Twenty-Seven Minutes

AN INSTANT #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER

WINNER OF THE 2025 CRIME WRITERS OF CANADA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR BEST FIRST CRIME NOVEL

"[Ashley Tate] is a writer to watch." —Globe and Mail

In this stunning and propulsive debut, a town grieves the loss of a young girl--but some fight to keep the truth about her death a secret. For fans of Jane Harper, Ashley Flowers and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng.

Welcome to West Wilmer.

Where everyone knows everyone.

And where everyone has a secret.

THE QUESTION No one in the small, claustrophobic town of West Wilmer can forget Phoebe Dean, their sweet, beloved golden girl. It’s been ten years since the car crash that tragically took her life, yet one question lingers: Why did it take her brother, Grant, twenty-seven minutes to call for help after the accident?

THE SECRET As the anniversary of Phoebe’s death approaches, Grant is consumed by memories of that night and everything he lost: his future, his reputation, his little sister. And the secret he’s been keeping all these years is threatening to undo him. But he and Phoebe weren’t the only ones in the car that night. Becca was there, too, and she’ll do anything to protect Grant.

THE TRUTH Everyone in West Wilmer remembers Phoebe, but only June Delroy remembers the other person lost that same night. Her brother, Wyatt, disappeared ten years ago, without a trace.

Until someone appears at her door.

Someone who may know where Wyatt went all those years ago.

Someone who knows what really happened that night.

Someone who is ready to tell the truth.

Taking place over three days and culminating in a shocking twist that will leave you breathless, Twenty-Seven Minutes is a gripping story about what happens when grief becomes unbearable, dark secrets are unearthed, and the horrifying truth is revealed.