Strangers In Time by David Baldacci

 

Strangers In Time by David Baldacci.

Published 10th April 2025 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

EVERY SECOND COUNTS

Orphaned with no prospects, Charlie Matters’ life has always been a fight for survival. He miraculously emerges unscathed from the Blitz, but there’s no telling when the next bomb will fall, and whether it will be the one to end his life.

Molly Wakefield’s dreams of a joyful homecoming are all she’s had to hold on to after being evacuated to the countryside five years before. But when she finally returns, Molly faces a London changed beyond recognition, and the devastating news that neither of her parents are there.

Charlie and Molly’s paths converge at ‘The Book Keep’, where they find an unexpected ally and protector in the bookshop’s owner, widower Ignatius Oliver. But the trio’s newfound peace is jeopardized as past secrets catch up with them. Can they help one another survive this turbulent time? Or will they be ripped apart from the last people they hold dear?

***********

Orphaned, thirteen-year-old Charlie sifts through the rubble of a Blitz-ravaged London, facing peril to find a way for him and his grandmother to survive the war. Molly is a well-to-do young woman returning from years away as an evacuee, only to find that her parents are missing, presumed dead. In peacetime, there is no reason Charlie and Molly's paths would ever cross, but the chaos of wartime brings them together.

Homeless and alone, Charlie and Molly are befriended by mysterious bookstore owner Ignatius Oliver, and a bond is formed that will help all three face the future...

In a change from his usual type of thriller, David Baldacci turns his attention to WWII London, for a stand-alone novel that is a very different sort of beast from the usual fare of this accomplished author. Instead, this is an emotional and sinuous tale that is essentially a character-led piece.

I must admit that I did not really gel with Baldacci's writing style in this novel, and there are elements of the story that I found problematic for a number of reasons, particularly how long it takes for the plot to get going, and the stilted nature of the perspectives of the younger characters (Baldacci writes his adults much better).

However, there are many things about Strangers in Time that do deserve high praise, so let me concentrate on these instead... 

• At the heart, and the best thing about this story, is the relationship between Charlie, Molly and Ignatius, which is wreathed in lovely themes about three unlikely characters navigating terrible losses finding solace in each other. You really feel they would not have survived the events of this book on their own, which I very much enjoyed.
• Baldacci makes a good stab at describing the reality of living in war-time London too, taking in a good section of how this environment affects a varied slice of the population through the social differences between his characters. Expect tears from the way he delves into grief, and grinding privations. 
• There is an excellent mystery that eventually takes hold, weaving through the character-led framework, which is actually rather exciting once the twists and turns get going. 

I am still on the fence about this novel, despite the weight of its good points. I think that it would have been much better if I had come to it via the audio book (which I note has received a lot of praise). It really is a book that you need to feel through the voices of Charlie, Molly and Ignatius, and I struggled with how long it takes then to come alive in text form.

If nicely woven, slow-burn, war-time stories are your bag then I do recommend giving this intriguing stand-alone a shot - especially if you are a Baldacci fan... maybe go the audio route though.

Strangers in Time is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she'd given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.")


David published his first novel, ABSOLUTE POWER, in 1996. The feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 50 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into over 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. David has also published seven novels for younger readers.


David is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy programs across the United States.