This is going to be a great debut novel! Thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I enjoyed the characters, the mystery and the storyline based on several high school teens who get into an accident on a bridge while leaving one dead and a story to be kept quiet until 10 years later. The author waits until the last minute in the book for us to find out why it took 27 minutes for the brother to call for help. Well done!

If I'm being honest about my opinion on this book, I was on the verge of giving up because I couldn't stand Grant and Becca. The plot kept burying the truth, and I couldn't figure out who was being honest. Yet, I kept reading until the last page, and surprisingly, I didn't regret it. It turned out to be time well spent!

The story revolves around Grant, Phoebe, Becca, June, Wyatt, and some other characters like Haley and Kelsey. Honestly, the one who really grabbed my interest was June. There was something about her character that just clicked with me, especially her connection with Wyatt. Their relationship became the driving force that kept me engaged and made me want to stick around until the very end of the book.

At first, I shrugged off the plot twist like, "Okay, is that all?" But then it hit me – there's more beneath the surface than I first thought. It compelled me to keep reading, searching for answers. And then, out of nowhere, bam, the significant plot twist I'd been yearning for unfolded. Suddenly, everything clicked, although I have to admit, some parts were a bit predictable. Yet, this major twist caught me off guard, and it hit me right in the feels – I couldn't hold back the tears. The characters, each grappling with their own secrets and silent battles, just left me emotionally shaken.

To sum it up, I highly recommend this book to anyone into thriller, mystery, or drama genres. Seriously, the plot twists are so gripping; you'll find it nearly impossible to set the book down. Trust me, it's one of those reads that's completely worth your time – a rollercoaster of emotions that you won't want to miss!

Considering it's Ashley Tate's debut novel, I have to say she did an amazing job writing this book!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for letting me dive into this fantastic ARC!

Read if you like:
🔥 Slow Burn Mysteries
#️⃣ Mulitple POV
🎭 Drama
🤫 Secrets

Why did Grant wait 27 long minutes to call for help after getting into a terrible car accident that ultimately claimed the life of his sister?

That is the question everyone wants the answer to and with the 10 year anniversary of her death, it’s time for answers…

This one really reads as a slow burn mystery that expertly weaves in grief, guilt, secrets, and the trauma of holding onto secrets for so long.

This is an emotional story told in multiple pov in two timelines that truly will make you question the truth all the way to the end.


Thank you Poisened Press for my copy in exchange for my review!

This one starts off in fast forward but as the story progresses we get to a very slow build. The last 80% was also rewarding with twists and a solid conclusion.

My jaw has DROPPED
That ending was INSANE

It’s been so long since I’ve read a good thriller/mystery and WOW. This book really had me HOOKED from the prologue. This book is about a girl who dies in a tragic car accident and 10 years later the truth about that night started to become unveiled. There are 4 povs throughout the story. All these characters have some sort of connection to that night and it’s so so interesting being able to see from all these perspectives how the night affected these characters and how these secrets are affecting them.
I absolutely loved the buildup and anticipation throughout the story. It was done so so perfectly. It had me constantly thinking of what could be happening and theorizing.
The ending was what really got me!! I really did not see that coming and I gasped so loud when I read that ending. I’m absolutely blown away.

To anyone who likes mysteries and anticipation I would highly recommend this book!! It will be released on 1/30.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me an EArc!

Great pace and convincing setting. Strong character development grips you from the beginning. Ashley Tate’s Twent-Seven Minutes is a must read!

The burning question about what could have been done vs what was actually done in 27 minutes is the focus of this entire town West Wilmer for over a decade. This would have the difference that could have helped save Grant's sister. But there is someone else who has been missing as well and shows up suddenly in terrible health opening a new can of worms. It was a slow burn plot which slows down too much in the middle. There was a big reveal that worked for me but I felt it needed a trim as a whole. It had a great premise but too many characters dragged it a bit.

Twenty-Seven Minutes! This is the amount of time it took Grant Dean to call for help after getting into a car accident that took the life of his younger sister. If he had called sooner, she may have survived. Ten years later, as her memorial approaches, many of the locals are still deeply affected by the tragedy. What really happened that night?

This book takes place in the town of West Wilmer - a town that comes across as quite gloomy, depressing and mundane on its face. There are many conflicts happening in the characters' lives. Is anyone happy? It doesn't seem like it. And who knows what really has happened in the past? Everyone has their own version, and many of the locals love to gossip. Tate introduces quite a few prominent players and her character development is decent, but sometimes it is hard to keep it all straight - I read the beginning several times to make sure I understood each person. And some of the relationships between these people are weird, but I was willing to accept that because I truly wanted to know what was going to happen next. Tate was able to build suspense as she gradually revealed new aspects to the past, but these revelations are coming from the characters themselves so the reader is not always convinced it's the truth. I enjoyed much of this book, especially a huge part of the middle as I was getting to know the characters and learn more about the past and present. But the ending fell a little short. It was a long build-up to get to the final revelation which was somewhat predictable. And although there was some closure at the finish, it all still felt heavy and dark because so many of the characters had to return to their dreary lives. That being said, the majority of the book kept me turning the pages. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC.

I tried to like this book but it was lack luster and dragged on and on. I found it boring

Thank you Netgalley for the free advanced reader copy to try out.

Omg! What a terrible secret everyone is living! Grant Dean was driving his sister Phoebe and Becca a friend home one night and they had a terrible accident on a bridge. Unfortunately, Phoebe didn’t survive the accident and she was definitely the golden girl of the town.
June had just buried her mother and she was struggling because her brother Wyatt had been missing for the last ten years right after the terrible accident that took Phoebe’s life. Suddenly he shows up and is in terrible health, teeth falling out and so forth.
Can they all end up working together to bring out the truth why it took twenty seven minutes to call for help?

I received this ARC for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It's difficult to believe this stunning book is a first novel. The writing is pitch-perfect, the characters deeply developed, and the story compelling from beginning to end. Ashley Tate raises the small town mystery to new heights in this accomplished story of grief, secrets, and corrosive suspicion.

The reason I wanted to read this book is the same reason that had me rabidly reading it like a fiend: Why?

Why did Phoebe's brother wait 27 minutes before calling 9-1-1 after they were in a terrible car accident? Would she have lived if he had called for help immediately? I had to know the answers to these questions, so the author successfully hooked me before I had even begun reading.

This story is presented to us from the perspective of 5 different characters. Perhaps a more accurate way to describe it is the story unfolds through their memories, as each character is trapped, reliving their pasts. Phoebe Dean's mother is hosting a memorial of her death - this tragic loss a pivotal moment for all the characters. Their memories take over their ability to function properly, though it seems they've all been barely functioning these last 10 years, each one holding on to survivor's guilt for different reasons.

I never lost my desire to know why. I typically don't jive well with stories that are little to no action, where everything is told to me by a character or through dialogue, but even so, I couldn't stop reading. Like I said, Ashley Tate had that hook in me before I even started.

I had a lot of fun trying to determine what really happened the night of the accident, but was a little disappointed that it's written in a way that the reader cannot possible solve the mystery....or so I thought! I went back through and looked at all of the quotes I had highlighted and do you know, every single quote had a clue as to what was right there in front of me the whole time! I just sat there looking at all the quotes, shaking my head in awe. I comfort myself by saying my subconscious figured it out, lol.

It was interesting to me to see how each of these characters handled their grief and guilt. Each were affected differently and got through their day-to-day lives in the best way they could. Some had support systems, other did not. I enjoyed seeing who was able to come out on the other end stronger and those who succumbed.

I'm glad I took a while to think this one through, go back through my notes and quotes before determining my rating because I actually enjoyed this one more than I realized upon immediately finishing the book.

A great debut from Ashley Tate - I look forward to seeing what else this author has up their sleeve!

Wow! This book was simply amazing, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see how it was all going to end. Great thrilling story!

Thank you to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. The title caught my attention and at times the book was fairly entertaining but didn't really hook me like other thrillers usually do. The foul language was a bit excessive for me and the drama was a little much. Overall it was an okay read but it was missing something.

This is a story about several characters that are sad, stuck, and in constant inner turmoil. June just lost her brother and her dad and brother abandoned her ten years ago. Grant’s sister died ten years ago in a wreck. Becca was in the car during the wreck. And the twn year anniversary is a major stressor for all involved. A decent story overall and a good ending with closure.

This story moved way too slow for me. I was so distracted by the timeline jumping around and new characters being introduced that it took away from the big mystery. The reveal took so long to work up to that I stopped caring about what happened 10 years ago and what happened in those twenty-seven minutes.

The opening sequence of this book is heartbreaking. We are witness to Phoebe's last moments after being in a horrible car accident 10 years prior. Why did her brother wait 27 minutes to call 9-1-1? This is told from differing viewpoints from 10 years ago and current day. The other mystery is that another character Wyatt went missing that same night after a fight with his father. While a slow burn at times and a bit YA feeling, the ending did not disappoint. I definitely didn't see that coming. I recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries and small town feel to a book.

I love a good mystery. This was a slow burn tho and was a bit slow in the middle and i struggled to keep up with all the characters. The ending was surprising tho!

This book was such fun--loved the setting, so atmospheric and rich--and the premise was unique and interesting. Felt fresh and new and tightly plotted.

Read this book in two days! Very fast paced story with great supporting characters. I was shocked at the ending, and didn't see it coming.
Instabtly an Ashley Tate fan.

Thank you Netgalley fir my ARC in exchange fir my honest oppinion.