"The Fold" by Peter Clines, 2015
Our main character Mike is one of the smartest people in the world with a sky-high IQ and perfect memory recall (photographic memory) of anything he has seen. He teaches English in a small-town high school until he gets recruited by DARPA to work with a group of scientists who developed a functioning teleportation device. His job is to sort-of investigate the device and scientists to suss out an explanation for the oddity or strangeness of the project.
The premise appears fairly simple. The concept of teleporting is fairly ubiquitous in popular culture. However, the twist in how the device works turns this story from a mystery novel to a horror novel set with a science-fiction backdrop.
The characters are well developed and very distinct from each other in terms of personality. The dialog among them feels natural and unforced-- from casual conversations to action scenes.
As the book progressed, elements from the novel "14" by the same author appear to provide possible hints or clues as-if to suggest where the author may take the story. While not really a necessity to read "14" prior to reading this book, I think it would be a great idea to start there. For example, towards the end of this novel (or as epilog) a brown-ish skinned woman described as Indian and a man named Nate appears to assess the "event" and ultimately recruit Mike. These were two of the main characters in the novel "14".
This book pretty much stands on it own and entertaining in it own quirky, twisty-turny kind of way. From Clive Cussler to Lovecraft's Cthulhu, this book starts fast & strong, goes for the marathon, and ends with a sprint.
My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) - I really liked it.
http://peterclines.com/books/the-fold-hc
Book description from Amazon.com
STEP INTO THE FOLD.
IT’S PERFECTLY SAFE.
The folks in Mike Erikson's small New England town would say he's just your average, everyday guy. And that's exactly how Mike likes it. Sure, the life he's chosen isn’t much of a challenge to someone with his unique gifts, but he’s content with his quiet and peaceful existence.
That is, until an old friend presents him with an irresistible mystery, one that Mike is uniquely qualified to solve: far out in the California desert, a team of DARPA scientists has invented a device they affectionately call the Albuquerque Door. Using a cryptic computer equation and magnetic fields to “fold” dimensions, it shrinks distances so that a traveler can travel hundreds of feet with a single step.
The invention promises to make mankind’s dreams of teleportation a reality. And, the scientists insist, traveling through the Door is completely safe.
Yet the evidence is mounting that this miraculous machine isn’t quite what it seems—and that its creators are harboring a dangerous secret.
As his investigations draw him deeper into the puzzle, Mike begins to fear there’s only one answer that makes sense. And if he’s right, it may only be a matter of time before the project destroys…everything.
