3.5/3.75

I love historical fiction. My favorites are ones that you really learn about something in a specific time period that you wouldn’t really know much about. Or ones that really make you emotionally attached to what the characters are going through, again, in a specific time in history. This book is set around 1944/1945 and is a story about 3 characters that ended up becoming very important to one another. It’s a good story, I just didn’t learn anything new in this one. It’s more a fiction story for me. Which was a cute read and it ended well.

I had been on a bit of a break from WWII-themed books, but when I saw that David Baldacci had written a novel in one of my favorite genres—historical fiction—I couldn’t resist giving it a listen. I’m always a fan of audiobooks with multiple narrators, and this one definitely delivered with the perfect accents. Combining historical fiction with mystery and suspense, it was everything I hoped for and more!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

#StrangersinTime #NetGalley

I am a romance and fantasy reader 90% of the time. However, sometimes I want something completely different and I literally stalked Netgalley for an ARC of Strangers in Time. Eventually, I gave up and bought the actual book. Lo and behold, I was got an email from Netgalley to read it the very next day! 😂

I can't say enough good things about this story. I'm a sucker for any book set during WWII (I have a history degree) and this has been one of my favorites so far. At the beginning of the book, we meet our three different characters in their own storylines. Eventually, their storylines came together flawlessly! I cheered with them, I cried with them and I grew to love them. Weeks later, I'm still thinking about Molly and Charlie and Oliver. The historical detail that went into this book is astounding but the story never got weighed down with historical fact. I truly felt like I was reading the accounts of people who'd lived during the London Blitz. This was the perfect book to get you out of a reading slump or when you need a literary palate cleanser.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC of this book. I TRULY loved it!

Colleen Chi-Girl at GR
3-1/2 STARS
Bookshelves: 2025, audio, anti-racist, children, education-teaching, europe, germany-austria, ww2-holocaust

This was a sweet story set in England during WWII and features two older children who find each other, after losing their own families during the bombings. These two orphans also find a true and kind friend in an older male, widower, and they become their own family.

It is also a good reminder of just how awful England (France, Poland, and others) really suffered at the hands of Germany's Nazi regime.

Although I enjoyed this story, I found I had to push myself to finish it. I believe it was because two of the main characters were older children and therefore, much of the story is from their viewpoint. Other readers may really enjoy this VP but I much prefer POV's driven from adult main characters.

I really enjoy David Baldacci as an author. His prose is well written and he always develops his characters well as he did in this novel.

The audiobook was so well narrated by a cast: Stewart Crank (Narrator), Alexandra Boulton (Narrator), John Lee (Narrator), Nicola F. Delgado (Narrator), Matthew Lloyd Davies (Narrator), Joe Pitts (Narrator)

Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC copy.

This was an moving World War II novel focused on the bombings of London. The idea of a found family in the midst of so much loss and devastation was very moving. The author did a great job capturing and creating the voices of the three main characters. Great storytelling.

An unlikely cast of characters joins together to survive the bombings in London towards the end of World War II.
The Honorable Charlie Matters from the east end of the lost his father to Dunkirk and his mother to the first wave of the Blitzkrieg. As the war progresses, Charlie and his grandma struggle to survive both bombs and economic downturns, which leave them with next to nothing. Charlie steals from the rich to keep body and soul together, but he takes no pride in what he has become. When he cleans out the till at the Book Keep, a small bookshop owned by Ignatius Oliver, Charlie regrets his theft and vows to return the money. His choice sets in motion an unusual friendship—one which will change more than one life.

After months of silence from her parents in London, Molly Wakefield returns to her comfortable home five years after she left at the age of ten. Nothing appears the same. Her former nanny answers the door, and Molly soon realizes her family is as gutted as the city. The nanny hasn’t seen Molly’s father in months, and her mother has spent most of the war at an asylum far from London.

When Molly takes matters into her own hands and sneaks out to visit her father’s place of employment, a chance encounter with Charlie Matters changes the trajectory of her life.

Ignatius Oliver, a decorated bomb warden, takes his job seriously. After his wife’s untimely death, Ignatius knows he must do everything possible to stop the advance of the Germans. He struggles with regrets and self-recriminations. When Molly and Charlie enter his life, Ignatius learns how familiar bonds can arise from the ashes of remorse and war.

What I Loved About this Audiobook

The voice actors made Baldacci’s moving story an immersive experience. The listener feels transported to war-torn London and looks for excuses to listen longer. Bravo to the narrators for the superb interpretation of Baldacci’s moving novel.

I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to listen and review the audio of Strangers in Time by @HachetteAudio. The story is set in London, England during World War 2. It focuses on the unique lives of three incredibly different characters, brought together by circumstances of war time. For me, personally, the theme that stands out most is unlikely friendships, Other themes presented in the story are loyalty, love, loss, poverty, heroism, mental illness, endurance, and resilience. I appreciated that the book was not full of curse words (huge turn off for me), allowing me to focus on the content of the book. The narrators of the story were amazing at properly executing their characters. I did have some difficulty comprehending some of the voices (Major Bryant and Gran) due to their heavy accents. However, I am a mountaineer from deep in the heart of Appalachia so I’m accustomed to slower speech and Southern drawls. I only gave this read 3 stars because it was slow getting started, I had difficulty adequately hearing some parts, and not it was not as exciting as I would’ve liked. Overall, it’s definitely worth the read.

Finding friends in the strangest of circumstances. How strangers become "family" when you need them most. So much heartbreak in this book, yet the courage of these two young teens is commendable. Great war story in London.

I was excited to receive this as an ALC! My mom read a David Baldacci book and raved about it. When I saw this new historical fiction coming out, I knew I had to get my hands on it!

This book will 1000% be better enjoyed via audiobook. Seriously some of the best narration I've heard. I loved the multiple narrators that would change mid-sentence with dialogue, the accents, and the pronunciations.

Even though I have read several books about WW2, since this is a favorite time period of mine to read about, this was the first book that I feel really captured for me the rationing and subsequent hunger, the horror of the bombings, and the devastation of coming back from bomb shelters to realize loved ones did not make it out of bombed buildings in time.

I loved the authors note at the end where Baldacci talks about having a poor character, a rich character, and a character in between.

A review will be posted on my booksta, toomanyfivestarreads, soon.

Strangers in Time is a compelling blend of mystery and historical fiction, and I really enjoyed it. The characters — especially Molly, Charley, and Ignatius Oliver — are wonderfully complex and memorable. Baldacci does a great job showing how people from very different walks of life can come together during tragic times, offering strength and hope to one another.
Baldacci’s has a gift for setting the scene so vividly that you feel like you’re right there among the characters, walking through the streets, sharing their fears, and experiencing their hopes. His attention to detail pulls you into the action and makes the story feel immediate and real.
The audiobook cast, featuring David Baldacci, Stewart Crank, Alexandra Boulton, John Lee, Nicola F. Delgado, Matthew Lloyd Davies, and Joe Pitts, brought the story to life beautifully. The different narrators added richness and texture to the experience.
There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing, and I appreciated how naturally the historical details were woven into the mystery. It dragged just a little in places for me, which kept it just shy of a full 5 stars, but overall, this was a wonderful listen and a strong recommendation for fans of historical fiction and character-driven mysteries.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to review this audiobook, which was just released on April 15, 2025!

Although I read this as an ebook, thank you NetGalley and Hachette Publishing, I wanted to hear this book narrated! I loved the phrases in the book and the narration did not disappoint! One of the best books of my 75 read for 2025, but also the most enjoyable audiobook.

Buy it, borrow it enjoy it. It’s one of his best!

I have loved David Baldacci for years and this has become one of my favorites. This book takes place during World War II in London during the Blitz and brings together an unlikely group of people from different points in life. We have Charlie a 15 year old orphan, Mollie a 16 year old who returns to London and finds that her parents are missing and Ignatius a widowed book distributor who is grieving the loss of his wife. I listened to the audiobook for this novel and would highly recommend. This novel has multiple narrators which adds an additional layer to the storytelling. The imagery of the location, historical aspects and narration led to a fully immersive experience. This book has multiple twist and turns that I did not anticipate and all tied together perfectly. I really enjoyed the found family aspect and really appreciated the ending. I like that Molly and Charlie are friends/family and stayed in each other's lives. Wonderful read and a great break from the genre I have been reading recently.

Thank you Hatchette audio and Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Well researched WWII book that is about people and circumstances. This is a departure from the usual Baldacci writing so if you are expecting one of his series, this isn’t it. Character interactions were good and centered in the reality of the times in which they were living.

Title: Stranger in Time
Author: David Baldacci
Format: 🎧
Narrators: David Baldacci, Stewart Crank, Alexandra Boulton, John Lee, Nicola F. Delgado, Matthew Lloyd Davis, and Joe Pitts
Publisher: Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII, Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: April 15, 2025
My Rating: 3.6 Stars
Pages: 448

This is the story of three strangers who become a “family” due to the war.

In 1944, London is under attack. Bombs and rockets are causing deaths and demolishing buildings. Charlie Matters, a 13-year-old from the East End, has lost his parents and now lives with his grandmother.- he does odd jobs or committing petty theft to earn money.
Charlie meets Molly Wakefield who is fifteen and has been sent to the countryside for safety. When her father's letters stop coming, she decides to return home-finds her parents missing and her former nanny alone.
Charlie meets Ignatius Oliver, a bookshop owner, part-time air warden, and grieving widower. Soon three strangers Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius form a support system family. We follow this ‘family on their emotional experience while enduring the war.


This is David Baldacci novel #28 for me.
Who’s a fan? Yep! That would be me! My favorite characters are John Puller, Will Robie, Amos Decker~ The Memory Man and Atlee Pine and I ended up liking her in the other novels. One of my very favorites was [book: The Calamity of Souls] I always enjoy good courtroom drama.
Certainly don’t associate WWII Historical Fiction with Baldacci but I know he is a good story teller.
He tells us in his ‘Author’s Note” that when he decided to write a WWII story he knew most had already been written and decided to tell the story of three different people who probably would never have met in noon war time but bonded now and experienced the power of love.
The narrators brought his story to life. Typical of a Baldacci audiobook are that s the characters communicate with each. If you listen to audiobooks you know that when there are multiple narrators they usually perform by chapter.
BTW: The “Author’s Note’ was read by Baldacci!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing, for this great audiobook
Pub date was April 15, 2025.

An excellent piece of historical fiction. This is (somehow) my first David Baldacci read and it certainly did not disappoint! Well-researched, beautifully written, and emotionally-driven, Strangers in Time—a departure from Baldacci’s usual genre—is a vivid telling of three individuals from very different backgrounds who come together in London 1944 in the midst of World War II.

Charlie and Molly, recently orphaned teenagers, cross paths after losing everything they have. These two young teens could not come from more opposite backgrounds, but form a friendship as they are both reeling from grief. The teens find an unexpected ally and friend in Ignatius Oliver—a recently-widowed owner of a bookshop. The three quickly become a found family as a way to cope with and survive the horrors of the war.

Thank you to David Baldacci, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

STRANGERS IN TIME departs from David Baldacci’s usual suspense thrillers, highlighting his versatility in writing across different genres.
The story unfolds in wartime London during 1944, with the Nazi bombing campaign, and it is both heartwarming and heartbreaking as you follow Charlie Matters, Molly Wakefield, and Ignatius Oliver, three people who have come together through unexpected circumstances and would not usually have met. The prose is vivid and expressive, bringing to life their emotional journey. The characters are scarred, vulnerable, and strong, making it easy for the readers to empathize with them. The plot is a compelling tale about life, loss, friendship, heartbreak, guilt, grief, courage, hope, war, regret, survival, and love.

The narration was not just good, it was outstanding; it is a MUST-listen audiobook. Stewart Crank, Alexandra Boulton, John Lee, Nicola F. Delgado, Matthew Lloyd Davies, and Joe Pitts provided the perfect voices for each character as they came alive. I highly recommend the audiobook version.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing for the advanced audio copy. And a heartfelt thank you to you, David Baldacci. Your work has left me in awe, and I can't wait to see how you will top this one!

Baldacci departs his usual genre of suspense novels to write a heartwarming historical fiction novel set in London, 1944. But he keeps his style of twists and turns as we follow three characters that are pulled together because of the war. By focusing on London, we see the war as a daily struggle and the value of found family.

Perhaps because two of the main characters are teenagers, there is a feeling of this book being within the YA genre, but a good book is a good book.

The full cast audio was terrific and added to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing, and David Baldacci for an audio ARC.

Master storyteller David Baldacci (favorite author) returns following A Calamity of Souls with his latest standalone, STRANGERS IN TIME —An extraordinary, powerful story of three unlikely souls who find one another during the war. This is their story. Three people standing together against the world and all it could throw at them.

Three strangers must work together to survive World War II. But can they escape their dark secrets?

About...

Set in London in 1944, three characters from different social classes meet, and their lives will forever be changed.

Ignatius Oliver is a caring widower and owns a bookstore. His wife, Imogen, was a writer involved in secretive things; however, Ignatius does not discuss her. He is still grieving. He is also an air warden and holds some secrets, the revelation of which will change the course of the story. He will be the glue that holds them together as strangers become a family.

Charlie, 14, lives with his Gran after the Blitz on the wrong side of the track. The rations are barely enough to live on. His parents are deceased. They are poor, and she does the best she can. Charlie has dropped out of school, even though his Gran doesn't know. He is forced to do some things to survive, which brings trouble. He has a great heart, is street-smart, loves his Grandmother, and is a survivor. His resilience and love for his family make him a character you can't help but root for.

Molly, 15, is back from the country after Operation Pied Piper. Her dad is missing, and her mother, whom she finds out is in hospital. She has only her housekeeper. She was from a wealthy family and educated, but she soon found herself with nothing, much like Charlie. She is resourceful, resilient, loyal, learns nursing skills, and has a great heart. She and Charlie form a friendship. Molly's journey from a life of privilege to one of struggle and her resilience in the face of adversity will tug at your heartstrings.

Due to their tragedy, the two teens will have no one but one another. They will find a home and comfort with Ignatius Oliver, a man they both come to care about, and that friendship will change the trajectory of their lives. Their friendship, born out of necessity, becomes a source of warmth and comfort amid fear and uncertainty.

My thoughts...

STRANGERS IN TIME is beautifully written, stunning, full of wisdom, and heart. An exploration into the resilience of the human spirit. Together, these three had confronted a collective hardship that at times seemed beyond their capability; however, they found strength, courage, and comfort in one another as friends in the face of the war's deadly grip. Their resilience is truly inspiring.

STRANGERS IN TIME is a classic! A top book of 2025, much like Calamity of Souls, a top book of 2024. I loved both audiobooks.

I am a huge Baldacci fan, and even though I love all his legal, crime, action, suspense, and thriller books and series, it is books like CALAMITY OF SOULS and STRANGERS IN TIME standalones that I adore, showcasing his gift of storytelling and lyrical prose.

Rich in character and place, a big-hearted page-turner that will remain with you long after the story ends. You will fall in love with the characters, who are shrouded in a bit of mystery and intrigue as the story unfolds amid their tragedies. A moving tale of love, betrayal, and survival. An ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions,

Audiobook...

I had the privilege of reading and listening to the book and audio, and let me say, you MUST listen to the audiobook, which is STELLAR! The performance, narrated by a full cast including David Baldacci (loved the author's note), Stewart Crank, Alexandra Boulton, John Lee, Nicola F. Delgado, Matthew Lloyd Davies, and Joe Pitts, is utterly captivating! They draw you in immediately and capture you with perfect voices for each character as they come alive. Award-winning, emotional, suspenseful, and compelling. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Special thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC for my honest opinion. I also purchased the hardcover for my home library. A classic for any bookshelf.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 15, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars +
April 2025 Must-Read Books
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Thank you to @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion. Also, thank you to @grandcentralpub for sending me an advanced copy of the book.

A Masterful Audiobook Experience!

David Baldacci's Strangers in Time is a triumph, and the audiobook edition elevates the story to an entirely new level. The immersive experience of listening to this book is simply breathtaking.

The story itself is a beautifully woven tapestry of historical fiction, set in London during the tumultuous final year of World War II. Baldacci's meticulous research and vivid descriptions transport you to a city under siege, where three disparate souls find solace and strength in an unlikely alliance. The characters of Charlie, Molly, and Ignatius are richly drawn, and their individual journeys of loss, resilience, and the enduring power of human connection resonate deeply.

What makes this audiobook truly exceptional is the outstanding full-cast narration. Each narrator embodies their character with remarkable skill, bringing their voices, emotions, and nuances to life. The different voices make the dialogues come alive and make it easy to keep track of the characters. The production quality is top-notch, with seamless transitions and a truly immersive soundscape.

Strangers in Time is more than just a war story; it's a testament to the enduring power of a found family, the importance of human connection in the darkest of times, and the resilience of the human spirit. The audiobook format enhances every aspect of this powerful narrative, making it an unforgettable listening experience. I was captivated from the first moment to the last.

Highly recommended!

@desmoineslibrary and AViD hosted @davidbaldacciauthor and I was lucky enough to attend with my mother-in-law @sharonjones7653 . Baldacci shared a bunch of humorous stories and his thoughts on the importance of libraries in our society. Such a wonderful experience.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #hachetteaudio #grandcentralpub #strangersintime #davidbaldacci #dmpl #desmoineslibrary #avid2025

Baldacci has given us a wonderfully heartwarming and heartbreaking novel. The book is rich with well thought out story lines; well defined characters; and a large blend of history with fiction. Historically accurate, but made more poignant with the focus on the humanity and people that lived the experiences of the Blitz, this is definitely worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.