The twenty-seven minutes of the title refers to the time that Grant Dean waits to call the police and medical help as his beloved and brilliant sister, Phoebe, lies dying on a bridge after a brutal car accident. Another person, Becca, was also in the car, and she knows all the secrets of this horrible crash. A sister and brother, June and Wyatt are also involved. The book covers three days leading to a memorial for Phoebe 10 years after her death and leads to a community vote about whether or not to demolish the bridge as if this inanimate object is to blame for Phoebe's death and Grant's mental agony . During those 10 years, Becca has been psychologically torturing Grant, and she herself is tortured by what she knows but has to keep to herself.

The relationship between June and the shade of Wyatt is a tale of adamantine and spiritual love between siblings. June, who has been living by herself in the family home, thinks that Wyatt is back home and will take care of her. The shock of the ending which involves June and Wyatt is completely unpredictable. The web of lies and tragedy that affects these five former friends and other townspeople is deep and sad and keeps the reader riveted to the page

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this compelling book.

Small town story full of secrets and rumors with a mind-blowing turn of events.

This novel was a lot of slow burn, world building that pays off towards the end of it. Loads of trauma after a life shattering accident that was felt through the entire town —lingering even 10 years later. Everybody knew Phoebe in this small claustrophobic town. Only one persistent question: Why did it take him those 27 long minutes to call for help?

I felt for all of these characters, as they all lost something even if it hurt them in different ways. Becca and her coping mechanisms and lost memories from the accident. June who’d just lost her mother, and her brother popping up out of nowhere. And then there’s Grant, the puppeteer and mastermind that just slowly became both my favorite and absolutely disliked character so fast.

The ending was absolutely devastating and in my honest opinion, came right out of left field.

Publisher note: I will post on Instagram and promote in January prior to its release.

Was incredibly excited to get picked for this book! Man, was it a good one! Sucks you in right away and doesn't really let go. The grief and pain just bled out through these pages. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with this book.

"Twenty Seven Minutes" is a gripping and emotionally charged novel that immerses readers in the heart of a small town struggling to cope with tragedy. The story revolves around the untimely death of Phoebe, a young girl, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her demise. Tate weaves a complex tapestry of grief, secrets, and human nature that captivates from the very first page.

Set in the claustrophobic town of West Wilmer, the narrative focuses on the unanswered question: Why did it take Grant Dean, Phoebe's brother, twenty-seven minutes to call for help on the night of the fatal car accident? This query becomes a haunting presence in the lives of the characters and the town as a whole. Tate masterfully builds tension as the characters grapple with their own guilt, fears, and hidden truths.

The exploration of small-town dynamics and the impact of tragedy on a closely-knit community is a strong suit of the novel. Tate skillfully delves into the lives of various residents, revealing their struggles, relationships, and the interconnectedness that defines their existence.

The character development is compelling, making you feel deeply for their pain and secrets.The writing style is evocative and immersive, transporting readers to the heart of West Wilmer's emotional landscape. Tate's ability to balance the mystery with poignant emotional moments ensures a well-rounded reading experience. The pacing keeps the suspense taut, gradually unveiling the truth behind the mystery..

"Twenty Seven Minutes" is a haunting and beautifully crafted novel that resonates with readers long after the last page. Ashley Tate's exploration of loss, guilt, and the intricacies of relationships showcases her ability to create a compelling narrative that tugs at the heartstrings. This book is a must-read for those who appreciate mystery intertwined with emotional depth and a keen understanding of human psychology.

I enjoyed this book. The story was interesting though not completely one of a kind, the characters were good. Some I enjoyed more than others and being a huge horror and mystery reader, I was not too shocked but I did enjoy the book

Didn’t expect to finish this book in one day but after the first chapter, I couldn’t stop reading. It was full of twists, interesting characters and was atmospheric, creepy and suspenseful.

All the characters are insufferable - but it’s still very gripping and an easy “one sitting” book. It’s very well written- I mean, I legitimately hated 95% of the characters.. and I did like the smaller spooky tones. Looking forward to seeing what else this author has up their sleeves! 3.5 rounded up!


Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me an arc in exchange for my review

This book was so intriguing and I was so excited to read it the minute I read the synopsis.

The story is told from multiple points of view from the main characters and follows two timelines to help you get a grasp on what is happening and what happened in the past to lead up to that point.

Grief is a very dark and hard thing to go through, we each have our own reactions and emotions when going through it and I personally loved that this book showed that.

I am usually great at guessing what the big reveals are in books but I was nowhere near right for this one.

This was a fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Tate may be a debut author, but she so skillfully builds dual stifling tensions from guilt and small-town gossip that I found it hard to breathe. This is more than just another thriller; this is a book about hard emotions and how they can make a hard life even more oppressive. All of these characters have been through so much, and hopefully they now have some glimmer of, well, if not hope, of release.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced reader copy of this story. Twenty-eight minutes is a slow burn. The author writes well and fully develops each character, showing the damage that grief and guilt can do in regards to the death of a beloved teen and the disappearance of another. Family dynamics after loss are explored well here. While I enjoyed the story, the ending in particular, it felt like it took a long time to get there. I would have appreciated a more propulsive story, but that’s just me.

The synopsis of this book really had me hooked from the beginning however once I started reading I struggled with some of the character dialogue. At times I felt they were talking about the accident as if it happened yesterday but in actuality it happened 10 years ago. Also, I felt like some things the characters said were out of nowhere and the reader had no context. With that being said I did however enjoy the concept of the book and I liked the twist at the end. I found the book lacked in major suspense building and found it somewhat predictable overall. I understand this is the authors debut novel and I would definitely try reading something else from her as I really did like the concept she was striving for. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

My Review:
Wow, just wow!!!!! Loved!!!!! For a debut novel I thought this book was great. It pulled at every emotion I had in my body. I felt what each of these characters felt. Told from multiple points views and going back from past to present made this one awesome. You got to see how everyone was before and after what happened. You saw them grow and change. Some in good ways but also some in bad ways too. Let’s talk about that ending. It was so shocking and left me totally speechless. I had no clue. I was wondering throughout the whole book how all these characters were connected and boy I didn’t see that one coming at all. That ending was wrapped up nicely. I will definitely read this author again.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The title intrigued me! Why did it take Grant 27 minutes to call 911 when the accident happened?

There was a party that brother and sister, Grant and Phoebe attended and left together but they weren’t the only ones, Becca was with them in the truck, she needed a ride home. Phoebe is angry with Grant for not sticking to their “plan”. It’s raining hard, something in the dark makes Grant swerve and crash the truck! There’s screaming, blood and decisions that need to be made.
It’s been 10 years since the accident, told in 2 timelines. June’s brother, Wyatt disappeared the same night as the accident after an argument with his Dad, coincidence? The anniversary of Phoebe’s death approaches and Grant is overwhelmed, consumed by the horrible night and the memories that linger. Becca is the only other person who was in the car, she had a concussion. Is she a reliable witness? Grant has a secret.
Filled with trauma, lies, mental illness and suspense, this novel takes you into the lives of those who are struck by a spur of the moment accident and how it changed their lives forever.

I enjoyed the suspenseful storyline as hard as it is to accept death and loss. For me, it took me a bit longer to read and stay engaged as normal, easy to put down, the middle seemed a bit daunting, but as the end neared I needed to know.
4 stars! Thanks @netgalley and @poisonedpressed for the ARC

Firstly thank you for the advanced copy of this book!

As a avid reader of psychological thrillers I absolutely loved this book. I liked the title as it didn’t give too much away, the storyline kept you guessing “why” the entire time and I loved the different view points of each character in the future (trying not to give too much away here!)

Genuinely couldn’t put this book down, really
Recommend for anyone looking for a great storyline that keeps you hooked!

Well done Ashley Tate I can’t wait to see what you publish next!

The beginning started out strong and I wanted to like this, but when I finished I was left miserable just like every single character in the story. High schooler Phoebe wants to get out of town and is trying to keep her brother out of trouble so they can leave together. On the way home from a party, they're in a terrible accident and Phoebe is killed. If her brother hadn't waited 27 minutes to call for help, she may have lived. The characters are really well developed, but every person's life is horrid and, with the possible exception of one character, was that way already before the accident so we don't see much of a shift in personality change/development. Important details that the reader would like to know are blatantly hinted at, but take so long to be revealed it makes the story feel very slow. If the twist at the end was worthy, it might be worth the slow lead up, but unfortunately it was a bit lackluster and predictable.

This was a really great debut novel. I enjoyed the intertwining of the characters’ stories and the different points of views. It was a fast read and kept my attention. I loved how it kept giving you a little information on the past at a time until everything unfolded. I am really glad I was able receive an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley! I would definitely recommend this book!

I didn’t love this book, unfortunately. Couldn’t connect with any of the characters and didn’t have enough suspense to care what happened in those 27 minutes.

In this mystery thriller we have very unreliable narrators. We keep going back from present day to a tragic event that occurred on the bridge that ended up in the death of Phoebe. In this we are exploring from different points of view events that happened that night and the following days leading up to it. When we are in present day we hear about the loss of one of the other characters we have a pov from mother and the death of another individual that happened on the same bridge.
I feel Ashely Tate did a really good job making me feel annoyed and angry with Becca to pity.
I do feel that everything was very clear cut and i wasn’t really surprised by much of the events that were the twists in the end. In the end I really enjoyed my time while reading and will be reading more Ashley Tate in the further.

A riveting debut novel! The plot was gripping, the characters were complex and richly drawn, and that twist! I can't wait for more from this author. Bravo.

This was a great read! Grant and Phoebe were the closest of siblings who had to band together after their father dies and their mother struggled. Phoebe seemed like Ms. Perfect doing everything right and having a master plan to get them out of town together. Grant starts to slip getting involved with things he shouldn't.

Phoebe wants nothing to ruin their plans.

On the way home from a party in town a terrible accident happens on a bridge ending Phoebe's life. Also in the car was Becca--a very unreliable character who is obsessed with Grant. The big question is what happened in the 26 minutes it took for. 911 call to be made for help. A time frame that could have saved Phoebe's life.

This book slowly peels back the layers of the fateful night. It was a slow boil and highly enjoyable.