In Episode 41 of Rabbit Hole of Research, Joe, Nick, and Georgia are joined by author Lee Matthew Goldberg, whose young adult novels Miles in Time and Time Fixers explore what happens when sleuthing collides with time travel. From classic paradoxes to memory glitches, they unpack the science, the handwavium, and the emotional weight of rewriting the past. The group waxes poetic on the romanticism of time, dives into time travel pop-culture (Back to the Future, 12 Monkeys, Dark Matter, etc), and debates whether the most dangerous crimes are the ones with no beginning at all. Plus: why teaming up with your past self might be more useful than dangerous.
Lee Matthew Goldberg is a novelist, screenwriter, and author of thrillers, speculative fiction, and YA sci-fi. His work often blends emotional stakes with high-concept storytelling, and in this episode, he takes us deep into the paradoxes and possibilities of time travel.
Visit Lee’s official website for all books, appearances, and projects:
https://leematthewgoldberg.com/
Check out Lee’s Books Featured in This Episode:
1. Miles in Time
A 14-year-old detective discovers his brother’s murder may be connected to a time machine—and he must race through time (with help from his past self) to solve the mystery before reality unravels.
2. Time Fixers
The sequel to Miles in Time jumps back to 1999, where nostalgia, Y2K paranoia, and family secrets collide in a mission to fix the timeline—and possibly themselves.
Available wherever books are sold. You can find direct links to both titles on Lee’s site.
And don’t forget to Pre-order: Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories Anthology featuring a new story by Joe!
The Scientist Article Featuring Joe: How Speculative Fiction Expands Scientific Horizons
It’s Science for Weirdos
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We want to Hear From You (leave a comment):
If you could travel back in time to solve one real-world crime, which would it be—and why?
Would you stop it from happening or just uncover the truth?
2. Would you rather team up with your past self or your future self to solve a mystery?
Think practically: which version of you would actually help more?
3. Do you think memory is a reliable form of time travel—or is it just a corrupted archive?
Has déjà vu ever made you question your timeline?
4. If time travel became real tomorrow, what’s the first rule you’d break?
No meeting your past self? No changing the future? Or would you rewrite everything?
Future Episodes & Events
Episodes:
EP42: Broken Futures – Trauma and the Human Condition
Release Date: August 20
Guest: Author Ben Tanzer
Topic: How science fiction, dystopias, and near-futures help us process trauma and resilience.
EP43: Animal Swarms
Release Date: September 3
Guest: Science communicator Josh Fisher
Topic: What happens when collective animal behavior becomes a blueprint for emergent intelligence—or disaster?
EP44: H20MG – Lake Michigan, Life, and Everything in Between
Release Date: September 17
Guest: Author and activist Maud Lavin
Topic: A look at the past, present, and future of Lake Michigan and how water shapes our cities, stories, and survival.
Events:
Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories – Book Release Party
Joe will be reading excerpts from the new anthology Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories at the official release party. Expect eerie storytelling, a Chicago DJ set by Plastic Crimewave, and over 10 authors reading live.
Date: August 27
Time: DJ starts at 6:00 PM; readings begin at 6:30 PM
Location: Comfort Station Logan Square, 2579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/761531809703016/
Dragon Con
Joe will appear as an Attending Professional at Dragon Con in Atlanta from August 28 – September 1. Catch him on panels, in deep-dive discussions, and falling down more rabbit holes than time allows.
For more stuff (Images, Episode Highlights, events, etc), subscribe to our Substack newsletter!
Stay curious, stay speculative, stay safe, and we’ll catch you in the next rabbit hole. Love Y'all!
Show Notes & Fun facts
Miles in Time breaks a classic time-travel rule by having the protagonist team up with his past self—because who says that meeting your past self causes catastrophe?
The discussion covers the Jinn particle, a paradox where an object or event loops through time without origin—used here to question how evidence can even exist in a time crime.
Lee reveals Time Fixers, the sequel to Miles in Time, is set in 1999 and leans into Y2K nostalgia, Discman culture, and pre-social media vibes.
Georgia draws parallels between Miles in Time and Homer Price, while the group references dozens of time-travel classics, including Dark Matter, 12 Monkeys, See You Yesterday, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The hosts debate mental time travel as the most plausible form of time manipulation—where memory, déjà vu, and consciousness blur the boundaries of time without any machines involved.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Introduction and Crew Introduction
00:22 – Special Guest Introduction: Lee Matthew Goldberg
00:36 – Discussing Time and Crimes: What happens when justice isn’t linear?
01:08 – Philosophical Musings on Time: Is time a straight arrow—or something stranger?
03:25 – Lee’s Books and Writing Journey: From thrillers to YA time-travel mysteries
07:07 – Time Travel Paradoxes: Grandfather, bootstrap loops, and temporal identity conflicts
11:40 – Synopsis of Miles in Time: A teen sleuth uses time travel to stop a murder
25:51 – Nostalgia and Influences: Childhood books, 90s pop culture, and speculative inspiration
27:17 – Time Travel in Media: From Back to the Future to See You Yesterday
32:01 – Exploring Time Travel in Movies: The emotional logic behind paradox-driven plots
32:07 – The Nature of Memories and Time Travel: Is memory a form of time travel itself?
33:18 – Deja Vu and Multiverse Theories: Are we glitching—or splitting timelines?
33:47 – Simulation Hypothesis and Time Travel: What if time isn’t real at all?
33:57 – Mental Time Travel and Movie References: Eternal Sunshine, Dark Matter, and more
38:47 – Forward vs. Backward Time Travel: Which direction would you choose—and why?
42:55 – The Future of Time Travel: Can we go forward without breaking the present?
43:30 – Personal Time Travel Preferences: Each host chooses their ideal jump
49:09 – The Consequences of Time Travel: From butterfly effects to timeline contamination
51:38 – Upcoming Events and Book Promotions: Time Fixers, Bouchercon, and more
56:06 – Final Thoughts and Farewell: One last loop around the rabbit hole
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