I’m drinking coffee and arguing with ghosts: TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES.

Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this one hard to put down, even though it leans more toward a character-driven drama than a traditional thriller.

Interestingly, I had a hunch about the plot twist early on, but that didn’t make the story any less compelling. It’s the kind of book that pulls you in, making you want to devour it in one sitting. The novel revolves around Phoebe, the golden girl of her small town, who dies in a car crash. Her older brother, Gabe, was behind the wheel, with fellow high schooler Becca in the back seat. The controversy explodes when it's revealed that Gabe waited twenty-seven minutes before calling for help—long enough for Phoebe to die. The fallout is devastating: their mother blames Gabe, his injuries end his football dreams, and Becca is left feeling invisible, overshadowed by the town’s obsession with the tragedy of Phoebe and Gabe.

Tate masterfully blurs the lines between reality and memory, weaving the story through multiple perspectives—Gabe, Becca, and June, whose brother Wyatt disappeared around the same time as the crash. Now, a decade later, with the anniversary just days away, the town is preparing for a "celebration" (or is it a memorial?), dredging up long-buried emotions. The novel skillfully shifts between past and present, heightening the suspense as we inch closer to the moment of the accident.

The small-town drama is incredibly well-executed, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere of secrets and lies. Some characters, like teenage Phoebe and Gabe, long to escape, while others, like Becca, just want to be seen. Tate’s writing is sharp and immersive, packed with intricate details that make the narrative all the more gripping.

A haunting, emotionally charged read—definitely one I won’t forget anytime soon.

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