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

A really great read with each chapter told by a different perspective (which I happen to love). Dar secrets, a town still in mourning and some great twists and turns along the way! I loved it!

Unfolding across a three-day timeframe and concluding with a startling revelation that will leave readers breathless, "Twenty-Seven Minutes" is a compelling narrative exploring the consequences of overwhelming grief, the revelation of dark secrets, and the chilling unveiling of a horrifying truth.

Before writing my review, I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Ashley Tate, and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me the ARC of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to read TWENTY SEVEN MINUTES before its release!

Without a doubt, this title caught my eye immediately and the synopsis was so incredibly intriguing! A great prologue pulls you right into the story, leaving you needing answers desperately! The writing is very good, with wonderful descriptions and vivid imagery. And the dialogue is realistic and natural, not stilted at all. The character development comes through in the words and actions of the characters without the author blatantly telling us who they are.

There are many different POVs throughout the book, which sometimes made it a bit hard to keep characters and relationships straight. But once I got more into the book, that became easier.

And as I learned more about the families in this small town, I grew disgusted by the horrible parents depicted in the book for many of these young people. Either a parent had just up and left, or was abusive, or just didn’t care. As a parent myself, it was hard to read at times. It’s no wonder several of these characters were incredibly damaged and had such a hard time growing up and maturing.

There were definitely characters you wanted so badly to sympathize with, but it was hard to do so because they seemed very selfish and self-absorbed. And I have to admit that the book was rife with despair and sadness, making it a very emotionally draining read, at least for me.

I have to admit there is a fabulous twist near the end for readers, even if I did suspect it earlier on. But the very very slow build of tension up to that point made the book hard to get through. I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to people who don’t mind a slow-burning mystery.

Given the difficult subject matter and complicated characters, this is a great debut novel. An author to watch for sure!

Ashley Tate’s debut novel opens with the dark and questionable death of Phoebe, a promising young teenager. The rest of the novel spends time diving between characters perspectives and time jumps to 10 years in the future - all to answer the question: what really happened on that bridge and why did her brother wait 27 minutes to call for help?

I found myself confused and hungry for answers - which marks a good thriller! Honestly, most of the characters were unlikeable and it was hard to link them together for most of the book. Great idea for a story, so I enjoyed it! There’s clearly some unreliable narration happening, and floating between what’s real and what isn’t.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an advanced copy through Netgalley.

But the truth, it will come out. Nothing can keep the truth buried; it will always unfurl itself, lay itself bare. It is unstoppable - like the tide, or a storm, or a ghost. It will hunt you down.

Twenty-Seven Minutes
By Ashley Tate

Quick Summary
Ten years after a horrific accident claiming the life a beloved teen the anniversary is fast approaching. People are consumed by memories, and secrets kept hidden for ten years. Can these secrets stay hidden or will they find their way out?

Final Thoughts
Thank you NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for this electronic copy of #TwentySevenMinutes ..
The idea of this story is great, and I think I would have enjoyed it more except... I hated every one of the characters, not a single redeemable characteristic to be seen.
We all know twists are coming with Thrillers, but we don't want to SEE them coming, which I unfortunately did so that was another let down.
Do I think this book will be enjoyable to some thriller lovers? Yes.
Was it for me? No.

Wow! I did not see the ending to this one coming. It's a very dark and twisty thriller that will keep the reader guessing until the very end.