books were longer, but all in all a nice quick, very entertaining joyride and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
September 27, 2023
Check out my blog, One Man Book Club
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Time of Death (Paradox P.I., #1)
Electric Midnight (Paradox P.I., #2)
The Clockwork Game (Paradox P.I., #3)
Tomorrow Detective (Paradox P.I., #4)
By: Nathan Van Coops
My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS
Best for: 18 and up
THIS is how you write time travel...
There are all kinds of stories about time travel. I was going to list some for you, but then the list started getting really big. Just Google "books about time travel" and you find some. Tragically, there will be one author missing from Google's algorithm-based search results that favor popularity: Nathan Van Coops. Tragic, because he's the one who does it best.
His first books were a series called In Times Like These, which started good and grew to great. One thing I love about discovering new authors is seeing their growth. Nathan Van Coops is doing a fantastic job. Buy his books, the guy deserves to be read.
This series, Paradox P.I., is about the son of the main character from In Times Like These. It's related, but not necessary to read first. In fact, my reading journey went like this. I read In Times Like These originally back in 2016, but didn't finish the series. Instead, I read some of Nathan Van Coops other stuff: Kingdom of Engines (cool!) and Faster Than Falling (even cooler!). It wasn't until 2023 that I jumped back into his time travel books, and realized quickly I'd been missing out on some really great stories. But instead of finishing In Times Like These, I read Paradox P.I. Loved it. And then went back to In Times Like These. It's been a perfect way to jump around.
Okay, now you know my history, and hopefully that will inform you when you jump in too.
Let's talk about Paradox P.I.
These stores are little bit Doctor Who, some Thursday Next, a sprinkling of Agatha Christie, and big splash of Knight Rider. In this world, time travel is a reality. It was invented in the 1980s. Over time, it's use became common place, the future is full of time travelers who can travel back to our past and get into all kinds of fun trouble.
I enjoyed the plausible scientific rules for time travel in these books. That's why they stand out to me. This isn't Back to the Future--in these books changing the past splits the time stream, and that's serious business. Creating a time paradox should be avoided!
Don't make a jump through time unless you have an anchor to get you exactly where you want to go. After all, the Earth is constantly moving! You can't jump from one place in time to another and expect to magically end up the same spatial location. If you jump to a place that is currently occupied by something else, that thing becomes part of you...and that isn't pretty.
Follow the rules, and you should be safe. Don't, and you'll be dead.
Our main character is a time traveling detective who uses his unique skill set in SUPER creative ways to solve the crimes and catch the bad guys. He's super smart and has cool tech, including a wise-cracking AI in his car and home bases set up in multiple time streams in multiple years, past and present. He's super complicated--he's a paradox. Something happened in his past that split his time stream, so there's two of him. One who holds a place with his famous time-traveling family, and the extra one. Being the extra adds all kinds of drama, and following along with him as he comes to peace with his past is a big part of our adventure.
Mix up all that: the time travel, the gadgets, the wise-cracking AI, the mysteries, the past that needs to be dealt with, and the crimes to solve, and Nathan Van Coops has created a brilliantly fun character with endless stories to be told. It's ready made for an excellent TV series!
There's some language, but no other significant content concerns or triggers. Because of the language, I'll say this series is best for adults.
You're going to love time travel.
Happy Reading!
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Time of Death (Paradox P.I., #1)
Electric Midnight (Paradox P.I., #2)
The Clockwork Game (Paradox P.I., #3)
Tomorrow Detective (Paradox P.I., #4)
By: Nathan Van Coops
My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS
Best for: 18 and up
THIS is how you write time travel...
There are all kinds of stories about time travel. I was going to list some for you, but then the list started getting really big. Just Google "books about time travel" and you find some. Tragically, there will be one author missing from Google's algorithm-based search results that favor popularity: Nathan Van Coops. Tragic, because he's the one who does it best.
His first books were a series called In Times Like These, which started good and grew to great. One thing I love about discovering new authors is seeing their growth. Nathan Van Coops is doing a fantastic job. Buy his books, the guy deserves to be read.
This series, Paradox P.I., is about the son of the main character from In Times Like These. It's related, but not necessary to read first. In fact, my reading journey went like this. I read In Times Like These originally back in 2016, but didn't finish the series. Instead, I read some of Nathan Van Coops other stuff: Kingdom of Engines (cool!) and Faster Than Falling (even cooler!). It wasn't until 2023 that I jumped back into his time travel books, and realized quickly I'd been missing out on some really great stories. But instead of finishing In Times Like These, I read Paradox P.I. Loved it. And then went back to In Times Like These. It's been a perfect way to jump around.
Okay, now you know my history, and hopefully that will inform you when you jump in too.
Let's talk about Paradox P.I.
These stores are little bit Doctor Who, some Thursday Next, a sprinkling of Agatha Christie, and big splash of Knight Rider. In this world, time travel is a reality. It was invented in the 1980s. Over time, it's use became common place, the future is full of time travelers who can travel back to our past and get into all kinds of fun trouble.
I enjoyed the plausible scientific rules for time travel in these books. That's why they stand out to me. This isn't Back to the Future--in these books changing the past splits the time stream, and that's serious business. Creating a time paradox should be avoided!
Don't make a jump through time unless you have an anchor to get you exactly where you want to go. After all, the Earth is constantly moving! You can't jump from one place in time to another and expect to magically end up the same spatial location. If you jump to a place that is currently occupied by something else, that thing becomes part of you...and that isn't pretty.
Follow the rules, and you should be safe. Don't, and you'll be dead.
Our main character is a time traveling detective who uses his unique skill set in SUPER creative ways to solve the crimes and catch the bad guys. He's super smart and has cool tech, including a wise-cracking AI in his car and home bases set up in multiple time streams in multiple years, past and present. He's super complicated--he's a paradox. Something happened in his past that split his time stream, so there's two of him. One who holds a place with his famous time-traveling family, and the extra one. Being the extra adds all kinds of drama, and following along with him as he comes to peace with his past is a big part of our adventure.
Mix up all that: the time travel, the gadgets, the wise-cracking AI, the mysteries, the past that needs to be dealt with, and the crimes to solve, and Nathan Van Coops has created a brilliantly fun character with endless stories to be told. It's ready made for an excellent TV series!
There's some language, but no other significant content concerns or triggers. Because of the language, I'll say this series is best for adults.
You're going to love time travel.
Happy Reading!
May 10, 2022
When you live in a world of time travelers, how do you solve a crime which happened yesterday, but that the criminal might not commit until tomorrow?
That is just one thorny question raised in this unusual mystery novel.
Set in the ”In Times Like These” universe first introduced by author Van Coops, “The Clockwork Game” extends the narrative of time-traveling private investigator Greyson Travers and reveals hints of his troubled past. You see, Greyson doesn’t belong in this world and has to get by as a duplicate of the Greyson Travers who does belong.
Aided by his snarky A.I. assistant Waldo and his supercharged Mustang, Greyson takes on small P.I. jobs to pay the bills, using his time-traveling abilities to solve minor crimes for the general public who are unaware time travel exists. Greyson’s abilities usually allow him to go back to when the crime occurred, observe it occurring, then report his findings to his client. However, payments for the small jobs available to him will not make much of a dent in the substantial debt he racked up in the previous novel.
In part because of that debt, Greyson is coerced to take on a job he doesn’t want for someone he doesn’t like. The job: to head to the remote Alaskan island of Attu, there to meet a shipment of invaluable historical artifacts, sent forward in time from the end of World War II to avoid being looted in the post-war years.
The historical treasure has interest from individuals beyond Greyson and his client, however. A motley assortment of time travelers gathers at the lodge in remote Attu – some with legitimate intent, others with more nefarious purposes.
And then: a crime! Who-done-it? And – an inordinately appropriate question when dealing with time travelers – when did it happen? Of course, a time-traveling police detective is brought in to help solve the case.
Owing much to Agatha Christie with a smidge of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” mixed in, “The Clockwork Game” is a fun romp. The chapters are short, supporting the fast pace of the plot. The witty banter keeps the reader engaged, while the novel’s rules for time travel are instrumental to maintaining the suspense.
That is just one thorny question raised in this unusual mystery novel.
Set in the ”In Times Like These” universe first introduced by author Van Coops, “The Clockwork Game” extends the narrative of time-traveling private investigator Greyson Travers and reveals hints of his troubled past. You see, Greyson doesn’t belong in this world and has to get by as a duplicate of the Greyson Travers who does belong.
Aided by his snarky A.I. assistant Waldo and his supercharged Mustang, Greyson takes on small P.I. jobs to pay the bills, using his time-traveling abilities to solve minor crimes for the general public who are unaware time travel exists. Greyson’s abilities usually allow him to go back to when the crime occurred, observe it occurring, then report his findings to his client. However, payments for the small jobs available to him will not make much of a dent in the substantial debt he racked up in the previous novel.
In part because of that debt, Greyson is coerced to take on a job he doesn’t want for someone he doesn’t like. The job: to head to the remote Alaskan island of Attu, there to meet a shipment of invaluable historical artifacts, sent forward in time from the end of World War II to avoid being looted in the post-war years.
The historical treasure has interest from individuals beyond Greyson and his client, however. A motley assortment of time travelers gathers at the lodge in remote Attu – some with legitimate intent, others with more nefarious purposes.
And then: a crime! Who-done-it? And – an inordinately appropriate question when dealing with time travelers – when did it happen? Of course, a time-traveling police detective is brought in to help solve the case.
Owing much to Agatha Christie with a smidge of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” mixed in, “The Clockwork Game” is a fun romp. The chapters are short, supporting the fast pace of the plot. The witty banter keeps the reader engaged, while the novel’s rules for time travel are instrumental to maintaining the suspense.
May 5, 2022
Solving this crime is an enjoyable challenge for the reader and our leading man/P.I. as well. This next installment in a well-loved mystery series is a refreshing change of pace in a new setting with ties to the past. We are picking up where we left off from the last book but quickly move into new territory with twists arising from dangerous events. We encounter some fascinating characters in addition to reconnecting with familiar friends and foes while attempting to stay ahead of a killer. Instead of relying on technology, our beloved Travers must rely on his wits and good old-fashioned detective work to adhere to his code of honor and avoid the time-traveler’s greatest travesty, creating a paradox. The best part of a Van Coops novel are the paths we take retracing the web of what exactly happened and determining who is trustworthy. The hilarious inner monologue and the key assistance provided by a best buddy AI add levity to the darker tone of the classic murder investigation set in a remote location. If you are a fan of Clue, Murder on the Nile and Sherlock Holmes mixed with a sprinkling of Indiana Jones, James Bond and Harry Potter, then immediately add this tale into your library and get comfortable while you escape into another time-stream. Not all time travelers are detectives, but lucky for us we get to be front row attendees on a masterclass of how to follow the leads and be amazed at the conclusion. Another fantastic adventure awaits read in it’s chronological order in the series or even as a gateway to the genre where you will enjoy the anticipation and the reveal. Actually, you already have, so be sure to purchase and read again.
August 18, 2025
**Fun, but couldn't make sense of it**
It feels like it was always an inevitability to say this, but...time travel is messy. And this book, more than the previous two, was masterful in proving that fact to me. The things I've been liking about this series, from characters, to interactions, to writing style, were still going strong here. There'll never be a complaint about the general structure of these stories. They're fun puzzles. But unfortunately, those things are rather powerless in elevating this series into new heights (so far).
Quite simply, I had trouble loving this one, and for two reasons:
One, the premise, though very intriguing, had a nucleus to it that was neither compelling nor interesting. The plot points all had such potential to put out an amazing reading experience but instead were too thwarted by my number two problem: understanding the dang thing. I'm having trouble keeping the ground rules of this series' version of time travel straight, since too many of them are still unexplained. I have more questions than answers, and it didn't help that this book's specific take on time travel was totally over my head. I simply didn't understand how it worked.
All in all, I didn't hate it. I still enjoyed chunks of it here and there. But alas, my own difficulty with understanding the ins and outs of how time travel worked here kinda left me disenchanted. I still look forward to the final book in this series, as well as even more work by Nathan Van Coops, but ugh, the fact that things are tainting my appreciation of these stories is getting on my nerves. For my various highlights and commentary, click here.
It feels like it was always an inevitability to say this, but...time travel is messy. And this book, more than the previous two, was masterful in proving that fact to me. The things I've been liking about this series, from characters, to interactions, to writing style, were still going strong here. There'll never be a complaint about the general structure of these stories. They're fun puzzles. But unfortunately, those things are rather powerless in elevating this series into new heights (so far).
Quite simply, I had trouble loving this one, and for two reasons:
One, the premise, though very intriguing, had a nucleus to it that was neither compelling nor interesting. The plot points all had such potential to put out an amazing reading experience but instead were too thwarted by my number two problem: understanding the dang thing. I'm having trouble keeping the ground rules of this series' version of time travel straight, since too many of them are still unexplained. I have more questions than answers, and it didn't help that this book's specific take on time travel was totally over my head. I simply didn't understand how it worked.
All in all, I didn't hate it. I still enjoyed chunks of it here and there. But alas, my own difficulty with understanding the ins and outs of how time travel worked here kinda left me disenchanted. I still look forward to the final book in this series, as well as even more work by Nathan Van Coops, but ugh, the fact that things are tainting my appreciation of these stories is getting on my nerves. For my various highlights and commentary, click here.
May 23, 2023
Figure it out in linear
So Trevor gets this assignment to go to the Aleutian island of attu. Now this island has a lot of history that the story barely touches. It was a U.S. territory that the Japanese considered strategic in WWII so they took it over, and we exerted some effort to get it back. It's a miserable, treeless piece of frigid rock, but van Coops decides to use it as the basis of his story which starts off like an Agatha Christie story where a bunch of people are isolated, and they start dying off. Spoiler: in this case the first person to die is not the culprit. This is a time travel story so who dies first, and who is complicit gets a bit confused. Anyway, mysteriously, all these time travelers decide they can't cause a paradox, so after beating Trevor to a pulp, they release him and send him into the past where he figures it all out, and completes his assignment. Basically, he gets the girl, the watch, and everything.
So Trevor gets this assignment to go to the Aleutian island of attu. Now this island has a lot of history that the story barely touches. It was a U.S. territory that the Japanese considered strategic in WWII so they took it over, and we exerted some effort to get it back. It's a miserable, treeless piece of frigid rock, but van Coops decides to use it as the basis of his story which starts off like an Agatha Christie story where a bunch of people are isolated, and they start dying off. Spoiler: in this case the first person to die is not the culprit. This is a time travel story so who dies first, and who is complicit gets a bit confused. Anyway, mysteriously, all these time travelers decide they can't cause a paradox, so after beating Trevor to a pulp, they release him and send him into the past where he figures it all out, and completes his assignment. Basically, he gets the girl, the watch, and everything.
April 15, 2023
In The Clockwork Game, Van Coops sends time-traveling private investigator Greyson Travers into one of the mystery genre’s great tropes: a murder mystery on a remote island in a house featuring a collection of guests who may or may not be who -- or what -- they appear. Throw in time-travel twists, and it’s a fresh take on a classic situation. The setting clicked with me a little less than the other books -- I kept expecting Hercule Poirot to show up through the portal at the end.Travers does his usual best to unravel a lethal mystery in an entertaining tale.
7/10 (3.5 stars, rounded to 4)
May 9, 2022
Once again, a story that was fun, mysterious, and great science fiction!! Mr Van Coops has a wonderfully crafted world that I love to visit. What’s better is he’s taken that sci-fi world and added a fun, detective novel aspect to it.
Every time I think I know what’s going on, I find out there’s another twist.
Greyson Travers has quickly become one of my favorite characters. He has a quick mind and equally quick ( or maybe dangerous ) wit. However he also appears to be the type of person that picks up few, but true and trustworthy, friends as he goes.
Every time I read a new book of Nathan’s, I say “must read!”, and it’s equally true this time!!
Every time I think I know what’s going on, I find out there’s another twist.
Greyson Travers has quickly become one of my favorite characters. He has a quick mind and equally quick ( or maybe dangerous ) wit. However he also appears to be the type of person that picks up few, but true and trustworthy, friends as he goes.
Every time I read a new book of Nathan’s, I say “must read!”, and it’s equally true this time!!
May 31, 2022
The most recent adventure of Greyson Travers quickly pulls the reader into a familiar and comfortable space, swiftly delivering the first of many puzzles for the time-traveling detective to unravel.
I stayed up late reading this upon getting it and it did not let me down.
"Who's going to have done it?" Time travel makes a hash of many of the standard techniques of solving a murder, but it's not always as simple as just going back to watch what happened.
Van Coops has provided a lovely diversion for a few hours from our ordinary passing of time. This story will work for newcomers to his universe, but I recommend reading them all - it's more fun that way!
I stayed up late reading this upon getting it and it did not let me down.
"Who's going to have done it?" Time travel makes a hash of many of the standard techniques of solving a murder, but it's not always as simple as just going back to watch what happened.
Van Coops has provided a lovely diversion for a few hours from our ordinary passing of time. This story will work for newcomers to his universe, but I recommend reading them all - it's more fun that way!
May 12, 2022
Paradox P.I. bk3
I went straight into this after reading bk2 and now I’m waiting for bk4.
The mix of Detective Noir, Sci-fi and an isolated island setting give all the elements for another twisty conundrum for Grayson Travers. We learn just a little more about his ‘paradoxical’ background. There are several re-occurring characters and developments which show promise for greater expansion to this series. Altogether a most enjoyable read.
I went straight into this after reading bk2 and now I’m waiting for bk4.
The mix of Detective Noir, Sci-fi and an isolated island setting give all the elements for another twisty conundrum for Grayson Travers. We learn just a little more about his ‘paradoxical’ background. There are several re-occurring characters and developments which show promise for greater expansion to this series. Altogether a most enjoyable read.
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