NNO Book Club: Wrong Place Wrong Time

Welcome to 2026!

I will be 100% upfront about this month’s selection – yes, I have already read it and YES, I know it is a little stretch as far as being “in scope” for what we usually read. But it was a fun ride and had a unique spin on themes we have read a lot. So let’s kick off the new year with a delightful little bon-bon of a book – Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister.

(Also, TRUST ME – we need something light and sweet to read before our February book, which I am excited about but I know will make me really upset.)

***Book summary from Goodreads***
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.

***This month's restaurant selection***
Going back to a classic this month - Liang's Bistro. Over 20 years of serving the community, Liang’s was one of my first favorite spots when I moved to Tampa eight bazillion years ago. You can check out their menu here: https://www.liangsbistro.com/.

***Not sure about book club or never been to one before? ***
Read the book (or some of the book). Come to the Meetup. Eat yummy food and chat with folks about what you thought about the book. REPEAT!

***Not sure where to get the book? ***
All books we select have a decent number of copies (at least 3-4 across all formats) at both the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Library. And, of course, you can always buy a copy.

***Didn’t finish/hated this book?***
Come to the Meetup anyway! If you didn't finish - just be aware, there will be spoilers. If you hated it, come and rant! In my experience, the books that generate the best conversations and the books we really love are rarely the same books.