Strangers in Time by David Baldacci
Baldacci is one of my favorite authors. This book differs from most of his action/adventure books in that it is about relationships and how we need them in our lives. The London Blitz is the setting. Baldacci captures the horrific nature of living in fear of bombs, hunger, and loss.
Ignatius Oliver, an Air Warden and bookseller with an open mind and even more open heart befriends two teenagers with radically different backgrounds. Molly and Charlie both deal with loss in their own way.
The story illustrates how coming of age in the environment of the Blitz dramatically impacts not only the world-weary Ignatius but accelerates the maturing of the two teens.
Baldacci points out that the downside of loving someone is the possibility or reality of losing them, and the ensuing pain. However, he also points out that the benefits of loving outweigh the detriment of loss.
This was a different Baldacci and an excellent book that I highly recommend.

I am a major fan of David Baldacci. I was disappointed in this latest book. It tells the story of three people from very different backgrounds who become friends as they fight for survival during the time of the Blitz in London in 1944. The main characters are two teenagers and a bookstore owner. I didn't feel the excitement I usually do from Baldacci's books. At times it was slow reading it. It was a story of hope and friendship and that is what kept me reading it.

I enjoy David Baldacci’s mysteries so was interested to read an historical fiction from him. Set in London in World War II, Charlie Matters is a young teen who lives with his grandmother after his parents are killed. Charlie and his mother scrape by; Charlie resorting to petty thievery and odd jobs to survive. Meanwhile, Molly, a very mature 16 year old, returns to London after growing up in the country to find a home with only her housekeeper and no parents present. Molly and Charlie form a friendship with Ignatius Oliver, an air raid warden who also acts suspiciously and secretly.
A story of unusual friendships formed by the horrors and devastation of war and revealing how family can be formed with very different individuals, striving to survive as best they can.
Recommended for readers of historical fiction. Baldacci describes realistically or sometimes the horrific consequences of war but adds hope formed through diverse relationships.

In a genre filled with depressing stories of the devastation caused to Britain--especially London--by the Germans in WWII, David Baldacci's Strangers in Time (Grand Central Publishing 2025) stands out for its realism, emotion, and positive nature in the face of disaster. Fourteen-year-old Charlie lost both parents, now lives with his grandmother, surviving off her meager earnings and his street-smart skills to maneuver war-torn London. They struggle to get by, but do, with grace and the inbred strength gained from trusting and loving each other. Molly, sixteen, grew up in wealth and was sent away when the war started. She returns to her mansion when her father stops sending money for her support and finds both parents missing and her nanny struggling. When all seems lost to both of them, and surviving this desperate world seems unlikely, they first find each other and then are befriended by an elderly bookstore owner who has lost everything important in his life until these two waifs land on his doorstep. Together, they help each other survive the constant bombings, the lack of food, and the chaos of life lived in a warzone. Though there is a deeper plot, the story's strength is the balance it creates between what we gain when we lose in life if we’re strong inside and out and refuse to quit. 

This is a satisfying story about the strength of the human spirit despite impossible odds. It is highly recommended not only for those interested in London at the end of WWII but those interested in man's indomitable nature no matter the odds.

Fifteen year old Molly Wakefield returns to war torn London from evacuation in the country in the middle of WWII to find her mother and father no longer in their prosperous home. Fourteen year old Charlie is making his way through the devastation of his home city without parents or schooling.Widower Ignatious Oliver operates a failing bookshop while serving as an air raid warden. This unlikely trio meet and become fast friends, supporting each other as the life that Molly and Charlie once knew is blown away. Add to that the fact that someone seems to be following Molly as she tries to learn what happened to her parents, Charlie is running from the law, and Oliver may be involved in some nefarious war activities.
I really liked this story.I could not put the book down, curious to see what would happen next to this trio. I am not a huge fan of some of Baldacci’s contemporary series that often strain credulity; I enjoy his standalone books so much more. His recent Calamity of Souls I thought was one of his best.

Beautifully written, with characters that truly come to life, Balducci paints a desolate picture of life during the London attacks in this latest addition to his body of work. Yet, there is hope. The resiliency of and the bond among the three gives them dignity and is heartening despite all the horror. I really appreciated the denouement to see what transpired in these characters’ lives after the war. This is a tale that will remain with me for a long time.

David Baldacci’s latest novel takes a detour from his other books centered on quick action in crime and legal thrillers. Strangers in Time is an historical novel set during the bombings of WWII in London, and the main characters are 14 and 15 years old! I admit I did not know this Baldacci novel would take such a divergent path from his other writings, but fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised.
Charlie Matters lives with his grandmother, following the wartime deaths of his parents, in a one room apartment without much food to survive. Charlie, after dropping out of school, steals what he can and works horrid jobs for a few shillings. Molly Wakefield, however, has been raised in luxury, but upon returning from the countryside where her parents sent her years before, Molly finds only her nanny and a hushed-up story about missing parents. Together the two youths form a bound to survive after mystery men begin to follow Molly, and as Charlie must hide from a police search following the death of one of his friends.
The two teens are thrown together with another person with secrets, widower book-store-owner Ignatius Oliver. Molly and Charlie need Oliver’s help but uncover reasons to suspect him of being less than honest with them. Each chapter ends with yet another shocking tragedy for the duo.
While it often feels like a YA novel by Baldacci, it is in fact very adult in its storyline. London had bombs rain down night after night, with countless deaths and constant fear in 1944. I was very impressed with the prose in this novel as I felt the fear and struggle to survive page after page. It is true that the conversations between Molly and Charlie were often stilted toward the virtuous. If Pollyanna had been there, she would have fit right in with the stoicism and mature forbearing of this pair. For the amount of suffering dealt Molly and Charlie, there was just not enough emotional response from the characters. That, to me, explains the YA feel to the book, and indeed Baldacci has written seven YA novels along with his 50 adult thrillers.
However, I did indeed like Strangers in Time. I was expecting something entirely different and came away from the read admitting that the novel impressed me. I will remember Baldacci’s London long after I have forgotten many of his other thriller stories.
My rating: 4 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. Strangers in Time will be published on April 15, 2025.

This book is quite a departure from the genre that I associate with David Baldacci, and I think that he did a great job describing the horrors of the Blitz in London, but moreover, he developed this character driven novel through his 3 main characters.
The book opens when Charley Matters, a 14 year old who has dropped out of school, lost both his parents and lives with his grandmother, who is barely surviving by working in a bakery. He and a couple of other East End boys steal to survive, until one of them dies tragically and Charley feels guilty for the child's death and for stealing from a book store. He returns the money and merchandise, and eventually, the bookstore owner befriends him.
The second character, Ignatius Oliver, the bookstore owner, is a grieving widower, whose wife initially started the bookstore, but has died mysteriously. Ignatius is a gentle, kind man, with compassion for Charley's plight as well as the third character - Molly Wakefield, a well bred 16 year old who was sent to the countryside when the bombing started and after 5 yrs returns to a devastated London.
The author describes the realities of the Blitz, the fear that the people of London experiences racing for the shelters and the unlikely family that the three MC developed. I thought the coincidences were plausible at the time, and that the author developed the bond of the found family and the hope and trust that they developed.
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

If you are interested in the lives of those who lived in London, England through World War II, you will find it difficult to stop reading this remarkable book. Life was difficult for all Londoners during this period but for young people like Molly and Charley, trying to understand who they are and who they may become, every day is a struggle for survival. This story is not only compelling, it is a learning experience on many levels - I could not recommend it more highly!

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.

I enjoyed watching the unlikely alliance form between Charlie, Molly, and Oliver and continue to unfold through the book. It was tough to read all of the devastating losses they each experienced. I didn’t know much about London during WW2 so this was a bit eye-opening.

I definitely prefer David Baldacci’s modern thrillers. This was a slow starter for me and most of the plot twists felt either pretty predictable or a bit undeveloped. I do appreciate that the book has chapter titles and they’re not just numbered, as I think it sets the stage for each chapter. But it overall felt that there were just too many subplots happening that weren’t explored well enough.

Although this is not my fave David Baldacci novel nor my fave WW2 book, I am glad that I read it. David Baldacci is one of my favorite authors and I always look forward to his new releases as I’ve read his full backlist.

This uses the World War 2 element that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of this book, it worked with the time-period and the characters were everything that I was looking for. It was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of this. It had everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the use of the genre perfectly.

Baldacci's latest novel is a wonderfully engrossing story about three strangers whose fates are thrown together during war.
Like the recently released movie, Blitz, this story takes place during the Nazi bombing of London in WWII. The horrors of that time are starkly portrayed as seen through the eyes of Charley- an impoverished fourteen year old who has lost both his parents and his home, Molly, a precocious fifteen year old who was sent to the countryside at the outset of the bombing, but returns to her London home where she finds only the home's caretaker and Ignatius, a widower and bookseller with a secret.
How the three come together and to rely upon one another is expertly told by Baldacci who weaves together the plausible set of coincidences under which their lives intersect. I love Baldacci's use of dialogue to convey both the horrors of war and the hopefulness that the three former strangers still managed to find. I highly recommend this book.

Strangers in Time is set in London during the infamous Blitz, when German planes blasted the city with bombs and later V-2 guided missiles. There are three characters the plots revolve around: Charlie Matters, a 14 year old boy who has lost his family over time to the bombing and survives on his own on the streets looking for food and shelter. Molly Wakefield is 15, and has had a completely different upbringing. living in a big house with servants, fine clothes, and is preparing to study exams to enter university. Ignatius Oliver is a widower who owns a small bookshop that was started by his late wife.

Molly has returned to London looking for her mother and father who have lost contact with her. Molly finds her home intact, but only cared for by her longtime Nanny, who has shared limited information about her parents. After prodding, Molly finds out her mother is in a sanatorium, and her father has disappeared.

Molly and Charlie end up meeting on the streets, and both are befriended by Oliver who wants to help both teens, but is hiding his own secrets and issues. The three are thrust together, each lonely, each trying to survive, and cling to one another as they have no one else.

The story is fast moving, and follows one tragic outcome after another as Molly desperately tries to reunite with her parents, Charlie struggles to find a way out of his desperate situation, and Oliver tries to protect Charlie and Molly from police and other officials who believe the children should be sent to an orphanage.

I want to thank the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book. It is a type of story I would not normally read, but I found the characters compelling and the story, while very sad, in the end heartwarming. I give it 4.25 stars rounded down to 4.

I am a huge Baldacci fan and while this book isn't the usual type book of his I read, I very much enjoyed this story. The Author has a way of developing and fleshing out characters that just truly makes you feel like you are there and very much involved in the story. The descriptions of WWII London were fascinating and a bit horrifying as the fiction melded with history. And while I prefer the Author's thriller books, anyone who likes a well-developed story with characters and settings that come alive will want to read this book. Many thanks to the publisher, Author, and NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity to read this book. All opinions are mine.

Baldacci’s talent for story telling had me immersed in this historical fiction following three characters with very different backgrounds who form an alliance in London during WWII. Strangers In Time is an engaging story highlighting the resiliency of people and the strength of human connections, especially during trying times. A character-driven story of surviving the fears, loss, and hardships of war, and finding rays of hope through persistence and alliances.

Pub Date: April 15 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #StrangersInTime #DavidBaldacci

Author:
David Baldacci

What’s it about?
Strangers in Time by David Baldacci takes readers on an emotional journey through war-torn London during World War II. The story follows two teenagers—Charlie Matters, a young boy surviving the Blitz by any means necessary, and Molly Wakefield, a girl returning to a London she no longer recognizes after years of evacuation. Both are orphaned and adrift, but their lives intersect through a shared bond of loss. In the midst of devastation, they find an unexpected protector in Ignatius Oliver, a grieving man running a bookshop. As the trio navigates the dangers of wartime London, they discover that trust, friendship, and the bonds of family may be their greatest hope for survival.

Favorite Part:
The connection between Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius was the most moving part of the book. Their unlikely bond creates a poignant narrative about the healing power of trust and companionship amidst the horrors of war. I particularly appreciated how their individual struggles were woven together, providing emotional depth to the story. Ignatius' bookshop, The Book Keep, also served as a symbol of hope and refuge, making it one of the most memorable settings in the novel.

Thoughts on Characters:
The characters in Strangers in Time are deeply compelling. Charlie and Molly are both incredibly resilient in the face of adversity, each grappling with their own sense of loss and uncertainty. Their friendship with Ignatius is touching, and his wisdom and warmth bring much-needed stability to their fragile world. Ignatius himself is a character who carries his own weight of sorrow, making him a wonderfully complex figure. I felt connected to each character, as their emotional journeys were depicted with great care, making their growth throughout the novel both believable and moving.

Would You Recommend It?
Strangers in Time is a beautifully written novel that blends historical fiction with profound emotional depth. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven stories set during times of war, particularly those who appreciate novels about survival, loss, and the power of human connection. Fans of Baldacci’s work will find his storytelling skill on full display here, while readers new to him will be captivated by this moving and thought-provoking tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with the opportunity to review this book.

I love David Baldacci. I love most of his books and I was really excited to see a new book in a genre I hadn’t read from him. Set in 1944, this story follows three strangers who come together to navigate a tumultuous time.

WWII books seem to be everywhere now and Baldacci does a good job of giving the reader a little different information so it doesn’t always feel like the same information repeated from other books.

The characters are well-developed, and each point of view is distinct, offering its own fascinating narrative. The transitions between perspectives are seamless, allowing you to become even more invested in the world, the unfolding drama, and the characters’ struggle for survival.
If you appreciate stories about found families, this book hits all the right notes and delivers an incredible reading experience!

“Strangers in Time” by David Baldacci is this authors newest novel set in WWII London. It revolves around two children ages 13 and 15 who are dealing with traumatic loss. They are befriended by a bookseller who has a secret life and has lost his wife to mysterious circumstances. They are bonded together by their determination to survive, their individual tragedies and the horrific bombings that take place in London during the war.
Mr. Baldacci is a favorite author of mine and I read every one of his books. This is the first time I had difficulty finishing a novel of his. I found the book to be slow, the characters unremarkable, and the story to be like many I have read in other books about this time in history. Fortunately, from reading all the other reviews I am an outlier and everyone else is truly enjoying this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Baldacci is a masterful writer of thrillers and historical fiction. I loved this change of scenery and the brilliant way it was conveyed.

I found this a highly emotional story. Charlie is fourteen and alone in Britain during World War II. Tryhing to survive through stealing quitting school and eventually trying to be a soldier. He has no one. Molly, a teen, who returns from being sent to the country to avoid the bombing of England, can't find her parents when she comes back. Ignatius Oliver owns a bookstore but has lost a wife. Through this sad story, three people meet and become a family as they try to survive the war. The reader learns their dreams, their disappointments in their natural families, but also sees a glimmer of hope as they develop a family among the three of them. The back story of the war is emotional and tear making. I found that this book was depressing but still showed that the human spirit can triumph. Thanks to Net Galley for the arc.

I have been reading David Baldacci for a long time, and have always loved his stories. I was a little surprised when I read the premise of this book as it was a little outside of his typical genre. That being said, I think the story itself was really entertaining. I think there were some times when I wasn't totally diving in, as a whole I thought the book was good. I liked the character development and interactions. I liked that it was focused in one central location (London) without trying to go all these different directions. I was a little disappointed in the ending, just because I felt like such an intense story was wrapped up a little quickly. As a whole, I think anyone who is historical fiction fan, this is a for sure read.

Thank you to NetGalley, David Baldacci, and Grand Central Publishing for providing me an advanced reading copy.