Cause you came to my world on time: WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME.

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was totally drawn into my first Gillian McAllister book, albeit slightly confused at times! On Halloween morning, Jen is waiting up for her eighteen-year-old son, Todd. As she watches him come up the street, she breathlessly sees him stab a strange man. After Todd is taken into custody and charged with murder, Jen falls into a horrified sleep. She wakes up terrified about his future, only to realize it's yesterday. What the heck? Todd is downstairs, seemingly oblivious to what he's about to do. Jen slowly realizes she may have been given a second chance to save Todd from himself.

So this book is sometimes confusing with the backward time-telling format, but once you get the hang of it, that part is intriguing and compelling. You have to be able to roll with the time travel element to enjoy the story. McAllister builds tension with excerpts from a rookie cop named Ryan, whose story seems to somehow link with Todd's, though we're not sure how.

As Jen lives her life backward, she starts to learn more about Todd, her husband, and herself. How does this murder happen--does it go beyond Todd and their family? Did he kill a random man, or a friend? She learns more each time she goes backward, but only she retains the information, as anyone else's slate is wiped clean. It's a genius plot mechanism, honestly.

While Jen is unraveling a mystery--a murder, really--she is also learning about motherhood and how her actions may have affected her son. It's easy to emphasize with a mother questioning herself. The story is dramatic, but also emotional and tense. And wow, there are certainly some good twists and turns. I love books that surprise me! 4+ stars.


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