“𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝; 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥.”

I was excited to dive into this book, as part of a Tandem Readalong, and because I’m always excited to check out new Canadian authors.

Ashley Tate’s debut is atmospheric, emotional, and filled with intrigue. I loved the format, concentrating on mostly four characters, Grant, Becca, June, and Wyatt, alongside flashbacks to the fateful night when Phoebe Dean was killed from the point of view from others in town. Tate gives just enough snippets of the past to keep you engaged and have you wondering how all these characters connect to that tragic night. She also captured the effect of rumours with the claustrophobic nature of a small town where everyone thinks they know your business, and where everyone has an opinion (Tate highlights this with the upcoming vote on the fate of the bridge). The characters are well developed, even if they aren’t very likeable and are incredibly unreliable, however they are also truly complex. I found myself hating Grant and Becca’s selfishness and crying for June and Wyatt, as they seemed surrounded by suffocating sadness. The story does move at a slower pace, not really a thriller, and more like a drama on complex grief, and how we all deal with tragedy differently, alongside a mystery. I could’ve used a bit more resolution to the ending - it wrapped up a bit abruptly, however I found I couldn’t wait to get to each day’s pages and to share my thoughts and theories in our chat group.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is a story of reverberating loss, resentment, secrecy, manipulation and deep regret. It is a strong debut with a complex web of tragic characters. Thank you to SourceBooks for the digital ARC, and DoubleDay Canada & Tandem Global for the gifted copy!

Oh... my. Where do I even start with this one? The premise, AMAZING, the execution, a complete flop.
First and foremost, the representation of mental illness, psychosis, and addiction in this novel is really upsetting. All of these characters lived through an extremely traumatic event, and while everyone deals with trauma in their own way, every person in this novel needs professional, intense, and very specific trauma-related therapy.
Also, let's please talk about the characters. When read a book, I like to have at least one likable. This book had no such personalities. And yes, I get it, traumatic event, but Becca's mindset was terrible, June was a mess, and Grant is straight up hallucinating. But my main problem was Becca. Her selfishness and ego-centric behavior (again, traumatic event, I get it, but still), made me angry. Every time the story line shifted to her perspective I found myself feeling annoyed and irritated. I wanted to shake her and remind her that she's not the one who died! Yes, she lived through something hard, but expecting that people pay more attention to her (over and over again, I might add), got repetitive and boring.
Now, for the ending. Pages and pages of this book were spent alluding to the tragedy of that night, the horrific events that everyone had kept secret for 10 years, but after a while, that plot device gets really old. About 80 pages in, the whole started to feel very repetitive and nondescript. Then, we get to the end of the book, and the big "reveal" is about a page and a half, and the ending falls completely flat. No spoilers, but no one gets what they deserve, the whole ending just kind of fades to black with zero follow up or conclusion. Don't get me wrong, I do sometimes like an open-ended conclusion, but this one was TOO open. I want an epilogue, or a conclusion, or something...
I try really hard not to completely dump on books like this because I usually can find some redeeming qualities in a story, but this one really wasn't good. If you're looking for a "to read or not to read" I'd advise you to not waste your time.

**Please note: this review is posted on GoodReads as of 1/29

Phoebe died 10 years ago, and the big question is why it took her brother, Dean Twenty-Seven Minutes to call 911.

This is a very good book that hums with a minefield of secrets that may burst to come out with the upcoming 10-year reunion of Phebe's death.

I recommend this book to those that like a fast paced read, with a vibrant ending this was very entertaining.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this dual timeline, multiple point of view book. Liked trying to figure out what really happened the night Phoebe Dean died. Can't wait to see more from this author.

My thoughts are pretty neutral on this one. I didn't love it and didn't hate it. It was a slow burn suspense with not a super shocking ending. In fact, the ending felt a little bit rushed.

Some characters were unlikeable. We spent a lot of time learning about each one and their anxieties about the accident. This felt a little drawn out but also had me intrigued.

Overall, it was a pretty okay debut novel and I'm excited to see what Tate comes out with next.



Read If You Like:
Multiple POV's
Alternate Timelines
Slow Burn Thrillers
Character Driven
Small Town Drama

This was a quick read for me. The chapter rotated around the 4 main characters and you would also get a little glimpse of what happened that fateful night through some flashbacks within the chapters. There were a lot of twists and turns with some very damaged and flawed characters. As the story goes on and you learn more my opinion changed of some of the characters. It was intriguing and probably a bit of a peek behind how hiding a secret and lying can really take a toll on your life and others around you. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The question that has been haunting the town for ten years is clear from the beginning. Why did Grant take so long to ask for help when his sister Phoebe was dying because of a car accident they had?

I was never bored while reading this but wasn't hooked or invested in the plot. I saw the big reveal coming early on and kept reading to prove my theory.

This book is written from multiple POVs and alternating timelines, which are the things I enjoyed the most. These characters were unlikable, I never really connected with any of them. At times the story started feeling repetitive. The ending felt rushed, even if I didn't care about the characters I would've liked to know more.

There was so much drama between the characters. I was hoping to be more on the edge of my seat with the story but it was more about the characters' introspection and flaws. Overall I felt neutral about this, didn't hate it, didn't love it.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a slow burn thriller told from multiple POV after a tragic accident took a young girl's life. I liked the mystery and intrigue surrounding the story and the way it was told made me want to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I feel the pacing was a little bit slow and the book maybe didn't have to be so long. Overall it was a good thriller.

Ten years ago, Grant took twenty-seven minutes to call for help the night of the car accident, minutes that cost his sister Phoebe her life. Now, on the ten year anniversary, someone is ready to reveal all that really happened that night.

This wasn’t always the easiest book to read. I think it’s because a few of the characters were so unlikeable, which I think was the point. One of the twists at the end felt like it came out of left field, but looking back, it worked. The other twist was also surprising, and I do think Tate set up these twists well.

This is a read it or don’t for me. It’s certainly not bad, but there are a lot of other, better books out there in this genre.

What happened in twenty-seven minutes ten years ago? It's hard to know, when the minutes were frozen in time with mystery, questions, and secrets. Tate's debut novel has four points of view about a car accident on bridge a small town. As we hear from Becca, June, Grant, and Wyatt, Phoebe's death gets more and more complicated.

This novel is intriguing, but it is a slow burn of events, perspectives, and relationships. It kept me guessing, however, until the shocking ending. The book is not joyful or light to me in anyway. Instead, it a finely crafted complex narrative about grief, longing, and memory leading up to the truth.

Thank you to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press
for an advance reader's copy. My review is my own.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is Ashley Tate’s debut novel, it reads like a seasoned thriller writer wrote it.

One night after a drunken party, Grant Dean, his sister Phoebe, and their friend Becca all got into a vehicle to get home. With Grant driving, they got into a horrendous crash on the bridge. Grant and Becca survived the crash. Both were badly injured, and Becca doesn’t remember the crash. Grant explained how he hit a deer and swerved into the guardrail. If that was the story, then why did it take Grant twenty-seven minutes to call for help?

June remembers that night very well. That was the night her brother vanished. She blames Grant's family because all of the police manpower went into Phoebe’s case, instead of the search for her brother.

As the ten year anniversary and memorial services are to be held, another car crash in the same location occurs stirring up memories and gossip. Dark secrets are revealed and horrifying truths come to light.

I did enjoy this book. I think that it started as a slow burner, then really picked up the second half. I would recommend this book, as it was a 3 ½ star read for me. I can’t wait to see what Ashley comes up with next.

Ashley Tate delivers a gripping debut thriller that delves into the intricacies of guilt, grief, and regret. The narrative unfolds in the three days leading up to the memorial marking the 10th anniversary of Phoebe’s tragic death. Tate skillfully weaves the perspectives of Grant, Becca, June, and Wyatt creating suspense as the reader learns more about a tragic night.
Twenty- Seven Minutes, the time it took Grant to call for help after the accident that took his sister Phoebe’s life, becomes the haunting backdrop to the story. Ten years later, speculation and town gossip linger in the air of this small Texas community where secrets are hard to keep, and even in death, Phoebe remains a central figure due to her immense popularity. But there’s a dysfunctional family element that adds to the mystery.
The narrative focuses on the four main characters, most with shades of unlikeability which makes me question their motivations and actions. Grant was a high school football hero and is tortured by memories of the night of the accident and consumed with the secret he’s keeping. He is haunted by Phoebe’s ghost and has turned to alcohol as a means of coping. Becca was a passenger in the accident who knows the truth- or a version she is led to believe. Her character intrigues me because she doesn’t have a grip on reality- she resents all the attention towards Phoebe when she has suffered too.
While the events leading up to the memorial raise questions about the town’s suspended time, the author captures the nuances of grief and guilt in the characters’ experiences and emotions. Becca’s struggle to keep Grant’s secret for a decade adds a psychological depth even though I found it challenging to believe. June’s mourning of the death of her mother and Wyatt’s return after ten years raises questions about the past. Was it a coincidence that Wyatt left town the night of the accident? He’s back and is ready to share what really happened that night. The inclusion of interspersed chapters from ten years ago provides an important element to the narrative which helps gradually unravel the mystery of Phoebe’s death on the bridge.
The author’s writing shines in depicting the weight of loss in a claustrophobic small- town and creating deep and complex characters. The story builds towards a riveting conclusion with a major twist, skillfully revealed, leaving me astonished. I will be anticipating future works by this new author.

Ten years have passed since Phoebe died in a car crash with her brother Grant behind the wheel. What baffled the investigation, why did Grant call 911 27 minutes after it happened? Becca was in the car with them and injured. She has promised to keep Grant's secret.
As the ten year anniversary and memorial services are to be held, another car crash in the same location occurs stirring up memories and gossip in the small town of West Wilmer. Everyone knows and points, stares and talks in whispers about what happened that night. One person in town, June remembers the night well when her brother vanished. She blames Grant's family because all of the grief went into Phoebe instead of the search in her brother's disappearance. Dark secrets are revealed and the horrifying truth. This story shares regrets, loss and how the past can never be changed. As it haunts the small town, the twist will haunt you even more.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-arc.*

A small town thriller with a big story and even better plot. Highly recommend this twisty unputdownable book. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Secrets and lies have plagued a small town for the last ten years. A girl died on a bridge and now her mother is planning a memorial. Everyone in town is talking again about the accident. The other people who were at the scene are getting more worried about the secrets that have haunted them to the point they fear they are losing their minds. Will the long held secrets and lies finally be known?
Very good debut novel.

{3.5 stars}

Ten years ago there was a tragedy on a small town's bridge where a popular young woman was left dead. Now there has been another accident on that same bridge and the town is petitioning to get it taken down. On the tenth anniversary of the first death, a memorial is planned and all of the people who knew the deceased are worried their secrets from that night will be dug up.

Boy these characters were really unlikable. That is not my favorite tactic in thrillers. We spend a lot of time just learning about each one and their anxieties about what happened ten years ago. It was nice to have a story with character depth but some of it felt a little long for me. I had hoped for more reveals along the way. The final twist I did NOT see coming... not sure why I didn't but I didn't. Was definitely surprised.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

So well written you will think you are in the story. It’s been a long time that a book to me by surprise but this one did. Ten years ago Phoebe dies in a car accident….the car was driven by her brother Grant. The questions start right off with why. Why did Grant wait 27 minutes to call 911. Will the truth come out or will it stay hidden for another ten years? This book was amazing. It will grab you and keep you wanting more.

"Forever a lingering presence, never there but always there; slipping into moments without warning—at the dinner table, on a walk by the bridge, when the leaves started to turn."

Ten years after a tragic car accident that took the life of beloved local teen Phoebe Dean, the lives of those involved, or in proximity, are still shambles. With the decennial memorial coming up, and a vote on whether or not to tear down the bridge, the community is on edge.

What happened that stormy night is still a mystery. Some people think there's more to the story than hitting a deer. Why did it take 27 minutes to call for help?

Resentments are boiling over as the damaged teens, now adults, were left behind to stay underneath the thumbs and disappointed eyes of their toxic parents, in an ode to small town misery and uncomfortable complacency.

Things are changing, though. People from the past are coming out of the woodwork, tired of holding onto these secrets, and nothing will be the same after this memorial. Some involved may choose to finally clear the air, rather than continue to suffocate under the secrets of yesteryear.

This really surprised me! I didn't see the end coming and I have mixed feelings about all the things this book tried to dabble in, but for the most part I really enjoyed it. It could have been slightly shorter, it dragged on at times, but the characters were really built well, which is important to me if there are several narrators. This was an amazing debut and I can't wait for more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy to read and review.

2.5 stars!
Personally, this book was not one that I enjoyed much! I was interested in the story at the beginning but I found myself becoming less engaged as it went on. The book was full of drama between the characters and unstable and toxic relationships which I felt took away from the thrilling aspect of it. I really hoped to enjoy this book, however, it wasn’t for me.

Actual Rating: 3.5⭐

Twenty Seven Minutes is a suspense mystery told in multiple POVs and dual timeline.
It started with a strong opening with a suspicious set of well developed characters that makes me wonder who to trust.

While it started out great, the pacing turns slower as the story goes building up the suspense with unreliable narrator and also the flashbacks chapters to ten years ago, to the night Phoebe died.
As for the characters, it’s hard to like them. At times, I feel sad toward them but their action makes me feel frustrated as well. But, considering the environment of the house they grew up as well as the pressure from parents and school, no wonder they had a hard time which eventually affected their mental health.

The twist at the end wasn’t really that surprising since I was able to figured out early on before the big reveal.
It ends with the truth finally out in the open, but I still feel slightly unsatisfied with that epilogue.
I really wished it showed more of what happened after the truth was revealed especially to the culprit and also the town’s reaction, instead of only showing one person's reaction.

Overall, for a debut novel this is pretty good. I enjoy reading this intense book despite the slow pacing to build up the suspense from the beginning until the end.
I would recommend this to those who likes a slow-paced character driven mystery drama with unreliable narrators.

I received an advanced review copy for free through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death, grief, gaslighting, addiction, alcoholism, brief mention of drugs and cancer