Lightbreakers

A California couple’s marriage is put to the test when they take part in a dodgy experiment in Gabel’s satisfying sophomore novel (after The Ensemble). Noah, a physicist, marries artist Maya after his previous marriage to fellow scientist Eileen broke apart following the death of their toddler, Serena, from a rare heart disease. Noah’s newfound happiness with Maya is upended by a billionaire’s invitation to take part in the secretive Janus Project, an experiment on human consciousness that allows its subject to “reexperience” memories “with all his present self’s knowledge” once he enters a “time bath.” Maya, who’s stalled in her own career, joins Noah at Janus’s isolated research site in the desert, where he dives into the work, especially once he’s able to interact with Serena in the time baths. Feeling abandoned, Maya turns her thoughts to her ex, Ren. After Noah recruits Eileen to join the project, things spin out of control, driving the plot to a surprising final twist. Along the way, Gabel explores the characters’ previous relationships with a great deal of nuance, showing how Noah and Maya each struggle to let go of the past, as when Maya comes to see Ren as a valuable muse for her art, though their relationship was clearly toxic. Gabel hits a winning combination in this tale of modern love and time travel. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (Nov.)