Spoilery thread on Out of Time by Jodi Taylor?

Thanks for the explanation - it was all too subtle and totally bypassed me! .
I think I need to reread the last few books, or even all of them. I thought Max was deliberately trying to mislead everyone to sort out the timeline (which was causing the headaches).
I know I cant remember stuff about Treadwell too. He just seems to randomly pop up everywhere.

I think the actions of Henry Plimpton changed the timeline and it is really subtly done so you barely notice at first. When she returned to St Marys and there was no mention of Markham I thought it was because of the changes announced in the last St Marys book before I figured it out. She mentions going to see the princes in the tower and there was no trace of them - in the 'real' timeline this was the jump where Dr Bairstow saved Richard/Markham, but in OOT that hadn't happened because Henry had got there first. I think I worked out that if Markham wasn't there she wouldn't have had the medicine so still suffered from the time travel sickness, but can't remember the evidence! The headaches were also a sign that History was messed up and fighting back.

I really enjoyed Out of Time. The library siege was great fun and it picked up a few dangling threads from previous books. I did think Matthew in the Time Map was over a bit abruptly (I thought he was trapped in it but was really glad she didn't go that way) and a pet theory was confirmed as true - I've been muddling two characters and a friend suggested they were the same - they are! I am really, really hoping we get a resolution to Marietta Hay's storyline in the next book. I found Killing Time frustrating because it was barely brushed upon.

I’m so confused. I love the St Mary and TT books but this one left me feeling like I was missing something. Which I most likely was.
Why do people think Max was in an alternative universe? I thought Max pretended not to know who markham was, as his true identity was top secret. But that was why she suggested the jump be pulled forward so she wouldn’t clash with when she was there before. And equally she knew the princes wouldn’t be taken by Plumpton cause she knew Markham had to be there to be rescued by Bairstow a few days later.
In the previous alternative reality which was on the time map, those going into it knew what was happening. So why would Max not know before she went back to get the princes …. I don’t get why she would suddenly forget.

Oops, I've just fallen down the rabbit hole that is the FB CSM spoilers group. I may be gone some time

Leon calls her Lucy initially as a reference to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and then the 'official ' name change marks the change in timeline. Is that right?
I need to re-read. The only reason I can think of for her not recognising Markham is a different timeline

When they check into the hotel Leon introduces Max as Lucy. Wasn't she Lucy in the original timeline? Is it possible that Out of Time and the short story are running in the original timeline rather than the one we've become used to ?

Has anyone else read the Christmas short story yet? I'm part way through it and have an observation, is a spoiler okay re that?

Oh I must have missed a timeline leap- thanks everyone for the explanation. Back to re-read the series again!

I've been given this book which I hope will help me to sort out the timelines!

Why wasn't Max worried about Markham during the Princes in the Tower bit?

Because at that point they were in an alternate timeline and Markham as she knew him didn't exist.

And she must have been back to that time Period before, I vaguely remember a river!

She had been, in her own timeline. But not in the timeline she was in at that point.

Oh yes and what happened with the Time Map? Matthew just reappeared.

I agree - it jumped around a lot and seemed "bitty" although in fairness I only got to read it in small chunks, so that might have been me rather than the book.
I was also confused. Why wasn't Max worried about Markham during the Princes in the Tower bit?

And she must have been back to that time Period before, I vaguely remember a river!

Definitely needs a reread of the the TP series, but I wasn't a fan of the last book.

@EmpressaurusKitty, are you signed up to her Substack newsletter? It's called The Rushford Times and comes out every week. You get some fun very short stories (one involving Max, Dr Bairstow and an Egyptian mummy for Halloween for example) plus news, a bit of historical focus, her favourite authors etc. I don't pay for it, just get the free one, though there is a pay option.

You can get the Christmas stories from Amazon. They are published on Christmas Day every year and there have been a mixture of St Mary's and TP ones. This year it's St Mary's: Murder at Martingale Manor.

I did think, in her quite carefully set up world with rules, that the TP would never leave a dinosaur to live a happy life in a park, which made me think it was very odd. Plus Max's odd behaviour, lack of Markham etc.

I think there's definitely something fishy afoot. New St Mary's book comes out after the next Smallhope/Pennyroyal book, and I assume next TP book after that.

This year's Christmas Day drop was fun though.

I'm wondering if there's been a glitch in the Time Map (maybe caused by Matthew), and this is a resultant alternative universe without Markham. We've had them before, after all Max isn't living in her original universe and there are at least two bubble universes (although they do collapse in on themselves)
I got frustrated with the dinosaurs by the end.
And I'm about to settle down to read the Christmas short story in bed. I've been away since Christmas Eve and just got home so I've been saving it 🙃