From Publishers Weekly
At the start of Doetsch's tricky thriller, an innocent man, Nicholas Quinn, is in police custody, suspected of murdering his wife, Julia, at their house in upscale Byram Hills, N.Y. Then a stranger gives Nick a watchlike device that allows him to change the past by sending him back, one hour at a time, for half a day. When Nick goes back in time, he discovers single events are the result of a complex web of causes. Saving his wife means untangling a plot that includes a robbery committed by corrupt cops, a horrendous plane crash and a mysterious family secret. Julia's fate seems to be inevitable, one way or another, and Nick's tampering brings death to friends and allies along the way. At times Doetsch (_The Thieves of Faith_) oversells Nick's anguish with breathless prose, and no character emerges as more than a cardboard cutout, but readers will enjoy the clever razzle-dazzle of a story whose parts fit together like clockwork. (Jan.)
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From
Starred Review Staring at the glass of the interrogation room, Nick Quinn realizes he has been accused of murdering his wife a couple of hours earlier. She was the love of his life, and he cannot convince the police officers of his innocence. During a break in the questioning, a man appears and offers Quinn a watch. This amazing device will enable Quinn to travel backward one hour at a time to save his wifeβs life and bring the true killer to justice. As he uses the timepiece and works toward his ultimate goal, Quinn learns to his horror that changing the past has terrifying ramifications and that he could make things even worse than they were before the day began. Starting with chapter 12 and working backward, Doetsch spins a compelling tale of loss, grief, and injustice with an element of fantasy. As the events unfold in Quinnβs quest, the shocks and twists are uniquely affecting, as the reader technically knows whatβs going to happen. If there ever was a novel that deserves to be read in one sitting, this is it. With a totally original and compelling story line, The 13th Hour is one of the best thrillers of the year. --Jeff Ayers