Although a mystery, there's so much angst and hand wringing in Twenty-Seven Minutes, the real suspense comes from trying to figure out when something substantial is going to happen. The "past and present" narrative works (somewhat) well in developing the plot, but with virtually every character in both time frames professing guilt and blame for the title's twenty-seven minutes, it also adds to the sluggish pace. The "I see dead people" twist is clever but over utilized, which lessens the impact. What actually happened during the twenty seven minutes is a true revelation, but by the end of the novel your enthusiasm for finding this out is nearly nonexistent.

This book was well-written - intriguing, dark, and emotional. It seems that it came from a place where the mind is troubled and in despair. The small community lifestyle and how it affects family legacy and histories with no escape, where judgments, even imagined are there every waking moment. The bonds, especially between brothers/sisters are loving, dysfunctional, and truly disturbing.

Tate’s debut novel was based around a grieving town rocked to its core following the death of a promising young student a decade ago. Her writing is delightfully sharp and observant, creating a taut, raw and highly anticipating read. Especially with the good pacing throughout.

I do have to say I would of loved to of seen slightly more suspense and thrill throughout the novel. I felt the storyline to be brilliant but would of loved the SHOCK FACTOR at the end of the book. I loved the dual character perspective writing style, however I did feel like the writer was maybe trying to do too much at times with also then incorporating the dual timelines aspect alongside this.

I wouldn’t recommend this book. Very slow, not a lot of connecting parts and while it held the “truth” for the end there wasn’t a lot of build up or “WHAT” to the true details of the story.

Ten years ago (from present day) there was a horrible accident on a bridge in a small town. A HS party had been held, and a brother (Grant), sister, and a classmate (Becca) traveling home after the party, get in a horrific car accident. The sister, Phoebe, passes away.

Present day, another death has occurred on the bridge. A group of townspeople are petitioning to remove the bridge given its “horrible past”. This brings up a lot of unresolved feelings and questions around the accident ten years ago.

What is really going on in this small town? What is the truth behind the accident that occurred ten years ago?

I was really excited about this book. I thought the concept was amazing and it had so much potential. Unfortunately I felt like the execution just wasn’t there. This book dragged and I found myself struggling to pick the book back up. The characters were all awful people and not written well enough for me to look past that. Overall this one fell flat for me and definitely isn’t a book I’ll be recommending.

3.5⭐️

A standard thriller trope- revisiting a decade-old crime in a small town haunted by the anniversary. What actually happened in the 27 minutes after the car accident that could have saved Phoebe's life? Those directly affected by the crime and the townspeople make up a truly tortured cast of characters, all dealing with their own grief and trauma as they try to get closer to the truth.

I had a LITTLE trouble keeping the families straight but once I was 25% in, I flew through it. Basic writing, but I still didn't have the plot twist figured out by the end. Some Goodreads reviews said they thought nothing happens for the first 90%, and while it does wrap up quickly I thought it was short enough that I didn't notice. I thought all of the characters' perspectives slowly revealed new details and built the right amount of suspense.

Would definitely pick up another by Ashley Tate, this is her debut thriller coming out January 2024.

Four stars for drama!!! This was quite the saga! The premise of this story was intriguing so I was excited to receive an ARC. This was well-written and was a slow burn. There are multiple characters with multiple POV’s that are told between both past and present. There were some good twists that I didn’t see coming and I felt that the story really came together well at the end.

I would recommend this for fans of thrillers, time jumps, multiple POV’s, and slow burns!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book was FANTASTIC! I literally could not turn the pages fast enough and I read it in about 1 day!! None of these characters are really likeable: Becca is clearly mentally unstable, Grant is an asshole, June is heartbroken and Wyatt is a con. The cast of secondary characters aren’t much better but all of them have secrets that are literally eating away at them about the night of the accident when Phoebe died. Her voice is notably absent but her presence alters all of their realities. There is ALOT to unpack here as everyone begins to descend into a type of madness from holding in their truths for too long. This was EXCELLENT!

This book is a page turner. Complicated relationships, a small town and a huge secret with characters that have depth. Short chapters and a shocking ending won me over. Highly recommended. I was reading the ending in the dark!

Despite boasting an intriguing premise and a prologue that pulled me in immediately, “Twenty-Seven Minutes” ultimately fell short of my high expectations going into this novel. The sluggish pacing, unlikeable characters, and lack of any true revelations along the way kept me from fully immersing myself in the story. Still, I was intrigued enough to see this story through to the end, wanting to finally get the answers to all the questions that begged to be put to rest. Overall, I found this novel to be a unique but mediocre read.

Are you in the mood for a small-town thriller with a big twist? If so, this book might be for you!

Ashley Tate’s ‘Twenty-Seven Minutes’ gripped me from the opening lines - the prologue is written in such evocative, vivid prose and describes a beautiful, ambitious, delicate young woman - Phoebe - dying at the side of a road. The imagery of that cold, terrible night permeates through the whole novel and the question burning through the pages - why DID it take 27 minutes for an ambulance to be called - feels vital.

Narrated by Grant (Phoebe’s brother), Becca, June and Wyatt, as the ten-year anniversary of the devastating loss approaches, this intriguing story is told in a slow burn fashion, saving the biggest twists for the last few chapters. I loved the quiet menace of small-town gossip, the flashbacks which grew ever more ominous and the mystery of the relationships between the characters. For a debut novelist, this was a hugely impressive work!

For me, the middle section felt slightly too languid, with not much happening or being revealed once we knew the characters until about 80-85%. I never considered giving up - as I needed to piece everything together and enjoyed the writing style immensely - but I did need to push through some parts.

For that reason I am giving 3.5 stars (rounded up) to this simmering thriller.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.

Twenty-Seven Minutes was one wild ride!! I was on the edge of my seat and could not put this book down!

This novel delves into the events of a decade ago, centered on the tragic death of Phoebe in a car accident and the puzzling delay of her brother Grant, taking 27 crucial minutes to seek help after the incident. The narrative unfolds from various perspectives, with each chapter offering insights into different characters.

In summary, the book captivated my interest, offering a multi-perspective narrative. Overall, it's a compelling story, though it unfolds at a slow pace.

This was okay, it was way too drawn out. I feel like the plot was a bit weak. The characters were annoying and the ending was a let down.

Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate was an incredibly hard book to put down. I plowed through it anxious to see where the story was going.
Follow a group of individuals 10 years after the a tragic event that left them all changed, I was intrigued by the storyline but didn't find I connected with the characters much.
That said, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from Ashley in the future.
You'll find a more indepth (but spoiler free) review of mine here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm9aeP09gRQ

This story idea had potential. I was intrigued by the description and the cover art reminiscent of other suspense authors I love. But ultimately, I was underwhelmed. I managed to stick with it and finish, but it took me almost a full month to read, which is unlike me and says everything you need to know about how engaged I was by this book.

Changing narrators often, between 3 or more characters, is tricky. If your characters aren't vibrant and memorable, it can quickly get confusing. Add to the mix not one or two but THREE of those narrators with an unreliable grip on reality? There were times I felt downright lost in the story and forgot who was who. The back and forth was tiring.

There were times the writing was solid. But overall, the story felt overblown and overly complicated. The description almost sounds like a different book from what I read. And what I read felt like the unfinished plot lines from 3-4 different books rather than one well-told story.

Can't recommend this one.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of Twenty-Seven Minutes.

The synopsis of this story sounded promising, but unfortunately, it just fell flat. I finished the book, but I kept waiting for something to happen. It was super repetitive in storyline and character development. The last 5% was the best, and the twist was only meh.

10 years ago, Phoebe Dean died tragically in a car crash. Now, as the community is getting together to remember her short life and talk about tearing down the bridge where she died, old secrets begining to resurface. Secrets her brother Grant wishes to keep hidden.

I really enjoyed this plot. The author was really trying to build suspense and engage the readers. However, I found it quite slow paced at times and a bit predictable.

In addition, the characters are very well developed and interact well with each other. You can really feel Becca's anguish and Grant's desperation. This story is told in multiple POVs to give you a better insight into what is happening and it jumps between past and present.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I must say this book pulls you in and keeps you trapped. The characters are fully fleshed out and compelling. Don't miss this book!

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish