I love time travel books so much. This one was a mystery that really pulled at the heart. I think anyone would love to go back in time just for 60 minutes to right wrongs. The characters were all grieving their own experiences and each story hit you in the gut and made you feel it with them. On top of rooting for these people and being so empathetic you have this mystery at hand. One of my favorite netgalley reads!

“The Memory Collectors” by Dete Meserve is a gripping time travel mystery. This creative story centers around four strangers who travel back in time and arrive just before they experience a traumatic life altering event that changes their lives forever. The four are connected in this tragedy but they are not aware until a glitch happens with the time travel technology and they become stranded for an undetermined amount of time. The mystery that enfolds around them is heart wrenching and the element of not knowing if they will be able to return to the present keeps you flying through each chapter. This is a beautifully written speculative fiction which adds the elements of mystery and romance. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this genre.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mystery/suspense readers I have a great book for your TBR pile. This is a moving story that explores the question, “Would you go back in time and experience a random hour of your life? Even if you knew the timeline would reset and nothing you said or did would change anything?” In The Memory Collectors, we meet 4 people whose lives were changed by August 25, 2025 forever.

Elizabeth; who lost her adult son in a senseless accident
Andy; a bestselling author who lost (and never found) his true love
Logan; who lost the use of his legs and is paralyzed despite having climbed mountains
Brooke; a felon released from prison from a night she made a grave mistake

These 4 people go to the past, thanks to Aeon Technologies, the corporation who facilitates time travel. But in this case, they get stuck. A multi-POV story, we wonder how their lives may intersect, how they will experience life differently, and how they are forever changed afterwards.

This is a book that will have you turning the pages at a faster and faster pace, the anticipation of the timeline of events is immensely powerful. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy a psychological thriller, themes of “what if” and time travel.

Thanks to @netgalley and @crookenlanepublishers for the ARC. Book to be published 5/20/25.

I thought this was such an interesting premise for a speculative fiction novel- the ultimate "what if" story, that is about time travel and solving a mystery, but really to do with living with the choices we made. I really enjoyed reading this.

An extraordinary yet entirely believable premise: What if you could visit any moment in the past for just one hour?

Through the innovative Aeon company, time travel has become a reality, but it comes with strict limitations. You can’t choose the exact time you visit, you have to be selected through a rigorous application process, and most importantly, nothing you do can alter the present—at least, that’s the rule everyone has always believed to be unbreakable.

In The Memory Collectors, four strangers are unexpectedly brought together, each haunted by a life-altering incident from their past. When they discover that they’re still trapped in the past long after their hour should have ended, the group must unravel the mystery of what went wrong. As they work together to uncover the truth, they grapple with their past actions and their current desires to make changes.

Part thriller, part mystery, part romance, and fully immersive speculative fiction, The Memory Collectors will pull you in and make you reflect on the impact of your own past actions!

#crookedlanebooks #thememorycollectors #detemeserve

What would you do if you could spend an hour in your past? Four strangers in the beach town of Ventura, California are about to find out.
I must admit, I was immediately drawn to the premise of this story and it did not disappoint!

Elizabeth wants to return to her son, who died in an accident. Andy is desperate to find a lost love. Logan wants his freedom of movement back, after an accident left him in a wheelchair. And Brooke is hoping for relief from the guilt of a mistake from the past. Now, Aeon Expeditions have made it possible to return to the past for an hour. Except nothing you do there will change the future, it is just a chance to revisit what has been lost. But in a twist, each of the participants get more than they bargained for.

This was just so cleverly written, the way the author wove together stories and revealed truths. It was heart wrenching in places but also hopeful and I flew through this in less than a day. If you love a little time travel and a completely unique story, then this will be the one for you. 4.5*

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this gifted review copy.

Wow- this was a stand out read to me. I loved everything about it. In fact, I was so engrossed as it came to a close I almost was late to the Taylor Swift concert - that says something! This novel which is both sci fi and literary comes together so well and gives you much to think about - what if you could relive an hour of the past (without changing the future). I’d love to see more in this world whether a continuation of these characters or a new group.

This was such an unexpectedly fun read! It was a mix between sci-fi/mystery/lit fic. It had so many elements of a story that I really enjoy and this is one that I will think about for awhile.

In the future, there is a company who allows people to time jump to go back to the past for 60 minutes to relive a certain memory. 4 people did a time jump and all sent to the same exact day in the past but a glitch happened and they were essentially stuck there for longer and they had to figure out what to do while they waited to be returned back to the present. They didn't know each other, but their lives were connected in crazy ways. I love how this mystery all unfolded through the first 2/3 of the book. I couldn't put it down! I'm usually good at figuring out the mystery before everything is revealed but this one kept me guessing!

I would have rated it 5 stars, but it just felt a bit rushed and unsatisfactory in the end. When it actually ended, I thought "is this the last page? That can't be right." It just felt very rushed for the last 20% of the novel. Maybe I was just sad it ended so soon haha. But I do love how everyone learned lessons and how while they couldn't change the past, reliving the past had changed them for the future they came back to. It was very beautiful. A lot of quotable lines in the book that made you think.

Definitely recommend this if you loved "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" since it gave me the same vibes.

I didn't love the characters or the plot but on the whole this was a good read on the airplane. I think I expected more on the plot element of returning to the past rather than a character driven non-scifi novel.

This book is Brilliant. I am very picky when it comes to time travel books, because some are so far fetched and out there they're hard to believe. That is not the case for The Memory Collectors. The way this story is woven and told is genius. I LOVED it! A story of love, grief, forgiving, suspense, it checked all the boxes!

You need a pen and paper when you start to untangle the web you're about to step into. To keep all the characters and story straight. This is a book I wish I could re-read for the first time! It is going to be a favorite of many!

So happy I was granted the opportunity to read this one early.

I do love a good sci fi novel with time travel involved. I especially enjoyed how each of the characters' stories became intertwined. The writing was great, the characters were interesting and the length of the story was just right. I did feel that this was the sort of story that would leave some questions remaining for the reader. The ending felt a tad twee for my liking.

This book is so great! I love the time travel/2nd time alternate reality that these characters were stuck in. I love how all the stories connect, and I love the themes that were covered throughout the entirety of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Aeon Expeditions was an advanced technology created by a team of twenty two engineers with the goal of creating time travel, a one hour “jump” into the past. Why apply? If you could spend an hour in your past, you could have a few more moments with someone you lost. “Consciousness-complete with all our memories and emotions-can travel into our bodies…” “The way we enter and exit… creates a reset when we return…whatever we jumpers do in the past will bear no effect on the future.” Up to four applicants may jump per day. The cost was exorbitant. The acceptance rate for applicants was .001%. On August 25, 2025, the lives of four time travelers would drastically change; each wished to reconnect with significant others before the upheavals to come.

Elizabeth
“In the moment, [Sam] is still mine. I have the power to soothe and comfort him…” His future was erased in a senseless accident. Twenty year old Sam had seemed distant, leaving home at all hours of the night, stealing cash, stealing our boat. Last words to Sam were fighting words as he barreled out, slamming the front door. One hour with Sam might alleviate some of Elizabeth’s grief.

Andy
The summer he met Kate, his world turned upside-down. As an author, he had written five novels, however, his sixth had been rejected by the editor. He had lost his mojo, that was, until Kate. After a week-long romance he knew that she was “the one”. Without warning, she suddenly disappeared. Andy wanted one more hour with Kate.

Logan
Paralyzed in an accident, he viewed life from a wheelchair. He no longer had dreams. Strangers and friends alike did not see “that I was still someone who wanted the same things that they did”. In the past, “working out was the only way I stay sober…I was training to rid myself of the demons that had control of my life.” One hour would give me “extra time with a body that works. I’m going to use it every second I still have it.”

Brooke
She had it all…married…a child…a dream restaurant…a beautiful home…an idyllic life. A sudden, pale flash of light on a dark highway… now released after 900 days in county jail. A one hour jump might relieve some of the cruel reminders of the tragic night. Perhaps she could enter the highway five minutes earlier or five minutes later so as not to ruin lives.

“All great discoveries demand sacrifices in exchange for uncertain outcomes.” This is the case when the extracting process fails and each jumper is locked in the past on the day that impacts their lives and changes everything. The four protagonists had experienced joy, love, loneliness, grief, loss, guilt…a plethora of emotions. Could any outcomes be tweaked?

Through the vehicle of time travel, possibility existed. “We don’t change time. But time changes us. What will [be discovered] when you look back with fresh eyes? The most important part of your journey happens after [the jump has ended].”

Highly recommended.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The overall concept of the book- going in the past to relive the moment was something that caught my eye which is why I had decided to give it a read. However the overall story failed to amaze me. The story became pretty predictable once I started reading it. Though there were some lessons in the book (quotes basically) that i really liked. The ending could have been a little better with maybe showing the future and how all the characters ended up living. Overall i would say it was a one time read for me

Wow wow wow!!! What a touching story this was! I finished this in two days and loved it!!! I think you will too!

Four strangers are selected to travel an hour back to the past. They have no idea when that hour will be. However, they all have hopes to go back in time before something tragic happens in their lives.

These characters are humanly broken and I could feel their grief. Haven’t you thought about a time where you made a decision that changed your life forever? Wished you could go back and do it differently? Or lost someone you wished you could have back?

Sometimes life throws us curve balls. It’s what we do with them that counts! A compelling story that shouldn’t be missed!

Thank you to Dete Meserve, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity!

Publication date May 20, 2025
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book! Books about multiverses (which this one is not, but I thought could potentially be from the description) and time travel are often up my alley and this was no exception. I devoured this in less than 24 hours. I had a little trouble keeping the characters and what role they played in the story straight (although all chapters were clearly labeled with the POV) at first, but I quickly settled in. This was a wonderful debut and I will seek out other books by Dete Meserve! Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Memory Collectors was an amazing story about grief, forgiveness, and both literally and not, revisiting the past. I almost wanted to describe the idea behind the book as nostalgia but with the events that impacted our main characters that is too trite. One thing that did ring true, however, is that often times going back to a place that reminds you of a certain time in your life reveals for more than met the idea initially, and that’s especially true when revisiting the same place and time.

The book takes place in the not so distant future where the science and technology has been discovered to revisit a past event around the same time (and place) as it took place. This can only occur for an hour and the visit to the past, while taking place physically in one’s body versus viewing a memory, doesn’t alter the past. Four individuals, Logan, Elizabeth, Andy, and Brooke are all going back to the past and unknowingly going back to around the same time and place. The four are connected in heart rending ways without all knowing it, and this seems to cause a glitch in the technology, stranding them.

While the concept of time travel was fascinating, the mystery that unfolded around how the foursome were connected and if they’d ever make it back was the most absorbing element of the story. I loved about every page, the way it all unfolded and the absorbing events. The only element I’d wish improved is that this felt like it wrapped up too quickly in the end, when all these characters deserved some more time to reflect on what their pasts revealed. Still, this is a beautiful story and really sits with you.

Thank you Dete Meserve, Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this free ARC in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this speculative novel for the mystery and action which held my attention, and for how each character is distinct. It also has just the right amount of heart.

Unlike other books written in a similar way, switching points of view works well in this one, and allows the story to flow smoothly.

The Memory Collectors by new to me authgor D. Meserve, published by Crooked Lane Books, is a time travel novel.
Well written and beautifully thought out and beautifully ttold, the story held me in suspense from start till the very last page.