**Book Review: *27 Minutes* by Ashley Tate**

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Ashley Tate's *27 Minutes* is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that explores the ripple effects of a single event and how it impacts the lives of everyone involved. The novel’s structure—centered around the 27-minute gap between life-changing moments—creates an urgent, ticking-clock atmosphere that keeps the tension high throughout.

The story revolves around a devastating accident that occurs at a high school party, leaving a young girl dead. Tate masterfully uses multiple perspectives, allowing readers to see how this tragedy unravels the lives of the students, parents, and teachers connected to it. The 27-minute window becomes the focal point of the mystery, with every character harboring secrets about what really happened that night.

Tate excels in creating flawed, complex characters, each dealing with guilt, grief, and confusion in their own ways. The protagonist, in particular, struggles with memories of the accident and her role in it, giving the novel a deep psychological layer. As more details about the accident emerge, the tension builds, and it becomes clear that not everyone is telling the truth.

The pacing of the novel is steady, with a blend of flashbacks and present-day chapters that gradually reveal key pieces of the puzzle. Tate’s writing is sharp and filled with emotional depth, as she explores the themes of responsibility, friendship, and the far-reaching consequences of a single decision. There are enough twists and red herrings to keep readers engaged, though some plot points may feel slightly predictable for seasoned thriller fans.

What makes *27 Minutes* stand out is its emotional weight. Tate doesn’t just focus on the mystery but also the psychological toll that guilt and secrets can have on individuals and relationships. The aftermath of the accident is just as important as the event itself, making this more than just a standard thriller—it’s a reflection on how trauma can reshape lives.

The ending delivers a satisfying twist, though some readers may wish for a bit more closure on certain character arcs. Nevertheless, *27 Minutes* is a compelling, thought-provoking read that will resonate with anyone who enjoys a good mystery with emotional complexity.

Overall, *27 Minutes* is a solid psychological thriller with a strong emotional core. Ashley Tate has crafted a story that is both suspenseful and deeply human, making it a must-read for fans of character-driven mysteries and domestic thrillers.

Ohh I loved this!! What a gripping story, so well written and I was hooked from the get go! I actually felt my shoulders tensing up and had to put it down a few times for a breather.

Tried several times to get into this but it was a DNF for me. Will give this author another try with other books this just wasn’t a good fit!

Ugh a very LONG 27 minutes! It’s a slooowww read that was goi g nowhere. It took so long to get there that I was not motivated to pick the book up. I would have to go back few pages to remind myself who is who. I suffered to the end. It did have a twist, however it was rushed. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC read in exchange for my review.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is a slow burn YA thriller striving to answer the question of why it took 27 minutes for Grant Dean to call the police for help on the night of the car accident that claimed his sister, Phoebe's life. There are many players involved and they all know something but no one is willing to come forward with the truth. I enjoyed this book but really felt the pace to be a little slow. To be fair, slow burns aren't my favorite so I may be a little biased. Overall, this was an enjoyable book that was engaging and had a satisfying ending.

I really hoped to enjoy this more than I did. This was a very slow burn, and while I can usually push through those, this one made me lose interest in the story.

Congrats to Ashley Tate on her first novel- a dramatic and suspenseful story that will break your heart and keep you guessing! Ten years ago Grant Dean crashed his car after a party, killing his teenage sister. The biggest mystery of the night, and what gives this tale it's title, are the 27 minutes that Grant waited from the time he crashed to calling 9-11. These minutes have sparked rumors and gossip in the decade since the crash, which are reignited in the wake of a memorial service planned to mark the anniversary and catapult the four main characters at the center of this event towards the truth.

The cover made me think this was going to be a thriller- this was no psychological thriller. This was definitely a dramatic suspense story thickly woven with grief, sorrow, and dread. It is a DOOZY, but totally worth a read.

Thank you to Ashley Tate, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this story.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book at 33 percent. The book wasn't keeping my interest and I wasn't able to keep remembering details for the story to make sense. I appreciate the ARC and look forward to reading other titles. I'm sad this one didn't work for me.

This is a story of a death in a small town that continues to haunt them even ten years later. A quick read, but ultimately forgettable.

10 years ago, the ever popular Phoebe Dean was killed in a car crash wherein her brother was the driver of the car. He waited 27 minutes to call 911 (hence the book's title!) What happened in those 27 minutes?

As time went on, rumors spread about why Grant (the brother) waited so long to call 911. Now at the 10 year anniversary, the crash is back in the spotlight again.

This story is written from several points of few, on multiple timelines. It is a slow burn type story. I would not recommend this if you are looking for a fast paced thriller. The characters do the talking in this book, and if you like a character study, this book would be for you. This is not your typical psychological thriller, but rather a slow burn, with an element of surprise for an ending you don't see coming.

Special thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a bit disappointing. The plot was messy, with multiple perspectives and time jumps from 10 years ago to the present. While I hoped for a twist that would justify the confusion, it fell short. The characters were unlikable, and the story’s unraveling after a decade felt irrational. Originally, I’d have given it three stars, but after reflection, I’m lowering it to 2.5 stars.

Thank you to Ashley Tate, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a big hit for me! I as initially drawn to the cover and premise. I love a mystery with a hidden trauma or incident that gets reflected on throughout the adult lens. We follow June, Grant, and Becca as adults and in reflection ten year prior about a horrible car accident that took the life of the towns golden girl Phoebe. Becca was such a sympathetic character I wanted her to be believed and heard but for some reason everyone discounts her and she is stuck in some delusion about her relationship with Grant. The way this story builds gives it such a good pace and flow. I didn’t want to put it down!

Twists and slow unraveling lead to a vindicating ending. Love this and will look for more from Tate.

This book was right up my alley, an intense thriller with many twists and turns. It is highly recommended for those who love a quick thriller.

The question? The truth? The answer?
This was ok, but it wasn't really for you.
But let give it a shot, hopefully you'll love it better than u did.

2.75⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded down

The question: why did it take Grant Dean 27 minutes to call for help in the night of the car accident that killed his sister?

Small town gossip, delusions, gaslighting, and some really unreliable narrators in this one.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A sad DNF from me. The premise, title and the cover were all interesting. The first few chapters set the scene well but the book went downhill afterwards.

This one was a bit slow for me. I enjoyed the plot and was invested. The small town setting was relatable. I love how the characters had flaws just wish a bit more happened through the middle. Thank you Netgalley!

I need to preface this review by stating that I received an ARC that may have not be the final manuscript, but since this is the file I was given to review, this is what I must base my review on. Multiple typographical errors and flow issues marred this book for me. I think it could be a good book with a LOT of editing. It was very repetitive, beyond what was needed even to get across the grief and issues of the characters.

Small town drama with some interesting twists and characters, but overall pretty predictable. I did yell at this book quite a few times because I really wanted a particular character to get what they were due, but the book ended before that happened. Twenty-Seven Minutes is a good study in grief and how it affects parents, siblings, friends, and others in their circle. Secrets and memory are also given a decent treatment and the book is readable but needs a bit of clean-up to be ready for primetime.

I agree with the comparison to Ashley Flowers (this book has many similarities to All Good People Here) and Ashley Audraine (The Push (but this book doesn't have enough creepy kids) and The Whispers). Not so sure about the comparison to Celeste Ng, this book isn't nearly as mature has her work.

This was a slooooow book. The characters were whiney.
Ten years ago there was a car accident where a brother, sister and friend were injured or killed. Grant, the brother was driving, possibly drunk, the sister, Phoebe, was killed, and Becca, the friend was injured. Grant was the high school football star; Phoebe a bright rule following student; and Becca was what one would call a "hanger on" who had been accused of stalking another football player. There were allegations and suspicions about what happened to cause the accident and what happened in the twenty seven minutes between the time of the accident and the time the ambulance was called and whether those minutes might have saved Phoebe's life. The three of them left the party of a friend and their lives, and the lives of others would never be the same. Ten years later another woman is killed on the same bridge. There is a community vote to take down the bridge and a 10 year memorial service for Phoebe.

June and Wyatt were also high school students with Phoebe, Grant, and Becca and their mother recently died from cancer. Wyatt disappeared the day of the accident on the bridge. Their verbally abusive father disappeared shortly after that and June had been trying to hold her mother together as well as her own life.

The story is told in current day and in flashbacks to the day of the accident and the party at another student's home. All the characters have issues and secrets and they were all unlikeable. I didn't care about any of them, even poor June, who lost everything and everyone. Becca was the most whiney and yes, I understand that she had some mental health issues before the the trauma of the accident that night, but she was creepy and whiney. I guess the author did a good job in developing her character for her to be so unlikeable.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for free in return for an unbiased review

I wasn’t a fan of this. The plot felt thin and the character development seemed to be a last thought. Twists could have been more intricate. I won’t recommend