This tale is set in London in 1944 during the London Blitz of WWII
Charlie Matters is fourteen years old. He lives with his grandmother in poverty. He isn’t allowed to work so he supports himself in the only alternative manner, he steals. He takes what he needs to survive. Charlie plans to join the military as soon as he is old enough; he is ready to take on the Germans! Charlie is well aware he life could end at any moment, as the bombs explode.
Molly Wakefield, was from a wealthy family, like so many others, was sent to the countryside to stay with the host family, for protection. She hasn’t heard from her family in quite some time. The fifteen-year-old has returned to London to find everything different. She rushes to her parents’ home only to discover they are both gone.
Ignatius Oliver is a recent widower; he owns a bookstore. He takes Molly and Charlie under his wing, offering them protection and guidance. Together the unlikely trio form a family.
This is a tale of relationships, warfare, toughness and family. Author David Baldacci demonstrates how people responded to the bombings. He describes the devastation. Baldacci brings three unlikely people together to form a relationship, a family. Baldacci shows the best of humanity, despite the horrific events of that era, many people were kind and caring.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book!
What a wonderful book!
Such a different but quite refreshing change from the usual David Baldacci novels.
I listened to the audiobook version and the narration was excellent! John Lee is one of my very favorites and his comforting voice made this all the better!
Highly recommended and I will definitely be telling all!

Very different from his previous novels and just as well written. Great historical mystery. He does this genre so well.

Gosh David Baldacci can write a story can’t he!! He has been one of my favourite crime writers for a long time and his historical fiction book last year, A Calamity of Souls, was my favourite book of the year. So when ai saw that he had written a story set in WWII London I just had to read it.

This was such a moving story, so many times I had tears in my eyes while listening to this tremendous cast of narrators. They really did bring Strangers in Time to life, along with the authors brilliant writing. I feel like I was walking the streets of London with these characters. Any story set during wartime is going to be emotional, and this one really does tug at the heartstrings.

It is a story of 3 people that are brought together by the war. 3 people from different backgrounds and places in society, that may not have met under normal conditions. Charlie lives with his gran in the East End, and they battle for every penny and morsel of food that they can get their hands on. Molly has just returned to her home in affluent Chelsea after being sent to the country for years to escape the war. And Ignatius is a widowed bookseller who has plenty of dark secrets of his own. The 3 form a friendship that gets stronger and stronger the more that is thrown at them.

This is a story of war, of family, of friendship, betrayal, survival and love. It is an eye opening look at the real people that the war affected. It shows the real courage of those who did what they had to do to survive and protect the people that they loved.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio for my advanced audio copy to listen to. Out on April 15th.

I love a good WWII book and was excited to read this one. It started out great, the main characters were interesting and very likable, and I learned some new details about life in London during the war and specifically the air raids. About half way through, the storyline introduced some unbelievable circumstances that seemed to detract from the validity and believability of the story being told.

The voice actors were easy to listen too, no one had any annoying mouth noises (I will absolutely quit a book if the narrator(s) is/are annoying), and I always enjoy each role being read by the same gender. (Versus a male trying to adopt a female-influenced voice.) The narrator for Molly was my favorite main character brought to life!

This book should come with an advance trigger warning regarding mental health, PTSD, and the other delicate subjects in the book.

Thanks to Hachette Audio and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of this audio book. All opinions are completely my own.

Book Review: Strangers in Time by David Baldacci

Huge thanks to @HachetteAudio, @GrandCentralPub, and @NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this ARC audiobook!

⚠️ Spoiler Warning! ⚠️

I rated Strangers in Time ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) because while I found the story engaging and heart-wrenching, there were moments where the writing leaned more on telling rather than showing, which pulled me out of the narrative a bit. It was also longer than what I typically read or listen to, though that might be a plus for some!

What I loved:
📖 The vivid descriptions of WWII-era London and the hardships people endured.
🎧 The voice actors did an incredible job bringing the story to life!
🔫 Learning about the weapons used in WWII was fascinating.
🏡 The historical details, especially about children being sent to the countryside.
🧠 As someone with a background in psychology, I was both fascinated and horrified by Molly’s mother’s treatment in the hospital—it was tragically realistic for the time.
💔 The way the characters’ stories wove together was compelling, and I appreciated the bit at the end showing where they all wound up.

While I wasn’t shocked by many of the twists (I could see most of them coming), I still thoroughly enjoyed the journey. A small part of me had hoped Molly and Charlie would have ended up together together, but I understand why they didn’t.

Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those interested in WWII-era stories with deep emotional stakes.

#StrangersInTime #DavidBaldacci #HistoricalFiction #WWIIHistory #Bookstagram #AmListening #AudiobookReview #BookReview #NetGalleyReads #WWIIFiction #HachetteAudio #GrandCentralPublishing

Another 5⭐️ from David Baldacci. I’ve been a fan since Absolute Power and Total Control. Last year’s Calamity of Souls was also a 5⭐️. Baldacci keeps getting better and better, no resting on his prolific laurels. Strangers in Time is a beautiful story about 2 WWII orphans, Charlie and Molly, from different backgrounds that befriend Ignatius Oliver, a widowed book store owner. This moving story of found family, coming together in worn torn London.

The narrators were the perfect team, especially my favorite John Lee.

I am ever grateful to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for my advanced audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Strangers In Time by David Baldacci is a takeaway from Baldacci’s normal suspense/thriller and legal dramas. After just reading A Calamity Of Souls (and loving it) , I was not really prepared for such a veer from his norm but it was worth it. This book as good and I quite enjoyed it.
This book was set in the 1940’s WW2 around two teenagers and a widowed bookshop owner. The two teenagers fall off their paths and wonder onto each others and onto the bookshop owners as well.
This medley of stories entwine into each other’s and end up being better for it all.

I listened to the audiobook and all the narrators did a fantastic job with each character. I recommend the audiobook highly.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the alc.

The book opens with Molly, who is fifteen just returning from a five-year stay with a host family in the country during WWII. The war still rages, but her father has not paid the family in a while and although the family was willing to continue to let Molly stay, she hasn't heard from her mother in 5 years and not from her father in a while, so she is anxious to get home.

Charlie is a fourteen who is living in poverty with his grandmother, after the death of both his parents and he's doing whatever he can to help them survive.

Ignatius is a bookstore owner who is grieving from the recent loss of his wife. A combination of very unusual circumstances bring the three of them together. Ordinarily, they might never have met, but together forge a deep friendship that enables each to survive the war and their personal circumstances.

There are a number of surprises in the book, and the characters don't always seen to ring true, but as a work of historical fiction, I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the historical setting. This book can be read by young teens and older.

This book is not the book I expected from David Baldacci, but it was quite enjoyable.

I listened to the audio version of the book, and I have the e-book. There are at least 6 different narrators and the voices represent the characters very well.

Strangers in Time, by David Baldacci, is a story filled with the sense and culture of London during World War II. The story focuses on three characters and their experiences of the time. They encounter loss, victory, challenges, corruption, intrigue and love. The story is very realistic and doesn’t gloss over the daily slog of the time. In the audiobook version, the narrators take the story to a higher level with their unique voices. Each perfectly embodies the essence of the character they portray. While I enjoyed the book it was the author’s note at the end that tied up all of the loose ends for me. Baldacci explains the purpose behind the story and calls the reader’s attention to details that are important to understand in order to fully comprehend the message of the book. Readers should make a point of reading the note in order to fully appreciate the book.

“Strangers in Time” is a departure from David Baldacci’s usual American suspense or legal thrillers (he did write a Christmas book once). In this historical novel, Baldacci goes eighty years into the past and across the pond to portray characters who are trying to survive The Blitz in London during World War II. We follow three characters whose timelines converge: Molly, a teenager returning to the countryside to her upper middle class home, only to find her parents missing; Charlie,another teenager and an East Ender scraping by with his grandmother since parents were killed in the bombings; and Mr. Ignatious Oliver, trying to keep his wife’s bookshop alive since her death and also acting as an air raid warden.

The trio find themselves supporting each other through horror and hope. Baldacci paints a vivid portrait of life among the ruins of a majestic city and writes a story that is both heartbreaking and eventually heartwarming. I don’t recall crying when reading any previous Baldacci books, but that time has come.

I was fortunate enough to also be able to preview the full cast audiobook that was narrated by the author with Stewart Crank, Alexandra Boulton, John Lee, Nicola F. Delgado, Matthew Lloyd Davies, and Joe Pitts. I’m so thankful to have heard the performance of this book with multiple voices — as emotional as the story is, it was an easier listening experience with the differing voices.

4.5 stars for both the book and audio version!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio and NetGalley for advanced copies!

Charlie, aged 14, is up to no good, but day to day survival makes it necessity. His parents are gone, his Gran just go her pay cut, he's ducking school and isn't old enough to work. He's also not old enough to enlist to fight in the War. Necessity.

Molly, aged 15, has returned to London. She, along with millions, was evacuated to the countryside through "Operation Pied Piper" and returns after 5 years to a war torn London she no longer recognizes. Her home is still standing, her nanny is present, but her parents are no longer around.

Both Charlie and Molly are adrift, without supervision, but find adult companionship in The Book Keep, owned and operated by Ignatius Oliver. Ignatius himself is adrift due to the loss of his wife, Imogen, and the secrets surrounding her death. While the book store, isn't any safer than the rest of London during war time, it becomes a safe haven for the kids and the kids become a safe haven for Ignatius.

Charlie’s association with a few other parentless boys in the city has been noticed, and Molly has been followed since her return to London. Ignatius has strange visitors late at night. Each of them is keeping secrets.

The book itself is a stunner. I tend to enjoy the pacing of books like The 6:20 Man. Heartfelt is generally not for me. Yet, while this book was heartfelt, it was still suspenseful and fast paced. The narration was superb. Each narrator gave such a vivid idea of the character through voice, including the nuances of feelings. There is an entire cast of narrators and while a single narrator is fine, the multiple narrators enhanced this audio immensely.

Strangers in Time David Baldacci is a wonderfully written historical fiction story that is set in 1944 London during WWII. There is one thing that I know for sure - I will always pick up anything that Baldacci puts out. I really love how he transports readers back into time.

Charlie is a teenager that lives with his grandmother. He has decided that he is not going to go to school while the war is going on - he has lost most of family members. He kind of reminds me of Alladin - steals what he can to survive. He finds himself peering into a shop called The Book Keep, He sneaks in, steals cash and some biscuits. The shop belongs to Ignatius Oliver.

Molly has returned after being out at the countryside. She is shocked to see how much has changed. She and Charlie meet When she needs help, she finds Charlie to be an ally. Together they are trying to survive. Enter Ignatius Oliver, the shop owner. The three form unlikely friendship. Oliver is grieving his wife, and the secrets that she kept. The three start to lean on each other.

The author has captured what London would have looked like through the Blitz beautifully.
I was fortunate enough to listen to the audio book of this story. Hachette Audio always does such a great job with their narrations. I found myself transported back in time, like I was standing there watching it unfold.

Baldacci is a master of suspense. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to listen to a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

In the midst of World War II, three individuals from different walks of life find solace and hope in each other. Charlie, a 14-year-old orphan, has been surviving on the streets of London by any means necessary. Molly, a 15-year-old evacuee, has just returned to the city to discover that her parents are gone. Ignatius, a bereaved bookshop owner, is still reeling from the loss of his wife. As they navigate the dangers and hardships of war-torn London, they form an unlikely bond, finding comfort and support in each other’s company. But as they grow closer, secrets and dangers from their pasts begin to surface, threatening to tear them apart. Will their newfound family be enough to help them survive the war and rebuild their lives?

When I saw Strangers in Time on my NetGalley dashboard, I immediately jumped at the chance to read/listen to it. Honestly, I didn’t even check the genre or format—David Baldacci’s name was enough. He’s long been one of my favorite authors, and I’ve always admired how skillfully he weaves a story. This book is no exception. While Strangers in Time is a departure from his usual thrillers, Baldacci has proven before—with One Summer and Wish You Well—that he can excel in any genre. He refuses to be confined to one lane, and once again, he delivers an engrossing and deeply moving tale.

At the start of this year, I had resolved to read more historical fiction—but less WWII fiction, as I felt burned out on stories about Nazis and their reign of terror. Yet, I made an exception for this book, and I’m so glad I did. While it’s set during WWII, Strangers in Time feels fresh and different. It’s not just about war—it’s about found family, resilience, loss, and the power of human connection. There’s adventure, mystery, and heartbreak, but above all, there’s hope. The story beautifully illustrates how people from vastly different backgrounds can come together to navigate unimaginable hardship. While loss and tragedy are ever-present, the book ultimately focuses on themes of healing, forgiveness, and doing what you can to help others.

Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius are incredibly well-developed characters. I grew deeply attached to all of them, even when their choices frustrated me or when I questioned their motivations. Each character conceals parts of themselves, fearing rejection or punishment, and Baldacci masterfully unravels their secrets and vulnerabilities. His ability to craft complex, fully realized characters is one of the reasons I love his work, and Strangers in Time is no exception.

Additionally, the book touches on important issues related to mental health, and Baldacci’s author’s note at the end is not to be missed. The audiobook version is also spectacular—featuring multiple narrators who bring the story to life in such a vivid and engaging way that it feels like a full dramatic performance. Their narration alone deserves five stars.

One quote from the novel particularly stood out to me:

“She knew there is a price to be paid with important relationships like that. They were wonderful, but they also had the capacity to exact a punishing price when one in the relationship was gone. Grief, sadness, anger at a loss, and terrible unrelenting hurt were the costs to be paid for living and being loved. It felt completely worth the bargain, right up until the very moment payment was demanded.”

This passage perfectly encapsulates the emotional depth of the novel.

Overall, Strangers in Time is an exceptional read. If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend it. And even if you think you’ve read too many WWII stories, I promise this one is unique and absolutely worth your time.

The story is set in England in the midst of WWII. It’s follows the story of three main characters. A young boy Charles Matters, a young girl Molly Wakefield, and an older widowed man Ignatius Oliver. You read how each one is greatly affected by war and how their lives beautifully intertwine and they become family. The different people represent different social economic positions as well as age, each finds something out regarding family or have had an impact in their life driving trauma and connection. The relationships are believable and well done, the story unfolds slowly and turns into something that the reader can connect with the characters and situations. 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. Definitely recommend Thank you to the author and publisher as well as Netgalley for the opportunity.

This was a departure from Baldacci's books with the setting of end of WWII and a story about 3 individuals that are brought together because of it. The story is about survival and helping each other. There's a bit of mysteries in the story but most of all this is about being human. All 3 main characters were likable and my heart ached each time they experienced a setback.

The story was well told but it was just a little long for my liking. There were parts I felt was unnecessary. I did enjoy the full cast of characters (i; Stewart Crank; Alexandra Boulton; John Lee; Nicola F. Delgado; Matthew Lloyd Davies; and Joe Pitts) did a great job bringing the story to life.


Thank you @grandcentralpub @hachetteaudio for a copy of this.

In this World War II story, two teenagers return to London after being sent to live in the country during the Blitz. The city is in ruins, and the two teenagers have no adult caretakers, so they end up with slightly grumpy bookstore owner. Because of its subject matter, this book can be very dark at times, but it’s still a fantastic book, even though it scares the hell out of me right now as the United States seems to be headed the way of Germany in the 1930s.

This was interesting. I wanted to try something out of my comfort zone and this was definitely it. I don’t think I could’ve read this but listening to it was great. Loved the narrators very much.

I really felt like I was there and while I’m not normally a history fan, I found I really enjoyed learning about this. Messed up as thst sounds bc it’s about war. It was gripping and compelling. Glad I challenged myself to try something new!

Definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free audio-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very character driven story revolving around 3 main characters Charlie, Molly, and Oliver. The story takes place during WWII while bombings and attacks are rampant. The characters are all dealing with different kinds of loss, tragedy, family issues, and trying to find their place in all of the chaos.

If you like a character driven story and a slow pace initially, I think this story will be great for you. Especially if you like this author's work. This is my first dive into Baldacci's work, and it was a little too slow with too much conversation and not enough action initially, but it picked up greatly later on in the story.

The plot started kicking off a little more around 30%, and it was depressing with many negative things happening back to back. Realistically, though, it is a WWII story, so this isn't shocking. You just wish for a little bit of hope and light for the characters. You feel for the characters throughout the story, and the author does a great job of providing a terrifying and tragic atmosphere of the time.

Listen to the author's note at the end as well as it is a great message that is noted throughout the book.

Put this one on your TBR for April as it is releasing on 4/15/25, and you won't be disappointed!

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook for my honest review. I love David Baldacci novels and this is no different. This book follows multiple individuals as they try to survive thru the trying times of WW2.
The narrators did a wonderful job bringing the story to life and were very clear in their reading.