Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I usually don’t go in for wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff (I only know that reference from my husband) but the minute I read the premise for this series, I was sold. The story potential blew my mind, and David James Warren has well and truly delivered in this first instalment. I’m now desperate to get my hands on the rest of the series. I suppose I should be thankful I only have to wait a couple of months rather than six to twelve, but right now, any waiting time seems like forever!

It’s not just the premise of this series that has me hooked anymore. The execution brings life, colour, humour, and of course suspense to the story. It hadn’t even occurred to me how different our world was a mere twenty-four years ago, but it catches Rem out on several occasions. And then there are all the personal dynamics. Afterall, this particular cold case was when he was just beginning to get to know the woman who would eventually become his wife, and he has an extra twenty-four years’ work and life with his partner Burke under his belt as well. All those relationship dynamics (and more) come into play, and older and wiser Rem doesn’t necessarily act and react the same way his younger self did, even when he’s not consciously trying to rectify mistakes from the past. Anyone who knows anything about time-travel (even me!) knows that spells trouble.

Having read both Susan May Warren and James L. Rubart individually, I can say they’ve melded their writing styles seamlessly into a voice that is both distinct from their individual voices and perfectly suited to this story. There’s a shade of the world-weary (or perhaps just the older and wiser) detective to Rem’s first person narration, but he’s not without a sense of humour and still has an irrepressible energy about him. Especially once he finds himself in his twenty-four-years-younger body!

Honestly, if you love suspense—particularly police procedural suspense—you’re going to love this series. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read before!