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Greg Hickey
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The Theory of Anything: A Short Intellectual Crime Novel Kindle Edition

by Greg Hickey (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.6 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
A brilliant professor. A shocking murder.

When Dr. David Solon walked out of the coffee shop on the afternoon of May 3, 2011, he didn’t expect to foil an attempted robbery in a nearby alley. He didn’t expect to recognize the would-be perpetrator of the crime. And he didn’t expect to shoot that man to death.

An hour earlier, he was sharing a breakthrough mathematical discovery with a colleague. A day earlier, he was unraveling a puzzle with implications for the events that shape our lives. And a week earlier, he was falling asleep beside his beloved wife of twenty-two years.

After a year of frustrated effort, a horrific tragedy sparks David’s incredible discovery about mathematical randomness. Still reeling from this crime, he latches onto a theory that will reshape his field and change the way everyone thinks about mathematics, physics, history and basic laws of cause-and-effect.

Told in reverse, The Theory of Anything is an intellectual crime novel that takes readers back through the previous seven days to uncover the crime and subsequent events—random or predetermined—that will define David’s mathematical career and ruin his life.

A unique short crime novel that explores the mysteries of love, loss and mathematics, in addition to a senseless murder, The Theory of Anything follows one man's harrowing journey through grief and discovery. It's the perfect book for fans of Memento and A Beautiful Mind.

Buy The Theory of Anything and discover the secret behind this short intellectual crime novel today.
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  1. Print length
    71 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    April 20, 2020
  4. File size
    1.2 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B087F5R75G
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 20, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 71 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.6 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

About the author

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Greg Hickey

Greg Hickey

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Author of entertaining stories for smart readers. Download the short novel The Theory of Anything for free on the author's website.

Greg Hickey wrote his first novel, Our Dried Voices, while spending a year in Sundsvall, Sweden and Cape Town, South Africa, playing and coaching for local baseball teams. That novel was published in 2014 and was a finalist for Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Science Fiction Book of the Year Award.

Today, he still loves sharing stories while staying busy with the other facets of his life. Following twelve-plus years of work as a forensic scientist, he is now a full-time author. After his post-college travels, he once again lives in his hometown of Chicago with his wife and daughter.

Customer reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars
46 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Shannon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping
    Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2024
    I always find this author's perspective unique and refreshing when I read his works. In this short work, the story is written backwards, from end to beginning, with mathematical theory interwoven, involving apparent randomness, with consideration given to the possibility of interconnected chaos. I am not good with mathematical theory, but I can see its implications relative to the story, especially as I consider, "what are the chances" regarding how the story ends, given the protagonist's wish from a couple of days before the ending that is fulfilled. I was reading the PDF version so I didn't realize how short it was until I approached the "beginning" of the story and felt disappointed, until I realized that the story is connected to The Friar's Lantern, which I will read next. Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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  • John Parus
    4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting approach to a story told differently
    Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    *** NO SPOILERS ***

    A story of a righteous man who tried to do the right thing and killed a man as a result. The story of mathematical research into randomness and chaos and what if anything was different between them. All told in reverse order. What does it all mean? Why was it told backwards? What is the connection between the story of the protagonist and the mathematical research he is doing?

    I don't know. The author used as an example Picasso's painting "Guernica" and its meaning, what is hidden but discoverable, what the artist intended it to mean and you thinking for yourself about it. The protagonist said he discovers new things in the painting every time he looks at it. You might want to search online for yourself and see what it looks like before you read the story. Might well not help. But just as studying the painting always helped him see different things, I think there are things I need to find when I re-read this later tonight.

    It the first read of this author's work for me.

    It's a quick read, an interesting read, a curious read, a problematic read, a thought provoking read.

    You should read it as well ad see what you "see" in the story.

    *** NO SPOILERS ***
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kaye Lynne Booth
    3.0 out of 5 stars This tale was okay, but felt incomplete to me.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2024
    The Theory of Everything is a short psychological crime novel about a man out for vigilante justice after his wife was murdered. In the description, the author notes the unusual style of story telling, beginning at the end and going backwards to the event that sent him on his quest for vengence, but I found it to be rather off putting and confusing. Also, I did not feel as if anything was resolved at the end, probably because this brief tale is a part of a larger picture and he wants readers to seek out the next book, but it left me very unsatisfied.
    I received a free copy of The Theory of Everything through a newsletter offering. All opinions stated here are my own.

    The story begins with the main character, a brilliant scientist who loves mathematical theory, stalking a man and moves backwards through the previous days to explain why he is stalking the man who murdered his wife and show how his loss has affected him. At the end of the book we know the why of things, but we don't know if he is successful in his quest. Does he kill the perpetrator? Does he get away with it? Or perhaps the police are secretly watching and take him down before he reaches his goal? The author leaves us wondering.
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  • Suzie J J
    5.0 out of 5 stars An unexpectedly profound crime story
    Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2022
    Although this book is not long in length, it is a book that I find myself thinking about long after I have finished reading. It certainly doesn’t follow the usually “predictable” formula for this genre. There is a depth to this story and an unpredictability that took me by surprise. I am certainly looking forward to reading more stories from this very erudite author!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Garth R. Mailman
    4.0 out of 5 stars Teaser for the book to follow
    Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2024
    The Friar's Lantern #0.5
    The Theory of Anything: A Short Intellectual Crime Novel
    Greg Hickey

    We met chaos theory in Jurassic Park. Along with Calculus and Quantum Mechanics Chaos Theory or Random Theory is beyond the average comprehension as is superfluid helium that flows through glass.

    Dr. Solon, David, has several shocking events disturb his academic life. The Novel ends without anything resolved.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Spoke36
    3.0 out of 5 stars Math professor describes theoretical considerations and uses a handgun - 3 stars
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
    David Solon is a brilliant math professor who is near a breakthrough in theoretical mathematics. He determines a link between established theories of probability dealing with random events.

    If you follow the dates suggested by the chapter titles, you may realize that over a period of a week, David intervenes in a mugging, tries to locate a mugger, and witnesses a murder.

    David is devoted to understanding fundamental mathematics to the extent of staying up long hours, skipping sleep and meals, and occasionally helping his wife prepare meals.

    The only hint that something is amiss is that David has a legally registered handgun and uses it. The Chicago police do not suspect anything out of the ordinary.
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