An Elegant Theory

"A delightfully intelligent psychological thriller, Noah Milligan's debut novel is as ambitious and complex as its main character, Coulter Zahn, who aspires to nothing less than a complete understanding of the universe. An Elegant Theory intrigues the mind, thrills the senses, and keeps the reader engaged straight through to the surprising ending. An auspicious debut."—Rilla Askew, author, Kind of Kin

Coulter Zahn sees reality differently than others. Much like light can theoretically be in all places at once, Coulter sees multiple versions of his life. A promising PhD candidate at MIT, he and his young wife are nervously expecting their first child. When his dissertation comes under intense criticism, his estranged mother returns, and Sara tells him she's leaving him, Coulter's already delicate mental state becomes further fragmented.


One evening, with his life and mental health unraveling, Coulter loses control, irreparably changing the course of the lives around him. But the very next morning, he catches a break in his research, discovering the true shape of the universe. Influenced by those around him and his own untrustworthy psyche, Coulter must decide whether to face the consequences of his actions or finish his research, perhaps making the greatest contribution to science since Einstein's theory of relativity.


An existential psychological thriller, An Elegant Theory explores how the construction of memory and consciousness can shape motive, guilt, and identity through the lens of a modern-day mad-scientist motif.

"An Elegant Theory is a vibrant puzzle of a novel, an unstoppable force—full of twists, turns, and surprises while remaining fully grounded in real life to today. Surely, this is the start of a great literary career."—Jessica Anya Blau, author, The Trouble with Lexie
"An excellent novel for discussion with a group or book club . . . . I believe Noah Milligan is an author to keep an eye on in the future."—booksandpals.blogspot.ca

Noah Milligan's other books:

Five Hundred Poor

Into Captivity They Will Go