I've read many of David Baldacci's novels and they were all of the thriller/mystery type, so this was a totally different read for me - though just as fast-paced and absorbing as his others. This book it more historical fiction set in London near the end of World War II. I loved it!

Description:
Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters is up to no good, but for a very good reason. Without parents, peerage, or merit, ducking school but barred from actual work, he steals what he needs, living day-to-day until he’s old enough to enlist to fight the Germans. After barely surviving the Blitz, Charlie knows there’s no telling when a falling bomb might end his life.

Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield has just returned to a nearly unrecognizable London. One of millions of people to have been evacuated to the countryside via “Operation Pied Piper,” Molly has been away from her parents—from her home—for nearly five years. Her return, however, is not the homecoming she’d hoped for as she’s confronted by a devastating reality: both her parents are gone.

Without guardians and stability, Charlie and Molly find an unexpected ally and protector in Ignatius Oliver, and solace at his book shop, The Book Keep, where A book a day keeps the bombs away. Mourning the recent loss of his wife, Ignatius forms a kinship with both children, and in each other—over the course of the greatest armed conflict the world had ever seen—they rediscover the spirit of family each has lost.

But Charlie’s escapades in the city have not gone unnoticed, and someone’s been following Molly since she returned to London. And Ignatius is still reeling from a secret Imogen long kept from him while she was alive—something so shocking it resulted in her death, and his life being turned upside down.

As bombs continue to bear down on the city, Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius learn that while the perils of war rage on, their coming together and trusting one another may be the only way for them to survive.

My Thoughts:
Baldacci brought the bombings that occurred in London to life and the scenes were terrifying and scary. The characters he brought together - Ignatius Oliver (the bookstore owner), Charlie Matters (14 year old) and Molly Wakefield (16 year old) met under terrible conditions but came together and cared for each other. Charlie had suffered terrible losses and was grieving. Molly was finding her way in nursing war victims. The way they came together and helped each other was heart-warming. The story-telling is superb in this book and the plot was fast-moving and compelling. The times were difficult and uncertain. This was an emotional read and it really makes you grateful for peaceful times.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I feel weird being an apparent outlier here but to me this was just okay. This seems like a bit of a departure from Baldacci's usual novels and I'm not sure that's a great thing. Perhaps I've just read too much WWII historical fiction, but it all starts to seem rather similar. It's heartbreaking yet predictable. The bookshop part of the story felt somewhat unique, but it felt a little over the top. It all felt flat to me by the end.

Recommended for anyone who loves historical fiction novels, especially involving resilience through loss and found family. I imagine it'd be loved by fans of Kristin Hannah.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I don't know about everyone else, but a reliable sign to me that a book was wonderful is how puffy and red my face is from crying when I'm done. Yes, this was a great book. Strangers in Time is a historical mystery by best-selling author David Baldacci. I probably have read at least one book by him in the past, but I'd have to dig out my notebook of all the books I've read for over 20 years to check, and no one has time for me to look that up! I will, however, be actively seeking out his books from now on.

In London in 1944, German bombs have been falling, causing death and destruction in their wake. Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters has been stealing in order to survive. He's an orphan living with his beloved Gran, and he no longer goes to school - and can't get a job at his age - so theft to supplement his Gran's meager wage is his only choice. He's biding his time until he's old enough to join the fight against the Germans. He barely escaped death during the Blitz, so he knows his end could come at any time. On the other end of the spectrum, fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield, the child of a well-to-do couple, has just returned to a London she barely recognizes. She was one of the millions of children sent to the countryside for safety via “Operation Pied Piper", and she's been gone from home for five years. When she returns, however, both of her parents are gone, and she has no idea what happened to them.. With no guardians or a stable home, they find an unexpected protector and friend in Ignatius Oliver, who owns the book store called The Book Keep. Ignatius is a recent widower and is mourning the death of his beloved wife. He finds a kinship with both children, and they form their own unique family. But Charlie's actions in the city have drawn some unwanted attention, and Molly has been followed since she returned to London. And Ignatius has some secrets of his own...

It took me a little time to get into the rhythm of the story, but once I did I was reluctant to put it down and stayed up waaaaay past a reasonable bedtime. I really can't say that I preferred one character over the others; I found them all fascinating and likable and was riveted to each of their stories. When the three came together it was such a special little family. They had lost the families they had, but now had the family they chose. Charlie had lost so much so young, and his Gran was all he had left. She didn't know that Charlie had quit school and was stealing to survive. When Charlie was forced by two of his mates to help them rob The Book Keep, things ended badly and he was terrified that he would come to the attention of the authorities for his part in the incident. When Gran was no longer there to care for Charlie, he gravitated toward Ignatius's book store, and also became friends with Molly. Molly had no idea of the situation she was entering when she returned from the countryside; her father had stopped paying for her keep to the couple with whom she stayed, so she knew it was time to come home. The only one left at her house was her nanny, who wasn't telling Molly the truth about the situation. Molly, an extremely smart young woman, wanted to be a doctor; her strength when helping victims of bombings was remarkable. She, too, gravitated to Ignatius and his book shop. And just who was following Molly, and why? The last third of the trio, Ignatius Oliver, was a sad man who lost his wife, and now he seemed lost himself. The book store had been hers, and she was a writer. Ignatius wanted to finish the book she had started, but just couldn't force himself to do it. Ignatius seemed to come back to the land of the living when he spent time with the children and was protecting them. He was an air warden and would help citizens get to shelters when bombs began to fall and would help those who had been hurt; he had seen so much death and destruction. Who was the strange German man that Ignatius met with, though? Charlie and Molly were worried that Ignatius was perhaps taking part in something nefarious, but they wanted to trust him. As the book went along more and more of the trio's secrets were being revealed, and I was stunned about many of them. Mr. Baldacci's descriptions of the bombings, shelters, death and destruction made you almost think he was there at the time. He let you feel these people's pain.. This was a story of death and heartache, but also one of triumph and love. It's also a love letter to books and reading. You won't be able to read it without weeping.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sometimes we come across a great author whose story is good but not quite up to their usual standard. This was one of those books for me.

The author stepped away from his usual genre of suspense and legal thrillers to try his hand at historical fiction. The story centers on two teenagers Charlie and Emily (ages 13 and 15) and an elderly man named Oliver. One might say it was serendipity that brought them together, as their lives couldn't have been more different under normal circumstances. But during WWII, as German bombs rained down on London, social class mattered less: what you had today could be gone tomorrow, and people from all walks of life came together.

What stood out to me was the heart of each character. They all had true grit. The sadness that cloaked each of them like a personal veil of loss was deeply moving. But together, they found strength. Their friendship helped each of them endure the pain and destruction brought on by the war.
While the two teens’ secrets are more transparent, the real mystery lies with Oliver. Who is he, really? Is he on the side of good, or is he a spy planted by the Germans to live among the Londoners?

What didn’t work as well for me were a few chapters that dragged and felt like they could have been trimmed. I understand the intention might have been to build suspense, but it just felt a bit too drawn out. Some characters seemed to be added as filler as I didn’t get a strong sense of who they were or what they truly brought to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Strangers in Time is one you don't want to miss!
This takes place in London 1944 and is about a book shop owner who is grieving, but also two teenagers who are all damaged by the second world war. They also find the healing and hope in each other. The author wrote this exceptionally well and all of the characters in it I loved. It was such a touching, but also tragic read. This is one historical fiction that you do not want to miss. I loved this book and would recommend to any reader especially to those who love historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this amazing read in exchange of my honest review of Strangers in Time by David Baldacci.

Three strangers who normally wouldn’t have met, become friends during the Blitz in London during WWII. Molly and Charlie are young teenagers basically fending for themselves. They meet bookstore owner Ignatius Oliver who has grief and secrets of his own. Together this unlikely trio face whatever life throws at them. Wonderful characters, absorbing story.

A tiny bookshop tucked away in a London alley is an unlikely haven for three very different people in war torn England in 1944. Ignatius Oliver, the owner of The Book Keep, is grieving the death of his wife. Molly Wakefield was sent to the countryside by her parents at the start of the war. Now 15, she is horrified by London’s destruction yet mystified to find her childhood home undamaged, but both her parents are gone. She learns from the housekeeper that her father is missing, and her mother is in a psychiatric hospital far from London. Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters lost his family in the Blitz. Now he scavenges for food and shelter on the bombed-out streets of London. Under different circumstances, both Charlie and Molly make their way to The Book Keep where they find a caring father figure in Ignatius and a safe place to call home as they all deal with the problems the war has brought to their lives. Baldacci’s novel is in part a coming-of-age story, but it is also the story of human struggle during one of the worst times in world history. The book is well researched, has an amazing sense of place and a large cast of muti-faceted characters. I would recommend this book to readers and book groups who enjoy historical fiction and WWII fiction. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

David Baldacci has been a favorite author for years!!! This novel is a departure from his usual suspense/legal thrillers which highlights his versatility to write across different genres.

The moment I discovered he was venturing into my favorite genre, historical fiction, I was all in! True to form, Baldacci brings his trademark talent for crafting gripping tales with deeply developed characters and intricate plots to this novel.

The story unfolds in wartime London during 1944, with the Nazi bombing campaign, famously known as The Blitz, serving as its backdrop.

Baldacci skillfully evokes the era's tension, intertwining the stories of three unlikely companions: Charlie, a clever 13-year-old making his way through the streets of the East End; Molly, a 15-year-old coming back to a city and home irreversibly altered by the war; and Ignatius, a sorrowful and enigmatic bookseller grieving the loss of his wife.

Their lives intertwine in unforeseen ways, forging a connection that brings hope amid the turmoil of the blitz. Together, they face the perils of wartime London, unearth hidden truths, and tackle obstacles that challenge their strength and faith in one another.

If you enjoy a deeply engaging, character-focused story that explores themes of resilience, human connection, and survival, this is a must-have for your reading list.

Audiobook lovers, get your headphones ready because this is a must listen!!

🎧The audiobook has a talented cast of narrators that include David Baldacci, Stewart Crank, Alexandra Boulton, John Lee, Nicola F. Delgado, Matthew Lloyd Davies, and Joe Pitts.

With a full cast, each character has a distinct voice making it very easy to follow along. The cast was able to convey the war-time atmosphere so vividly through their voices in a way that you were able to truly feel the emotions each character was feeling during their many hardships.....the performance really heightened my emotional connection to each character.

I’ve read most of Baldacci’s books but none of them have stayed with me like this one. It’s very well written and the characters are fascinating, doing their best to literally stay alive in London while the Nazis bombed it relentlessly.

The three main characters, Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius, couldn’t be more different and would never had known each other in normal times. During wartime the old rules don’t apply. They end up saving each other in different ways.

I couldn’t put this one down, it’s a must read especially if you like historical fiction. 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I read A CALAMITY OF SOULS by this same author and loved it. This one is also excellent. It's more about younger people. Two kids during WW2 London.

Molly has been away from home for five years. Sent to a safe place during the war. When she arrives home the only person to greet her is her nanny. Her mom and dad are both gone. All of the help is also gone. Molly in in a whole different place than she was. Alone and wanting nothing more than her mother. Her mom is in an institution because she had a breakdown after some horrific things happened to her. Molly's dad is missing and it seems no one knows where he is or what he's doing.

Charlie lives with his grandmother. Both of his parents were killed. His dad at Dunkirk and his mother from a bomb outside the school she had just left Charlie at. Charlie does what he has to to survive. He's learned a few tricks that help him to get things that he and his grandmother need. Though his grandmother would never approve of him stealing. She works hard for them both to survive this crazy war.

Then there is Mr Oliver. Ignasius Oliver. He owns the bookkeep that use to belong to his late wife. His wife died and he grieves her still. When he meets Molly and Charlie things will change in his life in ways he didn't know possible. He takes the two in and does the best he can to keep them safe and fed. Oliver works for the government assisting people during air raids and making sure that things are done correctly during this time of war. He's a very good man. I loved him dearly.

A lot happens in this story and it will hold you captive until the very end. It's well written and the characters are so likable. The two teen children will worm into your heart and Mr Oliver is beyond description. He's such a good person. He helps Charlie and Molly all throughout this story even before they come to live with him.

The ending is great also. It sums everything up so you have no lose ends to worry about.

Thank you #NetGalley, #GrandCentralPublising, for this arc.

What a great book! Not what I would have expected from David Baldacci. London Blitz, spies, mystery. Excellent! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Strangers in time, by David Balducci is an exciting and thought provoking historical fiction novel. Taking place in England, during constant bombing aggression from the Nazis, it links the lives of three soles who find themselves lost with their own tragic circumstances. The book is exciting, and the characters are developed in a sensitive way. Balducci has written a book that keeps the reader involved in all main characters, and anxious about their well being. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an exciting historical fiction experience..

Strangers in Time is fast-paced, incredibly well-written, and the characters jump off the page.
This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed amazingly.
The writing is superb and constantly requires the reader to turn the page to see what happens next.

Much thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Strangers in Time by David Baldacci is a historical fiction book that takes place during World War II that really centers around a book shop named The Book Keep, which is owned by a man who recently became widowed, Ignatius Oliver. There are 2 children that befriend the shop owner, Charlie and Molly. The story was full of excitement and energy.

I really enjoyed the book and, of course, the setting in WWII.

Stangers in Time is another great story from David Baldacci, a favorite author. Three individuals from different walks of life meet during wartime and "stand together against all the world could hurl at them." This is a captivating and brutally realistic look at the people who lived in London during the German bombings, and Baldacci puts the reader right there with them. One can almost hear the scream of the bombs and smell the smoke. I liked this novel about a "family" forged together in desperate times of sorrow, fear, and loss. I was given a complimentary copy of the book from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

It's been a really long time since I've read anything by David Baldacci. This is certainly a departure from his works that I read before. This historical fiction takes place in England during WWII.

Three people from completely different lanes of life come together and form a unit made of friendship. One is a young boy who runs the streets hoping to "find" food or items that he can sell for money. One is a teenage girl who has returned from the country where her parents sent her for her own safety. She decides to return home only to discover that neither of her parents are there. The last is a man who has lost his wife and owns a book shop.

This was a very well written historical fiction that will have you wanting to fight along side these incredible characters to insure that they survive. Very touching and consuming. I couldn't put it down. The hardships of war are stark and upfront, but friendship and love is right there, too.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this incredible e-book. All thoughts are my own.

The setting of wartime London was an atmospheric backdrop into a dark time in history. It didn’t matter where you came from or your societal status, nobody was safe from harm be it bombs or desperate people. Everyone made sacrifices in order to survive whether these choices were necessary or forced.

Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius are three characters that will stay with me for the long haul. Even though they came from very different upbringings, these three are brought together by dire circumstances and find empathy for each other along with the greater community. Their stories are compelling and heartfelt and truly offer a positive feeling for the human spirit. Do not miss out on this wonderful story of found family, a bookstore, and great mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

"Ignatius Oliver had come along at precisely the right time for two young people who would lose everything during the greatest armed conflict the world had ever suffered through." Thus sums up the thoughts of Molly Wakefield as she looks back over 40 years to London during the Blitz.

It is 1944 in London and Charlie Matters and Molly Wakefield are both war orphans. Molly's parents are not dead, but they are missing as she returns to a London much changed from the one she left in 1939 as many families sent their young to the relative safety of the countryside. Charlie's parents are dead - his father at Dunkirk and his mother from a bomb in London, not far from his school where she had just dropped him off. They are only sixteen and fourteen when they meet and all they have in common is their losses. But somehow they meet at The Book Keep, a bookshop run by Ignatius Oliver since the death of his wife, Imogen.

And there begins a story of loss and love and family that sees them through to the end of World War II and into the hope of peace. They both find that they, along with Ignatius, are forced to do things they would never have done in a "normal" life, but are forced to do in this upside down world where they live.

The insights into the daily life of Londoners as they hide from the almost nightly bombings and otherwise try to go about their daily business is very revealing and heartbreaking. David Baldacci has written another good one!

What a different kind of book for Baldacci - I have read 40 books of his and this one really stands out. Baldacci has wandered into the realm of historical fiction with this standalone novel. It is the story of three totally different souls during the Blitz of London during WWII. Charlie Matters is a fourteen year old who has lost both parents and is living with his grandmother in the East End in what I can only call a tenement, barely getting enough food to survive and actually sleeping in a closet. Molly Wakefield is a sixteen year old who has recently returned to London having been sent to the countryside as part of the British program to protect children in the major cities from the onslaught of German bombs, only to find her parents gone. Ignatius Oliver is a grieving widower, an air warden, and the operator of a failing bookshop. The three are drawn together in different ways - Charlie winds up in the bookshop one night and steals some money which he returns as his conscience won’t let him keep it. Then Molly and Charlie meet on the street and become friends. And the bookstore becomes the common denominator for the trio. This is a story of the tragedy of the Blitz, the hardships endured by so many as the war raged on for so long, and the resilience of the human spirit in spite of such hardship and despair. Well written, well paced and full of twists that Baldacci always includes in his books, and the ending, fast forwarding some 40-plus years was a nice touch. My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This is my new favorite WWII book! It tells the story of three strangers, different ages and backgrounds, whose lives intersect in an interesting way. The bond they create is so touching as they help each other survive the last year of the war. My favorite quote that sums up their relationship is “We all need someone at certain times in our lives. It makes the inevitable pain lessened and the periods of happiness exalted.”

The author knows how to tell a story and write descriptions to create the images in your head while reading. I loved the short chapters and couldn’t stop reading because I had to find out what happened next! The story gives details and historical facts about the bombings in London. It also focuses a lot on mental health caused by war trauma. There is mention of rape and suicide in the book but both are handled with delicacy. My favorite thing about the book is the bond that forms between the characters as they experience loss of loved ones, the will to survive, and learn to trust and care for each other. It is truly a touching story about humanity. Go out and get a copy today!

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!