Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. I think this was a solid debut by Ashley, but it didn’t work for me. I like a slow burn thriller, but this felt more like domestic suspense. We have to wait until 90% to find out the twist and we don’t get much explanation with it. It was an interesting twist, I just felt it could have been portrayed in a better way.

I’d read more from this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
This is as definitely a slow build. The character development was solid but it took a long time for real action to happen. It was going to be a solid three star read for me until the end. I did not see the plot twist coming and it was truly genius.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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 that night. She blames Grant's family because all of the grief went into Phoebe instead of her brother's disappearance.
Dark secrets are revealed and the horrifying truth.
This story shares regrets and loss and the past can't be changed. As it haunts the small town, the twist will haunt you even more.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was given the opportunity to read this ARC for free in return for my review.

I can say the twist at the end of the book is something I definitely did not see coming, at all. The beginning of the book throws a lot of characters at you and it took me about 25% of the book to figure out who every one was and how they were connected together. Once I established who every one was, I had a hard time putting the book down.

This story is told in 4 POVs, all connected in some way to the tragic accident that left Phoebe Dean dead 10 years ago. While I enjoyed the multiple POVs, I felt this to be overly wordy and the writing style was not for me. This was medium paced but the further I got into the story, the slower it felt. The ending was too anticlimactic and predictable. I figured out all of the twists pretty early on and just didn't have that anticipation and excitement I like to get from thrillers. Overall, I can see how people will enjoy this one, especially if you enjoy slow burns and unlikeable characters, it just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was really more of a 2.75 star book for me. I wanted to love this book, but it just never got there for me. The characters are all terrible people, and not in the "so bad you have to love them" kind of way, but the "oh my gosh these are TERRIBLE people" kind of way. Not a single person cares about anyone other than him or herself, beyond a surface level. Everything is done to make themselves look good or important. It tries to have a twist, but it's too easy to see coming. It tries to explore grief, but it never goes deep enough. The writing itself wasn't bad, but the story never reached its full potential.

3⭐
Genre ~ drama fiction
Setting ~ West Wilmer (maybe in Alabama)
Publication date ~ January 30, 2024
Est page Count ~ 377 (p+ 62 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 51 minutes
Narrator ~ Nikki Thomas
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ debut, dual timeline ~ 10 years later & 10 years ago, flashbacks, short chapters, small town, parental death due to cancer, drunk driving, underage drinking and drug use, secrets, lies

Pheobe was killed in a car crash when she was 17. Her brother, Grant, was behind the wheel.
Becca was in the accident and spent 18 days in the hospital. She sounds super unhinged and delusional in both the present and flashbacks
Siblings June & Wyatt each have things to say about that day.

Although each character is unlikable they were each distinct and it wasn't hard to keep track of the POV's. I can't name one character at all that I liked. Now don't think I am a terrible person here because obviously I don't wish this on anybody, but I couldn't even drum up sympathy for the deceased since it's slowly revealed how crazy she was. The 10 years ago chapters were each told by someone different that was at the party that shed a little light on things, which I liked. The 10 years later chapters only span 3 days, but it felt much longer.

Overall, this was fine as a debut, but it reads like YA to me since the characters still hadn't matured 10 years after the accident. It's definitely suspenseful with it's super slow buildup, since it took ages and ages to get to the meet of the story. I will say I was a little surprised about the twist, so that was nice. I do think this author has potential, so I'll give her next book a go.

Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference. I do want to add though that I am not sure that the flashbacks would be cohesive. You can tell they are based on the italic font, but I'm not so sure it would be easy to figure out. I'm not talking about the 10 years ago chapters, but flashbacks within the now.

Thank you so much to the author for allowing me to receive an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I really enjoyed this book. It had me on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what would happen next! I really did not expect the twist at the end and my heart was pounding while reading it!

I enjoyed the writing style. It was easy to grt through and thats how mystery thrillers should be. It's hard to say that I liked the characters when they were all unlikable, and the background characters were flat, but I did appreciate how unhinged they all were. What I didn't like was the "twist" because is wasnt a twist. It was very obvious, in my opinion. It played out mostly like a drama, and probably would make a better movie than book. The setting, however was great. And I really liked the imagery, especially with a certain character which I can't say because of spoilers.

Told from four different POV's this pulse pounding thriller will have you reading like a fiend to discover the truth about the car accident that killed Phoebe and why it took twenty-seven minutes for help to be called. With a toxic small town setting fueled by gossip and misdeeds, with many characters who only care about their own self interest this book is like a seeing a car accident on the side of the road you can't help but look. This book was a solid five stars for me right until the final two chapters. The ambiguous nature of the ending and one of the characters really just ruined it for me.

A debut Canadian author, Ashley Tate has written Twenty-Seven Minutes, a crime mystery thriller. Grant Dean was driving the car when it crashed into the bridge killing his sister Phoebe. Approaching the tenth anniversary, the accident and its impact still echo, as the small-town residents still wonder why Grant took twenty-seven minutes to call for help. The three days leading up to the anniversary are narrated by the four characters most impacted that fateful night - Grant (the driver), Becca (who was also in the car), June and brother Wyatt (who disappeared that same night). A community gathering to mark the date will result in the uncovering of the secret Grant has been keeping with Becca’s support. A psychological thriller that sees the truth of an event a decade earlier finally come to light with a three stars read rating. With thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

I don't know about this one. I had trouble connecting with it or any of the characters. It took me almost a month to get through this one. The premise definitely had my attention and I like how the past and the present were woven together. The characters were just so odd to me. There were alternating perspectives from 4 characters and none of them seemed reliable. They were all unhinged and the setting added to the oddness. It was a small town, but no one seemed to be just a regular person. It did get better the last 20% and I was surprised about what actually happened, then the ending was odd to me again.
I know this was a debut author and I would try her again, but this one wasn't for me.

I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the advance copy, so thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. Unfortunately, this book is a complete snooze. It is told from 4 different and unlikable POVs, is at least 100 pages too long, and the “twists” are laughably predictable. I hate to give such a negative review, but I cannot recommend this book at all.

This is going to be a great debut novel! Thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I enjoyed the characters, the mystery and the storyline based on several high school teens who get into an accident on a bridge while leaving one dead and a story to be kept quiet until 10 years later. The author waits until the last minute in the book for us to find out why it took 27 minutes for the brother to call for help. Well done!

If I'm being honest about my opinion on this book, I was on the verge of giving up because I couldn't stand Grant and Becca. The plot kept burying the truth, and I couldn't figure out who was being honest. Yet, I kept reading until the last page, and surprisingly, I didn't regret it. It turned out to be time well spent!

The story revolves around Grant, Phoebe, Becca, June, Wyatt, and some other characters like Haley and Kelsey. Honestly, the one who really grabbed my interest was June. There was something about her character that just clicked with me, especially her connection with Wyatt. Their relationship became the driving force that kept me engaged and made me want to stick around until the very end of the book.

At first, I shrugged off the plot twist like, "Okay, is that all?" But then it hit me – there's more beneath the surface than I first thought. It compelled me to keep reading, searching for answers. And then, out of nowhere, bam, the significant plot twist I'd been yearning for unfolded. Suddenly, everything clicked, although I have to admit, some parts were a bit predictable. Yet, this major twist caught me off guard, and it hit me right in the feels – I couldn't hold back the tears. The characters, each grappling with their own secrets and silent battles, just left me emotionally shaken.

To sum it up, I highly recommend this book to anyone into thriller, mystery, or drama genres. Seriously, the plot twists are so gripping; you'll find it nearly impossible to set the book down. Trust me, it's one of those reads that's completely worth your time – a rollercoaster of emotions that you won't want to miss!

Considering it's Ashley Tate's debut novel, I have to say she did an amazing job writing this book!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for letting me dive into this fantastic ARC!

Read if you like:
🔥 Slow Burn Mysteries
#️⃣ Mulitple POV
🎭 Drama
🤫 Secrets

Why did Grant wait 27 long minutes to call for help after getting into a terrible car accident that ultimately claimed the life of his sister?

That is the question everyone wants the answer to and with the 10 year anniversary of her death, it’s time for answers…

This one really reads as a slow burn mystery that expertly weaves in grief, guilt, secrets, and the trauma of holding onto secrets for so long.

This is an emotional story told in multiple pov in two timelines that truly will make you question the truth all the way to the end.


Thank you Poisened Press for my copy in exchange for my review!

This one starts off in fast forward but as the story progresses we get to a very slow build. The last 80% was also rewarding with twists and a solid conclusion.

My jaw has DROPPED
That ending was INSANE

It’s been so long since I’ve read a good thriller/mystery and WOW. This book really had me HOOKED from the prologue. This book is about a girl who dies in a tragic car accident and 10 years later the truth about that night started to become unveiled. There are 4 povs throughout the story. All these characters have some sort of connection to that night and it’s so so interesting being able to see from all these perspectives how the night affected these characters and how these secrets are affecting them.
I absolutely loved the buildup and anticipation throughout the story. It was done so so perfectly. It had me constantly thinking of what could be happening and theorizing.
The ending was what really got me!! I really did not see that coming and I gasped so loud when I read that ending. I’m absolutely blown away.

To anyone who likes mysteries and anticipation I would highly recommend this book!! It will be released on 1/30.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me an EArc!

Great pace and convincing setting. Strong character development grips you from the beginning. Ashley Tate’s Twent-Seven Minutes is a must read!

The burning question about what could have been done vs what was actually done in 27 minutes is the focus of this entire town West Wilmer for over a decade. This would have the difference that could have helped save Grant's sister. But there is someone else who has been missing as well and shows up suddenly in terrible health opening a new can of worms. It was a slow burn plot which slows down too much in the middle. There was a big reveal that worked for me but I felt it needed a trim as a whole. It had a great premise but too many characters dragged it a bit.