Strangers in Time

Strangers in Time David Baldacci
4/15/25; 448 pages
Grand Central Publishing

Strangers in Time David Baldacci is a descriptive, very highly recommended character driven historical fiction set in 1944 London during WWII.

Thirteen-year-old Charlie Matters lives with his grandmother, his only surviving relative. He's dropped out of school and spends his days using his wits to make money or steal what he can. When he notices through a window some biscuits on a plate and money in a cash drawer at a book store called The Book Keep, Charlie rushes in, steals the food and money, and runs. Later circumstances lead to him returning the money to the store owner, widower Ignatius Oliver.

Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield has just returned to London after spending years in the countryside. When she arrives home the only person there is her nanny. She learns her mother has been hospitalized and her father is gone. She meets Charlie on the streets and asks him to help her find the building where her father is supposed to be working, but he's not there. Later, Molly meets Ignatius when looking for Charlie and as bombs wreak havoc on the city, the three forge a relationship.

The characters are richly drawn and depicted as fully realized, complicated individuals with flaws and strengths. The setting is also skillfully descriptive of place and time. All the characters are struggling with personal battles while a battle is literally going on around them, exposing everyone to potential death. The overwhelming sense of anxiety and the hustle for survival, as well as their tenacity, is clearly depicted in bomb-shattered London.

Strangers in Time moves at a fast pace and will hold your complete attention right to the end. The detailed, descriptive writing helps to vividly bring the characters and the setting to life. There are several plot twists, threats, mysteries, and surprises incorporated into the narrative along the way. Generally I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, but this novel is excellent, compelling, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Readers who enjoy well-written historical fiction should definitely read Strangers in Time. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.