Wrong Place Wrong Time: How do you stop a murder when it’s already happened? THE MILLION-COPY INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

I was going to add ‘so far’ on the end there but I’m so confident that nothing is going to top it that I’ll happily say now that it’s my no. 1 of the year! This is everything I love in a book: - Tight, masterful plotting. The story is told in reverse, with layers peeled away like a Russian doll until protagonist Jen discovers why her son Todd murders someone with a knife one unassuming October evening. - Spot-on pacing. Secrets are revealed at just the right time, so I couldn’t put the book down - I had to know what happened next (or actually the opposite of next!). - Suspense, suspense, suspense. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat as Jen travelled further and further back in time. - Characters you actually care about. This book just wouldn’t work if the author wasn’t so skilled at characterisation - you have to know why they are who they are, acting the way they do. - Good twists, which just keep coming. I guessed only one - the rest were genuine ‘oh my God of course’ moments as more pieces of the puzzle slotted into place. It must have taken such planning to pull it all off; the twists are so carefully woven into the plot that the book deserves a second read to really appreciate them. - A high-concept, genre bending thriller. Combining time travel and psychological suspense just works. What an original idea. - Emotion. Jen’s relationships with those closest to her form the backbone of this story, and what she discovers when living them backwards is often heart rending. - A satisfying ending. I’m so often disappointed by a book’s conclusion but this one keeps bringing it right until the very last page. - Accomplished writing which is a pleasure to read. This is the first Gillian McAllister book I’ve read and it’s clear that she’s a natural born storyteller with immense talent. She apparently knew that this book would change her life and I can see why. As an aspiring author myself it’s a book I wish I had the skill to write but doubt I ever would. The one and only thing I didn’t like is the title - I don’t think it does the book justice. I can’t help thinking there is a better title hiding somewhere in the pages. Regardless, Wrong Place Wrong Time is a triumph and it deserves all the stars.

Rating: 4.3/5 Gillian McAllister is no stranger to the bestseller lists and I have no doubt that "Wrong Place, Wrong Time" is destined to be at least as successful as her previous offerings. Whereas her preceding novels have all essentially revolved around moral dilemmas, this latest book has a somewhat different slant to it and ventures into the realms of time loops. When Jen's 18 year old son, Todd, inexplicably murders a random stranger, her world is turned upside down. But this is as nothing compared with the events that await her. On waking the next morning, Jen finds that she is actually reliving the day before! Each morning thereafter, she loops further and further back in time, searching for the answers that could save her son's future. I have read some other early reviews that have described this as 'totally original' and 'unique', but - much as I really enjoyed and admired it - I would have to take some issue with those descriptions. Time-bending plots are nothing new in fiction. The ground has been covered many times in both literary forms and on-screen dramatisations. In the "Acknowledgements" section Gillian McAllister explains that she was influenced by having recently watched the television series "Russian Doll". And, for me, "Wrong Place, Wrong Time" evoked memories of other programmes and books at various points too: BBC's "Rellik" by the Williams brothers is one that sprang to mind as did "Life on Mars" / "Ashes to Ashes", "Quantum Leap" and Stuart Turton's 2018 novel, "The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle". I am sure there are countless others as well, but, ultimately, none of that really matters. Regardless of where the inspirations and influences may have come from, the important thing is that Gillian McAllister has drawn on them to create a captivating story in its own right. While I would not describe this as a slow-burner as such, it is the kind of novel that engages you and draws you ever deeper into its realms. "Wrong Place, Wrong Time" is a novel that has a mystery drama at its core, but infused with aspects of science fiction, psychology, suspense thriller and emotional family drama. The characters are well-drawn and the plotting is every bit as meticulous as it needs to be to make the chosen structure work effectively. The result is a compelling read that should appeal to most readers of well-written fiction, regardless of their usual preferred genre.

Well this one well and truly lives up to all the hype! This is the first time I have ever read a story that goes backwards. I’ve read lots that have flicked between past and present so this was totally unique and it works incredibly well. Jen is someone I think most readers will be able to relate to. Over the course of the story she feels that she is to blame for what her son Todd has done in the present day when he kills someone. Was she around enough? Did she give him enough attention as a child? It’s the type of guilt that most parents carry as we need to earn a living to pay the bills yet we want to make the most of our children and it can be hard to find a happy medium. She is happily married and has lived in a bubble where she could never in her wildest dreams think her son is capable of murder. So what made him do it? How wonderful it would be to go back in time in the hope of changing the outcome. Going back though is totally freaky and poor Jen feels like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day apart from she doesn’t just relive the same day, but goes further and further into the past to uncover some shocking truths. I can’t really say anymore than that in fear of spoiling it for others. As the less you know the better. Wrong Place Wrong Time is without a doubt one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. It’s powerful in it’s story telling and the twists will take your breath away. It is a highly addictive read that will have you wanting to read it again as it’s so good. I think it will take me a while to recover from this one as it left me with a seriously good book hangover. Phenomenal basically sums it up and if you haven’t read it yet you really should.

I was intrigued by the blurb on this book, and it definitely started off well, but given the overarching storyline it lacked depth of characters and grittiness. We are told the story mainly through the eyes of Jen (the mother) with interspersed chapters from Ryan - the backwards linear timeline was interesting, though some elements were a bit too convenient. I had a pretty good idea where things were headed quite early on, then at about 42% through the book absolutely every single outcome and character revealed themselves to me, which was a shame. I was hoping for a different, less twee ending to the story and I think the author missed a trick here - for me all the characters lacked depth and despite the author’s attempt to tap into the challenges of motherhood it didn’t really work for me. This book is definitely worth a read while it’s on offer, but it missed the mark on being great.

What a fantastic story and so clever! Thoroughly enjoyed this and how everything came together was brilliant! Now to read more by this author 5 absolutely well deserved stonking stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ❤️

What I loved about this book was the idea of reliving seemingly random days of your life with the perspective of hindsight, paying much closer attention to those you live with, and the various backdrops you invariably take for granted. When our protagonist woke up in the nineties, just paying attention to people's clothing and hairstyles, and the typical British high street (it's all set around Liverpool) with the now defunct Woolworth's with its 'pick and mix' - made me ache with nostalgia. What I wouldn't give for a mini-excursion to just an ordinary day in the not so distant past! More than anything else, this book taught me to pay better attention, and value what we take for granted in all the days of our lives because it's changing constantly, imperceptibly, and you never know what you might lose. Gillian McAllister writes really well and the plot is somewhat suspenseful. There are some very persuasive scenes with convincing characters, especially the incredible poignance of visiting her father on the last day of his life. However, I had two gripes: one, I got a bit tired of her overly sentimental preoccupation with her son, and two, I was not convinced that anyone tumbling backwards through time would be so nonchalant. Jen, the protagonist, just plays along inhabiting her former self and trying to fulfil her role in that moment of her life while trying to solve the mystery that will avoid a future catastrophe. If it were me, I'd be completely unhinged. Still, if you suspend your disbelief and just go with the flow, it's a clever idea and well worth the read.

I couldn’t put this book down! Really good and well written .,

Yes, this has taken me a month to read but you have to pay proper attention so I have been picking it up when I'm not at work or I'm home alone so it's been a good while !! I have to wonder how the author didn't tie herself up in real knots putting this together as it is soooooooo complicated and quite a bit to get your head around as we move back in time, especially the parts where it is only from day-to-day, as they turn into like a Groundhog Day situation !! It was lucky, too, that Jen was no slouch and managed to remember all she needed to as she moved backwards. I didn't realise when I bought this one that I had tried another by this author back in 2017 but I had packed it in as I despised the leading character in it....if I had realised I probably would've passed on this one as well if I'm honest. However, she has greatly improved in the intervening years if this is anything to go by and I was pleasantly surprised. She does still do the Americanised spelling thing, though, which always manages to get my back up.....specialize/authorized/rationalization, etc.... I smiled at a mention of a place smelling of hoovering....something we all notice but rarely mention but there IS always that smell !! So I liked the observation. I liked Jen's pal Pauline as well. She was a gem. How Jen communicated with Andy also intrigued me each time. That was very well done. To have to keep repeating oneself as she did would have driven me round the twist but the way they got round it was very clever. I was shocked to read so many stolen cars end up in the Middle East-you'd think the amount of money floating about over there they'd have no need of pinching other peoples' cars ! I really enjoyed the chapters nearing the end when Jen revisited her meeting Kelly for the first time as well.....they were very touching in places. All in all a really fascinating and unique tale but you really have to pay attention or you'll be lost !!

I usually see the twist coming from miles away , but this time I had no clue. I really loved this book and will definitely read more from this author. I highly recommend this book to those of us who like an unforeseen twist. Great plotline and well written too.

2. El, kirli kitap gonderdiler, para iade yapilmadi.

Great read. Unexpected twists and turns to the last page! Easily kept my interest. I was sad when it ended.

Oh wow… I 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 it. I’m not even a time travel person. I usually get impatient with that whole “back and forth” thing, and apart from 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺, I haven’t really enjoyed it much. So in the beginning, I won’t lie - I had a teething issue. I just wanted the jumping around to stop. ✍🏻 Jen stays up past midnight on Halloween, waiting for her 18-year-old son, Todd, to come home. And then she sees it - through the window - her son stabbing a complete stranger. Just like that. No warning. No explanation. One moment her life is normal, and the next it’s destroyed. And then the impossible happens. She wakes up and it’s the day before the murder. Except it doesn’t stop there. Every morning pulls her further back in time, and Jen realizes this isn’t just a second chance… it’s a countdown. Somewhere in the past is the reason Todd ends up doing what he does - and she has to find it before it’s too late. ✍🏻 The repeated time jumps did irritate me a bit, but the story 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 give me space to stay annoyed! Every timeline had something new, something important, something that made me go 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵… 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵? I was hooked before I even realized it. I loved Jen. I felt her fear in my chest. The panic, the helplessness, the way she’s trying to hold herself together while everything is slipping through her fingers. And the loneliness of it - having to carry this nightmare by herself while her son’s life is on the line - was genuinely terrifying. All in all, it’s an unputdownable, gripping story. And the reveals? Yeah… I didn’t see some of that coming. I loved it.

I’m not an avid reader by any means however once I get hooked… it’s gonna be a ride!! This is what this book manages to do with constant twists and turns. Extremely entertaining and well done! Loved it so much!