This is a modern thriller which has plenty of twists and turns. I felt the storyline could have been tidied up a bit as a lot of it came across as slightly manic, to me. I did however find it a good read.

I read this in two sittings - the first evening I picked it up and the following morning. It’s rare for me to do that and reflects the tremendous pace of this book. The characters are good but not great and the plot occasionally strays into implausibility but none of that really matters when reading such a gripping novel.

I enjoyed this book but it was incredibly implausible and at times almost Eastendersesque! That said, the pace was well maintained and you will keep turning pages, guessing who dunnit/arranged it/can be trusted etc
I found myself swinging from sympathy for Sarah to utter frustration at her inability to act and stand up for herself. Alas she is the kind of woman I cannot identify with but I did have acute empathy for her as a mother. Perhaps one reason I can’t understand Sarah is that I have never been career driven and the thought of allowing herself and her children to potentially be in jeopardy for a job?? It doesn’t make sense to someone like me who works purely to get the money each month. That said, I have a friend who is an academic so I do understand how niche it can be and how hard it is to find a comparable role to the one you currently have and also how ‘old boy’ attitudes can be.
We see Sarah at her best when she is with her father; I loved seeing her relationship with him and his wonderful ability to drop everything and be there for his daughter whenever she calls.
I have to say I guessed very early on what was going to happen but got the ‘who’ wrong!

A fast paced thriller. Sarah’s boss seems to think he can treat her how he likes, until Sarah is given the choice to make him disappear forever. A very of the times novel, which will leave you questioning what choice you would make.

29 seconds - it's not long is it? But for Sarah, 29 seconds will have the capacity to change her life for ever, and ultimately her boss's too, much to his detriment.

When Sarah saves the life of a little girl, she has no idea that the girl's father is a rich and powerful man who only has to click his fingers to make things happen. The father is indebted to Sarah and he makes her an offer- the opportunity to make someone disappear. He has no scruples when it comes to eliminating obstacles, even if they are human. Sarah is given 72 hours to give him a name, after which the offer will no longer apply, but he's insistent that he repay his debt. What will Sarah do?

Sarah's boss is a sexual predator, who constantly puts pressure on her, under threat of losing her job - a job that she needs even more since her husband walked out leaving her with their two children to look after. Life is really difficult without losing her only income too, so the dilemma that she finds herself in is impossible - should she give her boss's name, or does she give in to his constant demands just to keep her job?

Wow! This was a thrilling read, it literally called to me whenever I put it down. The characters were perfectly at ease in their skins, played their parts to perfection with a deftly constructed narrative. The plot itself presents a darker side of life, whilst demonstrating the mundane alongside it. The reader is taken on a whirlwind of twists and turns making it a truly tense and compelling read. Just brilliant, can't recommend it enough!

This is the second book that I’ve read by T M Logan, and he really is exceptionally good. Give this one a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

* Thank you to Netgalley, T M Logan, and Bonnier Zaffre for my ARC. I have given an honest review in exchange*

When I first read the book description of ’29 Seconds’ I was immediately really fascinated by this read. I had not heard about this author before but this book just sounded really thrilling. And I loved the cover. So when I received my copy of the book I started reading as fast as I could.

From the moment I started reading this book I was completely hooked. I simply couldn’t put this book down. When main character Sarah rescues a young girl, she doesn’t expect anything for her act of bravery. But her rescue puts a dangerous guys in her debt and debt need to be repaid. Sarah gets a remarkle choice.. All she has to do is give one name.. and he will make that person disappear.

Well.. I was fascinated when I first started this book. I got only more fascinated when reading this book. The writing was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat. If you talk about a page-turner, this is definitely the book that fits that bill. Man, it was good. I loved every single page.

Not only was this book very entertaining, it also made me think. What would I do if someone asked me this question? I like to think I would say just to go away and not think about it. But we all have moment when certain people make us kind of crazy. Right? Not that I want them to disappear. But if I was asked at the wrong moment? It definitely kept me thinking.

Character wise I really loved Sarah. I definitely felt like I knew her in real life at times. And she was just a very nice character to read about.

If your looking for a great, fast paced page turner.. Then this book is for you.

Warning: This book may contain triggers.

When Sarah unknowingly saved a young girl from an abduction, she didn't expect that the father of the one she saved Would offer her a possible solution to get rid a source of her problem .

Give me one name. One person. And I will make them disappear . . . Because everyone has a name to give. Don't they?

And with Sarah's situation, the offer seemed tempting. She has a good job in the Academia and dedicated to it. But her boss isn't making it easy for her as he keeps on advancing to her sexually. And with two young kids and no husband, Sarah needs her job and her disgusting boss really makes it clear that he has all the connection.

To begin, the idea of this story was captivating enough for me to request this book and thankfully it delivered well. The idea of 29 seconds phone call was really intriguing and it was done due to a desperation of a victim, Sarah, who suddenly lose control of the result of what she did. At first I found myself emotionally involved with Sarah because of what she's going through because of her boss, and then after the call, I was flooded with even more emotions. I felt fear for Sarah, frustrated, more desperate. Clearly, I liked Sarah as a character though in reality I might not agree with some things she did, (But this is fiction so let's just pretend it's ok. LOL) and it'sthe reason why I didn't give this one a complete five.

The whole book is a roller coaster ride that promises an interesting intriguing story with few twist and turns making the ride more thrilling. The pace is just fine with me and the way the author handled the plot points was just amazing, making me want to read his first book, Lies.

I personally and wholeheartedly recommend this book to Thriller lovers like me. :) I read this book in just five hours because I really liked it.. :)

More stars needed to award for this book - had me hooked. Totally believable characters who I rooted for and hated appropriately. Plot twists and turns, many a WHAT? moment. This will be a great present for many of my friends and a great book group read. I loved Lies and TM Logan's next book doesn't disappoint. When's the next book published.

Ooh what a great book! Fast paced, chilling and makes you question what you would do in that situation. 4.5 stars

Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Fantastic book that tackles the issue of sexual harassment. Took a free chapters to get in to it but once I was I couldn't stop reading it!

Sarah's life is not where she thought it would be. Her husband has left her, her boss is a repulsive man who demeans her and her work and things are spiralling out of control. One act of random kindness puts Sarah in a position to change this. But what should she do? Can she get away with it?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for this exceptional psych thriller.

I’ve become quite addicted to psych thrillers recently which is weird since just a few years ago, I didn’t like them so much.

“How much could you lose in 29 seconds?” All it takes is one name
29 seconds is one of the most captivating and enthralling ones I’ve read. It gripped me from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down! I read it in one day and that ending was wow. I love how everyone was fooled INCLUDING the reader. It was not predictable at all! This also deals with a lot of real issues that we are facing like sexual harassment and how the victims get blamed so I love how the author added that in but showed how much of strength Sarah had amidst all the harassment she was facing that she could stand and fight. Very female empowering! I Highly recommend this!

Overall this is a good story. It tackles the issue of sexual harassment and how people react to it. Sarah justifiably is having problems with her boss. She tries various ways of making him stop harassing her. The overall plot was good but I thought that not all of it was totally believable.

What I enjoyed most about 29 Seconds is the way the author changed the playbook.

As a reader you think you know exactly what kind of read you’re in for after the introduction to Sarah and the predator at her heels, then suddenly the focus changes entirely.

The topic of sexual harassment is on the tip of everyone’s tongue at the moment, due to the revelations about Weinstein and quite a few other Hollywood bigwigs. The #MeToo movement has resulted in a landslide of women and men coming forward to talk about their experiences at the hands of abusers.

Sarah finds herself, like many other women, in a daily struggle to avoid the advances of the man in charge of all of her possible career advancements. Technically it doesn’t mean she can’t get a promotion or be acknowledged for her academic achievements if she is willing to do what he wants and when he wants it. Imagine being blackmailed for sexual favours every single day and trying to fight the systemic abuse our society ignores on a major scale.

How many times are the victims demeaned, destroyed and ridiculed when they try to expose the abusers. To Invalidate and blame the victim is the name of the game. Not really surprising that victims don’t speak out against their abusers.

For me the most intriguing part of the premise was the question. I’ll admit I pondered what my response would be, would have been fifteen years ago and which person I would pick. So the answer for me is a yes, and I wouldn’t worry about it like Sarah or suffer from a guilty conscience either. By the way don’t tell the police I said that.

Logan writes a captivating story, which is driven by the protagonists desperation and fear. It’s a premise, which will make readers think and definitely talk about the book. Both the sexual harassment and the possibility of a crime without repercussions are excellent standalone topics for a story, but together they make an exceptional read.

Logan knows how to capture the heartbeat of public opinion and describe exactly what we wish for in the dark recesses of our minds. The only thing I want to know is, where is my Russian?

Holy sh*t!! This story is phenomenal ! The plot is totally original and it kept me guessing throughout the book.. I was hooked to it from the start and it just kept getting better. Thrilling in the truest sense !!

The book starts with Sarah, a brilliant research assistant to a sleazy perv but famous Oxbridge-educated TV academic Professor Alan Lovelock, who is a big shot at Queen Anne University and beyond approach. Sarah and the other female research assistants have set “Rules” of self preservation while interacting with Prof Lovelock, because he is a repeat sexual harasser who has never been caught in the act. But Prof Lovelock has set his eyes on Sarah and stoops to all levels low to force her to get intimate with him. Sarah, a mother of 2 children, with an absent husband and a mortgage, tries her best to safely maneuver through his maze and keep herself safe yet not offend him, because he can really make it bad for her. But his behavior is getting worse. Sarah is denied a promotion despite her hard work and she pissed at the professor.

On the way to home, Sarah unknowingly stops a child abduction when she stops a man from capturing a child. Little did she know that the child, was the only daughter of a Russian Crime lord. The pressure at the office is relentless and to top it the Russian offers her a one-time chance to get her life back on track. In exchange for saving his daughter, he offers her an option to make any one person in her life disappear. Initially, when she hears the offer, she declines any interference and walks away. But when the pressure is too much, she relents. She makes a 29-second call informing the Russian crime lord of a single name.

What happens after this is epic. She doesn’t know the consequences of this call. What happens when things do not go according to your plan ? What happens when the situation turns to the worst ? What happens when your life and family is at stake ? When you are all alone in a battle against evil, how are you going to get out of it unharmed ? Can she turn around the tables on Prof Lovelock ? Who is going to help her?

I beyond enjoyed this book ! Such a satisfying thriller after a very long time. And while, I am not going to dish out spoilers, I will say this. There was a point in the plot, where I thought Sarah was totally cornered with no way to escape unharmed, not much physically but emotionally, mentally. But that twist in the end !! Wowsaaa !! What a way to end the book !! Shows how the mind works when a victim is cornered and has no other option other than to fight or die (figuratively,not literally).

The characters are well written and the pace is just right. It’s not too rushed, not too dragged.. The book made me feel nervous, tense, confused, angry, heart-broken, unsettled and vindicated as each chapter progressed. It had my complete attention and I couldn’t keep it down ! Work place harassment is a common issue plaguing many women and this book has depicted the different ways a woman tries to cope up with the pressure. It shows how career progress, even with hard work, can be stunted with sexual predators roaming around freely with no fear. It shows how people betray others, offer others as bait, in order to preserve one self. In the end, I also realized that giving up without a fight is unfair to our self. We will find allies in unexpected corners. What I appreciated most was, that Sarah could’ve blindly taken a much more violent yet temporary action, but she put aside her hate, her anger, to have an end which would be acceptable to her conscience. To actually win the war, not just the battle !!

Kudos to the author for penning such a brilliant story. I definitely recommend this book to all book lovers !! Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for providing this ARC in exchange of my honest review.

I could not put 29 Seconds down.
Another fab book.
Lots of twists and turns that kept me hooked, I loved it.

I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

(TW for the book: sexual harrassment in workplace, several instances of attempted rape.)

29 seconds by T.M. Logan is a thriller based on a simple premise: the protagonist, Sarah, gets a chance to make one person in her life "disappear" forever. All it takes is a short phone call - the eponymous 29 seconds - and all her problems are solved.

Unfortunately, the book doesn't quite live up to the high expectations it sets. Firstly, it takes it sweet time setting up just how horrible a situation Sarah is in. Her boss - a university professor who is also a host of a BBC documentary show - is a disgusting, disgusting person who thrives on sexually harrassing and abusing young women working with him. It's basically an open secret that he's a perv, and nobody does anything about it because he brings in a lot of money and fame. Unfortunately, this is wholly believable, but the culture of silence that surrounds the character's behaviour in the book is still terrifying. And yet: many of the descriptions of Sarah's meetings and conversations with Prof. Lovelock (yeah) are simply gratuitious and gross. And unnecessary. They made the book very unpleasant to read.

Then there is the matter of the 29-seconds-long phone call and Lovelock's disappearance. So. Sarah accidentally saves the daughter of a Russian mobster from being kidnapped; the mobster considers himself in debt and offers to help her to do away with someone in her life. Of course, given that Sarah is a positive character, she hems and haws until she finally decides to make the phone call. And then. And then -- long story short, the Russian mobster turns out to be ineffective. (Longer review with spoilers up at my blog: https://fromgirlslibrary.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/29-seconds-by-t-m-logan/ )

So overall, this just isn't a very satisfying book. We spend a lot of time being horrified and/or frustrated on behalf of the protagonist. The system (at the workplace) fails her, as everyone prefers to be on the professor's good side rather than help his victims. Her workplace friends fail her. There is no solidarity between the women who have fallen prey to the professor's behaviour. I hoped that the Russian would do something spectacular and the book would change gears-- but it never does so. Too much happens off screen, and for this reason, there is never a solution to the tension-- no true sense of justice being served.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s hugely addictive, engaging and kept me entertained until the last page. The ending wasn’t what I expected.

Thanks to netgalley for providing this book in exchange for a review.

I read this author's first book and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was really happy to get this book. While I didn't like this book quite as much as the first one, I still thought it was a solid read and would recommend it.

I thought the extreme sexual harassment theme was especially timely but I thought the build up was a little too long before we got to the action. I would say that the first 50% moved a bit slowly for me, but the second half was fast paced and that is when I really started enjoying the book. The fast pace is what I enjoyed from the first book and I was glad to get to that part in this book. I loved the way it ended and I look forward to reading this author's next book.

29 seconds

A very clever and thought provoking novel.
I’ll try my best not to give too much away when writing this review.

We meet Sarah, a 30 something woman who’s career is suffering at the hands of her Neanderthal boss, who is a sexual predator. When given the chance to rid herself of this offensive character, does she take it or find another way to deal with her difficult situation.

I’ll definitely be recommending this novel and look forward to reading more by this author.