I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry
A Mystery/Thriller, 2024 by Penguin, 465 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:
-This is a hyper specific one that will not affect my rating, just worth mentioning for anyone who watches my account closely. I was told this one released in November and that this was an ARC. It appears it was actually released in June. I am NOT late with my review. I was only approved for the ARC copy 10 days before the date I was told it was releasing. The incorrect information as well as the late notice sort of rankled me, if I’m honest.
-Some sloppy dialogue that comes across as lazy. This was my biggest problem with this one because dialogue is how I connect to the characters and really get an understanding of relationships. If the dialogue in a story is stilted and awkward, it’s really hard for me to get into the story.
-The pacing is jagged, rushing at some parts and stalling at others. The result is a story that feels uneven.
-The ending doesn’t work. It delivers a message that doesn’t match the story and feels forced.

What I Did Like:
+The multiple POVs help add to the tension of the story. It’s not really a case of who is lying but, instead, of what they aren’t telling you or don’t know. That makes this feel more realistic.
+Vanessa started off feeling like a throw-away character who wasn’t connected enough to the story. But, when things started to change (no spoilers) her story almost became more heartbreaking than the one we started with. I wanted her to be so much more socially aware than she was and I felt terrible for her.
+Forgiveness is addressed, briefly, in a decent way.

Who Should Read This One:
-Readers who want a quick mystery with multiple grey characters.

My Rating: 2 Stars
The lack of character connections coupled with a limping pace made this one problematic for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

Janie was 18 when her whole world was changed. The accident leaving her incapable of truly living anymore. She was no longer able to speak or walk, until she has a therapist who finds she can sing. This comes into play 20 years after her accident, as they have finally found the person responsible for it.

If the book would have only focused on Janie and what happened, I would have given it a higher rating. Instead, we have multiple story lines running through the whole novel. It was hard to be totally invested in the characters because of this. With nearly 500 pages, you'd think everything would be answered, but there are some loose ends that were introduced at the ending, and then never mentioned again. It was a clunky ending at best.

I didn't hate the book, but I feel like it could have been cut down some to make it more cohesive. I'm feeling generous today, so I'd say it's a 3.5* rounded down to three.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada/Doubleday Canada for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Jane Corry. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Twenty years ago, there is a tragic accident that leaves an 18-year-old Janie for dead on the street, hit by a van that then took off. In present time, Robbie Manning, international singing star, is arrested for Janie's attempted murder. Robbie has been waiting for the truth to come out for 20 years, but he's still terrified. Who knows the whole story of what happened that day?

There's a lot to unpack in this story, told from these two timelines from multiple POVs. We hear from Robbie and Janie, as well as Vanessa, a victim support person, and the judge. Everyone is holding secrets back for a multitude of reasons, and discovering all of them will take a bit of patience as they slowly merge. What I really enjoyed was exploring how one wrong decision can affect so many people down the line. I also enjoyed Vanessa's role as victim support as she helped witnesses navigate testifying. This is a twisty one, with well-developed characters, and an intriguing plot.

In I Died on a Tuesday, 18-year-old Janie is determined to find her mother, who she believes didn’t drown as everyone claims. While starting a new life in London, her plans are shattered when a van crashes into her. Meanwhile, Robbie, a famous singer with a dark secret, faces police questioning, and Vanessa, a witness support officer, struggles with the rule of not getting too close to those she helps. As the story unfolds, connections between the characters come to light, and twists keep the reader guessing. Engaging, with well-developed characters, I enjoy this book and would recommend!

The premise of this story truly got me and I couldn't help requesting it. Unfortunately the execution for me didn't work. It was just missing something for me to make it that much better. I could not connect with any of the characters.

Oh Jane Corry can certainly write a very compelling novel! I believe it's my first one by her and it won't be my last.

In 2004 Janie is riding her bicycle home after swimming seaside. She is hit and left for dead. Fast forward to 20 years later when a famous English singer is arrested for the accident.

This one was very engaging and I was immersed in the story. There are a few characters and scenarios introduced that are happening at the same time as the trial. I think the less you know about this one the better. Some things at the end just became a little too much and convenient but it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. It's a good one!

📖 Book Review 📖 One choice. One huge mistake. Lives changed forever. Twenty years later and the past has finally caught up with Robbie and no amount of fame and fortune can help him escape the error he made when he was younger. I Died On a Tuesday delves deep into the domino effect of our actions and how it impacts the lives of other people. Told in multiple point of views, Jane Corry brilliantly balances the storylines in a gripping yet heartfelt manner.

Not worth writing a review about…

I decided to give I Died on a Tuesday a 2-star rating because I was feeling generous. The writing was okay, but the story itself wasn’t that great. The pacing felt uneven, and the ending was just bizarre—everything wraps up with a hit song? WFT? It completely pulled me out of the story.

While the premise had potential, the execution left a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be picking up any other books from this author.

Heartbreaking story of a hit and run that leaves a teenager in a coma. This story explores what actually happened vs what the public believes. Fast paced family saga, not to be missed.

I loved beginning of this psychological thriller I Died on a Tuesday. Everyone has a secret I mean everyone, which at times made me a little a frustrated. The plot has many twisted and turns which can be engaging and other times a little exasperating. The characters are well developed, and we see small town connections.
There is a life lesson how decisions we make impact not only your life but that of others and the power of money.

3.5 stars

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found the first 60% of this one to be a very entertaining read with some interesting characters. Unfortunately after that it became a convoluted, melodramatic, over the top tale where everyone ends up having a terrible secret, much of which was unnecessary for the story. Dropping Janie's mom's storyline and that of the judge would have made for a much better read as they did nothing to propel the story and added to the incredibility factor and 'soap opera' feeling. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. 3.25/5 stars for the concept and the first part of the book.

I was hooked by the time I finished the first chapter in Jane Corry’s new book - I Died on a Tuesday

That first chapter takes place 20 years ago and we witness a horrific crime. We are then whisked to present day and the characters we will come to know. But, are we really going to get to know them? It seems that every character is hiding something ~ a lie, not the truth. Even the characters that I thought were 'good', are up to something.

Everything seems to stem from an eighteen year-old cyclist who was hit by a vehicle 20 years ago. I wondered how Corry was going to connect the two time frames, and what would come with that.

I really enjoy not knowing how a book is going to play out. Corry lays clues in front of us, but that changed many times as well. She takes us right up to the last pages tying up ends. A fitting finale. I quite enjoyed this book and would pick up another title by this author.

One thing about me is that I ALWAYS read more than one book at a time. It used to be that I would read 3 different genres, but now it’s usually 3 different formats. One audiobook, one physical book, and one ebook. The ebook is usually what I read before bed because I love the backlight so much for night reading. When I tell you this book took over, I mean I read no other genres or formats. I just ate this book up.

Finishing this book didn’t exactly put me in a reading slump or give me a reading hangover…but I did need a couple of days to process what I had just read!

Told in 3 different main perspectives, this story was  easy to follow. The characters all had very clear voices and I loved imagining each and every one, especially Vanessa. Sure, she made some questionable decisions that made me want to scream, but I just NEEDED to know what happened next.

I also thought Janies flashbacks to her thoughts and feelings directly after the crash were very well done. We would get little snippets of conversation from the person/people who hit her and I kept trying to put the puzzle pieces together!

The only reason this isn’t a 5 star read for me is because there were chunks of seemingly important information that just didn’t need to be included, in my opinion. I kept trying to make the information make sense to the mystery, and it just wouldn’t fit! Maybe it was just me? Either way, I’ll be looking out for more from Jane Corry!

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the chance to read this one early! It comes out tomorrow!

Is this one on your TBR?

Three individuals somehow connected to one singular tragic event.

Janie. Robbie. Vanessa.

Janie is a young 18-year-old woman from a small town on the cusp of launching a new life, with dream job in the city of London waiting for her. But she is tragically ploughed down by a van in a hit-and-run and left for dead.

Robbie is huge popstar with a lovely home, wife and two kids, living the dream life. He is a celebrity, but well respected, known for being an upstanding citizen and family man. Twenty years after the incident, Robbie is arrested and charged for hitting Janie. He goes willingly with police and accepts the charges with no denials. He has been running from this for two decades and it has caught up with him. But is he guilty?

Janie is not dead, and survived even after being in a coma. Although severely injured and maimed, and not able to speak, she wants to be involved in the justice process. Is she a reliable witness so many years later? How accurate is her memory in her current state?

Vanessa, a lady who lives in the small town, works as support for witnesses attending court proceedings. Vanessa has a complicated back story of her own and is tied to this incident in more ways than one.

This story had so many twists and turns, but it was not hard to follow. Several points of view were used, and there were many characters involved beyond the main three. I was pleasantly surprised by a couple of revelations, as I can usually tell what is coming up based on the author’s writing and clues. The author was able to cleverly weave the connections together. You had to stretch your imagination a little in some cases as there were a lot of coincidences. But that might just be expected in a small town.

I give this a solid 3. I have not read any other Jane Corry books, so this has piqued my curiosity about them. I do like a good mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advanced copy for an honest review.

This book had me feeling a variety of emotions. I was sad at times and mad at others.

Janie died on a Tuesday (such an attention grabbing title) and is revived the same day. Her life is completely changed after she’s left in a coma with multiple injuries. The person responsible fled the scene. Years later a famous singer is implicated and the case is brought to court. We get to know Vanessa, a witness support worker, and what’s going on in her life as she supports Janie through the court process.

There are so many layers and connections in the narrative. It all comes together in the end so it’s definitely worth sticking it out. I wasn’t completely satisfied with how it was all tied up but is justice ever really completely satisfying?

4.5 rounded up
Great use of multiple POV, easy to follow. Story came together nicely. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry was a captivating slow burn crime mystery that kept me glued to the pages.
A well written story and interesting characters.
It was fast-paced, and well plotted, with some shocking twists. It was hard to put down and easy to devour.
The characters are well drawn, and the story is well structured.
The plot has such amazing details that come through at just the right moment.

This was a bit of a slowburn at first, but man the intrigue was there. I adored my first Jane Corry book but this won’t be the last!

“On the day that I died, the sea was exceptionally flat. There was nothing to indicate that anything was amiss or that, in forty minutes, I would be out of this world.”


I Died on a Tuesday
by Jane Corry


QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Twenty years after an accident that changed her life forever. The person responsible is caught. But is there more to the story?

FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
This book is a hard number to put my finger on. It was a quick read and enjoyable. But I didn’t love it, and I can’t completely figure out the reason for that. It’s a crime drama with a lot of strings so be prepared to pay attention. But if crime dramas are you thing, I highly recommend it.

I just could not get into this one. It dragged and I felt no connection to these characters nor did I care about their outcome. I’m sorry.