Wrong Place Wrong Time - Gillian McAllister

As a mother what would you do if you witnessed your child murder a stranger in the street? I certainly can’t imagine. McAllister takes us on such a journey with this mother - who then has the opportunity to go back in time to try and resolve the problems that she didn’t even know about before they happen - saving her son from this horrific choice. I have always loved a good time travel book. I have more recently loved suspenseful books. Gillian McAllister’s Wrong Place Wrong Time combines these two loves masterfully.

I love the structure of titling the chapters with how many days before the murder. I think how much fun that must have been to map out and perhaps how tricky it was to keep track of. McAllister creates a fascinating cast of characters and weaves them seamlessly into a variety of times. Of course we get to know Jen the best, and her confusion and frustration resonate with me. Don’t most parents wish occasionally for an opportunity to love our kids better, to raise them better? We also figure out a great deal about her husband, son, and the rest of the people (many of them criminal) who populate their world. As we move through time and get to know these folks, McAllister expertly reveals bits and pieces about what leads to the murder to build suspense. The mystery grows organically and is fascinating. I also love the scientist - the expert in time travel - who adds veritas to the plot. I love a premise that is all in. I was listening and had a very difficult time ever turning the audio off. I would recommend this book to most.

I guess as I age and become more reflective, I become more drawn to books that allow for doing things over and getting things better. Not that I don’t have a lovely life. I sure do, but I can sometimes be frozen in perceived mistakes and things I wish I had handled better-often with parenting. I wonder what I would do differently with the wisdom I have gained over time. And then I wonder if I would know what to do any better. I have had enough good counseling to know that I have to find a way to live in a healthy way with the choices I’ve made over time. But fiction allows us to dream and rethink. And I appreciate this chance with Wrong Place Wrong Time.