Improbable: Improbable, Book 1

by Rysa Walker

A man's heart, plucked from his body with no exit wound, is found inside a fully intact crystal ball. Impossible? Or merely IMPROBABLE? A new historical fantasy thriller from the author of The CHRONOS Files.

Nine heiresses are missing in Gilded Age New York with no ransom demand. Journalist Miriam Cole's sister was the first to vanish twelve years ago.

The only connection? They all attended the exclusive Pembroke School.

Now, a bizarre murder has Miriam on the run, questioning the very nature of reality as she joins forces with a handsome ex-Pinkerton agent, a reluctant psychic, Mark Twain, and the NY League of Skeptics. Can Miriam save the girls or will New York City be destroyed in the crossfire?

Previously available in installments on Kindle and Kindle Vella, IMPROBABLE is now a completed trilogy. This volume contains Series 1-4 (Episodes 1-39 on Vella.) The second book, SLIPSTREAM, includes Series 5-8 (Episodes 40-79). SPLIT INFINITIES concludes the trilogy with Series 9-11 (Episodes 80-125).

Genres: Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published October 8, 2024

About the author

RYSA WALKER is the author of the bestselling CHRONOS Files series. Timebound, the first book in the series, was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. The CHRONOS Files has sold nearly half a million copies since 2013 and has been translated into fourteen languages.

In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.

Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.

If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.

For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery….I have to know now. What is that mysterious object? Where did it come from? How does it work? Where are the missing heiresses? What is her father up to? Who can be trusted? What about the heart found inside a crystal ball? So many questions.

Improbable by Rysa Walker is an enjoyable historical fantasy mystery that blends intrigue, the supernatural, and real-life fascinating figures from the Gilded Age in New York City and elsewhere. Narrated by Emily M. Wilson, the audiobook brings to life a tale where journalist Miriam Cole delves into the mysterious disappearances of heiresses connected to the exclusive Pembroke School.

A small portion of one mystery has been revealed, but that’s it. One mystery was completely dropped. I hope that mystery will show up again in book 2. I dropped a star because I wanted more answers. Thankfully, book 2 and 3 are available and currently free to borrow at Audible.com. I am very tempted to listen to the ending of book 3. I really want all the answers. I definitely recommend this book. And I wonder if 3 books is enough.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and inventive

This book is as I stated in the title both fascinating and inventive. It blends genres seamlessly and captivates the reader with an imaginative tale. This is based in and around the NYC area and contains historical figures and occurs in and around actual events. I enjoyed the mystical aspects of the book as well. My biggest complaint really is we end on a cliffhanger although as the other books in the series are out as well I suppose I can’t be too irked by that fact. Fans of mysteries, fantasy, scifi and paranormal fiction will all find something to love in this wonderfully crafted tale!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[C.A. Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up because I was such a huge fan of the "Timebound" series. I can definitely tell this is written by the same author, as it takes place at the turn of the century, when some of the action in the previous series also occurred--and it even includes some historical figures as characters, including (prominently) Mark Twain, and (tangentially) Nikola Tesla. Jack the Ripper isn't a character, but he's contemporary so his murders are mentioned several times as a distraction from, and at times a confounding complication of, the plot. There's also a great deal of focus upon spiritualism, but from a skeptic's point of view. Honestly, it was the backdrop of the story that intrigued me far more than the story itself... I found myself wanting to read Mark Twain's work (especially the Prince and the Pauper, which he'd just published at the time of the story... I haven't cared for his other works, but I started that one and so far I like it a lot more). I wanted to watch documentaries on Tesla, and I started to listen to a podcast series on spiritualism too, though most of them are reverent to believers, which I find off-putting and slightly creepy as a Christian. I found a series of lectures from Ivy league professors on the subject who treat spiritualism more clinically, and I'm giving those a try instead. Same issue with Jack the Ripper--as historical context, that's utterly fascinating, though I certainly don't care to delve deeply into serial killer lore.

The story itself starts off rather formulaic--Miriam works at her aunt's newspaper, whose sister Gwen vanished from an all girls' school many years earlier, finds Gwen's diary as well as a pendant that belonged to her. In the diary, she finds that Gwen prophesied that Miriam would one day find the pendant (which serves as a kind of McGuffin in the story--the object that makes everything else possible) and the diary. This, combined with the fact that Mark Twain's (Samuel Clemens's) daughter vanishes too leads Miriam down the rabbit trail of what happened to both girls, and many more from that same school besides.

The part about the story itself that I liked most was the introduction of parallel universes down the line--also quite reminiscent of "Timebound," and another concept that in and of itself intrigues me, especially in the way that the author describes it. I did find modern political sensibilities sprinkled into an historical story rather annoying and anachronistic, though. Really? Do we *always* have to check all the boxes?

I finished this and the second book in the series, but I realized that I'm hardly paying attention to the plot at all as I listen to the third, and I'm *only* listening for the historical context. So I think I'll probably stop there.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miriam Cole’s life is about to change in unexpected ways. Her sister, Gwynn, disappeared 12 years ago & was the first of nine young ladies to go missing. The common link was their attendance at the Pembroke school. Miriam has been working as a journalist with her Aunt Charlotte. While on assignment, she finds Gwynn’s diary and a pendant. Taking them with her, she’s confronted by an ex Pinkerton agent, Elias Blackwood, who she later learns was hired to protect her. The diary leads her to a woman named Violet who has psychic visions and she learns that there is a link to the pendant. Soon Miriam is experiencing strange powers as well. She and Elias team up to solve the mystery, but first they must evade kidnappers and even the police.

Improbable is the first book of a trilogy first published in serial form. Set in the late 1800s and populated with many historical figures of the time, including the Vanderbilts, the Astors, Samuel Clemens, & Nikolai Tesla. Miriam is an interesting and likable protagonist. Though confounded by the events around her, as a journalist, she is determined to find the truth. Elias is a still a bit of a mystery and it remains to be seen if there will be a romantic connection between them, but their bickering and banter is entertaining. The paranormal elements are woven neatly into the historical setting creating a believable alternate reality golden age New York. The story is fast paced and well plotted pulling the reader in and keeping you captivated to find out what comes next. The book ends on a cliffhanger so I’ll be sure to read book 2.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen Bauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting storyline

This is my first Rysa Walker book, and she’s a fine writer. However, I don’t really like when a book requires me to read another to get the end of the story.

But the characters are well drawn, there’s quite a bit of wit and humor, which is important for my enjoyment, and it’s written about an interesting historical time period in NYC, in Manhattan where I lived and worked for decades.

I’ll read the next book now!

[Paidia Karhite · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hooked!

This book not only grabbed my attention - it kept it! It was impossible to put down! I read it all in one sitting - the errands can wait and the dog can walk himself because I'm starting book 2 now! The mystery still has me guessing at the outcome and I can't wait to read what's next!