Sadly although the synopsis and early reviews of this book were enough to catch my attention, this book struggled to keep my attention and was too grief-filled for me to fully immerse myself in. I would try another book from Ashley agate in the future, but this wasn’t for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC!

Another Canadian author debut! I love how Canadian female authors are killing it right now!

Twenty Seven Minutes is a strong debut. Tate excels at creating and developing unreliable narrators. I enjoyed seeing the same moments and memories through different characters POVs a la The Affair. This is not easy to do and at times the repetition felt like it added unnecessary length to the book and brought the momentum down. But when it worked, it tied everything together.

For me, the book is an exploration of tragedy and grief and how it consumes people. It was a completely different book than I was expecting based on the "thriller" marketing.

While reading, I would never have guessed that the story would stay with me the way it has over the past weeks. The town may have memorialized and idolized Pheobe, but it is Rebecca and June who have captured my attention. They are both frustrating and heartbreaking characters. They show how grief and tragedy can become your identity and how you feed off it.

Twenty Seven Minutes will appeal to readers who enjoy a slow burn, melancholy story with layered characters. Go into it without preconceived genre expectations for the best reading experience.

I look forward to reading Ashley Tate's next book!

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the eARC to read and review.

3.5

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ten years ago, the small town of West Wilmer woke to the news of a terrible car accident involving three teenagers that left young Phoebe Dean dead. It was also the night that young Wyatt Delroy left home, never to return.

Now as the town gathers for the ten year memorial, the story shows that for Grant Dean and June Delroy the absence of their siblings has left them locked in one place. For fellow classmate Becca, who was in the Dean vehicle that tragic night, it has left her a victim of the memories that she can not seem to recall. What really happened that night?

One thing is for sure, the memorial is only days away and someone is looking at the town of West Wilmer with a promise that all secrets will finally be revealed.


What I liked...

-There was a very claustrophobic atmosphere surrounding this novel and I felt that I was as confined to the going ons of this town as the characters were.

-The in-between italic texts that gave readers a play by play in-between the switching povs of Phoebe's last days before the accident.

- Incredible Foreshadowing... I had a feeling as we were climbing to the climax what would be revealed. Yet, Ashley Tate managed to give me a few " oh, I didn't really see that coming."

- June Delroy was the most compelling of the characters. My heart ached for her the most. I credit the author's development of her story for these feelings. On the other hand, Grant and Becca- drove me to madness. I feel like both were true villains in this story that had been painted for too long as victims. However, I credit the author's development of their stories for these feelings.

What I didn't like

- The whole time I was reading, I felt the author was circling around the revelations and I did have this ache to just know what it was.

- The ending was bitter sweet. I craved some hope for the town and for the characters that needed it.

- I had a few questions that I have lingering and it really ticks me off when things are open ended like that.


Would I read more from Ashley Tate? Absolutely!


Publication Date 23/01/24
Goodreads Review 23/02/24

"Twenty-seven Minutes is a well-written, captivating thriller that catches you by surprise." ~nerdywordyreviews

In a small town, where everyone knows everything about everyone else, a dark secret remains hidden with the death of Phoebe Dean. She was sweet, innocent, and had the potential to go far in life. Her memory will live on forever. When another tragedy takes a life on that same bridge, the town has decided that removal is the best case. But is it? Did Phoebe die as people claim? Was she really as sweet as the town remembered? Will the truth of what happened that horrible night come to the surface?

Ashely Tate's debut novel Twenty-Seven Minutes is told from past and present views and by multiple points of view. The story takes us inside the current minds and memories of all involved with Phoebe and her death years before.

Many of the storylines overlap neatly while building up, anticipating for the ultimate secret to be unburied.
I read this story fairly fast as my mind kept spinning and questioning what I have read while trying to piece the subtle hints and clues together.

This is a well-written suspense, mystery, thriller which engages readers by drawing them into the then and now of their personal stories and experiences. The writing is clear and concise, with great descriptions of different scenarios and situations.

I wished to have a little more from the ending, although it was still very good and can capture some readers by surprise if they least expect it.

Ten years following the tragic death of Phoebe Dean, a small town revisits the event in hopes of uncovering the truth.

This is a slow burn thriller that has remarkable foreshadowing. I realized how the book was going to end before the half way point, but looked forward to how it would all come together. The suspense build up was too slow for my liking, but the in-depth character development was impressive for so many points of view!

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be honest I had a hard time getting through this one, it felt like the main plot of the story kept circling around and around the drain trying to get to the main point but took a long time getting there.

Unfortunately didn’t love this one.

I don’t read a lot of thrillers or suspense filled books but I think my favorite ones are those with lots of characters and multiple POV. I also love flashbacks or multiplie timelines. This is exactly how Twenty seven minutes by Ashley Tate is told, so of couse I really enjoyed it. I like being confused, keeping up with all the protagonists, short chapters, and all the different reveals and twists and turns the story takes that way. I binged it in one sitting and I was hooked from the first sentence. I did not see the twists coming and I really liked the ending. But this is more than a thriller, or even a mystery. It’s the story of a small town and a bridge, it’s a story about grief and coping with trauma and loss, it’s a story about regret and guilt, it’s about people wanting to be seen. It’s dramatic, it’s emotional, it’s a great story.

I am impressed this is a debut and look forward to the author’s next book.

Thank you to @penguinrandomhousecanada for the e-ARC of Twenty-Seven Minutes in exchange for an honest review.

A memorial for the tenth anniversary of Phoebe Dean is being planned, but the people who were in the car accident with her are anxious about what might be discovered. Her brother Grant and his current fling, Phoebe, are present, and the past haunts them. Told from multiple perspectives and a couple of different timelines, we see the mystery of that night unravel, and we learn why Grant waited 27 minutes to call 911.

This one was a little bit of a miss for me. There were a lot of hints as to what went down all those years ago, but nothing solid that progressed the story. You knew which people had something to do with it, but there wasn’t enough info for the reader to try to solve it.

I can’t tell if this is a great aspect of the book or a bad one, but I couldn’t stand any of the characters. Jane was pitiful at best, and the rest were unlikable jerks. But the characters stirred up emotion and opinions in me while I was reading, and if that was the intention, then well done!

The twists were good. I didn’t expect them, but I think it would be challenging to with how slowly the plot is moved forward. I don’t think I will be reading another book by this author.

Had a difficult time getting into this story of a tragic loss of a girl in a small town and how they coped with it. There are many untruths to uncover and secrets don’t keep forever. After a while the story picks up and I was intrigued. Overall it was a good read.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

This one is a bit windy windy making it a bit of a difficult read if you can't really sit and focus on it. I liked it though!

Talk about a nail biter! Twenty-Seven Minutes gripped me from the first page. It was a thrilling ride and I look forward to more from Ashley Tate!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book.
This book started out promising but as we wove through the plot, it started to go downhill for me. There's a car accident, people are lying about what happened, we know someone did something bad, but the way the story is told, it was hard to care about any of the characters and, thus, what actually happened.
I found the flashbacks to be placed in an elementary way of writing. An example (not related to the text, just an example), she thought back to that day. Below, in Italics, The day started off....
It would have been better to pull those "memories" together and build the tension from alternating chapters.
The twist I didn't buy at the end. I wanted to read this book because the Globe and Mail, while the reviewer had a few negative things to say, generally was positive about this new author.
I feel terrible giving a bad review. But I would skip this one. I'm starting to think the genre has been saturated.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy for review purposes.

This was a good read, not a great read. I felt like I was reading a YA novel that was trying to be grown up.

The plot was interesting but the characters were very one dimensional. I couldn't find very many aspects of the characters that evoked any kind of sympathy.

It was interesting enough but I was underwhelmed by the final plot twist.

It's been ten years since a car accident took the life of a young woman and impacted the life of her brother and her friend who were present in the vehicle as well.

The mother plans a ten year memorial to her daughter, but the whole town is now talking about that night and what really happened.

Written in multiple characters version of that night and how each of them were impacted by that event, the story tells of the intricacies of human interactions and how the past affects the future.

Secrets are divulged in this small town drama.

"Twenty-Seven Minutes" by Ashley Tate is a compelling novel that deftly intertwines the heartache of small-town tragedies with a thread of unforeseeable hope and redemption. As a reader who thrives on unpredictability and the gratification of an ending that catches me off guard, this book delivered in spades. It's not just a story; it's an experience that sweeps you up into the undercurrents of West Wilmer, a town haunted by the premature demise of Pheobe Dean—a tragedy that leaves the community and its secrets teetering on the edge of exposure.

What makes this novel stand out is its ability to navigate the delicate balance between despair and upliftment. Set against the backdrop of a town that has seen better days, the narrative explores the profound impact of loss, guilt, and the relentless pursuit of truth. The author, Ashley Tate, crafts a world so tangible that as someone familiar with the sorrows woven into the fabric of small-town existence, I found myself deeply connected to the characters and their journey towards liberation from the shackles of their past.

The book's pace is another of its virtues. It's a brisk, engaging read that propels you forward with the momentum of a thriller, yet it possesses the depth and emotional resonance of a much heavier novel. This unique blend makes "Twenty-Seven Minutes" an ideal choice for those who appreciate the suspense and complexity of a Stephen King novel but yearn for something a tad more digestible in one sitting.

Without delving into specifics that might spoil the genre's surprise element, it's sufficient to say that the unraveling of the mystery surrounding Pheobe Dean's death is masterfully done. The 10th anniversary of her passing serves as a catalyst for a revelation that promises to shake the very foundations of West Wilmer, delivering a satisfyingly explosive conclusion to an already riveting tale.

In summary, "Twenty-Seven Minutes" is a novel that not only keeps you guessing but also leaves you profoundly moved by its resolution. Its beautifully floppy pages, ease of reading, and the adept weaving of suspense and emotion make it an absolute must-read. Ashley Tate has penned a story that resonates with the thrill-seeker in all of us, offering a perfect blend of darkness and light, despair and hope. For anyone in search of a thriller that offers more than just chills but also touches the heart, this is undeniably a book to cherish and recommend.

Thank you Sourcebooks for the ARC!

When tragedy strikes a small town no one ever really seems to heal, 10 years after the accident and secrets that are just waiting to be revealed. This book is one intense wild ride. Told in multiple points of view, in a dual timeline of the accident and ten years later. We get a glimpse of how time has moved on yet secrets and grief have been tearing lives apart. When will the truth be revealed if ever?
Tate has an amazing plot that was well executed, I was drawn right into the book from the start, was unable to put it down as I flipped pages to try to get to the bottom of what happened that night 10 years ago! A tense atmospheric thriller that will have you in the edge of your seat seeking answers.

Was hooked by the story immediately. Very descriptive characters and setting. Really felt the grunge of Grant, June and Wyatt. However, 2/3 through the story I felt like there was a lot of filler about Becca that was just boring. Skipped to the last couple of chapters to get to the good part.

I liked the cast of characters and the small-town setting. The multiple POVs enhanced the plotting, but I didn't find myself pulled into the story as far as I would've liked. It was still a great thriller with great twists.

I just finished Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate and here are my thoughts.


One night changed the lives of so many people. 10 years ago the golden girl Phoebe, was killed in a car accident. Her brother was driving and a girl called Becca was injured in the back seat. It’s the same night June’s brother Wyatt leaves town, leaving her and her mother in despair.

Phoebe’s mother is planning a memorial. All it is going to Grant, Phoebe's brother, is bringing up painful memories of that night and the secrets threatening to undo him are even more fragile now that June is asking all the right questions but is anyone listening to her?


The concept was super intriguing. Dual timelines so we can see what happened in the lead up to the car accident that night. It was a slower pace but it was well written enough that I got over that. It had some pretty nice twists in it too but they weren’t earth shatteringly epic but they added nicely to a steady mystery.

I didn’t connect with any of the characters because they were all really unlikeable. June was about the only one that wasn’t awful but even then I didn’t feel like she deserved me rooting for her either. Everyone had secrets, everyone was underhanded. It was a bit too character driven for my liking without any good characters. It needed more plot and build up.


The ending was OK. I get it went for a dramatic bow but I felt it needed something more.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to #netgalley and @penguinrandomca

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A small town is haunted by an accident ten years prior. Entire lives have been damaged due to guilt, grief, loneliness and anger. It took a while to get into the book and the varying story lines but I was completely invested in the second half in seeing how the secrets and lies were going to unravel. The ending was not as I had predicted but still satisfying.

'This is what you'll think when they think of her. When they think of young Phoebe Dean. Because over time all of her flaws will become slightly blurred, slightly vague, and without her around to age or mature or correct them, the complicated girl will fade away until all that is left is the girl that they just remember. The special one. The perfect one.'

'Ant it wasn't stalking if you weren't caught. It wasn't stalking if you were doing it for the right reasons.'

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.