Cover Image: 29 Seconds

29 Seconds

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Member Reviews

This thought must cross the mind of many a women. Gave me goosebumps as you realise this sort of thing is going on everywhere. What an easy solution to a problem, but it all unfolds. Powerful read

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I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

(TW for the book: sexual harrassment in workplace, several instances of attempted rape.)

29 seconds by T.M. Logan is a thriller based on a simple premise: the protagonist, Sarah, gets a chance to make one person in her life "disappear" forever. All it takes is a short phone call - the eponymous 29 seconds - and all her problems are solved.

Unfortunately, the book doesn't quite live up to the high expectations it sets. Firstly, it takes it sweet time setting up just how horrible a situation Sarah is in. Her boss - a university professor who is also a host of a BBC documentary show - is a disgusting, disgusting person who thrives on sexually harrassing and abusing young women working with him. It's basically an open secret that he's a perv, and nobody does anything about it because he brings in a lot of money and fame. Unfortunately, this is wholly believable, but the culture of silence that surrounds the character's behaviour in the book is still terrifying. And yet: many of the descriptions of Sarah's meetings and conversations with Prof. Lovelock (yeah) are simply gratuitious and gross. And unnecessary. They made the book very unpleasant to read.

Then there is the matter of the 29-seconds-long phone call and Lovelock's disappearance. So. Sarah accidentally saves the daughter of a Russian mobster from being kidnapped; the mobster considers himself in debt and offers to help her to do away with someone in her life. Of course, given that Sarah is a positive character, she hems and haws until she finally decides to make the phone call. And then. And then -- long story short, the Russian mobster turns out to be ineffective. (Longer review with spoilers up at my blog: https://fromgirlslibrary.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/29-seconds-by-t-m-logan/ )

So overall, this just isn't a very satisfying book. We spend a lot of time being horrified and/or frustrated on behalf of the protagonist. The system (at the workplace) fails her, as everyone prefers to be on the professor's good side rather than help his victims. Her workplace friends fail her. There is no solidarity between the women who have fallen prey to the professor's behaviour. I hoped that the Russian would do something spectacular and the book would change gears-- but it never does so. Too much happens off screen, and for this reason, there is never a solution to the tension-- no true sense of justice being served.

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I really enjoyed this book. It’s hugely addictive, engaging and kept me entertained until the last page. The ending wasn’t what I expected.

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I quite enjoyed this book and was gripped in the last 100 pages. I loved how quickly Sarah finds herself in an unexpected predicament but by the end of the book she has taken the events into her own hands. She is a strong character which I came to like very quickly. A great read with suspense and drama but I would have liked to have been shocked by a few more twists and turns!

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Thanks to netgalley for providing this book in exchange for a review.

I read this author's first book and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was really happy to get this book. While I didn't like this book quite as much as the first one, I still thought it was a solid read and would recommend it.

I thought the extreme sexual harassment theme was especially timely but I thought the build up was a little too long before we got to the action. I would say that the first 50% moved a bit slowly for me, but the second half was fast paced and that is when I really started enjoying the book. The fast pace is what I enjoyed from the first book and I was glad to get to that part in this book. I loved the way it ended and I look forward to reading this author's next book.

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29 seconds

A very clever and thought provoking novel.
I’ll try my best not to give too much away when writing this review.

We meet Sarah, a 30 something woman who’s career is suffering at the hands of her Neanderthal boss, who is a sexual predator. When given the chance to rid herself of this offensive character, does she take it or find another way to deal with her difficult situation.

I’ll definitely be recommending this novel and look forward to reading more by this author.

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Sarah rescues a girl in trouble but that dosent like to brave about it . She meets a man who is a gangster . He was in a code and all debts be paid he asked Sarah if she would be prepare for something to do . And it did not take it for 29 seconds .

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Having read T M Logan’s first novel Lies, I wondered if 29 secondwould be as good. It was!
A psychological thriller with loads of twist and turns and questions.
Sarah a mother of 2, hard working, left by her husband have most evil and vilest boss imaginable.
His advances in exchange for poss promotion are horrible.
One day Sarah steps in to help a girl in trouble. To her surprise she learns that by doing so has gained ‘help’ from a very wealthy powerful man. He is now in her debt and wishes to repay her in shocking way, offering to have a person of her choice ‘taken care of’.
The story is an edge of your seat read from then on.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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I so rarely give negative reviews because I can usually find something positive to talk about. I can usually see why some people might enjoy this or that, but, sadly, it isn't the case this time.

I just could not get into this book. The whole thing felt contrived and way too far fetched. (Russian criminals, really?) Lovelock was like a cartoon villain, and Sarah's plight, while relevant in the days of #MeToo and the revelations of workplace sexual harassment, just didn't sit right. Perhaps it's partly because the author is male. While men do get sexually harassed, it's become very clear that women have a unique (and wholly unwanted) perspective on this. While I do applaud the author for bringing this truth into the light, I always struggle when a man decides to tell a woman's story.

Nothing in this book surprised me. Sarah became irritating by the end, and the "twist" was anything but.

In any case, this book has got excellent reviews, and I appear to be the odd one out. It happens, you can't please everyone, after all.

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Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Zaffre and the author TM Logan for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this fabulous book in return for an honest review!
This book gripped me from the beginning and I just had to know what happened to Sarah and her sleazy boss! I thoroughly enjoyed the surprises and little twists that were thrown in and was completely satisfied by the ending! A great book I would thoroughly recommend and I will definitely be looking up more of TM Logan's books!

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What a fantastic story. This book had me gripped throughout and I loved the ending!
Dr Sarah Haywood is doing well at work and wants to progress but there’s one person standing in her way - her boss, and I can honestly say he made my blood boil.
Sarah is presented with an opportunity to put things right and in a weak moment she accepts the offer, but then regrets it.
Things then go from bad to worse and she has to make an even more difficult decision.
I can’t say too much about what happens as you really need to read this and experience the rollercoaster of twists and turns this book has to offer.
I loved this book and would highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for giving me the opportunity to read it.

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Well the subject matter is spot on trend at the moment and add to that so many twists and turns you cannot guess what will happen next. The pace is good and it’s not a hard book to read but I felt I had to suspend my disbelief a little too much.
I would still recommend it though just didn’t end up being my favourite.

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29 Seconds was just 5 stars through and through. I was hooked, completely and utterly hooked on this book.

The characterisation in this book is excellent, Sarah is an extremely likeable character - I don't have a problem with unlikeable characters, sometimes they're more interesting - but I did find myself rooting for Sarah throughout, she definitely had my sympathies. Yet, the characterisation of others made you instantly despise them! Through this alone, Logan is shown to be an extremely talented writer!

In terms of plot in this story, it was like any other thriller that hooks me from beginning to end, fast-paced, enthralling with lots of twists and turns. Do you truly ever know what is going on? The tension lasts until the end in this true page-turner. The story-line is original, and it was carried out beautifully.

T.M. Logan is fast becoming a new favourite! I haven't actually read his debut, but I am definitely picking it up in 2018! 29 Seconds reminds me of Peter Swanson's novels, who is one of my favourite thriller authors - so if you like his books, you'll probably be a fan of T.M. Logan too. If you're looking for a new thriller, put this one on your TBR! It was excellent.

Full Review Here: https://thereadingruby.blogspot.com/2018/01/book-review-29-seconds-by-tm-logan.html

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I really enjoyed this story. Dr Sarah Haywood is a lecturer at a university. Her husband has recently left her and she has 2 young children. At work her boss is a known bully and sexual predator. Anyone who dares to complain finds themselves disbelieved and ruined professionally. After an incident where Sarah inadvertantly saves the life of a young girl, she has the opportunity to 'make disappear' anyone she chooses to name. From then on the story develops really quickly. Can Sarah live with the consequences of her actions? There are a number of good twists and turns, and the ending is great! I really recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

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I read T.M.Logans debut novel Lies and loved it so when I got tread 29 seconds I couldn't wait to read it and I have to say I think it could be better than the first.
Sarah has been left to fend for herself and her two children while her husband has "gone to find himself" with another woman. Sarah is juggling her kids, her job and her awful boss and is feeling the strain. Sarah witnesses something awful and gets a favour in return that spirals out of control.....I'm not going to spoil it because I wouldn't have wanted it spoilt for me but I have to say this is the quickest i've read a book for months!!
This book is totally absorbing and believable, Sarah is a very likeable character put in a very real situation at work, the writing style is great and had great pace, which had me grabbing for this book at every opportunity to see what would happen next.
I can't wait to see whats next from T.M.Logan but if this is anything to go by its going to be fab.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

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This book seems to have come along at the right time. It deals with a very pertinent subject in the media at the time of writing that of if you want to get on you need to do what your boss wants!
The book is an absolute page turner and twists and turns - you will not know what is coming. Sarah is an academic who is bringing up two children by herself. One night she helps a young girl in trouble (to say much will give the plot away as I did not see it coming) for her act she can make one person disappear - her boss is a sexual predator (will she make him disappear or not).
I really can not say much more as it will ruin the book but needless to say read this it is a great book at the start of 2018.

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Although I enjoyed the premise of this story I found it too verbose. I think a judicial red pen would have tightened the plot and therefore the tension. The outcome was signalled by some clumsy intimations but overall an enjoyable read.

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Having read T M Logan's debut Lies last year, I was delighted to receive this book as an arc from Netgalley. Lies was absolutely brilliant and this one was just as good!
I loathed Sarah's boss Alan, he was a sexual predator who seemed untouchable due to his fame, his wealth and his profession. Sarah had managed to protect herself from him for a couple of years but his behaviour had become so intolerable that when she was offered the opportunity to get rid of him permanently, she was seriously considering it.
Very topical by dealing with current themes, this book highlighted just how difficult it is to deal effectively with sexual harassment in the workplace. This was a brilliant thriller, I couldn't put it down and read it in one go. Sarah was a very believable character and I also loved her dad Roger who turned out to be more of a support than Sarah realised.
Excellent book, would certainly recommend.

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3.5 stars. Really enjoyed this book. Was a unique storyline that was well written. Would recommend this book

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If you had the chance to remove someone from your life who was making it quite literally a living hell and there would be no comebacks to you, then what would you do? This is the moral dilemma that has to be confronted by Sarah, a University lecturer when a random act puts her in the debt of a man who can make someone "disappear" if she just says the name of that person. Will she take this opportunity to rid herself of her monstrous and dangerous boss who due to his fame, wealth, position and cunning appears immune from any kind of legal retribution. All it would take is a 29 second phone call to remove her predatory boss forever. But if Sarah takes up the offer would there be unseen consequences ahead?

This has a gripping twisting plot that certainly keeps the reader turning the pages until the final pulsating end. One certainly emphasises with Sarah and are with her the whole way as she goes through a range of emotions and thought processes when faced with a life that is increasingly spiralling out of control. You really do not know what may happen next and there were one or two twists that I for one did not see coming. Also the way that the University authorities spinelessly and cravenly act when faced with a situation that if handled correctly would have a perceived impact on their funding is well conveyed and has the reader enraged.

This is the first book that I have read by this author but after reading this suspenseful and enthralling thriller I would certainly be tempted to read others and would not hesitate to recommend this book to all.

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