Reviews: 59 Minutes (37)

A action packed and heart pounding race against time, which kept me on the edge of my seat and constantly leaping from one jaw dropping moment after another in 59 Minutes of pure adrenaline!
This is a thriller full of jeopardy and told from the perspective of three women literally facing the end of the world and rushing to reach there loved ones as the clock ticks down towards disaster and makes for some powerful and at times hard hitting storytelling, but told by a powerful and obviously skilled writer who knows just how to hook her readers in before pulling the rug from right underneath them!
When the announcement comes that London will be hit by a missile strike in just 59 minutes, panic and chaos erupts as three separate women race to reach there loved ones in time, but there separate journeys quickly reveal the dark side of human nature and as the clock ticks down, life may never be the same again for those lucky enough to survive!
This adrenaline filled race against time certainly doesn't shy away from exploring the darker side of human nature and tackles a wide range of themes against a backdrop of imminent destruction. But at its core is a very human heart tackling love and grief and the courage of these three women to survive against insurmountable odds to reach home and find there loved ones, whilst unknowingly there stories intertwine in clever and often surprising ways that left me speechless.
59 Minutes is a clever and thought provoking thriller filled with action and emotion and certainly has the power to keep its reader up at night and desperate to know what happens as the countdown reaches zero.
Beautiful and thrilling in equal pleasure!

Wow! What a fabulous read from Holly Seddon. This is my first book from Holly but it certainly won't be my last. I was hooked from the first page. The book deals with the very real premise of a nuclear attack on London and the South West Submarine base. A 59 minute warning is given and the first half of the book is told from the POV of three characters trying to get home to their families. Things become more complicated in the second half which I won't spoil here with spoilers. I did find it difficult to put this book down. I desperately wanted the characters to be safe even if it was only for minutes before the missiles hit. It also made me think about how I would behave in this situation. Society seemed to deteriorate so quickly. One hopes one would behave better but who knows? The characterization and descriptions of both cityscape and Devon countryside (before and after the event) were very well done, making it very easy to put oneself into the narrative. The author should be proud of herself. A book I am happy to recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

You get an alert on your phone saying the world is ending in 59 minutes- what do you do? This book is gripping and yet suffocating in the most mind bending way. The short chapters and multiple POVs keep the action flowing and the twists are delivered perfectly. It takes a lot to shake me and even I felt my heart rate increasing a few times whilst reading! Amazing writing

A very clever atmospheric twisty thriller which is a difficult book to review without spoilers bit here goes.

Everyone in the country has received an alert on their mobile phones of an imminent nuclear missile attack on London and the South Coast of England with further updates through tannoys, TV and radio. It explicitly states it is NOTa drill and everybody should seek shelter. They have just 59 minutes before the impact. NOW begins the countdown as eveybody in these regions are desperately trying to get home or safe. There is the inevitable societal breakdown you would expect from such an apocalyptic event.

The main charcters Carrie in London, desperately trying to find her way home to her partner and 3 year old daughter Clementine. Pregnant Frankie, with partner Otis travelling to the south coast from Manchester and Mrs Dabb whose daughter Bunny has gone missing from school

This reminds me of the test we in the UK received in 2023 should this scenario become a reality It is incredibly well written showing the human and inhuman behaviour that is likely if this event ever happened. The authors' notes references the influence this warning had on her writing this book.

This has many twists that I did not see coming. I have read and enjoyed other books by this author and I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to Netgalley UK and to Orion Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

I actually read this book in one sitting on holiday. It was, for me, a heart in my throat every single sentence. To even think of what you would do if you were effectively told that the world as you knew it would end in 59 minutes. As the author questions in the Authors Note, would there be any kindness or would it be everyone for themselves?

I love the fact that the book was written effectively in two timelines but it was also fantastic that all the characters within the story were intertwined and it was explained who they all were and how they were linked.

It was a little complicated at one point trying to work out who was who but I just let that go and read as if they were not at all connected. Because of the storyline there is no point describing the book as it would end up creating spoilers and the book is worth reading without knowing anything.

I loved the pace and the premise of this book. What would you do if you suddenly got the message your world will end in 59 minutes? The resulting panic, selfishness, and anarchy read true sadly and kept me turning the pages. However the second part of the book really didn't fit well and wasn't needed to tie all the characters together.

I absolutely loved this book!! The main story centres around a number of characters and their actions in tne event of a warning of a nuclear attack in '59 minutes'. The story considers what people would do in those moments, some trying to desperately reach loved ones,, some to get as far away as possible from the anticpated region of impact...
The chapters are written from the perspectives of three main characters, all chapters relatively short in length so this book has amazing pace as you want to know how each characters 'journey' is progressing...will they each fulfill what they want to achieve in those 59 minutes?
The book then moves onto the fallout, the after-events...both a year later and ten years later...
Holly Seddon, in her acknowledgements, says that she was in the midst of writing a different book when the idea of this one came and, whilst she tried to go back to the original book, she kept being drawn back to 59 Minutes and it kind of just took over... And what a decision that was! Superb! It certainly does make one think about what one would do if one was faced with an existence of only an hour at most, what would be important.. Definitely one that I will be talking about!!

59 Minutes is an atmospheric compulsive read that every page has a sense of dread and impending danger.

Total panic occurs when a alert comes over the television, cell phones and radio saying a nuclear attact is pending.

You have 59 minutes to find shelter.

Not that that would save you but you can only try.

Tension mounts with every page as in today's age one can just imagine this happening.

What would you do.

The story is told from three main characters point of view and their nightmare of a journey to try and get home or find the closest shelter.

Holly Sedden takes the reader down a twisted heart stopping path that makes you feel you too are on the run.

The rest of the journey I will leave to the reader but be prepared because every page leaves you wanting more.

On phones, i pads, computers, radio and tv there is a National alert! A thought provoking story and I can well remember the shock I got when the test emergency alarm went off on my phone in April 2023 (UK). A nuclear strike is due to hit Southern England in 59 minutes. Everyone is warned to stay indoors, make sure they have ample food and water and not to travel. All communication devices go dead apart from the message. Told from the POVs of three very different women, Carrie, Frankie, and Mrs Dabb in alternating chapters this is scary look at what a nuclear threat could look like.

Briefly, in London and Dartmoor we follow the fortunes of these three women desperate to get home to be with their loved ones, to get food for their holiday home or just praying their child will come home in time.

The extremes of humankind are shown from love and kindness to selfishness and inhumanity as each of the people involved struggle in situations never encountered before. As we follow their stories we also learn how each of their lives intertwine with each other. The question is will they all survive or will there be anything left to survive after the missile strike? The countdown intensifies the sense of emergency as the clock ticks down to possible annihilation. A tense and emotional read.

I loved this book so much! The plot, setting, characters and how it questions thoughts and reasons.

Not going to lie, in that event I think I would just panic, cry and be overwhelmed with no thought process on what to do

Charts the response of three people when they receive alerts of a nuclear attack in 59 minutes.
This is a tense “real time” consideration of what individuals and society might do. It is highly emotional, very reflective and totally horrific as you live every moment and wonder what you would do in the same situation. It is highly visual and would sit well on the screen, big or small. The three person perspective mostly works very well and adds to the accumulative tension. The only criticism would be when the narrative switches to a post event timeline and the threads of the main characters are blended together. It took a while to adjust and almost weakened the strength of the preceding drama.
However in spite of this this was an innovative, compelling read that leaves you thinking “what if…”

59 Minutes by Holly Seddon is a fascinating story where we find out what people would do if they had 59 minutes left to live….
Otis and Frankie have gone for a holiday in the countryside in Dartmoor, and then we learn about Carrie, partner Emma and their baby girl Clementine.
When the alert comes out, Carrie is rushing home from work to relieve Emma of parenting duties and really looking forward to seeing them both, and Frankie has just told Otis that they’re going to be parents.
The two groups’ stories are kept separate in chapters that alternate, but if you don’t absorb the headings, you don’t realise that some of the times become futures of varying lengths. I didn’t and became a little confused!!
I found the plot full of suspense and quite exciting. It’s very interesting how their stories become intertwined when you least expect it! Brilliant writing!!
Many thanks to Orion Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #OrionFiction, #HollySeddonAuthor.