Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate
Publishing date - 01/30/24
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC. I enjoyed this great debut! The story is told from multiple points of view - Becca , Grant, June , and Wyatt which can sometimes be confusing , but this method flowed very well with this book. There are 2 times lines - 10 years ago and present day ; which I always enjoy when books are presented this way. So many twists and turns to this one…making it impossible to put the book down! Highly recommend this one when it releases next year!

This book had me intrigued as soon as I read the summary. Although it wasn't necessarily fast paced, the multiple points of view, as well as the past and present time jumps did help the story unfold in a slow burn kind of way.

Based on a small town where Grant, his sister Pheobe, and a friend were in a car accident. Pheobe's injuries were substantial, but she might have survived except for the twenty-seven minutes it took for her brother to call for help. 10 years later while the family plans a memorial in remembrance of Pheobe, another accident drudges up difficult memories and has the town voting on whether to tear the bridge down. As the memorial draws closer it reopens wounds, brings about new questions, and shows how grief never really goes away but lurks deep within ready to claw it's way to the surface at any moment.

I love a story with lots of twists and turns, especially if I don't see them coming. Although I really didn't figure it all out, in hind-sight I feel like I should have. Using multiple points of view, you are left to piece together what happened during that twenty-seven minutes Unfortunately, I didn't find any of the characters very likable so I wasn't really invested in any them. And in the end, well in the end, I wasn't wrong.

I enjoyed the book and continued on hoping to find someone that was redeemable or even likeable. Though that didn't necessarily happen, I did find the ending somewhat satisfying.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has to do with a party that led to a car crash that ended with a girl (Phoebe) dead, a guy that also went missing that night (Wyatt), and other people left behind to grieve and make sure their secrets of that night stay hidden. I really enjoyed all the suspense and build up that this books had. It did drag on a little bit but it also made me want to never put it down so I’d know what was going to happen next. The plot twist was a good one! It was done in a way that I didn’t see it coming until a little bit before it was revealed (which I think is how it was meant to be). The characters were done so well and were built up along with the plot. I started to feel like I knew them. We had a manipulator, a more obsessive person, a grieving character, and someone who is incredibly secretive (although aren’t they all hiding secrets?). I loved how the chapters set Ten Years ago were spaced throughout the novel and led up chronologically with what was being revealed without giving too much away so soon. I enjoyed how these POV’s were done in a lot of other minor characters we meet to find out more outside of the MC’s perspectives of what happened. Overall a really good and faced paced thriller!

Twenty seven minutes is how long it took Grant, the driver involved in a fatal car accident, to call for help. Had he called sooner, his sister may have survived.

Phoebe has been dead for ten years when the book opens. The family is having a memorial in her honor. The story is told in a dual timeline, before and after the accident. The entire town has been consumed by this tragedy and there are questions about how and why it happened.

The plot is unique and intriguing, though it felt very repetitious to me. I liked the book overall, but I didn’t love it. I give this book 3 stars and would recommend it to those who love a good twist and a shocking ending. Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy.

3.25 stars

Positives:
The tension build up in this book is great. You will keep reading based off on the intrigue and mystery. The characters immediately give off unreliable narrator vibes, and the splashes of truth of what happened 10 years ago will keep you trying to piece everything together.


Negatives:
Where this book falls flat is the ending. This book so easily could have amped up to a 4 star read with a different end. There was no real shock, and the only part that was shocking just felt poorly executed. Wyatt should not have been a point of view character (in my head at least). The other issue o has with this book was pacing- it was a real slow burner and with such a flat ending it didn’t quite feel worth it.

Small town, dark secrets, and accident always become an intriguing premise for me.

The book tells you the story about Phoebe Dean who died on car accident. The thing is why is her brother, Grant, took twenty seven minutes to call 911? If he'd called sooner, she might still be alive. Until 10 years later, the secrets keep buried but West Wilmer always remember Phoebe. But it's only June that realized her brother, Wyatt, went missing at the same time of the accident. But after 10 years, someone appears on her door and knows where her brother went all those years.

This book is pretty good. It's already appealing from the very first line on chapter. It's a fast paced story, short chapters that made it unputdownable, but with a strong suspense-building. Despite of the strong suspense-building, I found the execution is pretty short, so it ended just like that and I still have a few unanswered questions, so I feel like it can be much better if it explained more longer and detailed. The plot twist is pretty good, although I get a hint on the previous chapter so I was ready and not so suprised with it. The characters building is sooo good because I can also feel the frustating/grieving/traumatic feelings the characters are going through.

I think it would be more better if it's more longer explained. But overall the book is captivating and I enjoyed reading the book..

Thank you #AshleyTate #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for proving me with an #ARC of this book!

If you love a slow burn and multiple points of view, this debut will deliver a shocking twist of an ending.

It was a lot of build up to get to what happened during 27 endless minutes after a horrific car crash that takes one life and damages many other lives not at the scene. But this complex story that parallels two siblings and their close relationships was a fascinating character study of multiple dramatis personae and stifling small town existence.

This thriller had me guessing until the last chapters. I stayed up last night immersed into anticipation of finding out the truth. While I am not a fan of multiple POVs, this one did not disappoint me. I did feel like the first half dragged on a bit and could have cut some out. Other than that, it was a fun read! I would read another thriller by this author!

Great premise, but I feel like I didn’t get what I thought I was getting? I thought the 27 minutes might be unfolded over the course of the book, and I just felt, let down? Not sure. It wasn’t the worst book, but I did feel like it lacked cohesiveness, though Tate does have a lot of promise.

"Twenty-Seven Minutes" by Ashley Tate is an intense thriller set in a small town. The story follows characters dealing with a tragic accident's aftermath. Secrets unravel, and the mystery of a 27-minute delay in calling for help deepens. Tensions build as the anniversary of the incident approaches, leading to a shocking climax. Tate's storytelling weaves family drama, hidden motives, and gripping suspense. While a bit chaotic at times, it's a captivating read with unexpected twists. If you're into mysteries that mess with your mind, this debut novel is a must-read.

As an avid mystery/thriller reader, this was "I didn't see it coming". Kudos to Ashley Tate for keeping this reader preoccupied with the character issues that subtle giveaways were not picked up until after the ending. I normally do not enjoy past and present "jumping" with characters but this worked.

Synopsis

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? If he'd called sooner, she might still be alive. As the anniversary of Phoebe's death approaches, Grant is consumed by memories of that night on the bridge and everything he lost: his future, his reputation, his little sister. And the secret he's been keeping all these years is suffocating him. But he and Phoebe weren't the only ones in the car that night. Becca was there. She knows what happened—and she will do anything to help Grant keep his secret.

Review

Full of secrets and lies, a small group, Grant, Becca, and June struggle to come to terms with what really happened the night Phoebe dies in an accident. Each character has dealt with their grief in different ways and have had troubles coping. Now, ten years later, they are faced with an approaching memorial for Phoebe that has triggered their fears and anxieties about what happened that tragic night.

I found this book to be quite captivating. The author does a good job at digging into the psyche of the characters. It’s written in third person and jumps from now to ten years ago through memories from the characters. I thought the plot was great. It kept me very interested. At the end when it all comes crashing down around them and the truth about the events that took place the night of the accident come out, I was in total shock! I definitely did not predict the ending. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. I’d be very interested is reading another book by this author.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. It will be released Jan 30, 2024.

Following a horrific vehicular accident, which results in the death of his younger sister–Phoebe, Grant Dean struggles not only with his decision to drive while under the influence but also his justification for postponing the 911 call that may have saved her life.

Ten years later, many within the small town remain stuck in a state of hellish limbo, raw emotion left to fester and rot as they attempt to make sense of the twenty-seven-minute time lapse that changed their lives forever.

A gripping novel, for the most part, TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES will appeal to those who enjoy complicated family dynamics, a leisurely unfolding chain of events, and a titillating dose of supernatural intrigue. Although some will undoubtedly solve the mystery prematurely, most will agree Tate delightfully executes the unraveling. Much appreciation to the author, Poison Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

OMG! What a THRILLING RIDE!
Ashley Tate’s debut(?) thriller TWENTY SEVEN MINUTES just BLEW ME AWAY. It is a slow build with such an unbelievable climax that I am writing this with one hand while holding my jaw up off the floor with the other. I LOVED IT, LOVED IT.
Ten years ago, golden child Phoebe Dean was killed in an accident. Her older brother, Grant was driving the truck and he and Becca, a ‘friend’, were both also seriously injured when it went off a bridge. But why did it take twenty-seven minutes for Grant to go for help? Unconscious, too injured?
Phoebe had always been Grant’s driving force, pushing him to get to school, get to practice, keep his grades up, all in an effort to win a scholarship and get them both out of West Wilmer. This town is swimming in secrets and rumors. Grant has kept Becca on the end of the line for these ten years and she sincerely believes that they will follow through with their plan to be together.
Meanwhile, June Delroy has just buried her mother and is now alone since her brother, Wyatt took off the same night of the accident and hasn’t been heard from since, and her father walked out on them nine years ago. After her mother’s death, Wyatt returns to help her get things settled.
As Phoebe’s mother plans a memorial for the tenth anniversary, the town is bringing to vote whether or not they should destroy the bridge after another resident also dies there. Finally, at the memorial service, so many pieces fall into place for a few of these people and the truth is revealed, about the town, the rumors and how the ghosts of the past can affect the present and the future.
I could not walk away from this book. It was one of those books that you start and everything that you need to do just floats away as you are so wrapped up in the story that you need to force yourself to eat, drink, etc. I love Ms. Tate’s writing style. It said that this was her first novel, which shocked me. She will definitely be an author I follow closely and await her next with bated breath. Great job! 5+
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book. It was a fast read but a little repetitive and it all hinged on the end - which was admittedly satisfying.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

This book has a really strong premise, and some interesting twists but overall was just a TAD too chaotic and opaque for me. I loved the multiple POV, and I enjoyed the jumps back and forth between present day leading up to the memorial, and the past which unfolded into the night of the accident. The "what happened" to this missing time the night of the accident aspect was intriguing.

The story lost me just a little, as it felt like some scenes jumped into action without any preamble, and I occasionally felt like I had missed something. Dialogue would pick up without context or a scene would suddenly shift a little abruptly. And while I fully appreciated the reflection on grief and the impact that it has on people's lives, I think I would have loved this book more had it been set on the one year anniversary of the accident vs. the ten year anniversary - a few plot points and character storylines would have made more sense being closer to the original date of the accident vs. a decade out.

Still one to check out if you like twisting, suspenseful mysteries.

I enjoyed this book. I felt like it would be appealing more to YA readers more so than myself. There was lots of storylines to follow and it was a case of whodunnit. I truly didn’t see the ending coming. When the book was over my heart broke the most for June.

I really wanted to like this one: why DID it take Grant 27 minutes to call for help after an accident on a dark, rainy night? We go through 300+ pages to find out (although I guessed the ending at 10% in).

The story is set in a small rural town "ten years ago" and present time. POV switched between main characters Grant, Becca, June and Wyatt; and past vs. present. This did not bother me. I liked that the past was typeset in italics for clarification. What did detract was that June and Becca were too similar for me to keep straight at first: up until about 30% in, I kept asking myself "which one is this?"

The setting reminded me of a few of John Cougar Mellencamp's song lyrics...

Some of the situations didn't make sense. Who takes their cat to an animal shelter if it has a tummy ache? (Yes, people do do that kind of thing, but not if they want the animal back).

The ARC I read still has typos (missing words, double punctuation ",;", a character being called by the wrong name). I have highlighted these on my kindle if the author/editor cares to reach out.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review of this book.

This book was a slow read. Grant had lost his sister to a car accident 10 years when they were coming back from a party and is still shrouded by nightmares and rumors on why it took him 27 mins to call for help within which time his sister could have been saved if help had been called in time.
This book is written in multiple POVs and is a slow read. The ending is was kind of predictable hence the three stars.

I could not put it down.

Big thanks to the folks at NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.