59 Minutes by Holly Seddon

 

The population of London and the south have all received a warning message that a nuclear missile is heading their way; they have 59 minutes to prepare. For three women, Carrie, Frankie and Mrs Dabb, those 59 minutes are filled with terror as they race to be with the ones they love.

After seeing a couple of early reviews of 59 Minutes by Holly Seddon, I just knew I'd love it. Once I'd picked this up, I simply couldn't put it down, I had to know what was going to happen. The premise is terrifying; if this were a TV show or movie, you'd be watching from behind a cushion, desperate to know more but horrified at what was happening.

Told over the space of 59 minutes, and from the perspective of three characters, really keeps the pace moving. Carrie has finished work for the day and has just started her commute across London to get home to her wife and daughter. Frankie, along with her husband Otis, has just arrived at their holiday rental in the New Forest. Mrs Dabb, also living in the New Forest, is concerned that her teenage daughter hasn't returned home from school on time.

As you read, you have the same sense of uncertainty the characters do. Is it real? What is the target? Who is responsible? Who will be affected, and how? You feel the rising sense of panic that floods the population when no answers are forthcoming. 

The British "stiff upper lip" and Blitz spirit quickly evaporate. It is frightening how quickly society breaks down and lawlessness takes over. I found my heartbeat increasing with every page I turned, concern growing for the characters as the clock ticked down. I was also filled with incredible sadness at the choices some people made, knowing that survival is almost impossible.

If you want to know what happens at the end of the 59 minutes, you're going to have to read the book for yourself, I'm certainly not going to spoil the ending.

59 Minutes by Holly Seddon will be published on 25th September 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for a review copy.

Author Details

Holly Seddon is the international bestselling author of TRY NOT TO BREATHE, DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES, LOVE WILL TEAR US APART and THE HIT LIST. After growing up in the English countryside obsessed with music and books, Holly worked in London as a journalist and editor. She now lives in Kent with her family and writes full time. Alongside fellow author Gillian McAllister, Holly co-hosts the popular Honest Authors Podcast.

August 2025 Reads

I had a little more downtime than normal in August, so I managed to read twelve books, alongside listening to three audiobooks. The month was predominantly thrillers, and what a fantastic selection they were. There were four 5-star thrillers this month, a couple of them are going to stay in my mind for quite a while. With summer over, thoughts now turn to cosy reads. I’ve got one lined up for September so far. Does anyone have any cosy reads planned?

The month began with Bad Actors by Mick Herron, the only book I had left to read in the Slough House/Slow Horses series. This is very much centred around the political machinations of a special advisor to No. 10 and the head of MI5. The slow horses do become embroiled, eventually, and when they do, chaos erupts. Filled with classic lines and sarcasm.

One of my favourite reads of 2024 was Blood Like Mine from Stuart Neville. I was really excited to read the sequel, Blood Like Ours. The book opens only days after the previous one ended. Rebecca Carter wakes in a strange room and finds her worst fears have come true. Her only concerns are survival and finding her daughter. Rebecca finds herself forming an uneasy alliance with the partner of the FBI agent who was hunting her down in the first book.

The Cut Throat Trial by The Secret Barrister/S. J. Fleet blew me away. A legal thriller where three youths are on trial together for the brutal murder of an old man. The story is told from multiple perspectives: the three accused, each of their barristers, the judge and the prosecuting barrister. We get inside each person’s mind, but even then, the truth of what happened on the night in question isn’t obvious.

The Final Vow by M. W. Craven has been eagerly awaited by fans of the Washington Poe series. I’m sure that those fans, just like me, were left speechless by the opening pages. A sniper has the country living in terror. Over the space of six months, he has murdered seventeen random people. It’s up to Poe and Tilly to figure out who the sniper is, with devastating consequences. This is an edge-of-your-seat read.

Since discovering author Laura Pearson, I’ve enjoyed her novels, which tend to offer a quirky take on the uplifting genre. The Life She Could Have Lived introduces us to Anna and a decision she has to make on her first wedding anniversary. The novel then becomes a “sliding doors” scenario, where we meet the two versions of Anna on the same date each year and discover the direction her life has taken depending on the decision she made. I loved the way in which the author showed that neither version was necessarily better than the other.

I finally got around to reading the second book in the David Raker series by Tim Weaver. I’ve been promising myself I’d read The Dead Tracks for ages, and I’m now kicking myself that I put it off for so long. The police seem to have given up looking for a missing teenager. When Raker is hired by her parents, events move quickly. Raker discovers that the girl isn’t the first to go missing under the same circumstances. Links to organised crime and a long-dead serial killer make for a sinister read.

I was jumping for joy when the publishers gave me an advanced copy of Clown Town by Mick Herron, the new book in the Slough House/Slow Horses series. Diana Taverner and Peter Judd are at war, and Taverner has blackmailed an old spy network to help her win the battle. Everything is meticulously planned until the slow horses become involved, with devastating consequences. Fans will not be disappointed, and we see Jackson Lamb drop his front for a very brief moment.

My book group read for August was Bear Is Broken by Lachlan Smith, a legal thriller. Newly qualified lawyer Leo Maxwell is hoping to work with his older brother Teddy when Teddy is shot. With Teddy hovering between life and death, Leo tries to track down the person responsible. I thought this was a fairly run-of-the-mill thriller.

Left In The Ashes by Anna Britton is the third book in the Martin & Stern series. Book two left readers with an ominous cliffhanger. Book 3 opens with the pair of detectives investigating a series of arson cases, where the latest one has taken the life of a young woman. The big question is whether the death was accidental or deliberate. At the same time, the latest child victim of a serial killer is discovered, the same killer responsible for the death of Gabe Martin’s brother. We see Gabe disassemble before our eyes as she is thrust into the spotlight once again, particularly as she has never come to terms with the past.

The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johnstone, the third book in the Enceladons trilogy, has filled me with such mixed emotions. I’ve loved this series following a race of aquatic aliens who make Earth their refuge, but I was heartbroken with the direction the story took in this latest book. The author has shone a light on Western culture and attitudes, and what we see is shocking and saddening.

59 Minutes by Holly Seddon is one of those books that will fill you with terror. The south of England is given a 59-minute warning that a missile is on its way. Panic sets in and chaos ensues as we follow three women over the space of the hour. Carrie is desperate to get across London to her family, Frankie and her husband are hunting for supplies to stock their rental cottage, and Mrs Dabb doesn’t know where her teenage daughter is. The short time frame and alternating perspectives keep you turning the pages.

I enjoyed the first book in the Holmes, Marple & Poe series by  James Patterson far more than I expected to, so I was really looking forward to the second book, Holmes Is Missing. Unfortunately, this time around, the storyline lacked the mystique of the first book. Instead of capitalising on the mystery surrounding the background of the three main characters, the storyline focused on their personal lives. There was a crime to solve, the disappearance of babies from a hospital; however, the investigation was a bit madcap, with lots of chasing from one location to the next.

My first audiobook of the month was the psychological thriller Two Perfect Couples by Renita D’Silva. Two families plan a dream holiday together in Goa. On their first night, one of the children disappears. Has Ajit wandered off, or has he been kidnapped? You get a real sense of the panic the mother feels as the search uncovers nothing. When the police become involved, a whole host of secrets are revealed.

Stillwater by Tanya Scott grabbed my attention a it was recommended for fans of Lee Child, and I can see why. Just like Jack Reacher, the main character of the book just wants to live a quiet and unassuming life, but trouble seems to find him. The reason trouble finds Luke Harris is that he has a past; as a youth, he worked for a hardened criminal. He’d hoped that moving away and changing his name would be enough to escape his past, but when he returns to his hometown, he finds himself dragged right back in.

My final audiobook of the month was The Note by Alafair Burke. I enjoyed the gossipy style the story initially took, with three friends meeting for a weekend away. After an altercation with another driver, they leave a nasty note on his windshield. When the driver goes missing, they try to cover up being in the area on the night in question. As the police dig into the mystery, lots of secrets are uncovered.

Publication dates to watch out for:-

Clown Town by Mick Herron will be published on 11/9/25 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Life She Could Have Lived by Laura Pearson will be published on 12/9/25 in hardback, paperback and ebook format.

59 Minutes by Holly Seddon will be published on 25/9/25 in paperback, ebook and audio format

The Note by Alafair Burke will be released on 1/10/25 in audio format (paperback and ebook are available now).

#Cover Reveal The Pumpkin Pact by Charlie Dean

 

Today, I'm delighted to be taking part in the cover reveal for The Pumpkin Pact by Charlie Dean. Summer is drawing to a close, all eyes are on autumn and this cover just reinforces everything we love about the season. The synopsis really does make this sound like a fun read, perfect for snuggling up with on a cool and blustery day.

Synopsis

Welcome to The Pumpkin Patch at Pickle Grove.

Andi is worried that her relationship with Drew has become dull and boring. They never do anything exciting these days, in or out of the bedroom. So when a swoon-worthy stranger appears she is instantly swept off her feet.

When they unexpectedly meet again, they realise they have more in common than they thought possible so draw up a pact to spice up their lives! The plan they conjure up while working together at The Pumpkin Patch, to make their partners jealous, brings them closer than ever.

Andi plucks up the courage to finish with Drew but there are no signs of Andrew doing the same and she thinks she’s lost him forever.

With meddling exes, misunderstandings and miscommunication getting in the way, can The Pumpkin Pact bring them back together?

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/iAh5Mtx

Follow Charlie Dean on Twitter - https://twitter.com/CharlieADean

The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johnstone

 

Eighteen months after escaping the US military, the Enceladons are hiding out in the Arctic. A wealthy entrepreneur has approached Lennox in the hope that he will lead him to them. Lennox is filled with  distrust, however, the billionaire has promised Lennox that his only interest is to see the Enceladons and learn more about them.

This has got to be one of the most difficult reviews I've ever had to write, I've stewed over it for days. I've been eagerly awaiting The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johnstone for two years. What follows is a spoiler-free review (I hope), but the story has left me in such turmoil. To say that I didn't enjoy the book would be wrong; what I didn't enjoy was the direction the story took, an entirely subjective point of view. The mix of emotions I felt as I read reflects how skillfully the author has written, ensuring Sandy, Xander, and a whole host of others have wormed their way into my heart.

The Transcendent Tide is book three in the Enceladons trilogy, a series in which a race of aliens arrives on Earth. If this sounds like science fiction, and that is a genre you shy away from, please don't be discouraged; this is really a story about humanity.

After the events of Camp Broom, the Enceladons have fled to the Arctic. Lennox, Vonnie and Ava are still in Scotland. Ava is raising her daughter, Chloe, and the others are working with a marine research group. All three miss their connection with the Enceladons, particularly Lennox, but realise that allowing them to remain undetected is vitally important. The arrival of a billionaire, adamant that his only motivation is to find out more about the strange alien creatures, throws things into doubt. It is Chloe's sudden illness that persuades them to accept the billionaire's offer to travel to Greenland.

This is a story that holds a mirror up to mankind, reflecting the good and bad in society. The Enceladons strive for a peaceful existence, living in harmony with their surroundings. We see this echoed in the Inuits, who call Greenland their home. Western culture doesn't fare well; greed, xenophobia, and a negative impact on the environment are just a few of the issues that are featured. 

We see how the Enceladons willingly accepted humans into their community and how quickly the Inuit respect the uniqueness of an alien race, unlike the "civilised" world, who care only about self. I was left shocked by the battle between what is essentially good and evil, dismayed at the turn the story took. This is a work of fiction, but echoes the way in which civilisation has expanded for hundreds of years, eradicating cultures and destroying habitats.

With The Transcendent Tide being the final book in the trilogy, I have been left with such mixed emotions. I've loved the series, adore the characters and feel as if I am part of their community; however, I am heartbroken by what mankind is capable of. 

Author Details

Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, includingThe Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for  In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.

Left In The Ashes by Anna Britton

 

Detectives Gabe Martin and Juliet Stern are on the hunt for a serial arsonist whose latest attack took the life of a young woman. At the same time, Gabe's past rears its head as the serial killer who murdered her brother strikes again.

Author Anna Britton is such a tease. At the end of the first book in the Martin & Stern series, Shot In The Dark, there was a cliffhanger that left readers desperate to know more. The second book, Close To The Edge, also finished on a cliffhanger, but this time around it had a very ominous feel. Answers finally arrived in the third book in the series, Left In The Ashes. 

The opening pages fill you with fear and panic as you witness the final moments of a young woman trapped in a burning building. Someone has been targeting empty properties on ancestral estates. This time around, there is a fatality: a female hiker who had camped in the empty building overnight. DI Stern and her partner, DS Gabe Martin, are handling the case, trying to uncover if the death was accidental or targeted.

Just as the pair are beginning the investigation, the body of a young boy is discovered in a barrel, the seventeenth victim of a serial killer known as the Barrel Man. The killer has been terrorising the country for thirty-five years and has a close connection to Gabe. As a child, Gabe and her brother, Barnabas, were abducted by the killer; only Gabe survived.

While the plot centres around tracking down two murderers, the book is really about Gabe and her reaction to having to relive a traumatic event. The author has written with such empathy and understanding that it is impossible not to feel the severe reactions Gabe suffers. Haunted by the past, particularly survivor's guilt, Gabe is filled with shame. Her coping mechanism has been to lock everything away; however, every time the Barrel Man strikes again, she has to face her feelings. This time around, with the case being close to home, she can't avoid scrutiny. Trying to battle through, unwilling to seek help or burden others, has devastating consequences.

With the majority of the storyline focusing on Gabe, Juliet Stern takes a backseat in the narrative. Stern is still as reserved and aloof as ever, something that Gabe is appreciative of. She doesn't want to have to discuss her feelings. We are given a very brief clue regarding Stern's home life, a thread that is slowly developing over the series.

There are some familiar characters, individuals who have featured heavily over the previous two books in the series, people who are always going to raise suspicion. As both storylines reach a conclusion, one in spectacular fashion and the other the result of dogged determination and sheer luck, you're left with a sense that all is almost right with the world - and then the author throws in another teaser!

Left In The Ashes by Anna Britton will be published on 18th September 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for a review copy.

Author Details

Anna lives on the Isle of Wight with her husband and their chronically clumsy Labrador. An avid reader, she began writing around ten years ago and hasn’t stopped since. Anna works as a freelance editor and loves helping out other authors. When not filling her head with stories, Anna enjoys baking (and eating) cakes and exploring rivers in her kayak.

#Cover Reveal - My Rock Star Neighbor by Kathy Strobos

 

Today, I'm delighted to be taking part in the cover reveal for My Rock Star Neighbor by Kathy Strobo. Reading the synopsis below, this sounds like such a fun read, with a slight mystery edge. Who among us hasn't dreamt of dating a star?

Synopsis

When a wary rock star and a cynical reporter fake date to bury a scandalous rumor, will true love be exposed as the real story?

Nick: I do my best songwriting while playing my guitar on the fire escape. Unfortunately, my in-bed-at-ten next-door neighbor, Maddie, is not a fan of my music. She clambers out on the fire escape to yell at me about making "noise.”  In bunny slippers, no less. But then she trips and falls into my arms.

That photo of Maddie plastered all over me hits the papers, just as my dream recording company wants to sign my band. Which is a problem, because an obsessed fan is claiming that I’m her boyfriend and now the media is blowing up that I’m two-timing them both. Good-bye recording contract, unless….

Maddie: I’m supposed to cover the story. Not be the story! But when Nick begs me to fake date, I can’t resist the chance to be Nick’s girlfriend—even if fake—the opposite of my life as a city desk reporter. But my ex said I’m a terrible kisser, and there’s no way I want Mr. Hot Rock Star saying the same thing. Hence, clause 11 in our contract: There will be absolutely no physical contact.

Nick: When Maddie receives a threatening photo of the two of us with an X over her face, my desire to protect her suddenly feels all too real. It’s either a troll or her undercover investigation has been compromised. With both our careers at stake, is breaking up the only way to keep Maddie safe?

Publication Date: 10^th October 2025

Pre-order Links
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHZ2LNFR/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FHZ2LNFR/
https://books.apple.com/us/book/my-rock-star-neighbor/id6748830148

Author Details

Kathy Strobos is an award-winning author living in New York City with her husband and two children, amid a growing collection of books, toys, and dollhouses. She took a break from working as a lawyer to write romantic comedies full-time and get in shape. She is still working on getting in shape.

Born and raised in Manhattan, she loves writing about New York City and her smart heroines who live and fall in love there, amidst its vibrant energy and the aroma of homemade chocolate chip cookies. She is the award-winning author of: A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, Partner Pursuit, Is This for Real?, Caper Crush, My Book Boyfriend, Love Is an Art and My Secret Snowflake.

Clown Town by Mick Herron

 

Diana Taverner, First Desk at MI5, is using an old spy network to do her dirty work. When she tries to involve the slow horses in her scheme, things don't go quite to plan.

I managed to read Bad Actors at the start of the month, bringing me up to date with the Slough House series in preparation for the release of book 9 in September. I was over the moon when the publishers gave me access to an early copy for review. In Clown Town, author Mick Herron takes his time to meticulously set up the narrative, very much like setting up a chessboard to resume a game that is partway through.

As the pieces are carefully positioned, ready for battle to commence, we see Diana Taverner seeking help from Jackson Lamb, something which is unheard of. Taverner is in trouble with HR and needs Lamb to get one of his slow horses to find out who has made accusations against her. Academics are studying the books left behind by David Cartwright, but one has gone missing, and there's something strange about it. Peter Judd is leaning on Diana Taverner to coerce government ministers to look favorably on Chinese interests. And, an old group of spies is trying to blackmail MI5.

With the board set, pieces are slowly moved, and everyone's aim seems to be to take the queen. Fans of the series will be well aware that Diana Taverner is really only motivated by self-preservation. In her dealings with the group of retired spies, we get a real glimpse of how savage she can be in protecting her own interests.

Mick Herron has made a number of timely pop culture references, some are hilarious and others are scathing. I regularly found myself laughing out loud, mainly because of the antics of Roddy Ho, who seems to be more delusional with every book, and the deliberate malapropisms of Jackson Lamb.

The slow horses themselves are acting independently of each other as usual, frequently impulsively and often clashing. When they insert themselves into the carefully choreographed game of chess, all hell breaks loose, and it becomes more like a frantic game of hungry hippos, with devastating consequences. We're then kept in suspense as to the actual outcome of the disaster. I found myself hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Long-time fans know not to become too attached to any particular characters as slow horses are not bulletproof.

We're given a very brief glimpse into what makes Jackson Lamb tick when Catherine Standish realises that he's burdened by a debt he's spent most of his life trying to pay off, but no one knows what the debt is or how he acquired it. This heavy burden goes a long way to explaining the shocking conclusion.

Clown Town by Mick Herron will be published on 11th September 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Baskerville for a review copy.

Author Details

Mick Herron is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Slough House thrillers, which have been published in over twenty-five languages and are the basis of the award-winning TV series Slow Horses, starring Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb. Among his other novels are the Zoë Boehm series, also now adapted for TV starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, and the standalone novels The Secret Hours and Nobody Walks. Mick’s awards include the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and the CWA Gold, Steel and Diamond Daggers. A fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and now lives in Oxford.