The Last Equation of Isaac Severy, Nova Jacobs
The Last Equation of Isaac Severy, Nova Jacobs
1 Rating(s)
List: $19.95 | Sale: $13.97
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The Last Equation of Isaac Severy
A Novel in Clues

Author: Nova Jacobs

Narrator: Lisa Flanagan

Unabridged: 9 hr 36 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/06/2018


Synopsis

The Family Fang meets The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry in this literary mystery about a struggling bookseller whose recently deceased grandfather, a famed mathematician, left behind a dangerous equation for her to track down—and protect—before others can get their hands on it.Just days after mathematician and family patriarch Isaac Severy dies of an apparent suicide, his adopted granddaughter Hazel, owner of a struggling Seattle bookstore, receives a letter from him by mail. In it, Isaac alludes to a secretive organization that is after his final bombshell equation, and he charges Hazel with safely delivering it to a trusted colleague. But first, she must find where the equation is hidden.While in Los Angeles for Isaac’s funeral, Hazel realizes she’s not the only one searching for his life’s work, and that the equation’s implications have potentially disastrous consequences for the extended Severy family, a group of dysfunctional geniuses unmoored by the sudden death of their patriarch.As agents of an enigmatic company shadow Isaac’s favorite son—a theoretical physicist—and a long-lost cousin mysteriously reappears in Los Angeles, the equation slips further from Hazel’s grasp. She must unravel a series of maddening clues hidden by Isaac inside one of her favorite novels, drawing her ever closer to his mathematical treasure. But when her efforts fall short, she is forced to enlist the help of those with questionable motives.

About Nova Jacobs

Nova Jacobs holds an MFA degree from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and is a recipient of the Nicholl Fellowship from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

About Lisa Flanagan

Lisa Flanagan is a classically trained soprano, comedian, voice-over artist, and Earphones Award–winning narrator.


Reviews

Goodreads review by jessica on June 11, 2018

i dont normally pick up books randomly, but this was showcased at my local library and i have been in a mood for mystery books this past week - so i thought ‘why not?’ for this book to be described as ‘a novel in clues,’ i was expecting more of a ‘whodunnit’ like premise, but it felt more like gener......more

Goodreads review by Nova on July 26, 2022

It’s been such a thrilling launch. Much appreciation to all the Book of the Month Club members who chose Isaac Severy (and are posting such gorgeous pictures!), and to all the readers out there who took a chance on the Severy family—thank you!......more

Goodreads review by Ann Marie (Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine) on March 13, 2018

You can read this and all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine. The Last Equation of Isaac Severy is a delightfully fresh literary mystery. It was just the thing to get me out of a the little slump I'd been in. I wasn't in the mood for something terribly heavy or terribly morbid. I'm always up for quir......more


Quotes

“[An] unformulaic romp of a mystery.” Martha Stewart Living

“Hugely entertaining…Though Ms. Jacobs’ writing has echoes of Thomas Pynchon, Nathanael West, and J. D. Salinger, her terrific book displays in abundance a magic all its own.” Wall Street Journal

“Clever…a novel that is anything but clueless, filled with consideration and compassion.” Washington Post

“This captivating story…is cerebral, eccentric, and endearing.” Chicago Review of Books

“Jacobs never loses traction—or the fun—of her elaborate story line…Her complex and carbonated plot is satisfying and refreshing.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“If you love a good scavenger hunt, this is the pick for you. It has everything you’ll need: a dead mathematician, a mystery to solve before an equation gets into the wrong hands, and a questionable ally.” Women.com

“Intricate and moving…Plausible depictions of psychologically wounded characters enhance the surprising plot twists.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Hazel encounters old Hollywood hotels, poisonous seeds, Italian tweeds, and Mark Twain disguises as she puts two and two together. Verdict: Jacobs’ debut novel cleverly mixes people, plots, and puzzle with humor and heart.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Delivers all the page-turning suspense of a mystery novel laced with insights into modern mathematics and quantum physics and into the dynamics of family relationships. A brilliant first novel.” Booklist (starred review)

“In lovely, inventive prose, Jacobs reengineers the tropes of family drama to explore age-old conundrums of destiny versus self-determination…[A] remarkable debut.” Kirkus Reviews


Awards

  • Book-of-the-Month Club Selection
  • Indie Next List
  • Library Journal Editor’s Pick
  • New York Times Book Review pick
  • Edgar Allan Poe Award