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Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth volunteers in a retirement home where a con man promises the elderly that they can slip through a time fault line and return to their past.

147 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

66 people want to read

About the author

Paul McCusker

181 books228 followers
Paul McCusker is a writer of many different kinds of things. You may know him from Adventures In Odyssey and Focus On The Family Radio Theatre. Or the Father Gilbert Mysteries. Or the Augustine Institute audio dramas Brother Francis: The Barefoot Saint of Assisi and The Trials of Saint Patrick. Or plays like The First Church of Pete's Garage and Catacombs. Or C.S. Lewis projects like The Chronicles of Narnia audio dramas or The Annotated Screwtape Letters. Or the film Beyond The Mask. Or lots of other dramas, novels, scripts and lyrics. He simply can't make up his mind what he likes to write.

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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Jill Williamson.
Author 66 books1,620 followers
May 20, 2009
Elizabeth Forde is on her first day at the Fawlt Line Retirement Center, kicking herself for volunteering to work there. For some reason, she finds the place overwhelming. Until she meets Frieda Schultz, a cheerful and friendly resident. If for Frieda alone, Elizabeth decides to stick it out for a few days before she makes a final decision.

But Mr. Betterman, a creepy guy in an electric wheelchair, haunts Elizabeth’s nightmares, calling her Sarah, the name of her time twin from the other world. And when Frieda has a heart attack, Elizabeth can’t help but wonder if Mr. Betterman was responsible in some way. Is Mr. Betterman from the other world? If so, what is he up to?

I haven’t read the first two books in this series and didn’t realize it was a book three until I started reading it. The story was enjoyable. There was a lot of backstory to help me understand things I missed not having read the first two books. Sometimes that was helpful, sometimes it felt like I didn’t need to know it all. I liked the mystery in the story. The characters weren’t as deep as I like, but this was only a two hundred-page book, so that’s probably part of the reason. The premise is intriguing. I would have liked to have read the first two before reviewing the third.

Profile Image for Janet.
105 reviews13 followers
June 14, 2009
I read the 2009 publication of Memory's Gate by Paul McCusker. This book contains 204 pages and is the third book of the Time Thriller Trilogy.

The book introduces us to the main characters: Elizabeth Forde, and cousins Jeff and Malcolm Dubbs along with several others from the community. This mystery thriller takes us to the local Fawlt Line Retirement Center where Elizabeth takes a job as a volunteer for the summer.

She is immediately introduced to one of the staff members, Doug Hall, a smooth talking, curly haired cutie. She immediately thinks he ought to be a movie star. What's that all about?

She meets many kind residents but there is one gentleman in a wheelchair that creeps her out. He seems familiar to her. He keeps calling her Sarah. As you get in deeper to the story you will learn that something horrible starts to happen to several of the residents and Elizabeth. She feels she knows what is going on but will anyone believe her? When will the nightmare stop?
Profile Image for Anna.
198 reviews
August 20, 2015
Elizabeth, much to my happiness, was once more front-and-center in this conclusion to the series. This book was incredible, taking a different twist from the last ones. It had a more Sherlock-style mystery feel to it that kept you thinking and desperately wanting to keep reading. It was a really great. Characters who seemed fine were now bad, as is to be expected. It made you think.

Elizabeth was a great character throughout the series and I'm sad to see her stories end. Jeff was pretty humorous but another great character and rather genius in his own way. And I especially like Malcolm because he's British, and has the most awesome theory of time travel. He was a generally insanely clever character.

Honestly, I don't have much more to say. This trilogy was rather short but absolutely fantastic. A great read with nothing inappropriate and good morals. I highly recommend this trilogy. Oh and I really want a time twin. It's rather sad how under-appreciated this book is.
Profile Image for Susan Forsgren.
2,140 reviews9 followers
May 26, 2015
Elizabeth finds herself in the midst of mysterious happenings and ultimately uncovers a plot by a man from another time to bilk retirement-center residents out of their valuables. The strongest of the three books in the series, this has a more philosophical core, beyond overt religious messages, and can stand alone, though those who have read the previous titles will have a greater understanding of the characters, the town and the various stories of time travel.
Profile Image for Janet.
1,796 reviews28 followers
June 4, 2009
Was a very well written. It keep my interest.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

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