Twenty Seven Minutes
by Ashley Tate

This is an arc review in e-book form that I received from AshleyTate, Netgalley, and Poisonedpenpress in exchange for an honest review.

This book will be available on 1/29/24. Make sure to get a copy!

Phoebe Dean was the most popular girl alive and dead.

For the last ten years, the small, claustrophobic town of West Wilmer has been struggling to understand one thing: Why did it take young Grant Dean twenty-seven minutes to call for help on the fateful night of the car accident that took the life of his beloved sister, Phoebe?

Someone knows what really happened the night Phoebe died. Someone who is ready to tell the truth.

With Phoebe's memorial in just three days, grief, delusion, ambition, and regret tornado together with biting gossip in a town full of people obsessed with a long-gone tragedy with four people at its heart―the caretaker, the secret girlfriend, the missing bad boy, and a former football star. Just kids back then are forever tied together the fateful rainy night Phoebe died. 

What really happened that night? And why did June's brother Wyatt disappear on that same night never to return?

The beginning is slightly confusing with multiple and I mean Multiple POVs jumping around. It also shifts back and forth between the present and ten years ago. Once you get used to that, it's a pretty interesting read.

The first half of the book is kinda slow but really picks up towards the middle and becomes a book you want binge, which I did.

Each character dealing with the grief and trauma in their own separate ways suffering through the same tragedy. It was difficult to find a character I resonated with, but I dont need to like a character to like the book. The author did a fantastic job of really exploring each person's character and reaction to the trauma.

It was definitely a slow burn to get to the truth. The anticipation building and building, the twist at the end was a nice surprise.

I will definitely keep an eye out for more works by this author!!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a complimentary copy of this debut novel!!!

It took Grant exactly twenty-seven minutes to call for help after the car accident that claimed his sister Phoebe’s life. Why? What was he doing in those twenty-seven minutes? Now, it is ten years later and their mom wants to hold a memorial. But the local sheriff wasn’t convinced then and even now seems doubtful to what actually happened that fateful night. Becca, the supposed girlfriend to Grant was also in the car that fateful night and they are each covering for one another. But someone knows the truth. Phoebe was popular when she was alive, but she is still holding the limelight even now ten years later after her death.

June and Wyatt are brother and sister living in the same town. Wyatt had also disappeared that same night as the car accident. June always wondered where he was and why he left. Now with her father and mother gone, Wyatt is finally back. This novel is a literary suspense that delves into what happens when deep, dark secrets are kept for a long time and grief becomes unbearable. But what happens when all these dark, long-held secrets finally come to light?

I really enjoyed this novel!!! This is a debut novel for Ashley Tate and I will definitely be looking forward to more of her books!!! I didn’t want to put it down! 5 stars for me! AVAILABLE January 30, 2024

For the past 10 years the town of West Wilmer has been grieving the loss of Phoebe Dean. She passed after a car crash and while tragic there are still questions that have never been answered…why did her brother Grant wait 27 minutes to call for help? What happened during those 27 minutes? Grant’s life has been riddled with guilt and regrets and with the 10 anniversary of the crash approaching he is really struggling….but someone else was there that night too. Will these secrets stay hidden?

I really liked the premise of this book and the prologue definitely grabbed my attention! We live through the last minutes of Phoebe’s life and it really sets the tone for the book. I loved how the story was told from different timelines and this story really kept me guessing! I enjoyed the multiple POV because we really get to know each character.

This is a very slow burn type of book and you are going to wade through grief and questions and horrifying secrets but I think the payoff at the end was worth the wait!!

✨Tropes
🖤Thriller/Mystery
🖤Small Town
🖤Dark Secrets
🖤Grief
🖤Multiple POV

Twenty-Seven Minutes isn't bad for a debut novel. The storyline worked well for me, but it was a bit lengthy. I realize the tension build-up needed to be there for the big reveal, but I felt bogged down by the constant reminder of things we already knew.
This is a story of a high school party gone terribly wrong. A combination of poor choices made by teenagers and pouring down rain make for a fatal situation and a terrible accident. Lies and a cover-up story eat away at the two survivors, Grant and Becca, for a decade. There's truth to what we've heard all our lives "the truth will come out...eventually," so buckle up and enjoy the ride. The twist is one that I didn't see coming. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It just took a bit to get there.
Thank you, Netgalley, and Poisoned Pen Press (Sourcebooks) for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🙈🙉🙊Such sadly, tragic characters😞

I found this story compelling, drawing me on to its cathartic end, but it was not an easy path to get there. The narrative, told in alternating POV chapters by the main characters and anchored by a slow reveal of the seminal day's actual events, may seem repetitious. But I would say the author is slowly painting a detailed picture of how one horribly tragic night affected and is still, after ten years, dominating lives with the secrets and regrets they carry.

The four main characters and their parents are all tragic, each in his or her own way, and not easy to like. Grant, the former high school football star forever tainted due to his reckless behavior; striving-to-be-perfect sister Phoebe, whose tragic death their mother just can't let go; obsessive stalker Becca, who clings to a lie, an allusion of a relationship and the need to be seen; and June, whose family fell apart when her older brother Wyatt disappeared without warning and almost without notice because Phoebe's death consumed everyone's attention.

The ending surprised me. Maybe it shouldn't have, but it did. And though I did not find most of the characters sympathetic, I have to say that I liked the story.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Ten years about Phoebe dies in a car crasher a memorial is planned which brings up the question again, why did her brother wait 27 minutes to call for help.

I love books where I don't see the ending coming and this book kept me guessing. Told from multiple people's point of view left me wondering which person was telling the truth and I was shocked at the ending on multiple levels. If you like a good thriller, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This mystery had a great concept but the execution just didn't work for me. The characters weren't my favorite to start and the plot was dragging. I lost interest and decided to DNF this one. I was questioning if I should push through in case the ending was worth the slow buildup, but I saw many other reviews that gave the same feedback after finishing the book entirely. I wouldn't be opposed to trying again with this author in the future!

Thank you so much Poisoned Pen Press for my gifted e-ARC!

Thank you Netgalley. The premise of this book sounded intriguing but the execution left a lot to be desired. The multiple timeline seemed to distant from the time of the incident. The characters were not very likeable and the dialogue was confusing at times.
Overall an okay read

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for this ARC. This is a debut from Ashley Tate and I am looking forward to the next one. This story is told from different viewpoints and questions why a man waits 27 minutes to get help for his dying sister who had been injured in a car accident. An interesting story which I did find easy to follow.

I want to start off by thanking NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Ashley Tate for this copy.

Twenty-Seven Minutes was an exciting concept; however, I feel it wasn't executed properly. It was hard to enjoy this novel as it was way too long, difficult to follow, stay engaged with, and balance the point of views. I felt the way this story was written made it so I didn't care much for any of the characters, their development, or their choices.

This book starts with tension and a bang as the opening scene cuts straight to Phoebe's death. In the first few seconds of the book, we watch Phoebe die, seemingly alone, from her horrific injuries caused by a car accident. The scene is set for the story of both the lead-up to and fallout from this tragic incident. I, however, was disappointed that what follows doesn't live up to it.

The premise of Twenty-Seven Minutes was revealed even before the story started. The question is why one young man waited 27 minutes to call for help. This was all while his sister lay dying after a car accident. The answer unfolds slowly from many different points of view, making it challenging to keep track of who said or did what. It’s also told in alternative time frames, which added to the confusion.

Another thing that made this book difficult to get through was that the main cast of characters all felt so similar and were very unlikeable. I think that, at times, they can be seen as unbearable, miserable, and self-absorbed people. This all causes the story to feel flat.

Lastly, the dialogue was another issue; it read as stilted and unnatural. This also applies to their inner dialogue; I feel the story would have flowed better had the author chosen to do a shorter time gap rather than the ten-year one. This is because although the characters are 26-28, they feel childish and immature, much like 16-18-year-olds would. In other words, their behavior would have made more sense for teenagers who'd had less time to move on or recover as well.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is a debut novel that deals with grief, guilt, and the question that's been holding a small town hostage for ten years - why did Grant Dean wait 27 minutes to call for help after he and his sister, Phoebe, wrecked his truck on that old bridge? If he'd moved faster, she might still be alive.

This book starts with such a bang! In the opening scenes, we watch Phoebe die, seemingly alone, from her horrific injuries. The scene is set magnificently for the story of both the lead-up to and fallout from this tragic incident. I was just so disappointed that what follows doesn't live up to it.

The first pitfall in my opinion was billing this novel as a mystery/thriller. Granted, that's what the premise makes it seem like, but 90% of it is dedicated to a slow-burn character study of our four POV characters. The big reveal to the big question can be guessed within the first few chapters and feels entirely unsatisfying after such a long slog to get to it in the final few pages. (It also goes by so quickly that I still have no idea where nearly half an hour went between the accident and the 911 call.)

The second thing that made this book difficult to get through was that the main cast of characters all felt so similar and were very unlikeable - at times even unbearable - miserable and self-absorbed people. I wish this had made them and their story more compelling, but they all felt listless and flat.

The dialogue was another issue for me as it read as stilted and unnatural. This also applies to their inner dialogue, and overall it gives the story a YA tint. I honestly feel the story would have flowed better had the author chosen to close the ten-year time gap and made this happen a year or two after the accident. The characters would have been around 26-28 I suppose (assuming they were 16-18 at the time of the accident) but they all still seem like teenagers, which made the significance of the ten years difficult to grasp. Their behavior often would have made more sense for teenagers who'd had less time to move on or recover as well.

It's clear Ashley Tate has ideas, and her prose is fairly strong. Overall, this is a decent debut, and I would be open to reading another novel by this author in the future. I'm sure there's an audience for this book out there somewhere, but sadly I'm not it. I wouldn't be quick to recommend Twenty-Seven Minutes to fans of the mystery/thriller/suspense genre. If you enjoy slow-burn character studies of grief and mental health, however, you may enjoy it.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not for me

I tried reading this numerous times, but could never get into it. I guess it just wasn't for me.

It’s taken me a long time to get through this. I may be in the minority here in my opinion of this work but I found it difficult to stay engaged or to care much for any of the characters, the teens or their parents, and the choices they made had me shaking my head.

The premise of the whole novel is revealed in the title as it questions why one young man waited 27 minutes to call for help as his sister lay dying after an automobile accident. This unfolds slowly, from many different points of view, making it a challenge to keep track of who said or did what if you put it down for for awhile, a refresher is needed. It’s also told in alternative time frames, a format I usually enjoy. Somehow this one didn’t do it for me, unfortunately, all I can rate it is 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 out of 5.

My thanks, as always to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and wishing the budding author Ashley Tata every success in future endeavors.

I think I’m an outlier with this one but I really enjoyed it. While it wasn’t a thriller, it was engrossing and hard to put down. I’d say this is a study in grief and mourning and how people handle it differently. It also had the most number of unreliable characters I’ve read in recent times and I was going back and forth on what the heck was actually going on, who was losing it, who was not actually even there, etc.

For a debut, I thought this was really good and I’d definitely recommend it!

This debut novel centers around a horrific accident that happened ten years ago. Though told through the voices of quite a few characters and flipping back and forth between that night and the present, it wasn't too hard to keep track of everyone. Most of the characters were not the most likable, and many questions arise as the story progresses. Was Phoebe really the perfect person everyone remembers, and why did her brother wait 27 minutes to call for help? All will be revealed bit by bit, perhaps leaving the reader stunned at the conclusion. Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author for an advance copy to read and review.

Twenty-seven minutes. That is the difference between life and death in this debut thriller from Ashley Tate. We are dropped into a small town that is about the experience the decennial of a young girl dying tragically on an old bridge, and to make matters worse, an elderly woman has also found her end on that same bridge, opening old wounds and bringing the entire town swirling back into ten year old rumours.

We have dual timelines happening, as well as multiple points of view from several characters who were either directly involved in the accident or deeply affected by it. Becca is the forgot victim, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Grant was driving the vehicle that crashed and killed his younger sister. June's brother ran away that same night after a fight with their volatile father. Wyatt has finally decided to return to his hometown to set things right.

What a brilliant way to unfold this story through the eyes of several people who only know parts of the truth. The reveal at the end was awesome.

The writing in this book is really gorgeous in such a visual way. They way that June tries to grasp at cotton ball words coming out of her brother's mouth to the way that Becca is handling her mental illness and spiralling in her own mind.

I highly suggest this book if you like a fast paced small town thriller where secrets are finally uncovered.

I was so excited for this one, but unfortunately I could not get into it. The premise was intriguing and the writing was good, but for whatever reason I was not motivated to read it. I honestly feel bad, because it’s not the author’s fault at all. I might try it again sometime down the road but we’ll see.

You definitely will want to read this book in one weekend. The plot pulls in and make you want to know more. Each chapter gives you a different perspective, which in my opinion is the best way to tell this type of story.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate is about the small town of West Wilmer and the tragic accident that happened 10 years prior. Now they are holding a long overdue memorial but it is bringing up the accident again. Questions are being asked and secrets arise.
This thriller was incredible! I can not believe that this is from a debut author. I am an avid thriller reader and this was a great suspense drama!
The unreliable narrators were unexpected and added just that much more to the story! The connection point of all the characters was interesting with the small town feel. We learn snippets of the past while seeing different perspectives of those involved in the present. However you will never guess how they connect in the end.
I would recommend this great thriller to anyone who loves a good mystery and can not wait to see what else this author produces in the future!

Finished another ARC from Netgalley, Twenty Seven Minutes, a debut novel by Ashley Tate.

This is a slow ascending suspense? thriller? set in a small town. With multiple POVs in dual timelines, there are lots of dark secrets, inner struggles and demons.

I was intrigued with the story right away. I liked the descriptive writing and the premise but found myself looking at how far I was into the book quite often. It seemed to be a bit too slow of an ascent and very repetitive.

I think this was more of human drama than a suspense or thriller, so this might help going into the book.

The surprise ending definitely made up for the long drag of the book. I gave this 3⭐️ on Goodreads.

Thank you to @netgalley, @poisenedpenpress and Ashley Tate for the ARC e-copy in exchange for my honest review