This story takes place 10 years after Phoebe Dean, West Elmer’s golden girl died in a car accident after her brother, Grant, who was driving them home from a party, saw a deer and swerved into the railing of the town’s bridge. It was always a wonder why he waited so long to call an ambulance, but Becca, who was seeing Grant and was also in the car, co-signed his story. That same night, their classmate June’s troublemaker brother Wyatt disappeared. But a few days before the ten year memorial, Wyatt returns, and secrets of that night begin to unravel.

This was an interesting one for me. I actually really liked the premise and enjoyed reading everyone’s POV. I also really liked the dual timelines and how it included flashbacks to the night so I wasn’t totally in the dark about the events leading up to and during that night. I also liked the ending and didn’t see it coming, which is always a plus for me!

That said, no one was likeable - except maybe June. So it made it difficult to “root” for anyone and made me uncomfortable at times because there was little relief from so many unlikeable and deeply unwell characters. I also didn’t understand some of their motives and reactions at times, mostly Phoebe's actually. I get that they had a hard childhood and a complicated relationship with their mom, but Phoebe’s fixation with Grant and constant pressure on him was kind of odd and the way it was explained was really repetitive. There was a fair bit of repetition in general, from sentence errors and typos to repetitive words, phrases, and references. It was also difficult to keep track of who was speaking at times because the paragraph/dialogue structure was off.

There was also a pretty big aspect of the book that doesn’t really make sense by the end. I get why it had to be done that way I guess, but it was also a bit weird? Without spoiling it, the POV approach was an interesting choice for certain parts.

Overall, this was a good read. I enjoyed it and was satisfied with the ending. The pacing was a tiny bit slow leading up to the memorial, but I think it was meant to be a slow burn and I didn’t mind too much. Solid 3/5!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you netGalley for the ARC. I would have shortened this book--it was slow. I was pretty certain I knew what had happened very early on, but I read through to the end to confirm that I was correct.

Reviewed on Goodreads too

This was not for me, the pacing was way too slow, it was repetitive and genuinely felt like a chore to read.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, props to the publisher for marketing this as a literary suspense because that is exactly what it was. I found Twenty Seven Minutes to be a well written, slow burn, character driven small town drama mystery that kept me interested and engaged as a reader. It was also an interesting look at grief, loss and effects traumatic events can have on individuals and communities!

Phoebe Dean’s tragic death changed the course of a number of lives and even a decade later it seems to affect dynamics in her home town. Why did her brother Grant wait 27 minutes to call an ambulance? And what about a young man who disappeared that same night? As the anniversary of Phoebe’s death approaches, secrets and truths are threatening to come to the surface.

I went through this one really quickly despite it being more character than action/plot driven. Some of the characters were quite unlikable but I think that makes for more interesting storytelling. I definitely recommend checking this one out!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada & Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a good read. The big reveal was not that surprising, but, the story and the characters made it highly readable.

Ten years prior, a car crash claimed the life of seventeen year old, Phoebe Dean. While her death was ruled accidental, many unanswered questions remained. The main question? Why her brother, Grant Dean, took twenty-seven minutes to dial 911.

On this same evening, Wyatt Delroy disappeared without a trace and his case never received the attention it deserved.

A decade later, a memorial for Phoebe reignited suspicion surrounding her death, and Wyatt’s sister, June Delroy, sought answers regarding his disappearance.

Twenty-Seven Minutes had such a promising premise, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped. Although this book was categorized as suspense, it felt more like a piece of general fiction with a dash of mystery. I really enjoyed the multi point-of-view flashbacks, which provided great insight into Phoebe and Grant’s relationship and the events leading up to her death. This book had a really strong prologue and conclusion, but was otherwise very slow-moving. It didn’t feel as though there was enough going on to capture and maintain my interest. Lastly, this had a super character-driven plot, which was a bit of a struggle for me because I wasn’t able to connect with the majority of the characters.

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

❗️This review contains some spoilers.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is a psychological thriller which focuses on the lies and secrets surrounding a small-town tragedy. This story is told from the perspective of four characters whose lives were completely upended on that fateful day. The chapters bounce back-and-forth between the night of the accident and the present day, ten years later, as we discover how everyone’s stories are connected and what they have all been hiding.

I was completely immersed in this story from the very first page. I would consider it to be a medium-paced thriller/mystery. Even though a lot didn’t necessarily happen (plot wise) throughout the entirety of the book, I was engaged and eagerly flipping through the pages as I read. I was constantly trying to piece together each character’s story to discover the mystery behind the accident. I think the author did an amazing job at keeping the reader guessing about how all their stories were going to intersect in the end. I must say, although I didn’t ever predict what the ending was going to be, it felt a teensy bit anti-climactic. I think the reason I felt this way is because, as the reader, you know Grant is seeing the ghost of his sister - presumably for the last ten years - so to discover that another character was, in fact, dead and communicating in spirit form was not that surprising. Also, things seemed to be left open-ended. I loved having the four POVs to read from, and all the characters were a bit insufferable, but I still wish I knew what the future held for them all. That being said, I can’t say that the ending took away from the experience of this story. I took a deep-dive into the lives of these characters and I didn’t want to come up for air until all was said and done!

Phoebe Dean died in an accident 10 years ago. The circumstances surrounding her death have always been questionable. Why did her brother Grant take 27 minutes to call the ambulance? Their mother is planning a memorial as it draws closer more people are asking questions.
Becca was also in the car that night and her memory is starting to come back. June’s brother Wyatt disappeared that night but no one talks about him.
Someone knows what happened but who will find out and what will happen when they do? The story is told from the point of view of several characters but the chapters are labeled so makes it easier to follow.

.

I was hooked from the beginning on this one. . I did not see the ending coming at all. I had no idea who did what or who was the bad guy or the good one. Grant, Phoebe, Becca, June, Wyatt honestly I wasn’t sure who I should root for. This is a twisted tale at its best. I recommend this book.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is the debut novel for Canadian writer Ashley Tate. I had the privilege to read this book as part of a Tandem Readalong with some amazing fellow bookstagrammers.

Twenty-Seven Minutes is a thriller told from multiple points of view and over multiple timelines.

I have noticed this trend lately, which I have not been a fan of..... thrillers full of unlikeable characters. I understand it in terms of trying to create that suspicion and keep the reader on their toes. All of the characters have something to hide, it's plausible that any of them can be guilty. But, I need someone to root for, and in this book, you weren't even sure that could be the victim.

That being said, the authour did this so well. Yes, the characters seemed unlikeable and you didn't know who to trust or who to root for, but like a present you unwrap slowly and carefully you start to get a sense of what might be underneath. In some cases, your suspicions are confirmed, and in some cases, you are utterly surprised.

I think the authour created an excellent amount of tension throughout the book. It ended in this amazing crescendo as ten years of secrets and lies came crashing down. It left me absolutely crushed and heartbroken for two of the characters.

I'm not going to give a summary of the book because I think it's good to go into this one knowing very little. Allow yourself to peel away the layers and play detective and form your opinions. I really enjoyed that aspect while reading this story. Forming theories and throwing those away as a new theory would start to form.

If you are a thriller fan, Twenty-Seven Minutes needs to make it onto your reading list for this year.

I immediately wanted (needed) to know what the heck was going on - so I initially I was really excited and enjoying things!

The ending though- seemed incredibly unrealistic and I was expecting a bigger twist.

Overall, ended with 3 stars!

Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate is a psychological thriller about the decades old death of a teenage girl.

Full of twists and turns and some despicable characters, this novel will have your guessing until the very end. A dark and moody read.

✨Reviews

📚Twenty Seven Minutes - Ashley Tate📚
📖
3/5

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC ebook.

It’s very rare that I don’t see an ending coming but this one definitely threw me. Maybe it’s because I’m used to big, huge, jaw dropping twists? Or maybe because it was really well hidden.

The plot of this book is unique, the twist was quite a surprise but the story itself kind of dragged on for me, luckily the twist kept me going.

The two interchanging timelines were an interesting and well executed format that helped keep the suspense going, even when the book was moving along at a slow pace.

Overall a good read, that got me out of my slump.

Released today, so go check it out!

This was a DNF for me. 35% through and I found the pace to be underwhelming. I keep waiting for something to happen more details. I am frustrated with the crumbs and hints.

I am confused.

This book took me a bit to get into. It started off slow, and seemed all over the place. Usually I like different POVs but in this it almost confused me more?

Wyatt and Grant are very aggressive/emotional abusive. I didn’t like how they were speaking to others.
Becca and June are unreliable sources. They don’t know anything, are confused? Mentally ill? I’m really not sure.

And then the ending seemed like it came out of left field? Maybe this book wasn’t for me, but I was really confused what happened at the ending there and the timeline of everything.

If things were explained a bit better then I would’ve rated this book higher it did have a lot of potential and interesting premise. I would still recommend this to others, I’d like to see what they think about it. I would still read another book by this author the writing was really well done.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advanced in exchange for my honest opinion.

Personally, I found the book slow. The prologue was enticing enough to capture my interest, but once we got into the book itself I found it hard to capture my attention long enough to do a full read-through.
I've tried many times to push through and have forced myself to sit and read.

I think its general idea is great, and with a bit of a rework and editing of how the structure layout is (which I know they are working on!), it would be a good three-star read.

I didn’t absolutely hate it but also didn’t love it. It was just okay for the most part.

The twist in the end wasn’t something I was expecting but I felt like it wasn’t explained well. For that to have happened, a lot of things would have changed throughout the book and I wish we got to see those scenes from the other characters’ povs just so it would make some sense.

I also didn’t like any of the characters. None of them had any personality traits other than feeling sorry for themselves which made me not care for them one bit. They were all whiny and only cared about themselves.

I found myself wanting to rush through the whole book. I was pretty much ready to be done with it halfway through. I still finished it so it’s not a 1 star read for me but I am so upset that I didn’t like it because I was really looking forward to reading it as the blurb seemed really good.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.

"Twenty-Seven Minutes" by Ashley Tate is a riveting story that hooks you from the start with a deadly car accident, leaving the sister of a football star dead. He was behind the wheel, and the central mystery revolves around why it took him 27 minutes to call the police, potentially costing her life.

The narrative unfolds at a brisk pace, cleverly revealing morsels of information that gradually piece together the puzzle of that fateful night. Ashley Tate masterfully leaks details, keeping readers engaged and hungry for more.

What sets this book apart is the unexpected ending that adds an extra layer of intrigue. Tate's storytelling keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the patterns of symbolism throughout the book add a depth that's truly appreciated.

Overall, "Twenty-Seven Minutes" earns a solid 4-star rating. It's a gripping read that seamlessly weaves suspense, mystery, and symbolism into a compelling narrative. Tate's ability to surprise and engage makes this book a worthwhile journey from start to finish.

I'm looking forward to reading more from the Author.

I was excited to try this debut novel. I had read some good reviews so I was excited to start.
Unfortunately I found myself wanting to rush thru the novel just to finish it.
It reads like a YA novel which is fine but I don’t feel it was meant to be one.
I found the characters annoying. Becca was so wrapped up in up with Grant and even after 10 years of being ignored mostly by him she was so infatuated with him. Phoebe the girl that passed away seemed to be so wrapped up with her brother you almost felt there was more going on. I found there was a lot of whining and poor me from most of the characters.
I just wanted to get finished with the novel to move on to something else.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the advance copy tho

I don’t feel much towards this book one way or the other, so I’m going to drop it somewhere in the middle.

I really dislike the prose used for this book, it feels flat and lifeless, almost juvenile in its simplicity. It makes the characters narrating feel one dimensional and uninteresting, and that’s definitely my biggest drawback overall. I couldn’t care about the characters because their personalities weren’t strong enough to grab me.

The mystery elements were decently handled, and while I wouldn’t say this was the most thrilling thriller I’ve ever read, it also wasn’t the most predictable and recycled story either so it’s hard to have a major opinion one way or the other.

All in all, can’t complain but can’t really sing its praises either.