59 minutes by holly seddon

59 minutes is a suspenseful, short thriller with an ensemble cast. In the opening scene, London gets notice that a nuclear bomb will destroy their city in 59 minutes. Panic ensues. Over the rest of the narrative we follow several interconnected stories. For me, I was very hooked at the beginning. A frenetic pace and escalating tensions. It reminded me of a cross between Tilt by Emma Pattee and Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen. However, because of the extended cast and some of the twisty reveals, it fell a little short for me. I would say on this book- it is a like, not a love. I did very much enjoy the writing style, if not where the plot went, so I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. Book to be published Nov 18, 2025