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kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Author: Gillian McAllister
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: August 2, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Intriguing • Creative • Anticlimactic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Can you stop a murder after it’s already happened?
Late October. After midnight. You’re waiting up for your seventeen-year-old son. He’s late. As you watch from the window, he emerges, and you realize he isn’t alone: he’s walking toward a man, and he’s armed.
You can’t believe it when you see him do it: your funny, happy teenage son, he kills a stranger, right there on the street outside your house. You don’t know who. You don’t know why. You only know your son is now in custody. His future shattered.
That night you fall asleep in despair. All is lost. Until you wake...
... and it is yesterday.
And then you wake again...
... and it is the day before yesterday.
Every morning you wake up a day earlier, another day before the murder. With another chance to stop it. Somewhere in the past lies an answer. The trigger for this crime—and you don’t have a choice but to find it...
💭 T H O U G H T S
Wrong Place Wrong Time is a book I probably wouldn't have picked on my own, but when it was selected as the February book for my in-person book club I knew I would give it a shot. I was interested in the time travel aspect, but was definitely hesitant about the rest of the premise.
I was deeply invested in the unique narrative at the start and could not put it down. The time travel aspect was intriguing, but the middle was an absolute slog and I found myself just wanting it to end. Eventually the pace would pick back up, but it was too late, my interest had already waned. In fact, the ending was a little anticlimactic for me. I understand the slow pacing is due to the way in which it is written - backwards through time - yet there wasn't the tension I carved.
There were several themes I appreciated. Firstly, I liked how this novel explore how what may seem like small choices and actions at the time, can have huge impacts on our future lives. And how if you change one thing, it can change everything. It's an interesting concept that leads to a lot of contemplation. Second, I thought it was a very realistic depiction of motherhood and the impact of mom guilt.
Gillian McAllister gets my praise simply for the creativity of the plot, and for all of the planning I imagine went into putting it into words. It's certainly unlike any thriller I've read and that deserves credit. I just wish it could have been executed a little more smoothly with more tension and quicker pace.
Overall, Wrong Place Wrong Time didn't do it for me. I know I am in the minority, as this is beloved by so many, but the pace didn't pick up until the final 25% and by then it was too late. I did really like the concept, but the execution faltered and I had to push myself to get through. I don't think I will be reading anything else by this author in the future, but I can understand why she's a favourite author of many readers.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• time-travel enthusiasts
• readers looking for unique thriller
⚠️ CW: murder, gun violence, blood, injury/injury detail, death, death of parent, grief, stalking, kidnapping, cursing, mental illness, suicide, addiction, drug use, drug abuse, fatphobia, sexual content, pregnancy, gaslighting
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"But knowing the future is worse than not knowing."
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Stalking, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Minor: Grief, Cursing, Suicide, Drug use, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Addiction
bookishchaos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder and Stalking
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Violence, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
abicaro17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Murder, Blood, Dysphoria, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Violence
sydneyjn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Murder and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
meeklovestoread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Once the story picked up, I found myself enjoying it overall, however, I do think it did drag on for many parts. I guessed some twists, but there were many times where I was shocked and it's been a while since a thriller shocked me. I really enjoyed the various depictions of Jen's love for her son. It was so endearing to read how much she cared for him. I also enjoyed the various interactions Jen has with Andy. Those were always so funny to read. The time travel stuff was also very interesting and fun to read about. Ultimately once you've finished this book you find out that it's low-key a love story.
The ending was pretty anti-climatic to me and pretty unsatisfying.
Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
elyhaumor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Gaslighting
throwback682's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It was maybe a bit long or dragging at times but I think everything was also necessary? And it still kept my interest. I actually stayed up late because I had to know how it ended.
What I didn’t really like:
I definitely didn’t expect the Ending (plot resolution) [well, part of it became clear over the course of the book, but part of it was a complete surprise to me at least] or the ending (epilogue).
Random silly observation: I love how the narrator did the American accent of the physicist lol.
If you don’t mind following a complicated Memento-like plot, this is a really great book.
Graphic: Mental illness, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Sexual content
amiegold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Gaslighting, Cursing, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Kidnapping and Suicide
uncorkedthriller's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I love her thought process, her honesty — her brutal honesty, and the fact she was so real and relatable. The only thing that I felt it lacked was consistency or clarity in timelines when switching from Jen’s POV to another. I felt like Jen’s timeline was clearly laid out, so I felt confused when Ryan’s timeline wasn’t so clear. However, the last 20% or so of the book was amazing and tied everything up completely. It’s probably one of the first perfectly tied up endings I’ve ever read.
I will say if you enjoyed Groundhog’s day or another similar themed movie or book, then look no further than this one. You’ll enjoy it!
So my question to you is: If you could go back in time to stop a murder would you?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 Stars
Minor: Violence, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Death, Cursing, and Death of parent