Ten years ago, I became a father. Along with the profound love that fatherhood provoked came fears that were often paralyzing. My novel, In Silent Worlds, is my exploration of a father’s experience of a particularly horrific “what if” within a speculative context.

The story follows single father Finn Vey, who, on leave from work due to a careless accident, is glad for the opportunity to spend more time with his 5-year-old daughter, Evie. Not only because her beloved company is the best antidote for the recent trauma that plagues him, but because his love and attention are the best antidote for her recurring mutism. But when Evie goes missing from the playground one morning and a panicked Finn pleads for help from neighbors, friends and family, each person reacts with alarm. Not that Evie has disappeared—but that Finn believes he has a daughter at all.

Confused, desperate, and with the clock ticking down, Finn tries to prove her existence, but every trace of Evie is gone—his phone wiped clean of photos, the walls of the house devoid of her artwork, her bedroom filled with office furniture. His loved ones insist he’s having a delusional episode, but Finn knows the truth: Evie is real. And even if he has to do it alone, he will find her.

Following scant leads, Finn embarks on a search that will unravel a plot more shocking than he could have imagined. One involving other children who have vanished without a trace, and a sinister group with access to quantum technology and a twisted plan that threatens all of humankind. With the help of unlikely allies, Finn must race against time, stave off interdimensional threats, and battle his own inner demons to defeat the global threat, reunite with Evie, and unlock the most beautiful sound in the world: his daughter’s voice.