An unsolved literary mystery where language fails first.
I’m thrilled to announce the release of my latest novella, Temporal Babel, now available in paperback and hardcover. It’s a story about a man who arrives with no language the world can understand—and the woman who tries to name him anyway.
Set in small-town New Mexico, Temporal Babel is not a thriller. It’s not about saving the future or rewriting the past. It’s about the weird middle ground where things don’t quite translate—linguistically, temporally, emotionally.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to encounter someone truly out of place—where even the word where doesn’t land—you’ll find something resonant in these pages.
What’s it about?
A young woman discovers a man on the roadside.
He’s naked. Marked with strange blue scars.
And the words coming out of his mouth aren’t quite English.
Or anything else.
No memory. No ID. No history that the town of Anika can decipher. But as he begins to recover, the sound of his voice becomes its own riddle.
Some readers may call this speculative fiction. Others might shelve it under linguistic noir. I just call it a contact story—minus the aliens, or is it?
Why read it?
- 🔹 If you enjoy novels that refuse to explain themselves, this one’s for you.
- 🔹 If you like language play, phonetic drift, and dialect as plot, this one delivers.
- 🔹 If you like stories where the weirdness builds slowly, quietly, without fireworks—you’ll feel right at home.
“Dis kē?” he asks.
What is this?
No one knows. Not even the narrator.
📖 Temporal Babel is available now in paperback and hardcover.
Read it for free with KindleUnlimited.
You can explore the book page here or head straight to your favourite indie or online retailer.
Thank you for reading, for puzzling, and for letting mystery have the final word.
—Ridley
Ridley Park 