Twenty-Seven Minutes

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with this book.

"Twenty Seven Minutes" is a gripping and emotionally charged novel that immerses readers in the heart of a small town struggling to cope with tragedy. The story revolves around the untimely death of Phoebe, a young girl, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her demise. Tate weaves a complex tapestry of grief, secrets, and human nature that captivates from the very first page.

Set in the claustrophobic town of West Wilmer, the narrative focuses on the unanswered question: Why did it take Grant Dean, Phoebe's brother, twenty-seven minutes to call for help on the night of the fatal car accident? This query becomes a haunting presence in the lives of the show more characters and the town as a whole. Tate masterfully builds tension as the characters grapple with their own guilt, fears, and hidden truths.

The exploration of small-town dynamics and the impact of tragedy on a closely-knit community is a strong suit of the novel. Tate skillfully delves into the lives of various residents, revealing their struggles, relationships, and the interconnectedness that defines their existence.

The character development is compelling, making you feel deeply for their pain and secrets.The writing style is evocative and immersive, transporting readers to the heart of West Wilmer's emotional landscape. Tate's ability to balance the mystery with poignant emotional moments ensures a well-rounded reading experience. The pacing keeps the suspense taut, gradually unveiling the truth behind the mystery..

"Twenty Seven Minutes" is a haunting and beautifully crafted novel that resonates with readers long after the last page. Ashley Tate's exploration of loss, guilt, and the intricacies of relationships showcases her ability to create a compelling narrative that tugs at the heartstrings. This book is a must-read for those who appreciate mystery intertwined with emotional depth and a keen understanding of human psychology. show less

Review of Advance Reader’s Edition

Phoebe Dean is lying on the bridge, dying. Her thoughts are scrambled, but they focus momentarily on her family, her brother, Grant. She remembers their childhood promise of leaving this small town together.

She’d have survived if an ambulance had been called soon enough, but the call was twenty-seven minutes too late. The perfect one may have tragically perished, but the truth always comes out.

Now, with the tenth anniversary of Phoebe’s untimely death approaching, her mother plans a memorial service. At the same time, some people in West Wilmer are campaigning to have the bridge where Phoebe died torn down.

Why was the call for help that night too late? What did happen on the bridge?

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Told show more from multiple points of view, the tension-filled narrative recounts events in both the past and the present. The small town mourns the loss of one so young with such a promising future ahead of her, but there have always been questions about what happened that night. Several of the characters are less than likable, and some of the home situations are particularly cringe-worthy. The inclusion of a supernatural event is a bit jarring and does require the reader to suspend disbelief, but it is vital in the reader’s understanding of how the events played out that night and it does answer the exigent question related to the accident that claimed Phoebe’s life.

Strong, nuanced, believable [but unlikable] characters, perfect pacing, a twisty, propulsive storyline, and the revelation of long-held dark secrets all work together to pull the reader into the telling of the tale and keep those pages turning as fast as possible. Seeing the events surrounding Phoebe from several points of view might be a tad repetitious, but the insights from each character help to explain their behaviors and, ultimately, their decisions.

Suspense oozes from the pages, but the narrative holds on to its secrets until the denouement readers simply won’t see coming. Grief, pain, sorrow, disappointment, secrets, and tragedy all play a part here; readers who enjoy suspense and mystery tales will find much to appreciate here.

Following the story, a reading group guide and a conversation with the author are also included.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#twentysevenminutes #NetGalley show less

Twenty-seven minutes. That’s how long it took for Grant Dean to call for help the night his sister Phoebe died. The single witness, Becca, still has no memory of the accident…although few actually believe that. Now, ten years later there’s a memorial. Ten years later someone is ready to talk, to tell what they didn’t before. This is a story about a small town unable to move forward after a tragic accident claims the life of a popular young woman, leaving too many unanswered questions.

Ashley Tate’s debut sets up the story well, told through a duel timeline, with large cast of characters. Technically a suspense thriller I think it’s strength lies in the slow burn look at loss and profound grief. Narrators are unreliable, show more sometimes morally grey, often unlikable …and yet I couldn’t look away! A more seasoned mystery reader may have figured out the twist much earlier on but I feel it’s almost beside the point. My investment was in the characters journey.

I recommend for readers that love a mystery suspense that doesn’t sacrifice character driven themes. I’m excited to see what Tate does next and think she’s an exciting new author to watch.

I received a review copy from the publisher @PoisonedPenPress via @Netgalley show less

Ten years ago on a bridge in the small town of West Wilmer Phoebe Dean died in a car accident in which she was travelling with her brother, Kent, and local girl, Becca. But why did it take Kent 27 minutes to phone for help? What really happened that night?

This is quite a bleak and sad story set in a claustrophobic town where its inhabitants all seem to have secrets or are very reserved. None of them are particularly likeable, either. I liked the writing style, however, it drew me in and I was eager to know what exactly happened on the night of the accident. On the other hand I did find it a little drawn out and protracted. I read this book via the Pigeonhole app so perhaps, in this instance, it would have been better to read it show more continuously to gain momentum, rather than in a serialised format. I enjoyed it, though, and thought it depicted small town dynamics very well. A well written and engaging read with an interesting twist show less

There are many, many flawed characters in this novel, some so unlikable that you want them to fade away and never come back. And yet they do, all for the good of a good story. The ten year anniversary of a young, model high school students death has arrived in a small rural town. Her name was Phoebe and she was the golden girl of the community. There are still no solid answers as to how this accident actually occurred and who was involved in the car accident that killed Phoebe on an infamous bridge that locals now want to tear down. Phoebe's brother high school football star Grant was driving, but he says he does not remember... says he swerved to hit a deer. Becca, a young and impressionable teen is asleep in the back seat, why was she show more there and what did she see. Ten years later she still does not remember until the distraught and depressed mother of Phoebe decides to hold a ten year memorial for her beloved daughter. Suddenly memories begin to float to the surface and the main characters involved begin to put two and two together. It is a riveting read to say the least. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review and advanced copy of this very intriguing novel.

Admittedly it took me some time to invest in this book because I downloaded on to my phone and I have a harder time with digital media than print media - totally my fault. However I am requesting a Kindle for Christmas because I don't want to miss out on such high quality stories/books like this one! I CAN do this digital thing:). show less

Twenty Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate is her debut novel and one of those stories that I wanted to love. I bounced back and forth, between a three and a four. I always up the rating when that happens.

My biggest complaint was the repetition. At two thirds of the way through, it became tedious, but, I understand why it was done that way. Shifting from different points of view and past to present and back again, it was inevitable. It never stopped me from having a need to know the ending and did create tension, making me read faster to find out the truth and why it was such a big secret.

Wyatt became the most intriguing character to me. I loved the twist and my heart broke for June. Through no fault of her own, I feel she suffered the most. I show more cannot tell you all the whys. You will have to find out for yourself.

As the truth comes to light and the secrets are revealed, I felt many emotions. Anger at the liars and the ones that chose to cover up. Empathy for June, the one I feel who struggled the most and paid the biggest price. Satisfaction that those who deserve it were haunted by their part in the cover up and the price they paid for keeping their secret for ten long years.

Karma…

We have a Conversation with the Author at the end of the book and a Reading Group Guide.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com show less

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I thought this was well-written, and the chapters from the perspective of Becca were well done. The rest I wasn't so keen on. The mystery of why Grant waits 27 minutes to call an ambulance for his sister is cleared up at the end, but the book takes a long time getting there. The time line constantly shifts between the present day and 10 years ago and there are chapters from the perspectives of different characters. This is not confusing, but all the male characters were either unpleasant or absent or both, and the female characters (apart from Becca) were either downtrodden or unkind or weird (Phoebe) or featured so fleetingly that I got them confused (e.g.Kelsey and show more Harley). I didn't find anyone particularly relatable and the ending wasn't a huge surprise. show less