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.