A great second book by T.M. Logan. He is an author who knows how to trip your trigger. Just when you have it figured out ... you don't.

Two criticisms: the bad guy is - over the top - bad. He read more like a cartoon character than a real person. Also, some of Sarah's self talk in the last few pages didn’t match with her underlying plan of attack. I felt like it was a cheap trick by the author to fool the reader.

That being said, I was totally interested and involved to the point that I finished the book in a couple of days. I thought it raised an interesting quandary--would you consider setting morals aside when you feel like the demon in your life deserves retribution? I was rooting for Sarah to commit the ultimate sin. "Yikes," I thought to myself, "what kind of person am I"? Read the book, and you'll understand what I mean.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

You have 29 Seconds to make someone disappear... would you do it?

Dr. Sarah Haywood, a mother of two little ones, works at a University with Dr. Alan Hawthorne. Sarah has a lot going on in her life right now... her husband left and is who knows where, and her boss Dr. Alan Hawthorne won't leave her alone - he's a disgusting sleaze. The worst part of it all, he told Sarah that unless she gives him what he wants, she will not get the big promotion that she deserves.

When Sarah rescued a young girl, she expected nothing in return. But her bravery put a powerful and dangerous man in her debt. He states all debts must be repaid - in the only way he knows how. He offers Sarah a way out of her desperate situation with her disgusting boss. A once-in-a-lifetime deal that will make all her problems disappear. No consequences. No comeback. No chance of being found out. All it takes is a 29 second phone call. Afterall, everyone has a name to give. Don't they?

This was definitely a well written book, and it definitely makes you think, but for me the book just fizzled out when I started feeling a "poor me" vibe. But I think I'm in the minority with this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dr Sarah Haywood is a young, up and coming academic. She's worked hard to build up her reputation as a good teacher and researcher and has some excellent publications, all while caring for her two small children on her own. However, her hopes of promotion to a permanent position are dashed when her Head of Department, Professor Alan Hawthorne tells her she will have to remain at the same level on a short term contract for another year and any chance of future promotion will depend on how she treats him. As he is a well known sexual predator, Sarah knows exactly what he expects her to do to earn her promotion. As Hawthorne puts pressure on Sarah and her situation becomes more and more difficult, she receives an offer that will make all her worries over her career go away. All it would take is one short phone call, but only if she can overcome her ethical dilemma.

This is an excellent page turner of a psychological thriller. The impossibility of Sarah's position made me feel really stressed for her. She can't report Hawthorne to the Dean or to HR because of the old boys network and his celebrity status as a TV star and her niche area of study would make it hard for her move to another University, without starting all over again to establish herself in a new area. Hawthorne is a monster of a man who has already ruined other careers and thinks he's untouchable. But Sarah is a fighter and she won't give up easily in this game of cat and mouse.

Great plot, great characters and a killer ending!

I hate giving bad reviews because an author puts do much time into writing a book. I am more than halfway through reading and I am sorry to say I cannot finish it which I rarely do. This book was just so flat and boring and the plot just to unreal and unbelievable. Would not recommend.

"29 Seconds" is an interesting read. It started slow. I was ready to give it 3 starts about a quarter of the way into the book. Then the pace picked up and I was up to 3 1/2 by the midway point. It picked up again in the third quarter and I was up to 4 stars. T.M. Logan finishes very strong . . . I'd say 4 1/2 stars. Overall, I'd go with 4 stars.

The character development is good and, as the novel moves along, it becomes more and more of a mystery/thriller. I was particularly impressed with the way he tied it all together. Definitely worth a read.

29 Seconds was a decent book. Sarah, the protagonist, is a temporary lecturer at Queen Anne University. Standing in the way of a permanent position is Senior Professor Alan Hawthorne, who is a misogynist and sexual predator, having sexually harassed numerous female staff over the decades, and who has targeted Sarah. He is able to get away with this behavior because he is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, presenting a likable persona to the outside world and keeping his predatory behavior hidden; it helps that he is famous, with a program on BBC2 and published books to his name, as well as having secured a grant for the English department worth 9.6million British pounds -- no one in university leadership wants to risk offending him and possibly losing the fame and revenue he brings to the university if he decides to go to another university, and any allegations against him would be he-said, she-said and easily turned against the accuser. The only woman who had seriously pursued allegations through the university disciplinary system had seen her career ruined -- she could not get hired anywhere.

Sarah's specialty is Christopher Marlowe, the English playwright whose work includes the first dramatized version of the Faust legend, in which a scholar makes a deal with the Devil. After a particularly infuriating day at work, Sarah is taking a different route to her children's school, trying to arrive in time to avoid a fee for picking up her children late, when she witnesses a man being attacked and the attempted abduction of a young girl. Realizing that no one is going to intervene and enraged at the events of the day, she rams her vehicle into the attacker, which allows the girl to escape. In the ensuing days, she notices a strange man watching her and she is later abducted and taken to the offices of James Grosvenor, a very powerful man and the father of the girl whose kidnapping she prevented. Mr. Grosvenor explains that he is now in her debt and wants to repay her. He is especially skilled at making things disappear. He gives her 72 hours to give him the name of one person she would like to see disappear -- a one time offer. This, of course, is her Faustian bargain.

A significant part of the book focuses on the next 72 hours, as she struggles with what choice to make, and then the aftermath of her choice, as things do not go as planned and she begins to breakdown under the strain of her decision. There is a plot twist that occurs after her decision is made that I really did not like and thought would ruin the book. However, the author redeems himself with the ending, which was quite fitting and quite devious. Yet, in addition to the plot twist that I really did not like, the overall quality of the book is harmed by the character of Sarah. While the author does a good job of portraying the stress and strain Sarah is under due to the behavior of Hawthorne and other people in her life, and does a good job of portraying her anger, rage, and disgust at what Hawthorne does and what he is able to get away with, Sarah comes across at times as whiny and self-pitying. Furthermore, the author has Sarah draw the analogy with Dr. Faust and his bargain with the Devil and the offer she receives from Grosvenor, but while Sarah contemplates whether she can make the deal and what kind of person that would make her and while she poses the hypothetical to a friend of what would you do if you could perform an evil act without detection or consequences, Sarah never engages in the deep moral and philosophical internal debate that her expertise on Marlowe and Faust would suggest she should [granted, that might not make for the most exciting reading for some readers] and Sarah does not fully consider the potential ramifications on her children and other family and friends if she accepts the offer, especially if things go wrong. My overall opinion of the book would have been better if the author had utilized the Faustian bargain aspect more fully and if Sarah was portrayed a little differently at times. However, it was still a decent read.

I received an advance digital galley via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Sarah does not have the easiest life. Her husband is off with some woman he met at an audition and has been gone for 6 weeks, with no signs of coming back. She has 2 children, Harry & Grace, who she is now raising by herself, with the help of her father, Roger, who is a godsend. Her university job would be fabulous, except for Alan Hawthorne, her boss, and the star of BBC2's Undiscovered History. His public face is one of great intellect, wealth and status. Unfortunately, he also has a very high view of himself, and has a habit of praying on women in his department. Sarah has been his target over the last two years, making lewd comments, inappropriate touch, and he is moving into worse territory with his behavior.

On one fateful day, Sarah is trying to get to her destination, when a car stops in front of her and keeps her from continuing on. When she sees them attack and man and try to snatch a little girl, she acts fast to try and give the child a chance to escape. Sarah did not want anything but the child's safety, but this one act puts her into a situation she never expected or asked for. One that could change her life and the life of someone else forever. All it would take is a 29 second phone call. Will she make the call?

29 seconds will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last pages. The story is unique, and you will root for Sarah the whole way through, no matter what is happening. It is a quick and interesting read, but you will have to suspend your disbelief a bit along the way.

3.5 stars for me on this one. I can honestly say I loved the thrill in this book. There was a lot of anger over disgusting behavior and I really felt for the main character. Sarah was given a once off choice that could forever change her life and the lives of those around her. I though the writing was great, along with a good thrill pace. The end was just not for me.... I thought it was kind of out of know where with what then ended with.

This was a very intense story about sexual harassment and the different ways that victims respond in that situation. I really like the way the author depicted the main character because she was down in so many ways, but you couldn't count her as out. The ending was ingenious! This book was a great read and I recommend it. It will leave you feeling empowered!

This book started off a little slow for me and I started to get worried. But things started happening and the rest of the book moved pretty quickly.

Even though the plot was pretty far fetched, it was interesting and easy to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. What a great psychological thriller. Sarah follows the rules to keep her job. She puts up with her boss's harassment out of fear and insecurity. Then one accident changes her course and changes now she follows the rules. Powerful and compelling. Unputdownable!

There seems to be much repetition and hand wringing by our heroine Sarah in the beginning; but once things start to happen, you'll read right through until the end. A perfect summer choice.

FIRST LINE: "The Rules were simple enough."

THE STORY: Sarah has been playing the academic game and waiting patiently for her reward - a permanent seat on the faculty. Her boss is a well-known BBC personality and a terrible womanizer. He is making Sarah's life unbearable.

Then one day she is given a gift. Having stopped a kidnapping, the child's wealthy father offers Sarah the chance to name a person she would like to disappear. She has 72 hours to decide, but things are never that simple.

You may think you know where this story is going, but there are lots of twists and turns. What a surprising ride!

WHAT I THOUGHT: This is my second book by T.M Logan. My first one was Lies, which I actually liked better; but this was still another great read. The sexual harassment Sarah endures will resonate with many readers.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. Watch for T.M. Logan's newest title The Holiday, which is currently only available in the United Kingdom.

Disclaimer: A copy of 29 Seconds was provided to me by MacMillan/Net Galley for an honest review.

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Macmillan Press/September 10, 2019
ISBN-10: 1785770802
ISBN-13: 978-1785770807

Bestselling author TM Logan was a national newspaper journalist before turning to novel-writing full time. His debut thriller LIES was one of Amazon UK's biggest ebooks of 2017, selling 350,000 copies and gathering more than 1,400 5-star reviews so far. It was published in the USA in September 2018 and has also come out in South Korea, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Romania and the Netherlands.
(From Amazon)

Thank you for the advanced copy! Another AMAZING book by T M Logan. This book was unbelievable. I could not put it down. So glad this book and author are being made available here in the US. I anxiously await future books!

Sarah knows the rules when it comes to her professor. When she stumbles across a chance to help someone she is given a once in a lifetime opportunity in return. Can everything change in just 29 seconds? I was eagerly turning the pages until the end.

I went into this book with high expectations but didn't like it very well, well the premise was good but the story was repetitive, didn't stimulate my mind or emotions, so much more could have been done with this but it felt flat to me, too one note.

This may very well be my favorite thriller of the year. I read a fairly large proportion of thrillers in my mix of books and this is the first of the year that both kept me up way too late and didn’t disappoint at all throughout. T. M. Logan does a brilliant job with this book, despite his daughter saying “he sits in a room and makes stuff up” and his son wondering when he’s going to get a proper job. If he keeps this up, they will be excited that Dad chose writing as his proper job.
This book has a terrific plot, great characters and well-timed twists. You even find yourself rooting for characters who are not necessarily making legal choices but they have good intentions. There is a depth to the characters and their relationships that is a step above many thrillers.
This is my first and only thriller that I would recommend as a must-read, beyond a 5/5. Yes, it’s that good.

#29Seconds #NetGalley #stmartinspress

29 Seconds is a book that can be read on multiple levels.

1. The plot level

As a suspense novel, this is excellent. Logan surprised me at several points, which is a bit difficult to do, and the plot takes us to several unexpected places. If you’re looking for a riveting, tension-filled suspense novel to devour, here you go.

But if you dive deeper, there’s more than simply a rollercoaster plot.

2. The emotional level.

I don’t have a doctorate, but I do have a master’s degree and seriously considered getting my doctorate in English literature. (I had two kids instead!) I’ve also spent a fair amount of time around people with Ph.Ds in the so-called “impractical” liberal arts.

I’ve watched professors spend countless hours teaching, grading, planning, researching, writing, submitting, and cross-their-fingers hoping to get another publication. All in hopes of getting a position. Getting tenure. Getting some semblance of job security. Because, let’s face it, if you have a doctoral degree specializing in literature from several centuries ago, what can you do with that degree besides teach? Not much.

Here’s what I’m getting at: Sarah had my sympathy.

She’s highly educated and a hard worker. She’s struggling to maintain a balance between being a single mom to two young kids and her job, where coworkers believe her priorities are wrong. Then Hawthorne, the powerful and popular professor, sexually harasses her. Repeatedly. Relentlessly.

Logan did an excellent job laying out all the available options, then tearing them apart. Every time she thinks (and we think, too) that oh, yay! an escape route, he rips it apart. Every. Single. Time. I could feel Sarah’s desperation grow. Tension mounts.

Logan nails the dynamics between abuser and abused. Hawthorne whittles away at Sarah’s world, narrowing it down until he is the world and there is no escape. He is all that she can see. He consumes all her thoughts. I’ve been there, as have countless other people. Under those circumstances, Grosvenor’s offer looks like salvation.

I said that this story can be read on multiple levels. There’s the external plot. There’s the emotional arc. But if you dive even deeper, this book has an ethical, possibly even spiritual, level.

3. The ethical level

This isn’t a story about revenge. No matter what anyone else might think, I can’t read this as a revenge story. It’s much more than that. Revenge is petty and vindictive and unnecessary. That’s not the case here. She’s trying to protect those she loves and her achievements.

Don’t discount how difficult it is to work that hard, for that long, sacrificing, dreaming, striving, persevering in the face of opposition–only to watch a powerful, heartless man threaten to tear apart that dream and one’s family overnight. Fighting back isn’t revenge. It’s protecting this achievement against the threat. But if the weapon of protection is evil, then what?

This is a Faustian tale; it’s about a battle for the soul. I thoroughly enjoyed the references to Marlowe and his most famous (infamous?) work. Faust and his devil haunt this story.

This is a story about ethical choices.

There’s the choice that Grosvenor gives her. Give him a name, or not. What does “disappear” mean? He doesn’t say it. But it’s understood that to disappear in Grosvenor’s world is to die. It’s also understood that, by us and Sarah, this man is powerful enough to make it happen. He’s devilish, if not an actual devil.

She understands what this means for her ethically. She’s a Marlowe scholar; she knows how Faust’s bargain ends. Like Dr. Faustus, she’ll be apart from everyone else who has not made a bargain with the devil. She knows she is slipping closer and closer to selling her integrity and her soul. It frightens her.

But there’s also the choice that Hawthorne gives her. He’s made it clear that she’ll have to sleep with him (also selling her integrity) or else she’ll never get a permanent contract, leaving her unemployed and unemployable.

Damned if she does. Damned if she doesn’t.

This is a universal story. It could take place in many fields. Law. Politics. Business. Entertainment. Religion. I’ve heard stories like this in all these fields. Many of these fields are dominated by the good old boys network.

Harassment and assault are common. Complaints are ignored or dismissed. People turn a blind eye, either refusing to believe the truth or too afraid of the negative ramifications for themselves to speak out. Outsiders are blissfully ignorant. Meanwhile, those with power gain power and those without power have even what little they have stripped away.

How many people have lived this story? How many are living it now?

29 Seconds is haunting, deeply disturbing, and compelling. I couldn’t stop reading it. I highly recommend it.

Thanks again to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read 29 Seconds in exchange for an honest review.

Note: My review will appear on my blog at meredithrankin.com/29-seconds-t-m-logan/ on August 26, 2019.

Great book! Wonderful character development that made it really easy to empathize with some and literally despise others! Very well put together with lots of suspense, twists and turns.
Highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A while back I read Lies by Logan and enjoyed his writing so when I saw that he had another book coming out it was a no-brainer that I would definitely have to read it too.

Sara is estranged from her husband, caring for her 2 children and has one horrible misogynist, sexual predator for a boss. She feels lost in her marriage and her career. But then one day she foils a kidnapping of a young girl, and then comes face to face with the girls father. He want to repay her for her good deed. Sara finds herself presented with a solution to a terrible problem at work. The “problem” could disappear. No trace back to her, and no one would ever know it had anything to do with her. But can she make the call that will make that problem go away?

Sara had a lot going on in her life. She was just trying to make it through each day. And to make matters worse, her boss is an ass in the worst way. And she was wasn’t the only one he tried to put the moves on, but he is so well like and pretty much bullet proof at the university, complaining about him would get her no where. I felt bad for her and found easy to root for. I couldn’t imagine having a boss like that. Ugh! But when her boss goes missing her life is turned upside down. He life becomes a roller coaster of emotions and fear. And it doesn’t seem to want to let up.

This is one those types of books that is so hard to review. I don’t want to give too much away but still want to be able to tell how good it was. The beginning was a little slow, which worked well with the setting up of the story. But once everything got started the suspense was thick and continuously built as the story progress. There were plenty of little twists and turns along the way too, and that certainly kept me on my toes and kept me guessing. The whole moral dilemma concept was pretty cleverly done and Logan pulled it off with that ending. It was a good one!

Overall this was one suspenseful ride all the way through, and I think fans of the thriller genre will devour this one.

Many woman will be able to identify with the main character who has a revered boss who is two-faced. Respected by his contemporaries, Alan Hawthorne puts on a professional demeanor. When he is around female subordinates, he becomes a lechorous bully. Sarah becomes the target of his abuse as he steals her ideas and presents them as his own. Previous women who have lodged complaints to Human Resources, were not believed and had their careers destroyed. An opportunity presents itself...Alan can disappear. It’s a little involved, but could solve her problems. Things become complicated and the best laid plans don’t work. This is a very satisfying read with a great ending. I received a free advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.