I enjoyed this mystery/thriller even though I’m not generally a fan of misdirection storytelling. Grief, trauma and secrets are a constant theme throughout this dual-timeline, multi-POV book. I had no idea how it was going to tie together up until 85% of the way through, but it all comes together nicely (albeit quite sadly) in the end. Well done for a debut novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sending this ARC for my review consideration. All opinions are my own.

"Twenty-seven minutes follows the death of Phoebe Dean. For the past ten years, the town has grieved the death of Phoebe but there is only one question that needs to be answered... why did it take Grant Dean twenty-seven minutes to call for help?"

I was intrigued by the blurb, so was excited to read. The novel started out enjoyable. We were introduced to the characters, thrown into the mystery, and encapsulated by the grotesque and vivid imagery.

With multiple POV's, we were taken on a journey through the minds of everyone involved - from the brother, to the neighbour, to Phoebe Dean herself. However, it took me a while to learn the connections that each character had to one another. There were timeline gaps, and constant chapter changes from past to present time, which confused me. The end twist was unpredictable, and the final 15% of the book really left me wanting to continue reading! But unfortunately I found that the build-up to the suspense just didn't do it for me. Nothing really happened in the first 85% of the book.

The characters each dealt with grief and trauma in their own way, and I commend the author for writing such a powerful plot.

In conclusion, there were definitely positive and negative take-aways from the novel. The characters well well-written, the final plot-twist was enjoyable and the use of grief and trauma was captivating as a reader. However, I think the suspense dragged on for a little too long, and nothing notable happens until the end of the novel. Overall, 3/5 stars.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review the advanced reader copy of Twenty-Seven Minutes.

This felt incredibly long with not a lot of answers until the very very last chapter. I was pulled in but at about 60% it felt repetitive and soap-opera-y. I did not resonate with any of the characters felt Phoebe and Becca personality’s were so unbelievable. How obsessed can a sister be with her brother a girl with a boy/situation that she doesn’t even fully know what happened. I really satisfied with the ending, all that for that to be the ending?!
I did like the different perspectives with the mix of current and 10 years ago. Overall an interesting story but way too long winded with a twist that could have been seen early on.

The novel grabs your attention at the beginning of the story. A tragic accident that killed Phoebe Her brother was driving and hit something. Another person in the truck has memory loss and is protecting Grant. Then the novel hits a long stretch of slowing down. Then 10 years later we learn the shocking truth of that night.

This story is told through multiple character viewpoints and goes back and forth between the present and ten years prior.

I was surprised by the ending, but I feel like it took so long to get there, that I just didn't care that much anymore. I thought the book was okay while I was reading, but I was never in any hurry to get back to it.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for an early copy of this book. The opinions are mine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Why did Grant wait 27 minutes to call an ambulance the night a fatal car accident took his sisters life? So, I’m immediately drawn in by the premise. The whole book was a slow burn for me leading up to that fateful night. The twist was complete unexpected for me and I loved that!

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for the ARC.

Told from rotating POVs, this is a unique, dark debut novel with secrets, twists and the dark hole that is grief.

It was a bit rambling at times, repetitive, but still an interesting read. I really wanted to know what happened that night and didn't see the twist coming. Once revealed though, thinking back, the whole book made sense.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

“In this stunning and propulsive debut, a town grieves the loss of a young girl—but some fight to keep the truth about her death a secret.” Unfortunately, the story was neither stunning nor propulsive. The story dragged on and on, and I certainly wasn’t driven to continue reading.

Ten years ago, a teen-aged Grant was driving a vehicle with his sister, Phoebe, and one other passenger, Becca. An accident occurred, and the whole town has been wondering why Grant waited 27 minutes to call for an ambulance for his sister. The answer is revealed in the final few pages of the book. It was a monumental chore to get to the end. There are multiple points of view and time periods, but it’s all just a rehash of the same things. There really isn’t a plot, just a revealing of a secret, which wasn’t such a twist or suspenseful. The characters are either unpleasant, doormats or suffering from a mental illness, and none have matured in the 10 years since the accident.

If you're thinking about adding to your reading list, the answer should be a hard no.

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It felt like nothing happened, and yet I wanted to know what happened and couldn't put it down. There were a lot of POVs and it took me a bit to get everyone straight and figure out how they came to play. Fairly fast-paced and my curiosity kept me going, even if thinking back, it was kinda a boring read. The ending was a little predictable (at least with who was going to be involved, maybe not exactly what happened), and it was a lot of build-up to get there. The writing was well-done, even with very unlikable characters.

Review live now on GoodReads and StoryGraph.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate. It revolves around a car accident that took a teenage girl, Phoebe's life several years ago. One of the biggest questions for the book is, why did her brother, Dean, wait Twenty-Seven Minutes to call an ambulance? If he had called sooner, she could possibly still be alive. Twists and secrets throughout the book. I would recommend if you like slow-burns, mysteries, and thrillers! 🙂🙂🙂

Slow ascent, suspenseful twists, and a sudden drop…

Book Information

Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate is a 336-page mystery/thriller that is due to be published on January 30, 2024. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book for review.

Summary

In the past decade, the tight-knit town of West Wilmer has grappled with the mystery surrounding Grant Dean's delayed call for help on the tragic night his sister, Phoebe, lost her life in a car accident. As the anniversary approaches, Grant, haunted by memories and a hidden secret, faces the weight of what he lost that night. Unbeknownst to many, Becca, a witness to the accident, is willing to go to great lengths to help Grant protect his concealed truth.

While Phoebe's memory looms large in West Wilmer, only June remembers the other tragedy from that night—the disappearance of her brother, Wyatt. Now, alone and without family or friends, June's world is shaken when someone arrives at her door, holding the key to Wyatt's whereabouts and the real events that unfolded on the bridge. A revelation is on the horizon, and the truth is poised to finally emerge.

My Thoughts

"Twenty-Seven Minutes" by Ashley Tate is a suspenseful thriller that kicks off with a gripping and shocking opening scene. However, as the narrative progresses, the pacing slows down considerably, with the next 80% primarily focused on suspense building. The story unfolds through multiple points of view, providing insights from the main characters and spanning two timelines.

One notable aspect is the abundance of characters, occasionally posing a challenge for readers to keep track of the various relationships and individuals. Despite this, the primary characters are fairly well-developed, contributing depth to the narrative.

A significant drawback for me was the lack of likable characters, as most of them come across as dark and unrelatable. The inclusion of a character with apparent psychological issues raises concerns, as the portrayal of mental health challenges without proper resolution helps to perpetuate stigmas.

I figured out the pending big twist at around the 60% mark. However, we don’t reach resolution until it unfolds abruptly in the final pages, marking a stark contrast to the extensive 350 pages of buildup. It seemed like a very long way to go to get to what is a substantial surprise if you haven’t figured it out, but a few pages of surprise may not satisfy some readers based on the investment.

Recommendation

"Twenty-Seven Minutes" delivers an intense opening and a well-developed set of primary characters, but its slow-paced progression and an abundance of dark and unrelatable personalities may deter some readers. While the big twist introduces a compelling element, the abrupt resolution in the final pages may leave others yearning for a more satisfying conclusion. Overall, it's a book for those who appreciate prolonged suspense and are willing to navigate a complex web of characters.

Rating

3 Small Town Stars

Thank you Netgalley & Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC of Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate. This is a tough one for me to rate, but 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads!

Great debut - This is SO well written. The book follows a town grieving for the loss of a young girl from 10 years earlier. Why did it take her brother 27 minutes to call for help on the night of the accident? If he'd called sooner, Phoebe might still be alive.

The mystery of what happened the night Phoebe died ties into another from that very same night with another family. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and two storylines coming together into one here. Chapters from 10 years prior to today kept me engaged throughout. This story is definitely a slow burn, and while well-written, takes a while to get to the action. It's extremely suspenseful, for sure! I predicted the big "twist" and wish we got more out of the ending, but very creative and I absolutely can't wait to see what else this author comes up with.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is an absolute page turner. Not so much a whodunit as it is a "what the heck happened anyway?" Set in the small town of West Wilmer, the book explores the lives of June, Grant, and Becca, and many of their high-school classmates after tragedy befell them during their Senior Year of High School. Now it's ten years later, and Grant's sister Phoebe, who died during the tragedy, has become immortalized in the eyes of the small town, who will come together for a final goodbye memorial.

Throughout the course of the novel, the reader only wants to know one thing - why did Grant wait twenty-seven minutes before calling an ambulance after his truck had crashed on that fateful night?. I'd venture to call this book a psychological thriller, as we are guessing what really happened until the last few pages I'll admit I was absolutely shocked by the ending, but looking back I can see it all along. I was frustrated it took us quite so long together, but that might be more about my personality than it is about the book itself. This one will be a great choice for a cozy Winter weekend inside.

This is my first book from Ashley Tate and it was really good. I kind of predicted what was going to happen, so for that reason I’d only give it 4 out of 5 stars. I’d still recommend to a friend though!

What a ride that was! I didn’t know what to expect and it really hooked me in, wanting to know what really happened!
Twenty seven minutes is how long it took Grant Dean to call the cops after an accident, his sister died in those twenty seven minutes and it’s haunts him to this day but what really happened?
I really enjoyed the different POVs in this book and how it would go between timelines so you got a fuller picture of the characters. I really started to love Junes character and how even though she wasn’t involved in the accident her story was connected because that same night her brother ran away from home.
A interesting story about lies and just how far people will go to keep the truth buried. Highly recommend

Unfortunately this is a DNF for me. The opening chapter was great and I was excited for more. After that we meet a whole group of highly unlikeable people who are all very self obsessed. It was slow and not really going anywhere. I find myself not caring and that is when I need to stop reading.

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. Too YA feeling for me.

Although a mystery, there's so much angst and hand wringing in Twenty-Seven Minutes, the real suspense comes from trying to figure out when something substantial is going to happen. The "past and present" narrative works (somewhat) well in developing the plot, but with virtually every character in both time frames professing guilt and blame for the title's twenty-seven minutes, it also adds to the sluggish pace. The "I see dead people" twist is clever but over utilized, which lessens the impact. What actually happened during the twenty seven minutes is a true revelation, but by the end of the novel your enthusiasm for finding this out is nearly nonexistent.

This book was well-written - intriguing, dark, and emotional. It seems that it came from a place where the mind is troubled and in despair. The small community lifestyle and how it affects family legacy and histories with no escape, where judgments, even imagined are there every waking moment. The bonds, especially between brothers/sisters are loving, dysfunctional, and truly disturbing.

Tate’s debut novel was based around a grieving town rocked to its core following the death of a promising young student a decade ago. Her writing is delightfully sharp and observant, creating a taut, raw and highly anticipating read. Especially with the good pacing throughout.

I do have to say I would of loved to of seen slightly more suspense and thrill throughout the novel. I felt the storyline to be brilliant but would of loved the SHOCK FACTOR at the end of the book. I loved the dual character perspective writing style, however I did feel like the writer was maybe trying to do too much at times with also then incorporating the dual timelines aspect alongside this.

I wouldn’t recommend this book. Very slow, not a lot of connecting parts and while it held the “truth” for the end there wasn’t a lot of build up or “WHAT” to the true details of the story.

Ten years ago (from present day) there was a horrible accident on a bridge in a small town. A HS party had been held, and a brother (Grant), sister, and a classmate (Becca) traveling home after the party, get in a horrific car accident. The sister, Phoebe, passes away.

Present day, another death has occurred on the bridge. A group of townspeople are petitioning to remove the bridge given its “horrible past”. This brings up a lot of unresolved feelings and questions around the accident ten years ago.

What is really going on in this small town? What is the truth behind the accident that occurred ten years ago?