The Corkscrew Principle is part breathless mystery, part whirlwind tour in the manner of Sophie’s World through two thousand years of scientific thought. Irène is the wife of Bernard, a handsome, famous, and increasingly withdrawn physicist. One day he disappears, leaving behind only a cryptic note about his need to undergo a dangerous experiment, “The Crucial Experiment,” which could unlock the key to the universe. Irène's one promising lead is a mention of Einstein and his theory of relativity. However, there is a problem: she knows nothing about Einstein, relativity, or physics in general for that matter. With the help of Leo, a journalist with a shady past and an interest in the paranormal, and “The Bear,” a brilliant mathematician and a friend of Bernard, Irène attempts a crash course in modern science from Aristotle to string theory. Her success, and how successfully she unravels her husband’s mysterious behavior, will determine whether Bernard’s sought-after “Crucial Experiment” will also be his last.