Gillian McAllister texts a friend that she ‘…want [s] to write a book like [a] Russian Doll but about knife crime’ and ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time’ is the outcome. And a very good outcome it is too if you enjoy twisty plots, blind alleys (both literal and figurative!) and flawed characters.
The story begins on Day Zero, just after midnight when solicitor Jen witnesses her increasingly wayward teenage son, Todd, knifing a man outside her house. With her husband Kelly, she accompanies her son to the police station and tries to support him as he is charged with murder. When Kelly and she leave the station, it is nearly morning.
As soon as readers see the title of the next chapter, they will recognise that this is a time-travel novel. The narrative moves backwards, sometimes day-by-day, sometimes in leaps and bounds as Jen is left to work out why Todd has committed such a heinous crime and how she might, by making different decisions in the past, be able to stop the disastrous present from happening. Happily, as part of this exploration she can call upon the services of an eminent physicist who guides her along the way – very convenient!
Without giving away too much of the plot, it’s interesting to see how McAllister begins with the ‘maternal guilt’ theme but moves this on to a less often explored focus on false identities. As ever, she writes well and the novel is a real page turner. However, ironically, the time travel made it a little less compelling for me. A narrative with the same themes but without the structural trickery might have been more hard-hitting. However, I’m sure I’m in the minority with this opinion!
My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

I know January 3rd might be a little early to screech about a book of the year but I'm going to go ahead and lock it in that Wrong Place, Wrong Time will definitely be on my top ten list at the end of 2022. I haven't yet read a Gillian McAllister book that hasn't left me absolutely pounding with adrenalin and Wrong Place, Wrong Time has been my favourite yet!

I don't want to share anything about the plot beyond what's in the summary as I adored every breakneck turn as I read the story, and the best way to go into a novel like this is as blind as possible. If you love your mysteries and thrillers but enjoy the thought of the added high concept of time travel (but don't worry it might veer too into sci-fi - I'm not a particularly big sci-fi fan and I never found the concept off-putting) - you will race through this one just like I did.

If you're on the fence, please take a chance on this - I hope you love it as much as I did!

Sorry normally love Gillian Mcallister books but not this one, could not get into it and found very confusing,.
Can see other reviewers gave this book five stars but not me, thank goodness we all have different taste in books.

The plot follows a mother who has just watched her son commit murder. She wants to help him, to save him but just doesnt know how. The action seems completely out of character for him that Jen just must find out more.
When Jen goes to bed she wakes up the day before. This keeps happening and as she goes back in time she finds out more and more information. Concurrently a story about a police officer begins, his first days on the force and what the job throws at him. Its hard to see the connection initially, then after some twists it all becomes clear
This story is clever because unlike so many as the reader you are not hopping between the past and present but working backwards in time, with the main character experiencing the same as a time traveller of sorts. Whilst the main plot is gripping its intreguing to see how this will be concluded, I had various explanations for both Jens time travel and what she wanted/needed to get out of it to stop. As with all of Gillians books I was wrong - and thats why shes a great author.

I have enjoyed all Gillian McAllister’s books to date however was a little unsure of this one as I was aware it went backwards. Time travel is not my thing.

I was hooked at page one however when Jen woke up the day before I was unsure I was going to love it then it just clicked with me. Easy to follow I was gripped and I absolutely loved this book. There are twists and turns and things I never saw coming, possibly more so because it was going backwards.
Genius original storyline, cleverly written.

Brilliant

This is now my favourite Gillian McAllister book

Thank you for the opportunity to read it early

This book is truly outstanding. It really was an early Christmas gift and one of the best reads of the year,
It unpredictable and cleverly written. Now that I’ve finished it. I think I’ll need to read it all over again now that I know the twists.
Gillian McAllister is one of my favourite authors but this is definitely her best yet.
I’d recommend this book to anyone, it’s an amazing read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph Uk for a copy of “ Wrong Place , Wrong Time “ for an honest review.
My Christmas started early this year ,when I had the chance to read this new book from my favourite author in advance of its publication .The writing style was as brilliant as always but the storyline was a slight departure from the normal thriller of Gillian McAllister’s , as in involved time travel. It took me a little longer to get into this book , but by the end I could hardly put it down.
A very clever, thought provoking book that I have no hesitation in recommending.
I can’t wait for her next release.

Wrong Place Wrong Time is a book that demands you to pay attention

Told in a series of time jumps, we are tasked with unraveling the story where Jen, our main character, witnesses her son murder a stranger.
The book is so cleverly written, I could not wait to finish it

A great unpredictable read that kept me guessing time and again. It’s a very different thriller to the norm but very enjoyable. I didn’t want to put it down. Just as I thought I had worked it out another twist comes along to make me think again, the sign of a good book. I highly recommend this book

Absolutely brilliant. A unique way of presenting a psychological thriller and kept the reader guessing time and time again. 5 stars from me!

Gillian McAllister is reliably fantastic, so I requested this book from NetGalley on the strength of that knowledge, without bothering to read the blurb. Safe to say that a short distance in, the story took a turn I really wasn't expecting. I love it when that happens.

That being said, I don't want to reveal too much, although I imagine most readers won't be going in quite as blind as I was. Suffice to say, this is an incredibly clever and intriguing novel which starts with a murder - witnessed by lawyer Jen, committed by her teenage son - and moves back to look at what led up to it. (I was initially reminded of a later X-Files episode with a similar plot - although this goes way further than that did.) It did bend my mind a bit at times but it all comes together very satisfyingly. Even where I half-guessed some bits - Nicola, Eve - that didn't spoil it at all. It's about crime, but it's also about various other things - parenting, responsibility, what makes us who we are and what makes a difference in the world.

Gillian McAllister has excelled herself with this book - I can't recommend it highly enough. Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

This was such an enjoyable read, it was fast paced, unpredictable, atmospheric, confusing and incredible. I couldnt out it down and I didnt want too. I loved it.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive arcs of all of Gillian McAllister’s books and have been a big fan from the beginning. I’m so delighted she’s getting the recognition she deserves and know that this one is going to be massive – and rightfully so. Gillian’s work is always so clever, well-researched and character driven and this is no exception, with the addition of an amazing premise. I was gripped from the beginning and stayed up well into the night to finish it. I predict big things for Wrong Place, Wrong Time and think this one will be snapped up for the screen too.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy Gillian McAllister’s books but this was next level! So much intricate planning must have gone into the telling of the story in this way - kind of a Russian Doll/Groundhog day feel where the main character keeps waking up at a different point in the past to try and prevent the crime that her son commits right at the start. Lots of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and that led to audible gasps of shock and comprehension. Absolutely loved this book and would 100% recommend.

This book blew me away. The twists were so clever and the pacing was perfection. I loved the structure and it was all done so cleverly. Jen and Kelly were very convincing characters and I really felt for both of them as their story came to life. My favourite by this author so far.

I'm sad to say I had to mark this one as DNF. A woman witnesses her son stabbing someone and then wakes up the day before it happens. She has to try and change the course of what happens and every day wakes up a day earlier. I found it a little hard to follow and gave up around the halfway mark. It's an interesting concept but a bit too science fiction-y for me.

I was over the moon to have the opportunity to read an ARC of Wrong Place, Wrong time. Having read all of the authors previous books, I knew I was in for a treat. And wow!! This book was SO good. Once I started, I couldn't stop reading. The story is told backwards and is so cleverly written and so different from anything I've read before, just pure genius. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would, without a doubt my favourite book of this year.

Unexpected, Gripping, Compelling….
A premise that delivers in this well plotted, cleverly crafted and ultimately uniquely different murder mystery. The cast of characters that populate the often claustrophobic plot are realistic and credible, often emotionally raw, which make the premise a wholly workable device. Unexpected, gripping and completely compelling.

Just wow!! What an amazing storyline- the twists just kept coming, it kept me gripped to the very end of the book! Brilliant work yet again from Gillian Mcallister.

I was apprehensive about reading this. Gillian Mcallister is one of my favourite authors but I don't enjoy reading anything remotely supernatural. Luckily my love of Gillian's writing won out and I gave it a go.

I absolutely adore Gillian's writing style, she has this magic ability of making you feel like you're there and really bringing characters to life, even the minor ones. It did take me a little while to get to grips with the plot, but after a while I almost forgot about the supernatural element and started to enjoy it for the great story that it was. I liked how the reveals were spaced out rather than a big information dump at the end. Some I guessed, some I didn't but they all fit in with the plot and I never felt lied to as a reader.

I actually ended up really enjoying this - towards the end I really struggled to put it down. I didn't necessarily love the whole time travel element but I appreciate it was kind of necessary to tell the story. I would recommend the book and it was a nice reminder to myself not to completely close myself off to other genres.