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This is the August Monthly Group Read discussion for Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. This book can be used to fulfill prompt #30 A book that’s on a celebrity book club list. Celebrities are “august,�� per the definition—respected, dignified, impressive!

Lindsey volunteered to serve as the "fearless facilitator" to lead this discussion! YAY, LINDSEY! THANK YOU!

Every person reads at a different pace, so please use spoiler tags if you are sharing any plot-related surprises. This allows others to decide whether this information might reveal surprising information they have not yet read.

It can also be helpful to other readers if you post the location within the book noting your progress (chapter and/or page number) with the spoiler. That way, if someone else has read that far they can go ahead and open the spoiler, but if not, they'll know to skip it for now and return later...

TO ADD SPOILER TAGS:
Use this for spoilers, just remove the spaces:
< spoiler > write your spoiler here and close with < / spoiler >

Posts here should only be contributions to discussion about this book.

Hey everyone!!! I'm super excited to lead the discussion on Wrong Place Wrong Time .

Here's what the book is about:

ŷ������ Choice AwardNominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2022)
Can you stop a murder after it’s already happened?

It is midnight on the morning of Halloween, and Jen anxiously waits up for her 18-year-old son, Todd, to return home. But worries about his broken curfew transform into something much more dangerous when Todd finally emerges from the darkness. As Jen watches through the window, she sees her funny, seemingly happy teenage son stab a total stranger.

She doesn’t know who the victim is, or why Todd has committed such a devastating act of violence. All she knows is that her life, and Todd’s, have been shattered.

After her son is taken into custody, Jen falls asleep in despair. But when she wakes up�� it is yesterday. The murder has not happened yet—and there may be a chance to stop it. Each morning, when Jen wakes, she is further back in the past, first weeks, then years, before the murder. And Jen realizes that somewhere in the past lies the trigger for Todd’s terrible crime…and it is her mission to find it, and prevent it from taking place.

Will you be reading along with us?

I read this earlier this year and REALLY enjoyed it. I'll be following along with the discussion.

I hadn’t planned on reading this, but then realized I was mixing the author up with another one that I didn’t care for. This sounds really interesting, I’m going to try to actually participate this time! Have a few books I need to get to first, but will aim to start on the weekend

This has been on my TBR for a while so I'm joining in!

I hadn't heard of this book but read it and really enjoyed it. Interesting/different concept.

Ok, let's get things started with few quesions!!

1. Have you wver read any of Gillian McAllister's books?

2. This book was a Reese's Book Club pick for August of last year. Do you follow any celebrity book clubs? If so, which ones?

3. This book has time travel in it. Is this a genre you typically like to read? If not, what drew you to this book?

4. This is a story about a mother who tries to correct her son's mistake. Are you a parent? Would you try to correct your child's mistake or let them learn from the consequences?

If you're interested here is what Reese Witherspoon had ro say about this book:

reesewitherspoon - The August @reesesbookclub pick is Wrong Place Wrong Time by @gillianmauthor. This book is SO good. It’s about a mother who is worried about her teenage son, because he’s out late one night. She looks out the window right at his curfew and she sees him stab a man in her front yard (!!), but she wakes up the next day and it’s the day before her son committed the crime. She keeps going back in time, piecing together why this happened to her son. It’s SUCH a page turner, and it’s the perfect book to round out the summer. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

I'm hoping to get this from the library before the discussion ends. It sounds like something I will enjoy.

1. Have you ever read any of Gillian McAllister's books? No, this was the first one. I really enjoyed it though so I will be reading more of her books.

2. This book was a Reese's Book Club pick for August of last year. Do you follow any celebrity book clubs? If so, which ones?Nope, I do not.

3. This book has time travel in it. Is this a genre you typically like to read? If not, what drew you to this book? I love time travel! I think that and the idea of solving a murder backwards is what drew me to the book. Solving the "why" of the murder instead of the "who" and trying to stop it was a unique take.

4. This is a story about a mother who tries to correct her son's mistake. Are you a parent? Would you try to correct your child's mistake or let them learn from the consequences? Yes, this was such a "mom" book. (view spoiler)[As she goes further back in time and sees her son younger and younger you really get a sense of feeling like you have to soak in every moment you get with your kids because it really does go by so fast. I think we all can probably relate to the guilt she feels at certain moments where she isn't sure if she did the right thing or not. I liked seeing the mom and son moments throughout the story. (hide spoiler)] Whether or not I would correct my son's mistakes...depends on the mistake I think. But definitely I would do whatever I could to help him, just like the mom in this story.

Britany wrote: "I read this earlier this year and REALLY enjoyed it. I'll be following along with the discussion."

Yeaa!! Glad you'll be joining the discussion! I loved it too!

Erin wrote: "I hadn’t planned on reading this, but then realized I was mixing the author up with another one that I didn’t care for. This sounds really interesting, I’m going to try to actually participate this..."

I'm glad you'll be reading long. It's a good book. Looking forward to you joining in the discussion.

Cadi wrote: "This has been on my TBR for a while so I'm joining in!"

Awesome!!!! Its such a good book!!

Rose wrote: "I hadn't heard of this book but read it and really enjoyed it. Interesting/different concept."

It is a different concept. I wasn't sure if I'd like the time travel part but really enjoyed it.

Teri wrote: "I'm hoping to get this from the library before the discussion ends. It sounds like something I will enjoy."

Fingers crossed you get it!!

Would you try to change the past if you could?
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1 - Yes if I could help my family

2 - No way am I messing with time!

3 - I know I shouldn't, but yes

4 - No - it happened for a reason

How did you vote???

On Gillian McAllister's Shelves...

We asked Gillian to share some of her shelf recommendations, and she delivered. Keep reading for some impeccable book recs and beyond.

1. One Last Secret: A Domestic Thriller Novel by Adele Parks is a gripping novel about revenge, sex, power and money, set in a beautiful chateau in the south of France. Need we say more?

2. We love a beautiful candle, and Gillian swears by The Diptyque Ambre candle, saying that it is "the most wonderful, smokiest late-summer scent." -->

3. Gillian's bath time read of choice is The Sewanee Review, a fabulous literary magazine with an impressive history; they have featured the writings of T.S. Eliot, Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Marianne Moore, and Katherine Anne Porter, to name a few. -->

4. One of Gillian's friends, Holly Seddon, has a book coming out next summer that we can't wait to read, and that she loved. In The Short Straw, three sisters get lost, and find a long abandoned mansion. Drawing straws to decide who should get help, one sister heads back into the darkness. Once separated, the deadly secrets hidden in the house make themselves known.

5. A real, working oil lamp—apparently during Gillian's writing process of writing Wrong Place Wrong Time, Jen originally viewed the crime while holding an oil lamp, not a lit pumpkin, so of course she needed to buy one and try it out! -->

Lindsey wrote: "Would you try to change the past if you could?
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1 - Yes if I could help my family

2 - No way am I messing with time!

3 - I know I shouldn't, but yes

4 - No - it happened for a reason
..."

1!!!!

Jamie wrote: "1. Have you ever read any of Gillian McAllister's books? No, this was the first one. I really enjoyed it though so I will be reading more of her books.

2. This book was a Reese's Book Club pick f..."

Jamie - your views in the spoiler is spot on!!!! I totally agree with you and that was one of the fascinating parts of this book for me. 😊

Lindsey wrote: "Would you try to change the past if you could?
⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛��

1 - Yes if I could help my family

2 - No way am I messing with time!

3 - I know I shouldn't, but yes

4 - No - it happened for a reason
..."

I'm #1!!! Anything to help my family!

5. If you were given the option, would you try to change the past? If so, what would you change? If not, why?

6. What does it mean to be a good parent? How do parenting choices we make affect our children down the road? And more importantly, if we had the chance to change it all, would we?

7. Have you ever had deja-vu? Care to share your experiences?

1. Have you wver read any of Gillian McAllister's books? This was my first book by her, but I definitely will be reading more.

2. This book was a Reese's Book Club pick for August of last year. Do you follow any celebrity book clubs? If so, which ones? Yes I do. I like to see what Reese, Jenna, GMA and Opah pick. Doesn't mean I read them all. Many just get added to my overgrowing TBR list. 🤣 I don't read a book just bc a celebrity book club picked it. What I enjoy i that it's introduced me to alot of books I would not hsve picked up on my own. A good example with Reese's book club are some of the YA books she picked.

3. This book has time travel in it. Is this a genre you typically like to read? If not, what drew you to this book? Time travel is not genre I normally read. I was intrigued by the premise of this book to see if the mother could go back and stop a crime.

4. This is a story about a mother who tries to correct her son's mistake. Are you a parent? Would you try to correct your child's mistake or let them learn from the consequences? As a mother I want to do anything I can to protect my child. So I think it depends on the situation. For example, if my son forgets to do a project and therefore gets a bad grade would i go back and change that? No, he needs to learn responsibility and accountability. If my son gets in a car accident that takes his life or hurts him beyond repair, I would move heaven and earth to change that.

5. As much as I think things happen for a reason and it's not my place to mess with it, given the chance... Yeah, who could resist? Lol. Though there isn't really anything in my life I'd want to change.

6. Actually, I probably would like to go back and redo bad days, but on the other hand, I have so many good days with my son. Sometimes bad days just happen. It's not really anyone's fault. I think as long as our children know that we love them and they are in a safe environment, then they have everything they need. We can only protect them for so long, and then we need to prepare them for the world and let them make their own choices and mistakes. I suppose there is a danger in trying to protect too much instead of prepare; they do need to learn to care for themselves eventually or they will not be adequate adults.

7. I get deja-vu every now and then, but nothing very memorable.

Lindsey wrote: "Ok, let's get things started with few quesions!!

1. Have you wver read any of Gillian McAllister's books?

2. This book was a Reese's Book Club pick for August of last year. Do you follow any cele..."

This is the first book I've read by McAllister and I liked it better than I thought. I'm actually tired of the time travel trope, but I thought it worked well in this book.

I'm a mother and I would definitely try to correct this kind of mistake if one of my kids made it.

8. The book opens right before Halloween and Jen is carving a pumpkin. Do you have any Halloween traditions?

9. "Both phases of parenthood  - the newborn years and the almost-adult ones - are bookended by sleep deprivation, though for different reasons." Can you relate to this statement? How so? What part of the parenthood spectrum are you at?

10. What happens in front of the Brotherhood home on Day Zero? What does Jen Brotherhood see and how does she react to what she witnessed? How does this compare to the reactions of her husband Kelly and her son Todd?

AUTHOR CHAT with Gillian McAllister - Wrong Place Wrong Time -->

1. Have you ever read any of Gillian McAllister's books?
Nope, pretty sure I've been mixing her up with some other authors so whenever I'd see her name I'd pass by the books

2. This book was a Reese's Book Club pick for August of last year. Do you follow any celebrity book clubs? If so, which ones?
Not really.

3. This book has time travel in it. Is this a genre you typically like to read? If not, what drew you to this book?
I love time travel stories- books, movies, tv shows, all of them. There's so much potential

4. This is a story about a mother who tries to correct her son's mistake. Are you a parent? Would you try to correct your child's mistake or let them learn from the consequences?
Not a parent. I think there's value in letting your kids learn from mistakes- it's also good for kids to learn that making a mistake isn't the end of the world, and learn the skills to fix problems they've caused. But- if it were something serious, something life destroying, of course I'd want to fix it.

Lindsey wrote: "5. If you were given the option, would you try to change the past? If so, what would you change? If not, why?"

This question is really funny for me. My son loves all things superhero, so I think I've watxhed every movie or tv show surrounding superheroes. And one of the big aspects of time travel in these movies is if you go back and change somwthing in time the ripple effect it has in chamging the future. So while I'll day dream and say I wish I would have gone to law school, if I had I may have never met my husband and had my son. And I definitely wouldnt change them for the world.

Now smaller things i wish I could change is spending more time with my grandparents before they passed away. Writing down more of my grandmother's recipes.

If notbing would change the future of my husbamd and son, I think the big rhing I would change is going to law school .... or studying to become a teacher...

Lindsey wrote: "6. What does it mean to be a good parent? How do parenting choices we make affect our children down the road? And more importantly, if we had the chance to change it all, would we?"

To me the biggest part of being a good parent is always being there for your kids no matter what they do . Making sure your kids know you love them. I think alot of decisions we make affect our children down the line - how we show love, how you choose to discipline them (or lack of discipline and structure). The example you set for them to what a good, decent human being is by the personal choices you make.

But as all parents know, kids don't come with an instruction book. 🤣🤣🤣 We will make mistakes, just like our kids will.

Lindsey wrote: "7. Have you ever had deja-vu? Care to share your experiences?"

I know I've had deja-vu, but nothing significant I can remember....

Lindsey wrote: "8. The book opens right before Halloween and Jen is carving a pumpkin. Do you have any Halloween traditions?"

We always have fun carving a jack-o-lantern. My son is just about to the ge where he's getting to old to go trick or treating. I maybe able to get another 2 years possibly... Thats always a fun tradition for us.

reesesbookclub - “Am I dreaming��?��

@GillianMAuthor describes the moment she found out #WrongPlaceWrongTime was chosen as a #ReesesBookClub Pick. 🥳📖

We can’t wait to hear what you think of this compelling and twisty thriller.

11. Who is Jen's "biggest ally, and long-time friend" (40) and how do they react when Jen tells them what is happening to her? What "smart question" (44) do they ask her? Who else does Jen try to explain her experiences to and how do they respond? Why does it matter to Jen that someone believe her - what effect does she imagine this might have?

12. Throughout the book, Jen reflects on her experiences of motherhood and childrearing. Why does she think she might be at fault for the crime her son Todd has committed? Are you surprised that she blames herself? Why or why not?

13. What connection does Jen see between her guilt and her so-called susceptibility to "wanting it all" (117). How does her view change as she moves backwards through time?

14. Is knowing the future worse than not knowing it? Would you want to know the future if you had an option?

1. Have you ever read any of Gillian McAllister's books?

Nope, this is my first one!

2. This book was a Reese's Book Club pick for August of last year. Do you follow any celebrity book clubs? If so, which ones?

I don't follow any celebrity book clubs but I have found that I tend to read a lot of the same books as found in Reese's book club.

3. This book has time travel in it. Is this a genre you typically like to read? If not, what drew you to this book?

No, that's not really a genre I like to read but I do like mystery/thrillers and this seemed to fit.

4. This is a story about a mother who tries to correct her son's mistake. Are you a parent? Would you try to correct your child's mistake or let them learn from the consequences?

Yes, I'm a mother and grandmother. Generally, I think it's better to let them learn but there are always situations like the one found in the book that make me think a little differently.

Dear Reader: Do I Want Children?

Gillian McAllister on the decision of having children and exploring parenthood through writing over the years

Author Gillian McAllister getting the call from her publisher!! 🙂

reesesbookclub - All the book joy and happy tears on this Thursday morning! 🥹💙 Huge congratulations to @GillianMAuthor, #WrongPlaceWrongTime is a #NYTBestseller.

📚 ***Book Giveaway*** 📚

reesesbookclub - To celebrate its release, we're giving away copies of #JustAnotherMissingPerson (and #ReesesBookClub Pick #WrongPlaceWrongTime) by @GillianMAuthor!

Just Another Missing Person

Wrong Place Wrong Time

TO ENTER:

1. ⁠⁠Like this post 💙��
2. Follow @reesesbookclub
3. Tag ⁠a friend! ⁠📖⁠
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Giveaway ends 8/15 at 11:59pm PT. 5 winners will be notified by DM from @reesesbookclub. No purchase necessary. US only.��

Enter giveaway here -->

15. Were there warning signs about Todd that Jen and Kelly missed? Could they have prevented this from happening?

16 What does Jen say that she has "always looked for" throughout her career as an attorney? Where does she say that evidence is usually found? Would you say this is true within the entire novel as well?

17. What are "micro-emotions" and how do they inform our instincts? How does this compare to what Todd explains to Jen as "the hindsight paradox"? How does Jen's experience reliving days from her past help her to have a better understanding of intuition and instinct?

Q&A with Gillian McAllister
Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Q: You've written that the show Russian Doll was part of the inspiration for your new novel--can you say more about the book's premise?

A: Of course. Wrong Place Wrong Time tells the story of Jen and Todd: Jen is Todd's mother, and she's waiting up for him. He's past his curfew by the time he ambles up the street and, right in front of Jen, he murders a stranger outside their house. He's remanded in custody, refuses a lawyer, and is charged with murder.

Jen returns home to their house - now a crime scene - and goes to bed. But when she wakes up, Todd isn't in the police station: he's in his room, and he has no idea that the crime happened. Jen eventually realises it is the day before the crime. The next time she sleeps, she wakes up the day before that. Somewhere in the past lie the answers, and it's Jen's job to find them. 

Q: The novel takes place along a reverse timeline--did you write the novel in the order in which it appears, or did you move sections around as you wrote?

A: I wrote it as it appears. Despite its backwards structure, I feel like Wrong Place Wrong Time is a very linear mystery: Jen finds out clues in a logical order, even if the places she gets them from are yesterday, and the day before, and then the day before that!

Q: The Publishers Weekly review of the book says, in part, "McAllister gives readers a chance to solve the crime from a refreshing new perspective while also providing elegant insights into how one creates one’s past and confronts 'friendships and addresses and life phases that feel endless but never, never last.'�� What do you think of that description?

A: Very accurate! It's true that I do like to play with structure in my novels in order to bring something new to the thriller space, and the more I wrote of Wrong Place Wrong Time, the more I started to explore the various strands of the world I had created. What interested me most was how life is mainly made up of phases that feel intense and then almost imperceptibly pass. 

Q: How would you describe the relationship between your character Jen and her husband?

A: Complex! Jen and Kelly love each other a lot, and she has his support in parenting Todd, but he takes some convincing that she is in a timeloop. To say any more would be full of spoilers... 

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I'm working on my ninth UK novel but I've just delivered my eighth, which is called Just Another Missing Person. It has the best midpoint twist I've ever come up with! 

Q: Anything else we should know?

A: I live in the middle of nowhere: no mobile signal, no taxis, no food deliveries. I really love it, but sometimes it does feel like I'm inhabiting chapter one of a thriller. 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb

�� Office Hours 📖

reesesbookclub - Loving #WrongPlaceWrongTime? Let’s take a tour of @GillianMAuthor’s writing space! 📝��

Time Travel Mystery --> Suspenseful Thriller --> A Compelling Maib Character --> Secrets Kept --> Motherhood --> All the Plot Twist --> A Crime

reesesbookclub - The good news:  #WrongPlaceWrongTime is impossible to put down. 📖

The bad news: You’re going to have to clear your whole schedule once you start. 👀



What's your favorite part of this book??