The time is 1944 in London and two teens, Charlie and Molly are facing repercussions of the second world war. When both teens lose their families, Ignatius Oliver takes them into his Book Shop and residence. I believe this book does a wonderful job of explaining the daily lives of those waiting out the Germans and possible death. Charlie’s job as a messenger was interesting as he delivered telegrams to make money. Molly used her skills as a nurse sharing with the reader the conditions of those in hospitals both mentally and physically. The trust, care and concern the three had for each other was exemplary. This story has great characters, a tragedy of the times, and what it means to be a friend.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

If you are familiar with Baldacci’s thrillers, this book is totally different. I would consider this historical fiction. Two children, seemingly orphaned in London during World War 2 are taken in by a kindly widower, still grieving for his wife. All three characters have suffered numerous losses. Yet, they come to depend on each other in order to make it through the war. Each has secrets about their lives that they slowly begin to share as their trust for each other grows. The characters are likable and the story is a good one. However, the beginning is very slow moving and it isn’t until you are about 40% into the book that things start to pick up. Stick with it and you will find an engaging plot.

A departure from Baldacci's recent Thrillers such as the "Memory Man" series, or "The 6:20 Man" series, this is a quaint Historical Fiction taking place in war torn London in the latter parts of World War II. Even though the USA has joined the fight, the Nazis continue to pound London at night with bombing raids, and later the V-2 rocket. The story focuses on 3 individuals from completely different backgrounds trying to cope with wartime in their own way, until tragedy strikes and brings them together.
One character, looking back on these times muses : " We all need someone at certain times in our lives. It makes the inevitable pain lessened and the periods of happiness exalted."
Charlie, Molly and "Iggy" find solace in one another and solve several mysteries along the way, including what happened to Molly's parents before she returned to London from the Country and just what is Ignatius Oliver doing with what could only be a German Spy while at the same time being a very brave air raid warden at night.
As the 3 form a friendship, most of the story takes place around the Book Keep, a small book shop owned and operated by Mr. Oliver's late wife Imogen ( whose death also needs to "solved.)
Although not a thriller by any stretch , Baldacci has crafted a very enjoyable Historical Novel to capture the imagination of any reader. I would certainly recommend.

"We all need someone at certain times in our lives. It makes the inevitable pain lessened and the periods of happiness exalted."

In a departure from his previous novels, literary legend David Baldacci ventures into a story revolving around the London Blitzes of 1944. Against the backdrop of WWII German aircraft bombing London, Baldacci paints a story of the most unlikely people helping one another. Their bonds become unbreakable and transcend social class, age, and gender.

Molly is fifteen, comes from wealth, and is just returning from a five-year stay with a host family in the country. Charlie is a fourteen-year-old orphan who is living in poverty with his grandmother and doing whatever he can to help them survive. Ignatius is a bookstore owner who is grieving from the recent loss of his wife. Dire circumstances bring them together in an engrossing tale of friendship, war, resilience, and found family. Each of them is keeping secrets, which is a compelling element of the novel. I highly recommend this historical mystery to fans of the genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and David Baldacci for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

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David Baldacci's "Strangers in Time" is a poignant World War II novel that intertwines the lives of three individuals against the backdrop of war torn London. The narrative follows 13-year-old Charlie Matters, 15-year-old Molly Jones, and the bookstore owner Ignatius Oliver as they navigate their world during war and uncover secrets that bring them together.

Baldacci's research brings that era to life, immersing readers in the sights and sounds of 1944 London. The characters are well developed; Charlie's resilience, Molly's determination, and Mr. Oliver's past add depth to the story. Their relationships highlight themes of survival, trust, and the healing power of family.

The novel's pacing is well done, balancing moments of intense action with character development. The transitions between different points of view provide an understanding of each character's motivations and struggles. Baldacci also offers a fresh perspective on the London Blitz, exploring its lesser-known details and presenting a narrative that stands out.

"Strangers in Time" is more than just a historical account; it's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the unexpected bonds that can form in times of adversity. It's a story that will resonate with readers long after they've turned the last page.
#strangersintime
#netgalley

Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters is up to no good, but for a very good reason. Without parents, peerage, or merit, he steals what he needs, living day-to-day until he’s old enough to enlist to fight the Germans. After barely surviving the Blitz, Charlie knows there’s no telling when a falling bomb might end his life. Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield has just returned to a nearly unrecognizable London. One of millions of children to have been evacuated to the countryside Molly has been away from her home for nearly five years. Her return, however, is not the homecoming she’d hoped for as she’s confronted by a devastating reality: neither of her parents are there.

Without guardians and stability, Charlie and Molly find an unexpected ally and protector in Ignatius Oliver, and solace at his book shop, The Book Keep. Mourning the recent loss of his wife, Ignatius forms a kinship with both children, and in each other they rediscover the spirit of family each has lost. But Charlie’s escapades in the city have not gone unnoticed, and someone’s been following Molly since she returned to London. And Ignatius is harboring his own secrets, which could have terrible consequences for all of them.

There are a lot of mysteries in this, and a lot of heartbreak. It is, after all, set in wartime London. It's a door stopper at almost 450 pages, but the story is engaging all the way through. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Molly, and enjoyed watching the mysteries unravel. Enjoyable read! 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I was thrilled to receive the new David Baldacci book since I’m a long-time fan and adore his stories.

This one is different and difficult to get through the first quarter of the book.. Different as a WWII story, different as not his usual suspenseful drama, and different as I didn’t enjoy reading it at first so put it aside. Difficult with a choppy and less mature writing style, difficult with a Young Adult disposition, and difficult as yet another WWII story.

After visiting the magnificent WWII Museum in New Orleans, I picked the book up again and thankfully at ~100 pages in, the story picked up somewhat with the introduction of Molly. It slowly went uphill from there but not at all in the usual Baldacci way. Four stars for a decent story and for this talented, captivating writer who tried something else. Hopeful his usual style and action-packed thrillers return soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A stand out stand alone book by David Baldacci. This is not your expected book from the prolific, series author.
Set in war-torn London in 1945, Charlie and Molly are two young city dwellers, alone in the world, in need of a friend. They meet and form a bond with a local book shop owner.
David Baldacci writes an incredibly moving novel exploring their losses and victories at the end of WWII.
You will not get what you expect from your usual David Baldacci book. You will get so much more! A must-read.

Strangers in Time is set in London during World War 2. 3 strangers, Molly, Charlie, and Ignatius happen upon each other by chance and form an alliance as they all work to survive the war.
I thought this book was written so well. The author did a great job of making it so easy to read. It was a different perspective of the war than I’d read before and it was interesting to get new looks into all the jobs and things people did to survive. Overall a good read.

As always Baldacci’s characters were beautifully fleshed out and his settings were realistic. As with his other novels, I could feel what his characters were feeling and I could hear and smell the surrounding sounds and odors. The prose was exquisite and flowed easily.

Unlike the other books of his that I’ve read, this one read like a YA book: short sentences, simplistic actions/solutions along with lots of repetition. However with 450 pages, I can’t justify its being designed as targeting a YA audience.

The theme seems to be the underlying goodness of people even in the depth of the squalor of WWII in London. It was very uplifting.

IMO the novel would have benefited from tightening the scenes, deleting all the repetitions and not waiting until the very end to throw all the answers to all the questions at the reader. But all in all an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Baldacci does it again! The subject matter was unlike the other Baldacci novels I’ve read and I’ve read so many books set in WWII that I couldn’t imagine a plot that would interest or surprise me. But knowing the great writer Baldacci is, I decided to give it a try. So glad I did, would have hated missing this read!
As always, the writing is well done, well balanced between world building, inner dialogue and dialogue. The writing seems effortless making the book easy to read and never losing pace.
Truly loved all the main characters. What a beautiful story set in war time of the resilience of spirit and creating family and love after loss.
Would make a great book club choice as there would be lots to dissect, debate and reminisce over.

We meet three wonderful characters in 1944 London.

Charlie Matters who wears tattered clothes, too-small shoes, who lies to his grandmother, who quit school, and steals things.

Molly Wakefield who just returned home to her well-to-do neighborhood after being with a family in the country to avoid the London bombings.

Ignatius Oliver who befriends both Charlie and Molly, who owns a bookstore, and who Charlie stole from.

How do they become friends? What brings them together?

These three unlikely characters were brought together because they all needed someone.

The book focused on friendship and people taking care of each other.

The storyline was quite engaging, and I loved Charlie Matters for his scrabbly, trying-to-stay alive-and-out-of-the-workhouse personality and also for some of his honest deeds.

Charlie’s Grandma was wonderful as well - I think she knew all the things Charlie was up to.

Molly and Oliver were just lonely, wonderful people.

If you need a heartwarming, but heartbreaking read at times, this is it.

There is even a bit of a mystery along with short, pull-you-in chapters. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Unusual for a Baldacci book. The story takes place during WW2. I enjoyed the characters and even though it took longer to get into this book, it ultimately was very enjoyable. He is a great writer and I've read all his books. I recommend this story but remember to keep on going. It's worth it.

The book does start off slow, with a methodical pacing that may leave readers wondering where the plot is heading. However, as the layers unfold, the story picks up momentum and dives into some fascinating themes that keep you hooked despite the slow beginning.That said, one of the major tones in the book is undeniably heavy, and the overwhelming presence of death and loss can be quite depressing. Many of the characters go through intense emotional turmoil, If you’re okay with a somber tone and can stick with the pacing, it’s definitely worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for advanced copy

I believe this is the author's first attempt at historical fiction and I am not sure how successful it was. He clearly did a lot of research on World War II and its effects on the citizens of London. The story involves two young people who are mostly alone in the world and an older bookstore owner who is also relatively alone. The three come together in different ways that are sometimes believable and sometimes not. The end product just did not work for me but I think most people will like it so I will recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an ARC.

This book is set in London during WWII. It is a story about the lives of people from different social circles who come together and become family. They are all equal in their fight for survival. This is not your usual Baldacci book but it is a compelling read that I couldn’t put down. I think it is one of the best books he has written. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I think this is the first David Baldacci book that I've read. I quickly lost myself in the story, especially Charlie's parts. He and Molly suffered so much but I like how they became a found family with Mr. Oliver. The horrors of the Blitz and the daily hardships of rationing, economic struggles and loss really helped to ground the story in reality.

I think the one thing I didn't care for was the asylum stuff. It seemed a little too over the top for the story. A lot was going on plot-wise already with the mystery surrounding Mr. Oliver and his visitor, Charlie and the accident and whatever was going on with Molly's dad. It just felt like too much in the end. Overall however, I really liked the story and I appreciate how it highlighted the challenges faced by East Enders in comparison to the wealthier people of London. I like learning something new when I read historical fiction and I think the novel accomplished that.

Having never read a Baldacci title (I know) I didn’t know what to expect. As I read the book I kept thinking this would make a good movie or mini series. He captured well the deprivation that London went through during WWII which I think many in the US know or comprehend. The weak point for me was near the end where too many ends were tied up too quickly. The missing mother, the missing father (not giving anything away) and that I’m afraid detracted from the story line. Otherwise a solid and engaging read.

Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC!

This was such a great book. I mean... David Baldacci always write great books so it's no surprise. This book was very different then his norm but it was such a good and thought provoking read. Although it was super sad, it also made you smile. I learned a whole log about WW2 as well. Especially the plight of the kids. So sad!!

I do wish that Charlie had his voice heard at the end instead of from the voice of Molly. But overall, I really enjoyed this.

This is one of Baldacci's best, but not typical of his usual. Strangers In Time is a work of historical fiction, set in London during World War II. Two teenagers from the most different backgrounds imaginable become friends, along with another unlikely, a past middle age bookshop owner. Their worlds collide during the bombings of London. The young man loses his only family, a grandmother. The wealthy young lady returns to her family mansion but finds disturbing news about her missing parents and experiences the horrific bombing raids of her hometown. The bookshop owner has some secrets of his own. The worlds of all three collide with many twists and turns in the plot. Well-developed and interesting characters are surrounded by a plot set in one of the most disturbing of times. A well-written story that will grab your attention. Thanks to #NetGalley#DavidBaldacci#StrangersinTime for the opportunity to read this book by a favorite author.