Wrong Place Wrong Time: How do you stop a murder when it’s already happened? THE MILLION-COPY INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER Paperback – 2 Mar. 2023

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: 4.3/5Gillian 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.