Winner of the Locus Award and CIBA Mark Twain grand prize, The Man Who Saw Seconds is a gripping speculative fiction thriller, blending absurdist satire and adrenaline-charged suspense, about a New York man who can see five seconds into the future—which changes his life forever; perfect for fans of Rob Hart and Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time.

Winner, 2025 Locus Award for science fiction novel
Finalist, Foreword Reviews for best thriller of 2024
Winner, CIBA Mark Twain grand prize winner for best satire of 2024
Finalist, Eric Hoffer Award
Locus Magazine Best Science Fiction of 2024
“10 for 2024” Year-End Best Books List

Preble Jefferson can see five seconds into the future.

Otherwise, he lives an ordinary life. But when a confrontation with a cop on a New York City subway goes tragically wrong, those seconds give Preble the chance to dodge a bullet—causing another man to die in his place.

Government agencies become aware of Preble’s gift, a manhunt ensues, and their ambitions shift from law enforcement to military. Preble will do whatever it takes to protect his family, but as events spiral out of control, he must weigh the cost of his gift against the loss of his humanity.

A breathless thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the explosive climax, The Man Who Saw Seconds explores the nature of time, the brain as a prediction machine, and the tension between the individual and the systems we create. Alexander Boldisar provides an adrenaline-pumping listen that will leave you contemplating love, fear, and the abyss.