Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of ‘Times Undoing’ by Cheryl A. Head.

Journalist, Meghan McKenzie embarks on a journey to Birmingham to learn the truth about the death of her great grandfather, Robert Lee Harrington. All that her family knows is that he was killed by police, but they are not clear of the circumstances nor of his final resting place. Along the way, she meets friends and uncovers decades long dark secrets that can and will have devastating impacts to Birmingham and the people in it. Something is also lurking in the shadows threatening her and all that she’s working towards but where there is darkness there is also light.
I found Time’s Undoing to be a great example of story telling where past and present timelines converge to tell a whole story. The pacing of the book was perfect! I had to fight myself to stop reading because the more the story progressed the better it got. Based off of what I have gleaned from the summary and author’s note is that this is a story that is based on Cheryl Head’s family. It is not hard to believe that this is historical fiction given the attention to detail throughout the book. Those details took nothing away from the novel, and at times gave it a more personal almost, documentary type of feel to me. I also appreciate how she cared for all the characters whether they were main characters or supporting ones. She really took her time fleshing them out which helped to really bring this story to life.
Because of the weight of the topics, I don’t want to call this an entertaining story, however it did keep my attention and left me wanting to read more by the Cheryl A. Head and wanting to learn more about Birmingham, Alabama.

Author Cheryl Head’s novel is inspired by her family history. The two timelines, 1929 and 2019, serve the narrative well. The reader can’t help but see the parallels between Jim Crow and racism in the south and continuing injustice today. The two narratives build, and the tension grows. Head’s characters are well-developed.

In 2019 Meghan McKenzie is a reporter for the Detroit Free Press. She’s been following the Black Lives Matter movement and wants to continue her reporting by traveling to Birmingham where her great grandfather was presumed murdered in. 1929.

In 1929 Robert Lee Harrington is a master carpenter who travels with his wife and young daughter from Florida to Birmingham for a job opportunity. His wife is pale and can pass. He loves his flashy car but comes to realize that between his pale skinned wife and his car, he attracts too much attention. Birmingham is a lively city but still a stronghold of the Klan.

As Meghan investigates her family’s past, she uncovers long buried secrets that will threaten her safety. Her experiences feel all too real. This is definitely a book worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Dutton books for the opportunity to read this novel. I was quickly captivated by this book and finished it in just two days; it was definitely a 5-star read for me.

This book did the dual plot lines well flipping back and forth between modern day (2019) and the past (1929). and it was exciting to see how these came together. Both timelines showcased common themes of racial discrimination, violence, and corruption while also highlighting the power of family and community. For a debut author, I was really impressed by how these timelines worked together without becoming repetitive or spoiling the ending.

The book included a diverse group of characters (in both timelines) who represent a lot of different societal positions and beliefs. The ways these characters formed friendships (and enemies) was very relatable to the divisions that remain in our society today. My only gripe as that the characters felt under-developed at the beginning of the book, but this seemed much better in the second half. If their personalities were better developed from the beginning, I think it would have helped highlight the personal growth of some of the characters, especially Meghan.

Overall, this was a well-written debut novel. It reminded me a lot of the YA debut novel "We Deserve Monuments" that was released in Nov. 2022 as the themes and plot had many similarities. However, this one provided more depth and further commentary, perfect for adult readers. It is definitely one that I will be recommending this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel ahead of publication. I love a dual timeline story (1929, 2019). Add in a mystery, social commentary on systemic racism and policing, and a diverse cast of characters and you really can't go wrong. While some of the commentary was a bit heavy-handed at times, and the dialogue between characters was a bit flat and unnatural, the story kept me really engrossed. From what I read, this story was somewhat based on the murder of the author's grandfather. The idea that a man can be murdered and buried in an unmarked grave in an unknown location with no other information is just awful and heartbreaking...and I'm sure it's much more common than anyone would like to believe. Reading this really struck a cord given the details around the murder of Tyre Nichols by 5+ Memphis cops. That just goes to show that things haven't really changed between 1929 and almost a century later.

We were pleased to share this title at our live Spring Book Preview event for the Modern Mrs Darcy and What Should I Read Next communities on January 10, 2023, when 1200 readers attended live and twice that many watched the replay in the following week. The PDF from that event is attached. Long story short: meticulously researched, absolutely riveting, a must-read for fans of MEMPHIS.

Time’s Undoing is a novel about a young journalist, Meghan. Fueled by the unjust killings of black people and her coverage of the Black Live Matter movement, Meghan decides to investigate the unsolved mystery of her grandfather, Robert—a skilled black man, living in 1920s Alabama, who dared to enjoy the fruits of his labor in a time when blacks were expected to humble themselves.

I enjoyed this book. The author’s choice to switch back and forth between Meghan’s and Robert’s story captured my interest and held me in suspense. As Meghan discovered something new, we also got to see how what she learned affected her grandfather.

I also enjoyed the characters, especially Robert. His confidence in his abilities, his determination to enjoy life and his love for his family endeared him to me. Even though I knew it was coming, I was saddened by his death. The whole time I was rooting for Meghan to get closure for her family.

This story also makes parallels to the tragedies of today that spurred the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement. To find out this is based on true events from the author’s life also makes it worth reading.

I REALLY enjoyed Time’s Undoing and have already told my high school’s media center specialist about it which was right after a teen came in frustrated that she couldn’t find more historical fiction set in America. The only sadness I had is that this book wasn’t in my hand to be able to give to the student right now. Well written, engaging, and relevant!

“Pain does dim with memory. It resides deep in the marrow and lasts for generations.”

My interest was piqued immediately when I read the publisher’s citation which indicates this book is inspired by the author’s family history. Once I began reading, I was invested to see how things were going to play out. I thought I’d finish a chapter or two before bed, but retired that first night having completed a third of the novel in one sitting - and completed it the second night effortlessly.

True to the title, the time theme is pervasive: There are two narrators in two eras who recount their stories in alternating chapters. In 2019 Detroit, Meghan McKenzie, an investigative journalist covering the Black Lives Movement, is compelled to highlight police violence as generational trauma and dually address the unsolved murder of her great-grandfather (Robert Lee Harrington) in Birmingham, AL. In 1929 Birmingham, Robert, narrates his experiences and challenges as a (Black) man navigating and surviving (because it’s difficult to use the term “living” in this context) under duress in the segregated Jim Crow South in both St. Petersburg, FL and Birmingham, AL.

Meghan is authorized to travel South and bolster her story in a week. What unfolds is the history of Birmingham aka The Magic City – the good, the bad, and the ugly of this once booming City of Industry hailed as the Pittsburgh of the South. Meghan is a methodical investigator and the reader tags along as she follows the breadcrumbs to unravel the mystery behind her forefather’s demise. Robert’s story is an all too familiar cautionary tale of a talented man, full of dreams and confidence, who succumbs to the proverbial ire of a “scorned woman” and the ill-fated results of attracting attention from the wrong crowd. It also bolsters Meghan’s position regarding the distrust and angst that marginalized communities harbor as a result of decades-long systemic racism, social injustices and repeated, unanswered occurrences of police brutality. Her family history is a testament of how a seemingly isolated act has a catastrophic impact on the entire community and negatively affects his and other families for multiple generations.

The supporting cast of characters are smart, well-connected, and contribute to Meghan’s quest in meaningful ways. This book offers hope and a satisfying ending (I hope that’s not considered a spoiler) when in reality, that is not usually the case. This is a quick, timely, satisfying read that mirrors events from yesteryear and today’s headlines – causing one to question if times have really changed. Recommended for book clubs as it will no doubt spark great conversation around pertinent matters.

Thanks to Penguin Group, Dutton, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read in advance for an honest review.

Strong plotting and history, but lots of the latter is told through thick blocks of dialogue and it leaves the characters feeling a little flat. Like AI characters in a history program.

I'm a former journalist. The process of journalism in this book is pretty solid, but some of the slang -- calling a newsroom a bullpen -- and even the initiating event, ie sending a reporter hundred of miles away for a nebulous personal story, are from a different era of newspapers, when companies were flush and reporters and editors plentiful. It doesn't hurt the story, but if you know that, it does pull you out of the narrative.

This would be a good discussion group book to get people talking.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

A murder mystery that breathes new life into the genre by connecting past and present all in the context of one woman’s search into her great-grandfather’s death in Jim Crow Alabama. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers at Penguin Group - Dutton for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

It’s an optimistic tale of generational wounds finally having a chance to air out in the open, of ancestors being able to rest in peace at last. At its best, Time’s Undoing truly believes in the famous Dr King quote that the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice. Loose ends are tied; questions are answered; even the white supremacists who threaten our intrepid protagonist have their comeuppance.

At the same time, for the novel to have its version of a happy ending, it presupposes that the police brutality is truly a matter of a few bad apples, that we really do have White allies to lean on, and that white supremacy is the realm of a few extreme White men rather than an something baked into the fabric of daily American life. As much as I’d love to believe all of this for the sake of the story, it borders fantasy at this point with how openly fascist conservative politics is leaning towards these days.

I may be too pessimistic for this novel but it was a well written page turner that I hope knocks people out of a sense of complacency with the state of racial politics in the U.S. I also appreciate the book’s overall hope and can’t wait to see the conversations this book inspires.

WOW, that is all I can say about this book that harkens back to the Jim Crow era of racial injustice and present day where that thought continues to exist and IT SHOULD NOT. Venturing down to Alabama, Meghan with her reporter’s instinct is determined to uncover the truth behind her great-grandfather’s murder. What transpires during her search for answers puts her in harm’s way, but still she persists. This deeply motivated and heart-wrenching drama kept me engrossed from beginning to end. I also liked how the author staged the narrative with two points of view which worked cohesively by focusing on what was happening at that time which would lead to the climatic and explosive conclusion. Bravo for telling this story.

This dual narrative flashes back and forth between reporter Meghan McKenzie in 2019 and her great- grandfather, Robert Lee Harrington in 1929. McKenzie travels to Birmingham to follow threads of her great-grandfather's murder and its connection to the Black Lives Movement. While McKenzie befriends a few locals who help her uncover clues to the murder, not everyone wants her digging up the past. With increasing threats to her safety, McKenzie tries to find out answers before it’s too late.

If you turned on the news at any time during recent years and witnessed the numerous instances of police brutality against Black Americans, you could easily find yourself wondering if you were actually in the 2000s or the 1960s. This sentiment is exactly what Cheryl Head captures in her novel Time's Undoing. She explores the juxtaposition of race in relation to the past and the present. Through her narrative, Head explores just how much current times resemble the civil rights struggles of the past.

Head introduces us to protagonist Meghan McKenzie as she finds herself compelled to uncover the facts behind the murder of her great-grandfather in the 1920s. The constant barrage of recent police killings of unarmed Black men highlights the fact that not much has changed since his death, and Meghan is determined to gain closure for her family while simultaneously using her journalism skills to share the story with her readers--the parallels between the two time periods are newsworthy. As the reader follows Meghan on her journey, we also follow her grandfather, 'Robert Harrington (or Lee as he came to be called) as he gives a firsthand account of the events in his life in Birmingham that led up to his death.

The beauty in Head's narrative is the use of the two voices. While great-grandfather and great-granddaughter are living in two seperate times, their individual experiences mirror each other. You are able to sense the same optimism, disappointment, and fear that Robert felt in Meghan's experience in Birmingham as well. As the reader reads each of their chapters, it is as if they are experiencing the same mix of emotions at the same points in their journeys. They both arrive in Birmingham hopeful and are soon disappointed with the racist, close-minded attitudes they encounter, and they both experience fear as their very humanity is threatened by those same types of attitudes.

The two plot lines add an energy and pace to the novel that keeps the reader turning pages to find out just what happened to Robert and just what will happen to Meghan as she searches for the truth (while some people would rather it stay hidden). Head did a masterful job of keeping the reader engaged and invested in the outcome of both stories. As Meghan discovered more about the circumstances of her great-grandfather's death, we also got firsthand knowledge of the events through his eyes. However, both story lines played out in perfect synchronicity so that I was always invested in both stories.

While the novel was heavily plot driven, the characters were a bit flat and the relationships were a bit undeveloped. However, I do not feel that this detracted from the quality of Heard's novel at all. Some novels are plot driven, some are character driven, and some meld both. In this instance, I can accept the characterization because I was so heavily invested in the plot. In addition, Heard's use of setting and customs invoked such a sense of the South and the people who reside there, that I often found myself thinking of my own experiences and family. A novel should grab the reader's attention and invoke emotion, and Heard did both for me. It was an illuminating read, especially for those who may not know how the past has shaped and still shapes the present. Head's unique way of telling this story was beautifully executed, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

4 1/2 ⭐️s. Two timelines in this well told story. In 2019 a young Detroit Free Press journalist travels to Birmingham, Alabama to write about the Black Lives Movement through the lens of her great grandfather’s death, believed to be at the hand of a police officer in 1929. The second, the 1929 events involving her great grandparents lives leading to his death. Well written, great character development, and timely. It was interesting the subtle change in narrative intensity between the two storylines. Great read with a couple unexpected twists.

This book was neither here nor there for me. The topic in itself sounded interesting- uncovering details from the police brutality in American south in 1920s. However, the plot moved slowly and I found the constant focus on what "trendy" foods the characters ate irrelevant and bizarre. Perhaps this was targeted towards younger audience and they enjoy reading about such details? I'm 34, maybe I'm the problem.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is a story that really got my attention from the start, the story goes back and forth in time, the great great Granddaughter is a journalist, she takes on a story that happened in her own family, her great great Grandfather was murdered, and nothing was ever done about it, the Author of this book does a great job of keeping you involved in both stories, I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read a good book on Race and the terrible things that took place during that time in History, very good book

Timely. Historical. Deeply moving. Terrifying and disturbing. Necessary.

This book is so difficult to explain well! It's part thriller, part historical mystery, and all important. I loved the main character, worried about her safety, and couldn't put down the sections about her grandfather and her research into the past.

I think the most disturbing part of this thriller is the fact that so little has changed in our country in a century.

Journalist Meghan lives and works in Detroit and has never experienced the South's racism the way her 90+ year old grandmother has. Her grandmother has told her that as a young child in Birmingham, her father was shot and killed by the police but his body was never found. This part of her family history aligns with Meghan's current assignment tracking the Black Lives Matter movement and so she pitches the idea to her editor who gives her two weeks to "solve" the mystery of her missing great-grandfather and provide a link to current police corruption in Birmingham. Told in alternating chapters, Meghan's story of tracking down documents and those still living who would remember her great-grandfather frame Robert Lee Harrison's own story told as the events happened in 1929. Along the way, Meghan finds support in her search at the library and with community leaders who help her in her search for the truth. She finds out first hand that racism and violence are not gone from modern day Birmingham and there are those who would silence her words to protect themselves. Threading each bead of information gleaned from interviews, letters and legal documents, Meghan is finally able to give her grandmother the answers she seeks. An absolutely absorbing story of searching for family which exposes the difficult and dangerous times in which Black Lives Didn't Matter. Don't miss this one!

See my notes to the publisher and my reasons for deciding not to write a review on a book I had to abandon after about 30 pages. It's all in there, and I hope you will understand.

First, I LOVE this cover! And...Oh my goodness! What an amazing novel. The characters were excellently written. A very emotional read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.