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The Time Police #2
Hard Time
A time slip in Versailles, problems in the Ice Age and illegal time travellers in need of rescue. Must be a job for the Time Police. Luke, Jane and Matthew are back and ready to cause havoc, inadvertently or otherwise, in their latest adventures, moving towards the end of their grunt work and towards becoming fully fledged Time Police officers. But obviously because it’s them things aren’t going to be simple or easy.
Hard Time, the Time Police book 2. Trying to get to the bottom of an illegal historical tourism ring, Time Police Trainee Luke Parrish is the perfect spy, along with Trainee Jane Lockland as his sobriety coach, trying to keep his head on the task at hand. But what starts out as a fun return to Luke’s former lifestyle quickly becomes deadly as Team Weird realise there is more going on than just a few sightseeing trips to the past. Can Luke and Jane survive long enough to graduate from Time Police training?
Hard Time, the Time Police book 2. Trying to get to the bottom of an illegal historical tourism ring, Time Police Trainee Luke Parrish is the perfect spy, along with Trainee Jane Lockland as his sobriety coach, trying to keep his head on the task at hand. But what starts out as a fun return to Luke’s former lifestyle quickly becomes deadly as Team Weird realise there is more going on than just a few sightseeing trips to the past. Can Luke and Jane survive long enough to graduate from Time Police training?
544 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2020
828 people are currently reading
2172 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Taylor
85 books5,447 followersJodi Taylor is the internationally bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's series, the story of a bunch of disaster prone individuals who investigate major historical events in contemporary time. Do NOT call it time travel! She is also the author of the Time Police series - a St Mary's spinoff and gateway into the world of an all-powerful, international organisation who are NOTHING like St Mary's. Except, when they are.
Alongside these, Jodi is known for her gripping supernatural thrillers featuring Elizabeth Cage together with the enchanting Frogmorton Farm series - a fairy story for adults.
Born in Bristol and now living in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and write a novel. Over twenty books later, she still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.
Alongside these, Jodi is known for her gripping supernatural thrillers featuring Elizabeth Cage together with the enchanting Frogmorton Farm series - a fairy story for adults.
Born in Bristol and now living in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and write a novel. Over twenty books later, she still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 488 reviews
November 10, 2020
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Another fast paced adventure with Team Weird - Jane, Matthew and Luke. This time, a quick recovery jump to find and return a politician's spoilt daughter leads the team on a spiral into the murky underworld of illegal time travel and undercover operations which could spell the end of Team Weird.
As usual, I found this incredibly immersive and fun. The team have come such a long way since Doing Time , and the progression continues here. Taylor has a way of developing characters and making them feel realistic and loveable. Luke, in particular, I find has had the most development as the novels have progressed, from a spoilt playboy to - well, a spoilt playboy but with friends who keep him grounded. I loved the increased interactions between Jane and Luke in the latter half of the book. They're the perfect pair in so many ways. Jane is shy, in her own words 'plain' and naïve to the world. Luke has gone through his whole life with the world open to him, but he's chosen to squander his opportunities. They each provide something that the other is lacking, and their friendship and chemistry is lovely to see develop and mature. Matthew also has his own arc of sorts. Without the other personalities in his team around for a large section of the story, he is forced out of his shell and out of his comfort zone. It forces him into the limelight, and you realise he's a lot more like his mother than he let's on.
The plot is tightly packed and well written. Often my only complaint with Jodi's stories is that she bounces around without any kind of clear destination for her characters - but here you can really see the story take off and it is tightly controlled. This allows the pacing to remain sharp and action filled with plenty of shocks and plot developments you wouldn't expect. There's also a lot of examination into the value of human life, and what it is to be 'human' that feels highly relevant to today's climate. The book also wouldn't be a Jodi Taylor without the obligatory St Mary's cameo and a look into history- and this one, involving a bar, Markham and a deadly outbreak is not one to be missed. The same could be said of a certain time travelling duo, who make a brief appearance in Why Is Nothing Ever Simple?, who I'm dying to learn more about. The Easter eggs are such an amazing little bonus for fans, and they make me squeal every time. I also loved the scenes involving the Moberly-Jourdain Incident, a real life documented claim of time travel to revolutionary France.
Another fabulous Time :Police novel that fans of the series should not miss. If you haven't already, I highly, HIGHLY recommend the St Mary's series by Jodi Taylor that runs alongside these. You don't need to have read the series to enjoy The Time Polcie novels, but you will gain so much more from them if you have. I can't wait for the next one.
Another fast paced adventure with Team Weird - Jane, Matthew and Luke. This time, a quick recovery jump to find and return a politician's spoilt daughter leads the team on a spiral into the murky underworld of illegal time travel and undercover operations which could spell the end of Team Weird.
As usual, I found this incredibly immersive and fun. The team have come such a long way since Doing Time , and the progression continues here. Taylor has a way of developing characters and making them feel realistic and loveable. Luke, in particular, I find has had the most development as the novels have progressed, from a spoilt playboy to - well, a spoilt playboy but with friends who keep him grounded. I loved the increased interactions between Jane and Luke in the latter half of the book. They're the perfect pair in so many ways. Jane is shy, in her own words 'plain' and naïve to the world. Luke has gone through his whole life with the world open to him, but he's chosen to squander his opportunities. They each provide something that the other is lacking, and their friendship and chemistry is lovely to see develop and mature. Matthew also has his own arc of sorts. Without the other personalities in his team around for a large section of the story, he is forced out of his shell and out of his comfort zone. It forces him into the limelight, and you realise he's a lot more like his mother than he let's on.
The plot is tightly packed and well written. Often my only complaint with Jodi's stories is that she bounces around without any kind of clear destination for her characters - but here you can really see the story take off and it is tightly controlled. This allows the pacing to remain sharp and action filled with plenty of shocks and plot developments you wouldn't expect. There's also a lot of examination into the value of human life, and what it is to be 'human' that feels highly relevant to today's climate. The book also wouldn't be a Jodi Taylor without the obligatory St Mary's cameo and a look into history- and this one, involving a bar, Markham and a deadly outbreak is not one to be missed. The same could be said of a certain time travelling duo, who make a brief appearance in Why Is Nothing Ever Simple?, who I'm dying to learn more about. The Easter eggs are such an amazing little bonus for fans, and they make me squeal every time. I also loved the scenes involving the Moberly-Jourdain Incident, a real life documented claim of time travel to revolutionary France.
Another fabulous Time :Police novel that fans of the series should not miss. If you haven't already, I highly, HIGHLY recommend the St Mary's series by Jodi Taylor that runs alongside these. You don't need to have read the series to enjoy The Time Polcie novels, but you will gain so much more from them if you have. I can't wait for the next one.
May 7, 2025
Hard Time
By Jodi Taylor
This continues the story from book #1. The small gang is trying to get to know each other better and trust each other, but new people seem to be causing trouble. Someone is murdered and this is causing chaos.
By Jodi Taylor
This continues the story from book #1. The small gang is trying to get to know each other better and trust each other, but new people seem to be causing trouble. Someone is murdered and this is causing chaos.
October 14, 2020
Another amazing book by Jodi Taylor! I truly enjoy everything she writes. Hard Time is the second book in The Time Police series, a spinoff of Taylor's wildly popular Chronicles of St. Mary's series.
A prominent politician has asked the Time Police to retrieve her spoiled daughter after an illegal time jump. Enter Matthew, Jane, and Luke (Team Weird), who are once again off on a chaotic and sometimes humorous adventure. And, as usual, they find more than they bargained for.
I continue to love reading about the adventures of this trio. Matthew is the son of Max and Leon from the St Mary's series. He is a savant when it comes to the time map, but a little awkward in every other area. Jane was a victim of a lifetime of abuse, but continues to find her own way, and a new confidence is making its appearance. Luke is the disinherited, formerly spoiled, current playboy son of a powerful businessman. He has finally found something he cares about--Matthew and Jane. Follow this trio as they travel up and down the timeline--sometimes with permission, sometimes not. And the hilarious crew from St. Mary's always makes an appearance.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of time travel fiction, or to anyone who just wants to read a well-written, often funny series with great characters. I also recommend that you check out the series from which it was born--The Chronicles of St. Mary's by Jodi Taylor. The first book in the Chronicles of St. Mary's is Just One Damn Thing After Another.
I received the novel early after ordering a signed copy from the author's website. So far, she has done this with every new release since she started her website.
A prominent politician has asked the Time Police to retrieve her spoiled daughter after an illegal time jump. Enter Matthew, Jane, and Luke (Team Weird), who are once again off on a chaotic and sometimes humorous adventure. And, as usual, they find more than they bargained for.
I continue to love reading about the adventures of this trio. Matthew is the son of Max and Leon from the St Mary's series. He is a savant when it comes to the time map, but a little awkward in every other area. Jane was a victim of a lifetime of abuse, but continues to find her own way, and a new confidence is making its appearance. Luke is the disinherited, formerly spoiled, current playboy son of a powerful businessman. He has finally found something he cares about--Matthew and Jane. Follow this trio as they travel up and down the timeline--sometimes with permission, sometimes not. And the hilarious crew from St. Mary's always makes an appearance.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of time travel fiction, or to anyone who just wants to read a well-written, often funny series with great characters. I also recommend that you check out the series from which it was born--The Chronicles of St. Mary's by Jodi Taylor. The first book in the Chronicles of St. Mary's is Just One Damn Thing After Another.
I received the novel early after ordering a signed copy from the author's website. So far, she has done this with every new release since she started her website.
January 25, 2021
This review was originally posted at Books of My Heart
Hard Time is the second book in the Time Police series, a spin off of Jodi Taylor’s hit series The Chronicles of St Mary’s. In it we have Max and Leo’s mostly grown son, Matthew, with the time police in the future trying to figure out his place in the world and in time. The Time Police are a lot stricter and more regimented than the crazy group of historians at St Mary’s but Matthew is on Team Weird so they should we able to get into plenty of trouble in their last days as recruits.
I enjoy this series. Not quite as much as the Chronicles of St Mary’s but the banter and crazy back and forth of that series is hard to beat or even copy. Still team weird does its best and Jane and Parish have a decent banter in the group, even if some of it happens in Jane’s head.
There are people out there jumping through time for touring purposes. That is highly illegal and team weird gets called in when one of their tourists accidentally gets left in history 17th century London. It didn’t help that Parish used to date her and so she wasn’t exactly thrilled to have him show up to escort her back. But to find the company running the illegal time tourism Parish and Jane go undercover to figure out who is behind it all and that is when all the real danger starts.
I do miss all the members of St. Mary’s, I was glad that we did end up having a few chapters with them in it. They are a mess, but a crazy fun mess to be sure. Matthew is really growing into a fine young person and has found a team that matches him well. I enjoyed the overall story and the set up for some of the bigger bad guy story arc.
There is a lot of danger and fun to be had jumping through time and interesting things to see along the way. You can read this series without having read The Chronicles of St Mary’s but you’d be missing all the fun and history of that crazy lot so I recommend still reading that series first.
Narration:
Zara Ramm has narrated all if the books set in this world. The accent is fantastic and works well for the setting of the stories. I always love the interpretation she brings to all of the books set in this crazy time hopping world. I listened to the story at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip here https://soundcloud.com/headline-books...
Hard Time is the second book in the Time Police series, a spin off of Jodi Taylor’s hit series The Chronicles of St Mary’s. In it we have Max and Leo’s mostly grown son, Matthew, with the time police in the future trying to figure out his place in the world and in time. The Time Police are a lot stricter and more regimented than the crazy group of historians at St Mary’s but Matthew is on Team Weird so they should we able to get into plenty of trouble in their last days as recruits.
I enjoy this series. Not quite as much as the Chronicles of St Mary’s but the banter and crazy back and forth of that series is hard to beat or even copy. Still team weird does its best and Jane and Parish have a decent banter in the group, even if some of it happens in Jane’s head.
There are people out there jumping through time for touring purposes. That is highly illegal and team weird gets called in when one of their tourists accidentally gets left in history 17th century London. It didn’t help that Parish used to date her and so she wasn’t exactly thrilled to have him show up to escort her back. But to find the company running the illegal time tourism Parish and Jane go undercover to figure out who is behind it all and that is when all the real danger starts.
I do miss all the members of St. Mary’s, I was glad that we did end up having a few chapters with them in it. They are a mess, but a crazy fun mess to be sure. Matthew is really growing into a fine young person and has found a team that matches him well. I enjoyed the overall story and the set up for some of the bigger bad guy story arc.
There is a lot of danger and fun to be had jumping through time and interesting things to see along the way. You can read this series without having read The Chronicles of St Mary’s but you’d be missing all the fun and history of that crazy lot so I recommend still reading that series first.
Narration:
Zara Ramm has narrated all if the books set in this world. The accent is fantastic and works well for the setting of the stories. I always love the interpretation she brings to all of the books set in this crazy time hopping world. I listened to the story at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip here https://soundcloud.com/headline-books...
Read
October 29, 2020Enjoyable follow up in the Time Police series. As ever the writing is bouncy and engaging. Moves a bit slower than I expect from the author, and could have used a bit of editorial trimming, but tbh anyone who's managing to write fun escapist bouncy text these days deserves a medal and this was a terrific escape. Will keep following this series. Would be nice to see our new heroes rely a bit less on cameos from the linked series; that's a perennial problem with spin-offs where the author is inclined to oversell the long-running stars. *makes notes to self*
December 8, 2020
Loved this one. I feel like Jodi can do no wrong when it comes to writing, she writes stories that just draw you in and characters who grow to be favourites over time.
Like, Jane and Matthew all had strong development here. They all feel as though they learn and grow and become better as a team.
There's also a big undercover operation they become involved in. Which is dangerous and daring and they're all alone for it. But, it may be the biggest adventure of the Time Police's career, if they can just survive...
Honestly, great fun as always and a lot more danger than I expected too. Like this series so much and the links to St Mary's always make me happy too :) 5*s ofc
Like, Jane and Matthew all had strong development here. They all feel as though they learn and grow and become better as a team.
There's also a big undercover operation they become involved in. Which is dangerous and daring and they're all alone for it. But, it may be the biggest adventure of the Time Police's career, if they can just survive...
Honestly, great fun as always and a lot more danger than I expected too. Like this series so much and the links to St Mary's always make me happy too :) 5*s ofc
November 27, 2020
In this second spin-off book we are still with Jane, Luke and Matthew. Only this time they have to decide whether they will stay with the Time Police after the end of their training / their graduation or not and if they do, what unit they want to belong to (which could split up the team).
However, that takes a backseat when a conspiracy involving illegal time travel is slowly uncovered: As hinted at in the first novel, someone is giving time travel equipment to people and causing havoc - it's time the TP finds out who, how and why!
The problem is that undercover missions can go wrong and as we know from St. Mary's, what CAN go wrong, definitely WILL go wrong. Including a full-on assault and some deaths.
This book gave us some nice background info on Luke and showed us a little more of the time the TP headquarters is located in. Most wonderfully, though, we got to see the Time Map again and learn a little more about time slips (as previously experienced). Nevertheless, until "site X", the book was mostly about Team Weird and the people themselves (their development). Which is not to say that events didn't move along swiftly because they did!
Some answers to old(er) questions, some new questions in turn, some implications for future revelations (a trail of breadcrumbs), high stakes, wonderful historical sites and a lot of hilarity make this book greatly entertaining once again.
I think one of the things I enjoy most is that there is no lovey-dovey nonsense within the team (yet). The caracters have great chemistry - but as friends. It's refreshing because yes, men and women can be "just" friends.
That and the development the Time Police itself is undergoing makes for an interesting new environment within the familiar parameters of St. Mary's that I'm enjoying so much.
Like I said in my last review: like a breath of fresh air. Which is why I'm very much looking forward to the next installment (to be published soon-ish).
However, that takes a backseat when a conspiracy involving illegal time travel is slowly uncovered: As hinted at in the first novel, someone is giving time travel equipment to people and causing havoc - it's time the TP finds out who, how and why!
The problem is that undercover missions can go wrong and as we know from St. Mary's, what CAN go wrong, definitely WILL go wrong. Including a full-on assault and some deaths.
This book gave us some nice background info on Luke and showed us a little more of the time the TP headquarters is located in. Most wonderfully, though, we got to see the Time Map again and learn a little more about time slips (as previously experienced). Nevertheless, until "site X", the book was mostly about Team Weird and the people themselves (their development). Which is not to say that events didn't move along swiftly because they did!
Some answers to old(er) questions, some new questions in turn, some implications for future revelations (a trail of breadcrumbs), high stakes, wonderful historical sites and a lot of hilarity make this book greatly entertaining once again.
I think one of the things I enjoy most is that there is no lovey-dovey nonsense within the team (yet). The caracters have great chemistry - but as friends. It's refreshing because yes, men and women can be "just" friends.
That and the development the Time Police itself is undergoing makes for an interesting new environment within the familiar parameters of St. Mary's that I'm enjoying so much.
Like I said in my last review: like a breath of fresh air. Which is why I'm very much looking forward to the next installment (to be published soon-ish).
Love the glove! - BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Read
December 22, 2024Actually DNF
One step too far. In fact lots of steps too far.
Noone appears to have put warnings on this so if you object to hearing about any kind of experimentation, vivisection or imprisonment of anything or anyone don't read past chapter 30.
I know Jodi Taylor is making a point that Luke and Jane are decent human beings but the descriptions of the experiments on neanderthals is absolutely revolting. I think I'm pretty broad-minded but I've read books by Holocaust survivors and this a sick shadow of that.
One step too far. In fact lots of steps too far.
Noone appears to have put warnings on this so if you object to hearing about any kind of experimentation, vivisection or imprisonment of anything or anyone don't read past chapter 30.
I know Jodi Taylor is making a point that Luke and Jane are decent human beings but the descriptions of the experiments on neanderthals is absolutely revolting. I think I'm pretty broad-minded but I've read books by Holocaust survivors and this a sick shadow of that.
July 11, 2025
I’m finally catching up with the Time Police series and it is brilliant! A spin off from St. Mary’s (Max and Leon’s son is one of the three main characters), it has a very different feel yet all the creative brilliance that can be expected in a Jodi Taylor novel.
Team Weird are back again to face more adventures. The trio of misfits find themselves investigating a tourism time travel company that is not only illegal but also not entirely what it seems. There are plenty of hilarious moments, turn paging chapters and Jodi Taylor once again shows you don’t have to fit in to have a role to play. St Mary’s even makes another short appearance and helps save the day! It’s Fire-Trucking fantastic!
Team Weird are back again to face more adventures. The trio of misfits find themselves investigating a tourism time travel company that is not only illegal but also not entirely what it seems. There are plenty of hilarious moments, turn paging chapters and Jodi Taylor once again shows you don’t have to fit in to have a role to play. St Mary’s even makes another short appearance and helps save the day! It’s Fire-Trucking fantastic!
October 15, 2020
Hard Time is the second book in The Time Police series, a spinoff of Taylor's wildly popular Chronicles of St. Mary's series and is undoubtedly one of the most fun and entertaining books for adults that I have ever read; reading this reminded me just how rare lighthearted, fast-flowing and superbly written science fiction actually is. It's preferable to have read the first instalment before this one but as the core of the story is self-contained it’s not a necessity as enough background is provided to bring new readers up to speed. Team 236, aka Team Weird by the other Time Police teams, comprised of Luke, Jane and Matthew, are called in to assist when a prominent politician’s daughter, and coincidentally Luke’s ex-girlfriend, takes an illegal trip back to the seventeenth century with her boyfriend where she is currently stranded and the team must rescue her as quickly as possible. They've been warned to keep the little indiscretion on the down-low but who are they kidding when Team Weird are involved in the rescue! When they arrive it's safe to say she is not in the slightest bit happy about being rescued by an ex, but she does provide them with details of the illegal time travel organisation that dropped her there.
This allows Luke and Jane to head undercover to try and infiltrate the underground organisation that had been offering temporal tourism trips to the past. Their mission to bring the merciless and well equipped company to justice is fraught with danger and soon what seemed an easy task in prospect became a daunting one as two undercover Time Police hunters are brutally murdered and their corpses sent to Commander Hay as a stark warning to disengage. Can they bring them down without any further bloodshed? The team’s training is also coming to an end and with only three weeks to go before graduation, by now each should have expressed an interest in the post-grad divisions they would like to apply to, but that doesn't appear to have occurred. This is a fantastic, action-packed time travel adventure with all the excitement, peril and quirky characterisation you need; in fact, it's even more entertaining and enjoyable than Doing Time. It's laugh out loud funny in places and edge of your seat suspenseful in others. With all the timeslips, mayhem, pep and pizazz you could ever want in a book, get ready to fly, along with the gang, by the seat of your pants! Highly recommended. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
This allows Luke and Jane to head undercover to try and infiltrate the underground organisation that had been offering temporal tourism trips to the past. Their mission to bring the merciless and well equipped company to justice is fraught with danger and soon what seemed an easy task in prospect became a daunting one as two undercover Time Police hunters are brutally murdered and their corpses sent to Commander Hay as a stark warning to disengage. Can they bring them down without any further bloodshed? The team’s training is also coming to an end and with only three weeks to go before graduation, by now each should have expressed an interest in the post-grad divisions they would like to apply to, but that doesn't appear to have occurred. This is a fantastic, action-packed time travel adventure with all the excitement, peril and quirky characterisation you need; in fact, it's even more entertaining and enjoyable than Doing Time. It's laugh out loud funny in places and edge of your seat suspenseful in others. With all the timeslips, mayhem, pep and pizazz you could ever want in a book, get ready to fly, along with the gang, by the seat of your pants! Highly recommended. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
November 27, 2020
Ah, what a "special" team of cops they make. Not quite so slapstick as in the first book, I do really enjoy how they now get on together. The poor kid is kinda personality-less, but Luke and Jane rather steal the show.
But what is this?
Time-travel cops, baby. Time-travel cops. And it lands right in the middle of a comedic police fantasy -- mystery-lite -- with a rather large smidge of rom-com, a bigger smidge of intrigue, and an always-favorite undercover sequence. Gotta get in with the hob-nobs, undercover a rather major profit scheme, and by all means... DON'T harm the animals!
I know I've said this before... with Jodi Taylor, several times already... but it's a breath of fresh air in the comedic time-travel genre. :)
But what is this?
Time-travel cops, baby. Time-travel cops. And it lands right in the middle of a comedic police fantasy -- mystery-lite -- with a rather large smidge of rom-com, a bigger smidge of intrigue, and an always-favorite undercover sequence. Gotta get in with the hob-nobs, undercover a rather major profit scheme, and by all means... DON'T harm the animals!
I know I've said this before... with Jodi Taylor, several times already... but it's a breath of fresh air in the comedic time-travel genre. :)
February 4, 2023
Bloody brilliant! I think I love the Time Police as much as St Mary's, or, rather I love Team Weird.
Jane really shone in this one, I love her inner monologues, it's hilarious and she's just so endearing.
Matthew took a backseat in this one, just like book one. I don't know if that's a natural hazard of the fact he doesn't actually say much but I'm looking forward to seeing more of him.
Luke was great, he's really working his way into my heart, annoying as he is. His ongoing battle with the pod AI is just excellent, I think the AI will win.
North and Ellis should rule TPHQ together! Long may they reign! I really hope we get more of them.
Commander Haye really is a ruthless bastard. I still haven't forgiven her for trying to steal Matthew away as a kid and now she's threatening St Mary's, not cool. She might be a bit more human in this series than she is in St Mary's but I'm absolutely not on her team.
Overall, this was a great fun dip into the world I love and I can't wait for more.
Jane really shone in this one, I love her inner monologues, it's hilarious and she's just so endearing.
Matthew took a backseat in this one, just like book one. I don't know if that's a natural hazard of the fact he doesn't actually say much but I'm looking forward to seeing more of him.
Luke was great, he's really working his way into my heart, annoying as he is. His ongoing battle with the pod AI is just excellent, I think the AI will win.
North and Ellis should rule TPHQ together! Long may they reign! I really hope we get more of them.
Commander Haye really is a ruthless bastard. I still haven't forgiven her for trying to steal Matthew away as a kid and now she's threatening St Mary's, not cool. She might be a bit more human in this series than she is in St Mary's but I'm absolutely not on her team.
Overall, this was a great fun dip into the world I love and I can't wait for more.
February 26, 2025
Continuing my unexpected year of re-reads, I’m luxuriating in working through both of Taylor’s delightful Time World Series. I’m listening to the audio, as before. It’s one of those series so we’ll narrated that I can’t imagine using another format.
November 8, 2020
I’m warming up to these St. Mary’s spinoff tales set in the world of the Time Police. Of course, my heart forever belongs to the motley crew of St. Mary’s but it appears that Team Weird, the Time Police’s own pesky little trio of misfits with a smidge of motley-ness themselves, are starting to “infect” their employer with the horrors of creativity and humanism. And it seems it may already be too late to stop the spread of this virus and we’re beginning to see mutant spurts of “outside-the-box” thinking and snippets of respect for civilians pop up in unexpected divisions of the once believed impenetrable skin of the Time Police. Yet, change is difficult and some will fight to the death to maintain the status quo, believing the old ways are righteous and best, failing to see the proverbial writing on the wall. This may get bloody before it’s over. I can’t wait!
Witty, fast paced and brilliantly imagined, I expect nothing less from the extraordinary mind of Jodi Taylor. This world of St. Mary’s and the Time Police makes you yearn to live in it and join the adventure. Her characters feel like friends, some old and some new but nonetheless, friends. Their personalities are so well formed down to the tiniest detail that their voices are heard, not simply read. The best part is there’s a lot of story left to tell in this universe and I have my popcorn at the ready for it.
Witty, fast paced and brilliantly imagined, I expect nothing less from the extraordinary mind of Jodi Taylor. This world of St. Mary’s and the Time Police makes you yearn to live in it and join the adventure. Her characters feel like friends, some old and some new but nonetheless, friends. Their personalities are so well formed down to the tiniest detail that their voices are heard, not simply read. The best part is there’s a lot of story left to tell in this universe and I have my popcorn at the ready for it.
February 9, 2023
Yet another amazing Jodi Taylor book!
Loved it so much.
Loved it so much.
August 18, 2022
'Hard Time' was a pleasant surprise. It reminded me of the tone of early St Mary's books.
The beat of the story is set by bouncy humour that grips optimism like a shield to fend off self-doubt and deep-rooted fears and to keep an emotional distance from all the unpleasant things the world throws at you. I like the snark in the humour but what I like most is the affection and trust that it builds between the characters.
Yet, like the best of the St Mary's books, there's more to 'Hard Time' than a bit of banter and team building. In 'Hard Time'. Team Weird are out of training and into the real world and the real world can be a very unpleasant place. The plot that Team Weird uncover and attempt to thwart is a dark one that speaks to human cruelty and greed. It felt horrible plausible. When I realised what the bad guys were doing, I was, for the first time, able to see the Time Police not just as thugs ruthlessly protecting the timeline but as the only possible response to malevolent, powerful sociopathy. The Time Police may be bastards that everyone is scared of but this time, they were the bastards everyone needed.
I liked the way the characters in Team Weird and in the leadership of the Time Police were rounded out. We got to see more of where they came from and of the attitudes and circumstances that had shaped them. It was nicely done. No one got a sainthood but my empathy for most of the characters was increased.
As usual, the time travel pieces and the action scenes were well done. This time the action scenes had more bite to them. These were Time Police action scenes, not St Mary's actions scenes. The mindset was military and uncompromising rather than academic and improvising. It takes skill to get the nuance of this right. There was one point when St. Mary's got involved and, although they were helpful and ingenious, seeing them through the eyes of the Time Police, they seemed undisciplined, unfocused and unreliable - except for the fact that everything they did worked.
To me, this series has found its legs now. It's no longer an off-shoot of St. Mary's. It's a whole world of its own. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it in the next book, 'Saving Time', which is already on my shelves.
The beat of the story is set by bouncy humour that grips optimism like a shield to fend off self-doubt and deep-rooted fears and to keep an emotional distance from all the unpleasant things the world throws at you. I like the snark in the humour but what I like most is the affection and trust that it builds between the characters.
Yet, like the best of the St Mary's books, there's more to 'Hard Time' than a bit of banter and team building. In 'Hard Time'. Team Weird are out of training and into the real world and the real world can be a very unpleasant place. The plot that Team Weird uncover and attempt to thwart is a dark one that speaks to human cruelty and greed. It felt horrible plausible. When I realised what the bad guys were doing, I was, for the first time, able to see the Time Police not just as thugs ruthlessly protecting the timeline but as the only possible response to malevolent, powerful sociopathy. The Time Police may be bastards that everyone is scared of but this time, they were the bastards everyone needed.
I liked the way the characters in Team Weird and in the leadership of the Time Police were rounded out. We got to see more of where they came from and of the attitudes and circumstances that had shaped them. It was nicely done. No one got a sainthood but my empathy for most of the characters was increased.
As usual, the time travel pieces and the action scenes were well done. This time the action scenes had more bite to them. These were Time Police action scenes, not St Mary's actions scenes. The mindset was military and uncompromising rather than academic and improvising. It takes skill to get the nuance of this right. There was one point when St. Mary's got involved and, although they were helpful and ingenious, seeing them through the eyes of the Time Police, they seemed undisciplined, unfocused and unreliable - except for the fact that everything they did worked.
To me, this series has found its legs now. It's no longer an off-shoot of St. Mary's. It's a whole world of its own. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it in the next book, 'Saving Time', which is already on my shelves.
October 15, 2020
Four and a half stars.
Jodi Taylor really knocked it out of the park with this one!
Luke, Jane and Matthew make up team 236, not very affectionately known as Team Weird by the other Time Police teams. As their training draws to a close they are expected to express an interest in which department they want to join after graduation but none of them seems to have a clue.
Then a politician's daughter goes on an illegal trip to the seventeenth century and gets stranded, a girl Luke once dated, and Team Weird get called on to rescue her. But what they uncover is an underground organisation running temporal tourism trips to the past. They are well equipped and ruthless. When two crack undercover Time Police hunters are murdered and their bodies sent as a warning the Commander decides the only way to infiltrate the organisation is to bring in Team Weird.
Very different to the St Mary's series, the Time Police series has really hit its stride with this novel. Plot driven with some great characters, Luke in particular is one of my favourites and there are so many unanswered questions left ...
Overall, if you like a book set in the future where people can travel to see Marie Antoinette in one minute then Abu Simnel the next, with wise-cracking and fire-trucking sweariness then this is the series for you.
Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Jodi Taylor really knocked it out of the park with this one!
Luke, Jane and Matthew make up team 236, not very affectionately known as Team Weird by the other Time Police teams. As their training draws to a close they are expected to express an interest in which department they want to join after graduation but none of them seems to have a clue.
Then a politician's daughter goes on an illegal trip to the seventeenth century and gets stranded, a girl Luke once dated, and Team Weird get called on to rescue her. But what they uncover is an underground organisation running temporal tourism trips to the past. They are well equipped and ruthless. When two crack undercover Time Police hunters are murdered and their bodies sent as a warning the Commander decides the only way to infiltrate the organisation is to bring in Team Weird.
Very different to the St Mary's series, the Time Police series has really hit its stride with this novel. Plot driven with some great characters, Luke in particular is one of my favourites and there are so many unanswered questions left ...
Overall, if you like a book set in the future where people can travel to see Marie Antoinette in one minute then Abu Simnel the next, with wise-cracking and fire-trucking sweariness then this is the series for you.
Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
November 11, 2024
Not quite as brilliant as the first in the spin-off series, but still massively entertaining.
Still a few months to wait for the next one :(
Still a few months to wait for the next one :(
August 5, 2024
Depressing Fate
Hard Time is a continuation of three misfits blundering through Time Police Academy but lacks an overarching narrative. In the previous novel, our protagonists discover how their unique qualities made them special. They had to overcome social conventions and bond into a cohesive team. With these character arcs already completed, all that’s left is the equivalent of mission grinding, collecting meaningless experience points until the author allows them to graduate. In this episode, they complete three missions but don’t be fooled into thinking this forms a cohesive tale. The connective tissue between each mission is painfully thin, such as someone’s injury sidelining them, and character growth is non-existent. The result is bare-bones character drama consisting of funny personalities doing wacky things.
The author is still disinclined to explore time travel as a system. With a mission focused on a Time Slip, readers learn the most about these fourth-dimensional anomalies. It’s a minor piece of worldbuilding that doesn’t contribute to our understanding of time travel, is used once and doesn’t impact other missions. Worse, the command staff hurriedly assembles a team to resolve the Time Slip, despite the repeated statement: “It doesn’t matter when you depart, just when you arrive.” This discrepancy is never explained and dovetails with the revealed rule that a person cannot return to the same instant. Ignoring the theological implications of identifying a unique individual, it’s a simple restriction that helps address why the Time Police doesn’t repeatedly try again until they get a perfect run. It doesn’t explain why they don’t have twenty teams lined up, each trying their best and returning with improvements for the next team until the authorities accomplish everything they want.
There’s also a Time Prison where convicts serve their sentence instantaneously and return decades older. The author presents this as a horrible fate. Even after being released, they’ll be forever out of time with their loved ones. I’m not convinced. The criminal’s support network is still available, and conspiracies remain unmolested. Better novels dealing with time travel use this mechanism to create armies and train soldiers, as having time to prepare is an advantage. The Time Police would be better off using their prison to instantly educate their applicants, resulting in an infinite supply of trained soldiers. Similarly, the author keeps implying the Time Police are bastards: a nasty guard dog no longer needed in the era of peace. Only their characterization would be considered positive by American readers. Itchy trigger fingers are just the start of abusive authorities, and there’s nothing about bullying, intimidation, and the use of excessive force to create fear and mistrust. I’m happy that the author’s life in Britain hasn’t exposed her to the darker aspects of law and order, but this representation feels out of touch.
Hard Time isn’t all bad. I adore the protagonists and enjoy their banter as they accidentally save the day. What I’ve presented is the kind of worldbuilding minutiae that bothers me, where tools are imagined but never put to good use. Every revealed mechanic about the Time Police is contrary to their characterization as ruthless victors of a grimdark war. And perhaps time travel is too serious a topic to form the basis of a comedy. I’m loathe to continue when the author’s priorities don’t match mine. Disappointment is just a matter of time.
Recommended, with Reservations.
Hard Time is a continuation of three misfits blundering through Time Police Academy but lacks an overarching narrative. In the previous novel, our protagonists discover how their unique qualities made them special. They had to overcome social conventions and bond into a cohesive team. With these character arcs already completed, all that’s left is the equivalent of mission grinding, collecting meaningless experience points until the author allows them to graduate. In this episode, they complete three missions but don’t be fooled into thinking this forms a cohesive tale. The connective tissue between each mission is painfully thin, such as someone’s injury sidelining them, and character growth is non-existent. The result is bare-bones character drama consisting of funny personalities doing wacky things.
The author is still disinclined to explore time travel as a system. With a mission focused on a Time Slip, readers learn the most about these fourth-dimensional anomalies. It’s a minor piece of worldbuilding that doesn’t contribute to our understanding of time travel, is used once and doesn’t impact other missions. Worse, the command staff hurriedly assembles a team to resolve the Time Slip, despite the repeated statement: “It doesn’t matter when you depart, just when you arrive.” This discrepancy is never explained and dovetails with the revealed rule that a person cannot return to the same instant. Ignoring the theological implications of identifying a unique individual, it’s a simple restriction that helps address why the Time Police doesn’t repeatedly try again until they get a perfect run. It doesn’t explain why they don’t have twenty teams lined up, each trying their best and returning with improvements for the next team until the authorities accomplish everything they want.
There’s also a Time Prison where convicts serve their sentence instantaneously and return decades older. The author presents this as a horrible fate. Even after being released, they’ll be forever out of time with their loved ones. I’m not convinced. The criminal’s support network is still available, and conspiracies remain unmolested. Better novels dealing with time travel use this mechanism to create armies and train soldiers, as having time to prepare is an advantage. The Time Police would be better off using their prison to instantly educate their applicants, resulting in an infinite supply of trained soldiers. Similarly, the author keeps implying the Time Police are bastards: a nasty guard dog no longer needed in the era of peace. Only their characterization would be considered positive by American readers. Itchy trigger fingers are just the start of abusive authorities, and there’s nothing about bullying, intimidation, and the use of excessive force to create fear and mistrust. I’m happy that the author’s life in Britain hasn’t exposed her to the darker aspects of law and order, but this representation feels out of touch.
Hard Time isn’t all bad. I adore the protagonists and enjoy their banter as they accidentally save the day. What I’ve presented is the kind of worldbuilding minutiae that bothers me, where tools are imagined but never put to good use. Every revealed mechanic about the Time Police is contrary to their characterization as ruthless victors of a grimdark war. And perhaps time travel is too serious a topic to form the basis of a comedy. I’m loathe to continue when the author’s priorities don’t match mine. Disappointment is just a matter of time.
Recommended, with Reservations.
December 1, 2021
This was a strong 3.5 for me. I think I enjoyed it more than the first book in this spin off series of the St Mary's Chronicles which I adore to the moon and back!
There was a bit of a crossover with St Mary's and though it was short, I really enjoyed it. For me, the storyline was better than book 1 and there was some character development and still as per usual, a few mysteries that make the reader go hmmm?
If you have not read St Mary's, you won't really have a bloody clue what is going on so I suggest if you are interested in madcap, time travel hilarity, go find yourself the first St Mary's book and get stuck in.
There was a bit of a crossover with St Mary's and though it was short, I really enjoyed it. For me, the storyline was better than book 1 and there was some character development and still as per usual, a few mysteries that make the reader go hmmm?
If you have not read St Mary's, you won't really have a bloody clue what is going on so I suggest if you are interested in madcap, time travel hilarity, go find yourself the first St Mary's book and get stuck in.
August 29, 2022
I don't remember who introduced me to this series but whoever it was I owe them a massive debt of gratitude. I love these books and I love this author
It took me a few chapters to adjust since it had been so long since I read the first book in this series. Once I did I was off and flying, and having a great time. It was a little weird not seeing the familiar St Mary's cast but I love Team Weird in this book so much it didn't really matter. They're such a cute team and seeing them working together and becoming friends is lovely. As is characteristic with this author this book is zany and weird in the best way and I've already ordered the next one and can't wait to dig into it
It took me a few chapters to adjust since it had been so long since I read the first book in this series. Once I did I was off and flying, and having a great time. It was a little weird not seeing the familiar St Mary's cast but I love Team Weird in this book so much it didn't really matter. They're such a cute team and seeing them working together and becoming friends is lovely. As is characteristic with this author this book is zany and weird in the best way and I've already ordered the next one and can't wait to dig into it
October 28, 2020
Another fabulous time travel novel from Jodi Taylor! I love this Time Police series - I'm also working my way through the St Mary's series. Great characters, full of action and absolutely despicable baddies. I can thoroughly recommend the audiobook. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
December 30, 2022
Another lovely romp with Team 236 and the rest of the Time Police.
March 13, 2023
I love this light hearted sci-fi series and it's adorable band of Time Police officers.
July 16, 2023
Perfect time travel. Great character evolution. A dastardly plot twist which had me on the edge of my seat.
Onto book #3 in the series straight away!!!
I read this via the Libby app.
Onto book #3 in the series straight away!!!
I read this via the Libby app.
November 13, 2025
I truly enjoyed this book. Fast moving, and the characters are engaging. The three main ones, especially Jane are coming into their own. Wacky and unpredictable the action is nonstop. The time travel was interesting, too.
June 15, 2023
Hilarious! As I grow to love these characters more with familiarity, Taylor climbs up my favourites list.
I shouldn't really give her the fifth star that I usually reserve for fair representation of lesbian women, but she makes me guffaw aloud, so for the positive effect upon my mood, she gets full marks!
I shouldn't really give her the fifth star that I usually reserve for fair representation of lesbian women, but she makes me guffaw aloud, so for the positive effect upon my mood, she gets full marks!
October 28, 2024
really fun and plot moved well
October 7, 2025
The second book in the St Mary's spin off series featuring Luke, Jane and Matthew (who is the son of Max Maxwell and Leon Farrell from St Mary's). The three of them are still trainee Time Police officers, known as Team Weird for their unorthodox ways of tackling situations that alternately drive Commander Hay slightly bonkers, while actually appreciating their originality (though she'd never tell them that, of course). This time they are sent to the seventeenth century to rescue a politician's daughter who has been dumped by a team of illegal time tourists. Unfortunately she turns out to be one of Luke's exes and she's not happy to be rescued, especially by him. She does, however give away some details of the illegal time travel organisation and Luke and Jane go undercover to see what information they can ferret out while Matthew spends some quality time with the time map. Expect peril, timeslips, Marie Antoinette, and Luke's mouth on overdrive. There's a brief intervention from St Mary's, some familiar character (Officer North, Major Ellis) and a fast-paced adventure. Jodi Taylor is one of my favourite authors, and this does not disappoint. I had this as an advance review copy from Netgalley. Publication is 15th October 2020.
Audiobook 16/10/2020
I read an advance copy on Kindle in September but had to wait until publication day for the audiobook. This is read by Zara Ramm who does her usual excellent job.
Audiobook 16/10/2020
I read an advance copy on Kindle in September but had to wait until publication day for the audiobook. This is read by Zara Ramm who does her usual excellent job.
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