A thought-provoking and brilliantly gripping novel that presents the question of what you would do if you only had 59 minutes before the 'end of the world'. It felt very emotional and fully realized, and thriller with an emotional heartbeat and core.

Loved this! I kept thinking what if this happened in real life and freaking myself out. Once I got into this I could not put this down. I loved that it was unique and made you think. Definitely made me paranoid though lol

A book of 2 parts. The first starts with introducing 3 characters, and a scenario which gives them 59 minutes to live. What would you do in your last 59 minutes? This book explores the lives of the characters who are counting every minute.

It's a page turner, and I kept reading and reading.... the first part anyway. which runs up until the catastrophic event time occurs. After that, I felt the book went downhill, the story became laboured. I would have preferred the first story - the build up - to be 90% of the book; and the aftermath story the final 10%. It went from a page turner to a book that I frankly didn't care whether I finished or not.

If you knew you had fifty-nine minutes until everything and everyone you love would be lost forever, what would you do with that time?
One evening, as people are going about their ordinary lives in London, an alert appears. In 59 minutes missiles will destroy England. Seek immediate shelter. And the chaos begins. The story follows the journeys of three women trying to make it home to their families and the obstacles they encounter.

This one was raw, emotive and terrifying, as you'd expect and highlighted the ways different people would react to such news and the terror and chaos that may erupt. It was thought provoking and another great novel by the author.

In the gripping novel "59 Minutes", Holly Seddon masterfully weaves a thrilling narrative infused with a poignant love story. As the clock ticks down to a catastrophic event threatening humanity's very existence, Seddon's vivid characters leap off the page, their lives imbued with urgency and emotional depth. With unflinching honesty, Seddon portrays the frenzied desperation of reconnecting with loved ones before time runs out, and the haunting yet resilient aftermath that follows.

I really enjoyed this. I thought the premise sounded good so was looking forward to reading it and I wasn’t disappointed. The story follows three women: Carrie, Frankie and Mrs Dabb. The three narratives are all intriguing and while I thought the characters would be interlinked somehow, I couldn’t quite work it out. Red herrings threw me off the scent and then twists I certainly didn’t see coming! I liked how the chapters all gave a countdown to attack so I was holding my breath quite a bit.
Loved it and I hope it does well when released.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
5⭐️

Amazing. However as someone that constantly catastrophises about things I am now more worried than I was before!

The characters are lovely and the way it is written between three and at different times was a shock! So much depth, I really couldn’t put it down!

Carrie is such a lovely lady and it’s sad what she has to go through and the torment of protecting your child is so prevalent from all the mums in the story.

I really enjoyed this book, having payout off reading it because of the subject matter. Was I ready to read such a realistic story. Once I started it, I was really hooked on the parallel stories. I did find it a bit confusing near the end but this didn’t spoil my enjoyment.

This book is absolutely amazing. It’s so thought provoking with an amazing cast of characters. Highly recommended.

Wow! Everybody should read this book!!
59 Minutes may be a fictional tale but this story really made me re-think life and it's priorities.
I was completely absorbed in the character's tales, especially Carrie's, whose race through London had my own heart racing.
The triple timelines towards the end of the book were a little confusing at first but once I worked it out, they were very relevant.
A fantastic book that I will tell everybody about and I will never forget.

A thought-provoking, fast-paced, and emotionally charged story that challenges the perspective on humanity, family, and the value of time.

This book absolutely hooked me from the very first page, it was tense, thought provoking and frighteningly real.

I really liked the premise of this book. I grew up with lots of talk of nuclear war and it was a source of anxiety, so this appealed. Interesting character choices and I liked the exploration of motivations and emotions. The book had a fast pace and was propulsive to read. It was an affecting read.
I hadn't read anything by this author before. It was easy to read but I felt like the writing relied on clichés on some occasions and the metaphors used weren't especially fresh or elevated.

OMG! This book is absolutely amazing. So cleverly done, full of tense moments and panic. And a twist that completely confused me at first but was bloody brilliant. This could easily be my book of the year and we’re only just into February. Just fantastic. This book is going to be huge and I can already see a film or series on the horizon.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

An utterly brilliant thriller from Holly Seddon!
This was an edge of your seat read that was impossible to put down, I devoured this in not quite 59 minutes, but 24 hours!
Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

Absolutely astonishing! Holly Seddon has written some remarkable stories; this, in my view, is her best yet. Right at the top of her game. This is such an unusual and horribly plausible premise. The shrieking alert warning on mobile phone to warn of impending danger ir threat to life. It was made all the more real for me as a recent recipient of a genuine phone alert of severe weather and winds in excess of 90mph with threat to life and property, We were prepared for a test alert a while back, but to revive a genuine alert out of the blue is quite disturbing. Holly takes this a step further; it’s threat which means time on earth is soon going to be over. It’s chilling. Easy to imagine the mayhem and Holly explores the potential impact through the story of three characters. We sense their fear, concern for loved ones, frustration in the ensuing mayhem and travel through their short time with them.

I was almost literally swept into this story, riding at a pace and my pulse raced. So much food for thought…what would we do in a similar situation? What’s important?Who do we care about most? Brilliantly thought through and a real thriller. Buckle up for a bumpy ride.

This was a truly brilliant premise and was incredibly well executed.

Many of us in the UK will remember receiving an emergency alert on our phones in April 2023 - a test to ensure that a message could be delivered to everyone in the event of a serious emergency or attack.

Well this what Holly Seddon recreates, however this time it is not a test. Everyone in the country receives a message warning of a nuclear attack due to hit the UK in 59 minutes. Given it is 5pm, many people are on their way home and separated from their loved ones. But with an understanding that this is probably your last hour on earth, what would you do to make sure you could see your loved ones just one last time.

The story follows three different women, Carrie stuck in London trying to fight her way home. Frankie, spending her last hour with her partner, Otis, and Mrs Dabb whose daughter has not come back from school.

The three journey's are told in alternating chapters but there is also a major twist towards the end of the book which really surprises the reader and makes you want to instantly read it again!

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group | Orion for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I think this book will be massive when it publishes later this year

Just picture the scene - you’re going about your normal everyday life, when your cell phone suddenly starts emitting a loud screeching sound, as does everyone else’s in the vicinity. Picking up the device, you see a message warning that nuclear missiles are due to hit Southern England in 59 minutes, along with the words, seek immediate shelter, THIS IS NOT A TEST !

It’s easy to see the total panic that would ensue, and the mayhem that would follow. The storyline follows 3 main characters, all of them women, each of them determined to make it back to their families before the 59 minutes is up. Their journeys would normally be pretty simple, but with a lost schoolchild seeking help, a teenage daughter suddenly going missing, and dangerous criminals on the prowl, there is danger at every corner.

Each chapter is dedicated to one of the characters - there’s Carrie, desperately trying to get back to her partner and young daughter amidst the increasing pandemonium that is overtaking London. Elsewhere, newly pregnant Frankie and boyfriend Otis are on their way to a relaxing break on Dartmoor. Then there’s Mrs Dabb, who has just discovered that her 13 year old daughter has bunked off school hours before, and no one has any idea where she is! Can any of these women make it back to their loved ones as the clock ticks down to what could be the start of Armageddon?

It would be great if one could dismiss this scenario as belonging to the realms of fantasy, but sadly it appears increasingly likely in the coming years, which lends authenticity to “59 Minutes”.

This is a scary but compelling read, where the action is charged with tension, portraying as it does, the very best and the very worst of the human psyche. It’s a case of you don’t really want to know the consequences, but you can’t look away. Recommended.

Holly Seddon's novel offers a captivating read as a chilling message sends shockwaves through England, warning of an imminent missile strike and giving everyone just fifty-nine minutes to take cover. This thrilling premise lays the foundation for a heart-wrenching examination of resilience, love, and our natural instinct to safeguard those we cherish.

The narrative spotlights three women who each grapple with unique challenges as they race against the clock to reunite with their families. Emma, a dedicated mother, sees her protective instincts surge amidst the chaos. Sarah, meanwhile, finds herself on a frantic quest to locate her missing teenage daughter. Then there's Annie, a woman with a troubled history who must battle personal demons while striving to lend a hand to others. Each character is thoughtfully developed, displaying distinct personalities and relatable motivations that forge strong connections with readers. Their fears, hopes, and desires are tangibly conveyed, ensuring their journeys remain urgent and engaging.

The atmosphere within the book is charged with apprehension and unease. Seddon skillfully depicts how everyday moments can become extraordinary under pressure—a quiet family dinner or a peaceful evening suddenly morphing into scenes of panic and unwavering determination. The ever-ticking clock generates a relentless sense of urgency, heightening readers' empathy for the characters' frenzied attempts to reconnect with loved ones.

Emotionally, the story is powerful and resonant. Readers will quickly become invested in the characters' fates, feeling the raw fear and urgency as they navigate external threats and personal battles. Seddon's writing is direct yet evocative, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the dramatic events without getting bogged down by overly intricate language.

Themes of motherhood, sacrifice, and life's fragility are interlaced throughout the narrative.

The novel prompts readers to consider what holds true importance during moments of crisis and how far one would push oneself to protect the family. Additionally, it illuminates the unpredictability of life, demonstrating that even in dire circumstances, human connections can still shine through.

Overall, Seddon's work proves to be both an intense page-turner and a poignant examination of human relationships under extreme duress. With its relatable characters, heightened tension, and thought-provoking themes, it guarantees an unforgettable reading experience.

This is a story that hits deep as people everywhere prepare for their last 59 minutes. A brilliant book that takes you to where nobody wants to go. Nobody would want this to happen and shows what people do when they are desperate both good and bad.

OH MY GOD perfect.

3 povs Carrie, Frankie, Mrs Dabb.

Before the story Holly Seddon lays down some facts about nuclear bombs. So, she is already getting into our heads, and laying seeds of what if?

We live in a world where nuclear missiles and bombs are always mentioned in the news. But what would we do if one actually landed?

Seddon doesn't hold back in her descriptions. The way she writes, it makes it easy to envisage the chaos that is happening.

Carrie is in London. The population is vast. There are plenty of times that she is faced with being stuck in a crowd whilst trying desperately to get home. The tension that she is feeling oozes through the pages.

Frankie is on holiday in Dartmoor. I liked the fact that Seddon has chosen to set the book in polar opposites of location. London really busy and then a secluded village. I found it very poignant in one scene when they are in the village shop. This made me think of my hometown and how we would deal with something like this.

Contrast between London and Dartmoor.
London full of chaos, crowds. Carrie can't get out of the underground. They won't open doors incase of a stampede. Doors manned by security with guns.

Frankie queuing to get in the shop. A nice orderly queue. The shop is manned by a young lad wearing a spar uniform

A twist that was pure genius. In hindsight it's a simple idea, but it was so perfectly executed that it was a complete Oh my days moment. Really clever misdirection for us. But, I did get slightly confused for a bit purely because I had been conned 🤣🤣 credit to Seddon. The plotting must have been so intricate to plan out.

Excellent story