Wrong Place Wrong Time. Gillian McAllister. 2022. 402 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Jen is glad of the clocks going back tonight. A gained hour, extra time, to be spent pretending she isn’t waiting up for her son.
Premise/plot: What’s a mother to do when she witnesses her teenage son murder a stranger (or stranger to you)????? This mother, Jen Goodbrother, somehow, someway, manages to live life BACKWARDS after this traumatic event as she scrambles to prevent the crime that will utterly ruin their lives. This isn’t a proper time-loop premise. Jen isn’t living the same twelve to twenty-four hours over and over again–a loop. But it does feature Jen experiencing time backwards–falling through time, slipping through time. She’ll have unique opportunities to experience her life again–make change after change after change. Her perspective changes day by day as she wrestles with the meaning of it all. These close encounters with her immediate family–her husband, Kelly; her son, Todd; are different seen ‘from both sides now.’ She’s actually getting to live her life with hindsight. But how many days, weeks, months, years, decades must she slip–relive–in order to “fix” or “course correct” the tragic event of that October night????
My thoughts: Obviously premise-driven. But it didn’t fall short on characterization or action. There’s some contemplation and reflection. There’s plenty of suspense and action. It perhaps isn’t a thriller in the traditional sense or any sense. So don’t expect direct danger and gore. (You won’t find it). Do expect some mental anguish as a woman wrestles with big questions of how, where, when, why, and what.
There are alternating chapters. But I won’t be spoiling who’s doing the narration on those alternate bits. The less you know the better.
© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky’s Book Reviews
