Time Struck

by Megan Daniels

In this speculative mystery with a romantic twist, one woman must solve her own murder five years in the future, only to find a life she never expected

Andy Harlow might be close to getting her PhD in physics, but she’s far from escaping her troubled past. It doesn’t help when her estranged sister returns to assist in selling their decaying childhood home—the same place their mother was murdered by their father twenty years earlier. 

One night, after investigating a mysterious sound in her parents' sealed off bedroom, Andy is shoved into the closet by a stranger.

She lands five years in the future, where everything has changed. Here, Andy has a dream job as a professor. A sister who has mended the broken bond between them. A baby daughter she loves the way only a mother can. And a husband, Logan, a man she has never met, yet who seems to know every corner of her heart. It’s a life she never imagined she could have—until now.

There’s just one problem. In this future, Andy was recently murdered. And someone pushed her here so she could find out who did it and why.

To change her fate, Andy must solve the mystery of her death and uncover long-buried family secrets before returning to her time. But the more she uncovers, the more impossible her choice save her future or save her life.

Genres: Mystery, Adult, Time Travel

Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 16, 2027

Reviews

[Karen Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED it, need the TV show now.

[Stephanie | stephonashelf · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Genre: Speculative Mystery

Format: E-book

4.5🌟 - I really liked it!

Thank you @ballantinebooks for the #gifted e-ARC and physical ARC!

I was lucky enough to be an early reader of this debut that you will want to have on your radar this upcoming March! Fans of The Unmaking of June Farrow will love this one!

This was the perfect blend of speculative fiction, mystery, family dynamics, and a dash of romance! I thought the writing was so strong and the plot of propulsive! I read it within a few sittings.

There were twists I wasn’t expecting and overall a very satisfying ending for me! I always love a novel with a time-travel element too.

Can’t wait to see what she writes next!

[Melissa DeLong-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely one of my favorite speculative fiction reads so far in 2026! Highly recommend going on as blind as possible. Easy 4.5 star read!!

My singular criticism of this book is that it starts out slow. It took me a solid 10% or so to become invested, but once I did, it was off to the races. Like couldn't put it down and finished the same day.

Every time I thought I had figured out the plot or characters, something would change. I was also really invested in the ending and the epilogue, as I had become super invested in Andy's story and how things would turn out for her based on her traveling and making changes to hopefully better future Andy's life. I also loved the dynamics of Andy's relationship, knowing what she knew had happened in other timelines. It felt really interesting to explore that while one version of someone did or didn't do something, she knew they were capable of it and how that impacted her behavior in her current timeline.


*Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC!*

[Jessica A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time Struck by Megan Daniels hooked me right from the start.

Andy carries so much grief after losing her parents and being separated from her sister in foster care, spending her life yearning for real family. Suddenly, she’s thrown five years into the future—a timeline where she died months ago and has to live like a ghost while hunting down her own killer. The real gut-punch is that this future holds everything she ever wanted: a husband, a baby, and a real bond with her sister. But staying has brutal consequences.

The time travel felt like an active villain working against Andy, the pacing was relentless, and I second-guessed every single character. That late-game twist completely blindsided me, and the emotional ending genuinely brought tears to my eyes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the e-ARC

[Megan Strang · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This is a literary Back to the Future. The time travel mechanisms made my head hurt a bit: travel causes different branches of time and how intersecting with past (or future) you can cause terrible outcomes (like I said, Marty McFly and Doc came to mind repeatedly for me!)

But I liked that this has a little of everything. It’s a page-turner like a thriller, a sweet love story like a romance, and has some meat on the bones like a litfic. I would not call it sci-fi because while the time travel is well done (and complicated), it’s not sciency. The main character may be a physicist, but this time travel is all magic and lore, complete with a spooky house and mysterious matriarchs. Do with all that what you will when this one hits shelves in 2027!

[*Sarah * · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this ARC from Netgalley and Ballentine publishing and what can I say except it was AMAZING!! It grabs you from the start and leaves you breathless the whole way through! I was so invested in this story, it's characters and all of it's twists and turns!
This is one that I cannot say enough about! It is a winner from start to finish and just when you think you have it figured out.... You don't!! This isn't just for the female readers either this is a excellent story for men & women alike and I will be purchasing this in hard copy to add to my collection!!
Megan Daniels you have outdone yourself and set he bar so high!!! LOVED IT!! Every last word!!
#TimeStruck #NetGalley

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good romantic suspense/thriller/mystery. This did a good job mixing romance, time travel, and the mystery of who killed Andy in the future. My biggest issue would be I could sometimes tell this was a debut and I could guess some of the twists before they happened. I liked Andy and Logan and how that situation turned out in the end. This was a quick and fun read that I would recommend! I would be interested in what this author writes next.

thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Kayla Saurus · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic debut! The premise and execution were such a fresh take on time travel.

I love stories about multi-generational women and how legacy and trauma can both be passed down. The romance and the time travel/mystery plots were both given plenty of time to grow, and they were equally entertaining to follow.

I was completely hooked and devoured this in a single day. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Megan Daniels releases next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cara Wainwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Megan Daniels for the ARC copy!
I absolutely DEVOURED this book. The character development was top-tier—I felt every single emotion right along with them. The pacing was spot-on, making it impossible to put down, and I was hooked from page one.
It balances family grief, second-chance romance, and time travel so effortlessly, and I loved every minute of it. 100% recommend adding this to your TBR!

[Jessica Mason · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley & Ballantine Books for this ARC.

This one hit me right where I wasn't expecting. It was a bit long-winded, and I do feel like there were several scenes that could have been cut. There was a bit of redundancy as well. Other than that, I definitely fell in love with these characters and their heartbreak moved me. The ending took me by surprise in a way I didn't see coming but I loved this one. I will absolutely recommend it to my friends and fellow bookworms.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I finish this book or did it finish me?! I am so in awe that is Megan’s first book. It was so beautifully written and intricate. A mix of mystery, sci fi, romance and speculative fiction. This book consumed my thoughts entirely. I had so many theories about what will happen, and was wrong to most of them. But it ended up perfect just the way it was.

[Sabrina Grimaldi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story!!! Such a fast read, genuinely was so excited to know what would happen next. Never too predictable, always keeping me intrigued. Megan is an exceptional writer!