DNF. Couldn't get into this although the premise sounded promising. Too slow and couldn't relate to the characters, and didn't really care what happened. Confusing with the charaters and different time lines. Gave up half way. Saw another review that said the last 10% of the book made up for the slow start and middle but personally I could not finish.

Everyone wonders why it took Grant so long to call for help when he had a car accident and his sister Phoebe was injured. Those extra twenty-seven minutes could have saved her life. But Grant and Phoebe weren't the only ones whose lives were changed that night. June's brother Wyatt disappeared the same night of Grant and Phoebe's accident. What really happened that night, and what is everyone hiding?

I have to say that I think I mostly finished this book because I really did want to know what happened. But it was definitely a slow burn and seemed to get a bit sluggish when nothing was revealed until the very end. The twist was a bit anticlimactic as well. Not bad for a debut novel, but this one was a bit too slow-going for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 30, 2024
“Twenty-Seven Minutes” is the debut novel by Canadian author Ashley Tate that asks the question- how far would you go to be seen?
Ten years ago, brilliant and beautiful high school student Phoebe Dean was killed when a car, driven by her brother Grant, went off a bridge in their small town of West Wilmer. Even now, the entire county is still grieving the loss, especially Grant. At the time, rumours and speculation flew- why did Grant wait twenty-seven minutes before calling the police? But Grant isn’t the only one keeping secrets about that night and as the ten-year celebration comes closer, the whole town is on edge, desperate for answers.
“Minutes” is tense and suspenseful, full of unexpected twists and turns. Narrated by various characters who played important roles on the night of the accident (Grant, Becca, Grant’s girlfriend and June and Wyatt Delroy, the local troublemaker and his sister) the story is told over the three days leading up to the ten-year memorial. Of course, each narrator shares their various flashbacks and memories as well, helping the reader piece together what really happened on that night, through a slow and careful reveal.
The story’s main theme is the devastating impact of tragic loss, not just on family and friends but an entire community. Secondary to that is the struggle many of the characters suffer just to be seen, to be acknowledged, heard and understood by someone and made to feel their thoughts and feelings matter. Although there is no doubt this novel belongs to the suspense genre, there are emotional elements to “Minutes” as well that add an extra layer of depth to the plot and contribute to building character rapport.
There were a few plot points that were predictable and easy to guess, but Tate manages to throw a few surprises in the mix, including some paranormal elements that were both unexpected and chilling. The story flows well and the plot caught my attention right from page one. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s and Tate shows burgeoning skill in her ability to tie everything together in a conclusive way.
“Twenty-Seven Minutes” is a debut that shouldn’t be missed, and I anticipate the next work by Tate.

As the decennial of Phoebe’s death in an auto accident approaches and a memorial is planned, the main characters from that fateful night converge to reveal what really happened and why it took her brother, who was driving, twenty seven minutes to call 911. Phoebe was seen as the perfect child by her mother and community. Her brother, not so much. That fateful night had devastating affects on her family and Becca, who was also in the car. Far reaching, it also
touched others including Wyatt who disappeared that night and his family.

This almost reads like a YA novel, but it is far too dark to be anything other than an adult read. I found the characters to be unlikable and could not engage with the story. The narrative seemed to go on and on in a mosaic of obsession, guilt, and grief. I did like the different POVs, but the characters were all such sad people. Curiosity about the real events of that night ten years ago will keep readers hooked.

There are others who will really like this book, but it just wasn’t for me.

Three and a half stars...
This is a twisted thriller. Ten years ago a horrible car accident happened and is still causing problems for a group of damaged teenagers living in a gossip-ridden nowhere town. When a 10 year memorial is planned, the horror returns, especially to those injured in the accident. One of the emotionally damaged teens involved begins to revisit the heartbreaking loss of her brother. The driver of the car is haunted anew. What exactly happened during the twenty-seven minutes following the accident? How many secrets will finally be uncovered? Read this page-turner to discover the answers. You won't be disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read prior to publication.

2⭐️

Ten years ago, siblings Grant and Phoebe Dean were in an awful car accident with classmates Becca in the car. The accident, which happened on a bridge, took the life of Phoebe who was the town darling that everyone loved. The question that everyone has is why it took Grant twenty seven minutes to call for help? Only Grant and Becca know.

The same night if the accident, June’s brother Wyatt ran away. She has spent the last ten years trying to figure out where he went. Now that her mother has died she has began to ask questions about what happened to Wyatt and what does it have to do with the death of Phoebe Dean.

I really wanted to like this, but literally nothing happens until the last 10% of the book. The first 90% is very repetitive; it boils down to these main facts: 1. Phoebe was perfect and everyone loved her 2. Everyone seems to forget Becca was involved 3. Grant and Becca repeatedly saying that no one can ever find out about what happened that night 4. Everyone forgetting about June all together.

There are four POV’s through this book and that might have been at least two too many. All of the characters fell a bit flat and by the time we got to the twist I just didn’t care. It also really bothered me how clearly Grant gaslights Becca throughout the book and that he basically uses her mental health issues to do it.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC to me!

A small rural town experienced the death of a high schooler, Phoebe, from a car crash but as the story unravels it may not seem so cut and dry. Her brother Grant at the wheel while Grants secret lover Becca was in the backseat. The town seemed to close the case but with the ten year anniversary of the wreck, people are starting to talk and secrets are starting to reveal themselves. I enjoyed the plot and how my stance on Wyatt, Becca and Grant, seemed to change from chapter to chapter with more information being revealed. This book doesn’t give anything away until the end but has twists and turns throughout!

However, I found aspects of this book to be repetitive and found myself confusing characters until I was halfway through.

This book was gripping, it was telling, it was dynamic, it was prismatic. It was all in all a fantastic debut. Thriller and mystery aspects blanketed by a deeply emotional backstory claimed my attention from page 1. I really and truly was surprised by this book and how much I enjoyed it. Easy to read because you’re so invested in the story and the characters. 4.25/5 stars.

This book had a good start, but I felt like it got bogged down in repetition in the middle. The idea was good, and the plot was strong. I just felt like it would have been improved by a tighter edit somehow.

I really liked Becca’s character and felt sorry for her at multiple points during the narrative. She had a hard time. What a mess! Several lives were derailed in this story.

I’ll be looking for more from this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.

A small town is still reeling from a car accident that killed teenage Phoebe Dean. Her brother, Grant, was driving. Why did he wait 27 minutes to call an ambulance that could have saved her?

This is a slow burn with a lot of soapy drama. It all leads up to a short moment of action. Many of the characters were very unlikeable and hard to understand and connect with. Often times I felt confused with the timelines and which was the past and which was current.

“That’s the thing about lies. They’re like string - once they start unraveling, you’re f**ked.”

Twenty-seven Minutes comes out 1/30.

Teenagers at a party, and the one night that changed everything , is the basis for this book. The books flips between present day and 10 yrs prior when the accident occurred. I enjoyed this read and it made me feel so many emotions. 4 stars ! Thank you to Netgalley, Poisoned press and the author for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’m not really sure how to feel about this one. A lot of unlikable and depressing characters that are hard to feel a connection to. But the ending comes together pretty well. I suspected where it was going but it gets pretty tense for the last few chapters.

I can’t really decide on a rating I’d give it. Bc I think it will be compelling for some people but too depressing for others.

Grant lost his sister one rainy night ten years ago in a wreck on the bridge, a bridge the town is going to tear down. An elderly lady just lost her life there, and the town feels like it's time to demolish the problem. But the attention has opened old wounds, especially for the survivors.
Becca was in the truck with Grant the night Phoebe died, and has stuck by him all these years. Their story is missing 27 minutes, though, and June, whose brother Wyatt also disappeared that night, wants to know the truth.
As tensions increase while the town prepares to vote on the bridge demo, Wyatt returns to his childhood home. He’s not well, though, and he has a lot to say before he’s gone again.
Told from four viewpoints across ten years, the mystery, sadness, and horror of that night will eventually come to light.
Thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is January 30, 2024.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for this gifted e-copy in return for my honest review.

I loved this book. It had the right pace, the right length, and the right tone to keep me riveted. The multiple points of view kept the story interesting. I loved the morally grey characters, and how they developed through the story. The story takes place over a short span of time, with flashbacks to ten years back. The scripting of the flashbacks in italics made the writing easy to read, so thanks for this formatting.

This book delves into mental health issues, which makes this book dearer to me. Themes such as depression, post-traumatic shock, kleptomania, delusion are well portrayed. These mental health issues made the characters more relatable. They will also make the reader more aware of how these problems can affect the life of the person suffering and the people surrounding them.

I'm taking down one star because I guessed the end. It was kind of self-revealing towards the end of the book. I wish the author had taken a little bit more effort to make sure the twist would be more abrupt.

This was an intriguing debut of a thriller/mystery! I wasn't expecting the final reveal, but I also wasn't fully invested in two of the four characters' POVs, so that's possibly why. Though I feel the dialogue felt a bit staccato at times, I read this in one sitting because I had to figure out what the big reveal would be! I would read another book by Ashley Tate in the future.

In the realm of captivating mystery literature, there's a distinguished masterpiece, a narrative so intricately crafted that it seamlessly blends suspense and secrets. This literary gem is not merely a tale; it's an immersive experience that takes readers on a profound journey through the labyrinth of the unknown.

Within the narrative's ebb and flow, imperfections are not obstacles but rather threads that intricately weave into the fabric of the story, enhancing its charm. The authenticity of the characters and their flaws creates a relatable and human connection, drawing readers into the complexities of the unfolding mysteries.

As the plot unravels, each revelation becomes a stepping stone in a riveting adventure. The narrative's enigmatic twists and turns keep readers on the edge of their seats, fostering a sense of anticipation for what lies beyond the next page. This mysterious journey isn't just about solving puzzles; it's an exploration of the human experience, where imperfection is an essential part of the allure, leaving readers with a profound desire to uncover more layers of the enigma.

A decade has gone by since Grant's sister Phoebe was involved in a tragic accident. But why did it take Grant twenty seven minutes to call for help?

This book for me was hard to follow at first but once I got into it and got to know who was who, I was able to follow. Book contains a lot of characters which can be hard to follow at times to.

Books written in Multiple POV and time hops. For me I didn't love the book but I also didn't dislike it. It was ok for me. I would still give other books from this author a go.

Overall 3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐✨
I want to thank @NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. #TwentySevenMinutes

I felt y he characters weren’t very well developed and i couldn’t connect to them, the ending was predictable and it felt very much like a soap opera, i feel like it could’ve been great with the multiple povs and timelines but it just wasn’t good enough

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Twenty-Seven Minutes" and all opinions expressed are my own. This book was okay. I didn't really like the characters. I finished it but I felt it was dragging.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Penned Press for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was hopeful going into this story. The blurb sounded so intriguing. A death the town can't get over, secrets held by many, and the truth bound to surface.

Told in multiple points of view, there were so many repetitive scenerios, some that kept dragging on and on. I was glad to finally reach the end and move on. This was not a favorite.