Today I’m reviewing With Time to Kill by Frank Ferrari.
Here’s the blurb
Everyone deserves a second chance, but how far would you go for one?
In the gritty streets of Edinburgh, one man is about to find out. Garry Plumb has always been invisible – a solitary data analyst haunted by a childhood of cruelty and a life defined by aching loneliness. But when a colleague’s sister is murdered, Garry’s world cracks open. A chance encounter with the enigmatic Billy Blunt introduces him to a secret that defies reality: a living device capable of sending its holder back in time, offering the chance to rewrite the past and reshape the present.
As Garry steps into his own history, he discovers the intoxicating power of righting old wrongs and erasing the scars of trauma. But with every change he makes, the line between justice and vengeance blurs.
Meanwhile, Detective Chief Inspector John Waters is closing in on a chilling pattern of murders, his investigation threatening to expose secrets that were never meant to be unearthed.
With Time to Kill: Book One is a gripping blend of psychological suspense and speculative fiction, exploring the price of redemption and the darkness that can grow in the shadows of regret. For fans of dark thrillers and mind-bending time travel, this is a story about the choices that define us, and the consequences we can never outrun.
Review
Billed as a blend of psychological thriller and Scottish crime noir you had me hooked already. Then add a splash of dark sci-fi.. Colour me intrigued!
Garry hasn’t had the best of upbringings, no father and a mother who simply tolerated him (to a point).. He doesnt find making connections easy.. Introverted and closed..but he’s managed to find a way to survive..but not thrive.. He’s more or less invisible..
He dreams of being more.. Finding love..Finding friendship..Little does Garry know friendship is on its way to find him.
Garry is a creature of comfort and order so when he’s finally noticed by someone that person knows exactly how to contact him.. A little note left on his favourite seat.. An invite to meet..an action that will have lasting effects..
At the same time we start learning of some gruesome crimes being committed in the area.. Even one of Garry’s colleagues is affected.. The police we learn don’t have any clues but could it be a serial killer?
Now we meet Billy..Billy sees a little of himself in Garry and he wants nothing more than to mould Garry.. He’s got plans.. And secrets..
This is where the sci-fi edge comes in…Billy has a way to change the past. I won’t spoil the “how” but I felt it was a really clever way to give the sci-fi edge and the whole idea of how they can travel back in time, the constraints around it.. Wow..
As Garry travels to the past to better his future he changes himself.. He’s more confident.. But there’s always factors in his life getting in the way of his true potential…or that’s at least what Billy is thinking as he leads Garry along.. Pushing him further and further down a dark trajectory.
All the while the police are struggling as more victims are found and there’s something linking them..
As the story hits its conclusion Billy’s true nature is revealed.. His whole plan rumbled.. But how can Garry sort this mess out.. And can he even forgive himself for the things he’s done.. Even if some of them seem fairly justified..time will tell.
I loved the plot, it pulled me in from the first page. Garry is likable and the author does a great job of making the reader feel empathy towards Garry as he goes down his dark journey.
The whole time travel edge really made you think.. What would you do for the greater good? And where do you draw the line?
With Time to Kill is a smart story, it gives so much more than the standard crime thriller and is the perfect read for fans of crime stories but especially those looking for something a little different.. It’s got a spark but It’s dark and gritty.. The whole mash of genre’s mixed to perfection.
I couldn’t be happier with my choice in book and knowing there’s a couple more stories in the series.. Yeah I’ll be getting on them soon for sure! That ending… It leaves possibilities open to Garry so I’m keen to see where the author takes him.
The easiest of 5* I’ll probably ever give.
David's Book Blurg 