Interesting premise, but the story drags and the characters never come to life. More frustrating than gripping.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Press for the eARC of this book. I decided to DNF this book at 15% back in 2024. I had issues with the writing style and the story never truly gripped me at the time of reading. It may be something that I attempt to pick up not in a digital read. I'm not sure if that was the issue or if it was just the style of the story and formatting. Thank you so much for the earc and my review is 100% my opinion.

This story is not as much a thriller as a slower paced literary grief novel maybe? It is told in multi POV and dual timeline. There are four main players related to an accident that took place 10 years ago and ended the life of It-girl Phoebe. There are 27 minutes between when the accident happened and the 911 call was made leaving lots of room for suspicion and speculation. This book is more character driven than fast paced thriller, but still has delicious twists. I’m excited to see what Ashley Tate writes next.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

4.5 gut-punch stars. This one had me tense from the very first chapter — and not in the thriller-y way I expected. This book is emotional, claustrophobic, and so rooted in regret and grief that it honestly hurt to read at times (in a good way? in a haunting way? both?).

The setup is deceptively simple: a car accident, a delay in calling for help, and a town that’s never moved on. But what unfolds is this slow unraveling of guilt, shame, and personal reckoning. Told over a single day with flashbacks that gradually deepen the emotional stakes, Twenty-Seven Minutes plays with time in a way that makes every minute feel heavy.

The characters are deeply flawed — not in a “quirky redemption arc” kind of way, but in a “these people feel real and raw and broken” kind of way. I loved that. My only tiny hesitation (and what keeps this from being a full 5) is that the ending, while effective, felt a little quick after such a carefully paced build-up. I needed just a touch more time to sit in it.

Still, this is exactly the kind of literary suspense that sticks. Quietly devastating. Beautifully done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Ashley Tate for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate is available now.

Review also appears on my 2 blogs Echoing Books & Echos of Books

This is the first time this year that I give a 2 star review. I actually was really happy that this book was done. I felt like I should have DNF this but I pushed myself to read this further in hopes that it would get better. The book started of good with the vivid description in the prologue but just went down hill from there.

I didn’t really like any of the characters in this book. I especially did not like Becca. She just felt delusional for me. With all the characters that I didn’t like there was only one that was better than the others and that was June. I felt for her in, with her loosing her entire family. The characters could have had some more developments.

“But the truth, it will come out. Nothing can keep the truth buried; it will always unfurl itself, lay itself bare. It is unstoppable—like the tide, or a storm, or a ghost. It will hunt you down.”


I just wanted to roll my eyes every time I read Becca’s POV. I mean this book really did not feel like a mystery thriller. This felt more like a soap opera that you watch on TV and that was annoying. This book really needed more suspense!!! Please can someone tell me why 90% nothing important happened and then only the last 10% something happened.

Overall, the plot needed a bit more work but the writing was good enough otherwise I would have stopped reading this. The ending was at least unpredictable but I really didn’t like the slow build to the end.

Twenty-Seven Minutes was such a gripping and emotional read—I was hooked from the start. I loved how the story explored guilt, grief, and the complicated relationships between the characters in such a raw, honest way. The pacing was perfect, slowly revealing the truth in a way that kept me guessing and completely invested. It was a haunting, beautifully written story that stayed with me long after I finished it.

Ashley Tate is a first time author for me and I loved this book! I could not put it down! This small town tragedy was full of memories, regrets, and ghosts. It definitely kept me guessing with all the twists. Great characters and fast paced! I will definitely be picking up her next book!

I couldn't get into this book, although I had desperately wanted to. DNF'd it, but I'm hoping to get back to it at a later date. Thank you for the chance to read the book!!

3 stars – Dark, atmospheric, and full of secrets, but didn’t fully land for me

Twenty-Seven Minutes is a slow-burning mystery steeped in grief, guilt, and the long shadows of a tragic night. The story centers on Grant Dean, whose life has been defined by the unanswered question: why did he wait twenty-seven minutes to call for help after the accident that killed his sister, Phoebe? As the tenth anniversary approaches, old wounds are reopened and buried secrets begin to surface.

I enjoyed this book, it had some really great moments but didn’t quite land for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Set in both past and present tense and starting with the death of Phoebe Dean, several lives are intertwined because of her loss. Her brother, Grant, was driving when Phoebe was ejected from his truck and killed. A friend, Becca, was injured in the back seat. And June’s brother, Wyatt, goes missing the same night.

As the story of what actually happened that night unfolds, we see just how tragic the event was. June and her mother were never the same, given June’s father left after Wyatt did, and neither returned. Becca never fully remembered that evening and has a lot of survivor’s guilt. And Grant chose to drown his memories in alcohol.

The author does a great job of shifting between the present and past timeframes, which all leads to a big reveal of just what happened that night. The only frustrating thing about this book was that the female characters were just awful. They nagged, were demanding, and generally insufferable. Not that the men were better, but I just am frustrated with books, particularly written by women, where the female characters are just negative stereotypes with no development.

10 years ago a horrible tragedy occurred, and bow 10 years later the truth is wanting to come out.
The small town of West Wilmer was rocked when Phoebe Grant was killed in a car accident and her brother called for help. But why did it take 27 minutes for him to do so? What happened that night when 2 people lost their lives?
This book is told from 4 POVs: Grant, June, Becca, Wyatt, and different things that happened 10 years ago that led up to that horrible night. Because the town is having a memorial for Phoebe since it’s been 10 years, and secrets start to come out that start the beginning of the end for someone… but who’s downfall will it be?
This was my first thriller in ages and it was soooo worth it! (I bought a copy for my trophy shelf).

A deadly car accident 10 years ago has left a community forever changed and forever questioning why the brother of the girl who died in the accident waited 27 minutes to call for help. It was not my usual type of thriller/mystery I go for and definitely leans towards suspense but it was a good read and very well written.

This was a story about accidents.

This book was a roller coaster, it had a killer beginning that hooked me immediately, theeeeeen went multiple chapters without anything else super interesting happening. I think one of the dynamics was supposed to feel sweet? But it just felt uncomfortable and creepy….. then the book totally tied it all together in the last 30%. The author did a great job of differentiating between the narrative voices, but unfortunately I only enjoyed June’s perspective and felt meh during the other chapters. Overall, if you want a quick thriller this one might be for you!

Thank you so much Poisoned Pen Press

This was a solid thriller mystery, that I enjoyed but wasn't in love with. I really enjoyed seeing how differently each character coped with the aftermath of the tragedy. I also enjoyed how we never really got to know/see Phoebe outside of the perspective of who was narrating/having the flashback. It made her feel more mysterious to have all these conflicting opinions about who she was, and what is actually the truth.

The twist was solid too. I think if I was thinking critically about the book outside of reading it, I could have probably pieced it together. So if you're someone who likes to play detective when reading books like this, then you may figure it out rather quickly. But overall, I enjoyed the ride.

I could not get into this book. I got 20% in and couldn’t finish. I appreciate you sending me a copy to review.

My sincerest apologies, but this book simply wasn’t for me.

I tried multiple times to immerse myself in the story but found it difficult to stay engaged. Ultimately, I turned to the audiobook and managed to finish it, though more out of a sense of duty as an ARC reviewer than genuine interest.

The premise was intriguing enough to prompt me to request the book in the first place, and the writing was decent. However, I found the pacing unusually slow for a book marketed as a thriller/suspense (it felt much more like family/small town drama). I also found the story quite depressing. While this is understandable given the book’s themes, it was simply a bit too gloomy for my taste. Additionally, the characters weren’t particularly likeable, and the overall tone was just a little too dark for me.

It simply wasn’t the “thriller” I had anticipated.

Thank you @netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

DNF at 40%, I just couldn't get into this and didn't care about any of the characters. I do enjoy an unreliable narrator usually, but at least someone needs to be a bit likeable.

Thank you for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very catchy thriller about what happened on that bridge 10 years ago. Phoebe is dead, her brother sleeps around to cover his grief, Becca is losing her clarity over a hidden secret and June is missing her runaway brother more than ever, with her mother very recently died.
But the secrets have a way to reveal themselves...

While the plot might seem a little bit absurd and the ending is a bit too metaphysical, there is a quality feature present here, too - a high level of catchability and readability. The authoress is a very good storyteller! So, while you will solve some clues soon and some are not really that shocking, the story and its arches are what holds (and keeps) the attention going strongly.
And this is *maybe* because, in its heart of hearts, this novel is not a mystery. It is a book about grief. And we all grieve.
And about relationships, these strange and strong bonds.

This book was a ride I hate doing reviews for thrillers because I dont know how to review without spoiling but lets just say this book kept me on my toes!