Zone 12

Relative Industries #1

by Joanna Beaumont

In the future, working under time acceleration is the only way to get ahead.
On Monday, Beth Jackson starts work at Relative Industries: a top-secret high-tech science institute with zones of relative time.
By Friday, just five days later, she will have worked five years inside Zone 12.
For Beth, working inside Zone 12 is an opportunity of a lifetime. But not everyone is as motivated as her to work under time acceleration.
Soon after arriving, she meets Howard Henderson: a medical research scientist desperately trying to find a cure for his sick son.
However something feels off about his contrived situation, and she starts to question if his son is sick at all.
Each step she takes to uncover the truth pushes Howard further away from her until she must face the horrifying fact, she knows too much and may be trapped inside RI for all of time.

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 19, 2019

Reviews

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would you willingly work in a site where in five days you age 5 years? Would you trust a corporation that could age children from birth to eighteen in just a few weeks? If your memories are implanted, how can you know what is real?

These concepts and more confront Beth Jackson, a Ph.D. candidate researching ending climate change; and Howard Henderson, genius biochemist seeking a neurological cure for the inoperable tumor of his two-year-old.

ZONE 12 is the first in a series.

[Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zone 12

I enjoyed this book, though I say that while I experienced quite a bit of confusion while reading it. I did not experience this confusion due to the shutter island-esque mystery, more due to the book seemingly losing its own identity. It seemed to waffle between genres but not in a way that was cohesive. That said it was a solid read and I do look forward to reading more as the ending came abruptly and left me feeling like it was randomly split into two books for some reason

[Barrie Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addictive reading.

I found this quite a strange read, it's sort of sci fi with a little time control and an over view like big brother and the thought police in places contemplating what could potentially happen I found it quite scary. Having said all that the mix of the numerous storylines had me turning pages just to find out what happens next and the characters are realistic and the backstory is good. Fascinating read worth a look, Baz.

[Christy Leos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a pre-release copy and was not disappointed. I found this book to be very exciting and I quickly got absorbed into the plot. I empathized with Beth and thought the world was realistic and honestly terrifying at moments.

[Margaret A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in just 3 sittings. A fresh and intriguing take on the dystopian genre. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years from now we see this book series adapted for the big screen. Excellent debut!

[Ken Whiting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard Scifi.

A sci fi mystery. Interesting concept. Confusing at times as is appropriate for a mystery but because you don’t realize it is a mystery at first it just seems to be confusing. Enjoy!

[Natalie McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent debut. Such an interesting concept, you can tell a lot of research has gone into it. I can't wait to find out what happens in the rest of the series.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this well written story, great escapism! Good ideas & well put together! Twists & turns, keeps you guessing what is going to happen next! Will look for more by this writer!

[Anne Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, really enjoyed the plot kept me enthralled all the way through to the end.