Wow! Just WOW. This is my first book by this author and let me tell you it won’t be my last! I was completely blown away it was sheer brilliance. I didn’t want to put the book down but life kept getting in the way it was pure awesomeness!

I was hooked from the start and couldn’t stop turning pages long into the night. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me holding on… truly wonderful. Once you pick this book up, you won’t want to put it down!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

Wow! This book has it all, from pace and timing to characters and place, I was simply swept up in this book and I don’t think I took a breath until I had finished it. Exemplary.

Wow wow wow. This is a spectacular page turning story with many characters, all of which I immediately became invested in. What seems like an ordinary day turns into a nightmare as the UK is under threat from a nuclear attack(s) and the population have 59 minutes to prepare for the worst. The realism and empathy with which this subject is tackled is skilful and I found myself wondering how I would react if I was in this situation. A great book from this very talented author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for this ARC.

"SEVERE ALERT. NUCLEAR MISSILE THREAT TO SOUTH ENGLAND. 59 MINUTES UNTIL IMPACT. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A TEST."

What would you do if, on a cold day in November, this message suddenly popped up on your and everybody else's mobile phone? We follow lovely Carrie who tries to get home to partner Emma, daughter Clementine and neighbour /landlord /friend Pepper, making her way through a volatile London and picking up a vulnerable young girl on the way. Simultaneously, pregnant Frankie and boyfriend Otis are on a weekend away, trying to enjoy their rental cabin in Dartmoor, when everything goes wrong. And then there is mysterious Mrs Dabb who is anxiously waiting for her 13 year old daughter Bunny to come home from school.

At first this is a straightforward story of danger and survival attempts, told in short, alternating chapters, then the lives of our protagonists entwine during three parts and three timelines. I thought from the start that there is something strange about Mrs Dabb's story but then comes the incredible twist and BAM it all makes heartbreaking sense!

It's a seriously unique plot that immediately grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. How do people react in the face of a deadly threat? Most fight to stay alive, some do the opposite, some ignore the threat but almost everyone just wants to be with their loved ones, come what may. It's tense, edge of the seat stuff reminiscent of the 2012 film "Seeking a Friend For The End of the World", and the topic is immensely impactful, especially as we spend a good chunk of time on the aftermath.

The writing style is compelling and the characters just pop off the page. The clock is ticking and the consequences are devastating and extremely unpredictable. While this is a thriller, it has a lot of heart. The relationships are very believable, and in the end it's all about love.

This is a captivating, fast-paced and very emotional read that you will not want to put down. There's a mix of ordinary people, criminals and a few heroes in extreme situations, and it will make you question what you would do if this situation happened to you. Highly recommended.

I was really intrigued by the blurb, and I wasn’t disappointed. 59 minutes by Holly Seddon is a fast paced thrilled. 59 minutes to a nuclear missile attack hit. How would you spend it?
When an Emergency Alert appears on everyone’s mobile phone that says
‘Missiles are set to destroy England in fifty-nine minutes. Everyone should seek immediate shelter.
The story follows three women Carrie who’s in London trying to get home, Frankie spending it with Otis in the chaos and a schoolgirl gone missing and criminals are on the loose and on a kidnapping spree.
I liked the premise of this story it was tense and gripping and very emotional. It had me engaged through out. It was quite a unique storyline. The only thing that threw me a bit was the last quarter of the book was going back and forwards in time with confused me a bit. But it was well worth the read. 4 stars from me.

Another incredible read from Holly. Not only do I recommend this one, I recommend all of her books. Impossible to not read all in one go.

You have 59 minutes before a nuclear missile attack hits. What would you do in the time you have left?
That’s the grimly intriguing premise of this standout thriller from Holly Seddon as we join three characters facing that question.
From the first page, the action in this book is relentless and doesn’t let up until the three-quarter mark, which I found both a positive and negative. It means you have to keep turning the pages, but it also allows for little breathing room.
There is no time for reflection and elongated backstory – because our characters have only 59 minutes!
But what makes this an utterly compelling read isn’t so much the story – as good as it is – it’s the delicious prose that Seddon weaves.
She has such a wonderful way with words, never labouring a description or an emotion but constantly evoking such colourful metaphors and similes to convey her meaning. It’s intoxicating. As are her characters who virtually pop off the page.
And while the story does make for grim reading as society begins to inevitably crumble in the wake of imminent mutually assured destruction, it is still a thriller at heart.
It also delivers a skilful and surprising twist – although there are plenty of clues right from the start that open your eyes to the fact that all is not what it might seem.
The twist is clever – but complicated. I can’t give away too much without spoiling it, but I will say it made me stop and re-read several sections as I struggle to follow the plot in places where the rug was being deftly pulled from beneath my feet.
Not at all in the vein of the usual bookstore thriller, you should nevertheless take a chance on this one, because you won’t be disappointed.

What. A. Book.

59 Minutes is one of those rare thrillers that grabs you by the throat from the very first page and doesn’t let go—even after the final line. Holly Seddon has crafted a brilliantly intense, emotionally raw, and utterly unforgettable story that explores the unthinkable: what would you do if you had less than an hour left to live?

The premise alone is enough to make your heart race—an emergency alert blares across South England: nuclear missile incoming, impact in 59 minutes. And just like that, Seddon launches us into a ticking-clock nightmare that feels disturbingly real. For many in the UK, this will immediately recall the 2023 emergency alert test—but this time, it’s no test. It’s the end of the world.

What makes this book exceptional isn’t just the concept (though it’s brilliant), but the execution. The intensity of the plot is matched by the depth of emotion, the rich, believable relationships, and the unflinching look at human behaviour under the ultimate pressure. The tension builds with every passing minute, and the stakes feel monumental because Seddon makes you care so deeply.

And then—the twist. No spoilers, but trust me, there are WTF moments galore. Just when you think you know where it’s headed, the story turns, hard, and suddenly you’re rethinking everything. It’s masterfully done and makes you want to go right back to the beginning and see it all with new eyes.

This isn’t just a fast-paced thriller. It’s about love, fear, regret, survival—and what truly matters when there’s no time left to waste.

Gripping, devastating, and brilliantly crafted, 59 Minutes is hands-down one of the most unmissable reads of 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for a Review Copy

Wow! This is one of those books that stays with you long after finishing it. You can't help but imagine what you would do if you were in the same position as the characters in this book. If you got a government alert to your phone telling you a nuclear missile strike is due in 59 mins!

It was dramatic, fast paced and moving. I raced through it as I needed to know what would happen next.

A must read!

The characters in this book receive an emergency alert telling them that in 59 minutes, a Missle will strike.
The characters who are in different situations react according to what's going on in their lives and in their surroundings.
It was a compelling read to see how those final 59 minutes panned out for them and about how everything you do impacts on others.

I'm in danger of running out of superlatives to describe this book. I was in a reading slump prior to this and I absolutely demolished this book in a couple of sittings. I'm a fan of Holly Seddon's writing and this was my favourite. I was watching the countdown and couldn't imagine where this book was going to go - it absolutely delivered on every page. Carrie completely had my heart, and there were too many beautiful observations to count. Utterly compelling, heartbreaking - just a huge, huge concept of a book, beautifully executed. Books like this don't come around very often - I'm so thrilled I got a chance to read this one here. Thank you Holly and publishers.

Oh my goodness drop everything and read this. Holly Seddon’s new thriller ‘59 Minutes’ makes us face what we would do if the nuclear alarm went off and we had 59 minutes left before everything changed.

It’s the story of three women -Carrie in London who is trying to get back to her wife and young daughter, Frankie who is away from home on a romantic weekend in Devon with her partner and Ms Dabb whose 13-year-old daughter appears to have run away. From the moment the alert is sounded, tensions are high and all of the women battle to get to their loved ones and make sure everybody is safe and protected.

It was utterly tense reading, I was willing on the women to beat the clock and reach their destination. It’s an unbelievably horrific situation and all around, people are experiencing every type of emotion and feeling.

And then there is the most brilliant moment in a book. I don’t want to say anything but it made me stop in my tracks and double check everything.

As a child of the 1980s grew up reading fictional accounts of nuclear war, and reading Holly‘s book brought back the absolute dread that I remember from then.

This was completely unlike anything I’ve read before - and I read it entirely in two sittings (it was getting late and super difficult to put down the first time but I had to!)
This was so intriguing and such a high possibility for reality unfortunately which added such a massive boost to the tension Holly creates throughout.
I think following all the characters point of views and watching how they weave and intertwine was brilliant and the sort of twist over half way through was phenomenal..
Overall, I really enjoyed it I just think the ending was slightly too quick and needed a little more to it. But definitely worth a read and you won’t be able to put it down! Highly recommend!

Wow... I usually wait until I reach the end of a novel to start writing my review, but 59 Minutes by Holly Seddon was so roundly, thoroughly amazing right from the start that I started writing this review before I'd even reached the end. Because I knew it would be good until the last word, and boy I wasn't wrong! 

For a very long time, I've been looking for books which hit certain touchpoints for me. Books like Jurassic Park, Twister, Apollo 13, and Taylor Jenkins Reid's upcoming Atmosphere (which is also excellent, by the way). What Holly Seddon's new novel has made me realise is that I've been looking for a disaster movie in book form. But it's not that simple: the examples I gave above are rare. Most disaster movies/books don't work for me: they're overly action-based, or violent, or just missing something. (I am not their target audience). But 59 Minutes has everything I want - with this book I do feel like the target audience - and it's also made me realise why 59 Minutes and those other examples work so well for me where many others don't: this book has heart. 

The characters are incredibly well-written and we're pulled into their stories right from the start. The events of the book are heart-wrenching and thrilling from the opening pages, yet there's a lightness and humanity there, too. And then there's the twist(s), which are incredibly well done and about which I will say no more because I don't want to spoil anything. But wow, I can't wait to talk about this with someone else who has read it!
Anyway, I'd wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend this book. It's gritty and tough, but engaging and loving all at the same time.

Publishing in September, when I'll post on social media too.

It’s not often that I’ll read a book so far ahead of release, but there was something about this that drew me in. The ultimate disaster scenario happens when a nuclear alert threatens life as we know it, with 59 minutes until it strikes. A multi character narrative runs throughout, and all elements of humanity are explored, the good, the bad and the downright ugly.
Brilliantly executed, this is a story that will haunt you as you ask yourself what you would do if you only had 59 minutes left….. ?

Scary, but it certainly makes you think. What a great read, following three women through various time periods. Great twists that you really don’t see coming. Thoroughly recommend it.

Okay, so, imagine a book that's like, "What if you only had an hour left?" That's this book. It's about normal folks stuck in a crazy situation, and you get to see how they handle it. It makes you think, "Wow, what would I do?"

The writer does a really good job making you feel like you're right there. I've liked all the books this person wrote, and this one's another winner. It's super emotional, keeps you on the edge of your seat, and you just can't put it down. I read it super fast. You should totally read it!

What would you do with your last 59 minutes?

Cell phone alerts are going off everywhere, nuclear missiles are due to hit Southern England and everyone has to seek shelter immediately.

We follow three women trying to make their way home, Carrie who needs to get back to her girlfriend and their child. A missing schoolgirl whose mum is desperately trying to locate her and pregnant Frankie who is on route with her boyfriend for a break away. We follow these women through pandemonium and terror at every corner while doing their best to ‘make it’.

I found this to be written well and very thought provoking.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this ebook for my honest review.

59 Minutes is an excellent example of placing ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances and seeing where it goes. What would you do if you had 59 minutes left to live? It is a very thought-provoking premise and the book is executed brilliantly. I’ve yet to read a Holly Seddon book I didn’t enjoy, and this one is definitely a great read. Emotional, tense and gripping, I read it in just a couple of sittings. Recommended for sure!

59 Minutes" presents a chilling scenario: an ordinary evening is shattered by an emergency alert announcing that missiles are set to destroy England in fifty-nine minutes, urging everyone to seek immediate shelter. The narrative follows three women—Carrie, a young mother desperate to reunite with her daughter; Frankie, newly pregnant and facing a romantic vacation turned terrifying; and an enigmatic older woman determined to protect her teenage daughter, Bunny—as they navigate the ensuing chaos, each facing unpredictable challenges in their quest for survival.
The characters are well-developed and feel authentic, adding depth to the story. Each of them responds to the crisis in their own way, making it easy to wonder, "what would I do in their place?"  And there's a twist that hit me so hard I audibly gasped. 😯
While the book delivers plenty of suspense and intrigue, I felt there were a few parts where the pacing could have been faster. But overall it is a thought-provoking thriller that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.