Description
They’ll kill to get more time. She’ll die to stop them.
In a world where each person’s life span is limited by law, time is a lucrative commodity that some people will do anything to get more of.
Fourth-dimension physicist, Dr Varya Galanos, invented the technology that time thieves used to murder children by stealing their remaining years of life. Although it was destroyed 10 years ago, and the thieves brought to justice, she still suffers from the burden of guilt.
Masquerading as a lowly lab technician at the Minor Miracles Foundation, Varya finds a certain peace searching for cures for rare childhood diseases, like the one which took her 4-year-old son, Kir, away from her.
The Foundation is secretly funded by Varya and her employee and confidante, Marisa Volkov, by selling illicit time tabs to wealthy patrons. When dissolved on the tongue, a single time tab grants a person four extra hours in their day.
The time tab technology is highly valued – and highly illegal – in a society where Time Chips are inserted into each child’s brain stem at birth. Lives are limited to just sixty-five years to conserve the planet’s ever-dwindling resources.
Varya’s tenuous peace is shattered when children start disappearing again. She fears the worst – that the time thieves have returned and have somehow resurrected the technology to steal precious years from children.
Varya is the only one who can find a way to reverse the time drains and save the returned children. But doing so could cost the lives of those she holds dearest.
When her best friend’s son becomes a victim, returned with just hours to live, she is faced with an impossible choice.
Praise for Stealing Time
“An intriguing and well written time-bending mystery that explores motherhood and medical disparity in an ageist dystopia.” ~ Melissa Ferguson, author of The Shining Wall
“Another brilliant story from the writer who gave us Maternal Instinct.” ~ Veronica Strachan, Aussie Book Lovers podcast
“A dystopian future set in Australia where extra time can be purchased by the wealthy? Sign me up!” ~ Alanah Andrews, author of Eve of Eridu
“…a fascinating exploration of our attitudes to life, illness, quality of life and the inevitability of death.” ~ Clare Rhoden, Aurealis Magazine
“Brilliantly written, lots of twists, turns, surprises, and a perfect ending!” ~ Jeanz Book Read’n’Review
“I plowed through this book in two days and was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Great job!” ~ Book Grrl
“Rebecca Bowyer has done it again. Readable in the extreme, Stealing Time, takes a look at a horribly plausible future where a rapidly aging society intersects with a world of dwindling resources.” ~ Virginia Franken, author of Life After Coffee
ISBN: 978-0-6485323-3-0 (pbk) RRP $AU32.99
ISBN: 978-0-6485323-4-7 (ebook) RRP $AU7.99
Praise for Rebecca Bowyer’s first novel, Maternal Instinct
“Maternal Instinct is a thought-provoking read that’s also engrossing. Bowyer adds very real human reactions and emotions into a weird new world. This book is right up any dystopian-fan’s alley and will convert others.” Aurealis Magazine
“If you liked Vox, you’ll love this… Amazing debut by Rebecca Bowyer.” ~ Emily-Jane Clark, best-selling author of Sleep is for the Weak.
“Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale will be instantly hooked by Rebecca Bowyer’s controversial take on what happens when you say goodbye to the bonds and obligations of the family unit as we currently know it. As terrifying as it is important, Maternal Instinct asks questions about humanity’s final destination if we continue down society’s current path of no real support for working parents.” ~ Virginia Franken, author of Life After Coffee
“It’s a cracking good read about upholding the rules, until time shows you that maybe the rules aren’t right in the first place. This is feminist dystopian fiction at its finest, set in a not-too-distant future that is not at all difficult to envisage. Settle in, because you won’t be putting it down any time soon!” ~ Amy Wakley-Ahearn, Handbagmafia
