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Original poster

Spoilery thread on Out of Time by Jodi Taylor?

31 replies

EmpressaurusKitty · 27/12/2025 21:36

The latest Time Police book - I’ve just finished it but think I need to read it again to appreciate it properly, since one plot twist distracted me from everything else until near the end.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
mimbleandlittlemy · 28/12/2025 20:08

I am doing a full re-read because of this one. I think it will all come clear in both the next ST Mary’s book and the next TP book that something has happened to the timeline, either because of Matthew or because of Max being affected by too many jumps.

Original poster
EmpressaurusKitty · 27/12/2025 22:12

And since this is a spoiler thread, I didn't believe she would kill off Ellis and North.

I wasn’t sure, since she did kill off Helen Foster.

I’ve only read / listened to the other books on library apps so far, & it’s a while since I read the last St Mary’s book so I kept wondering if I’d forgotten Guthrie’s death / Markham’s leaving St Mary’s.

OP posts:
HelenaWilson · 27/12/2025 22:02

I read it over Christmas too, and like pp I need to read it again too, to work out exactly when and how the temporal anomaly (as Capt. Picard would call it) occurred.

I knew something was up when Matthew was stuck in the Time Map in 1483 - significant date - and thought of Hyssop as Head of Security. Then Max had been to 1483 before, then she hadn't been, which we were obviously meant to notice, because she made such a point of having been to the time of Romulus before.

And since this is a spoiler thread, I didn't believe she would kill off Ellis and North.

Bit of a ramble, those are just my initial thoughts. I nearly always have to go back and re-read the new book and the preceding books to get it all straight. I don't know how Jodi keeps track of all the characters and storylines.

FadedRed · 27/12/2025 21:52

I thought it was the best TPO book so far, really enjoyed it and was sorry to finish, but think I might have to go back and reread the last two or three St Mary’s books as I get confused with some of the characters and their back stories.
Has JT done a Christmas short story this year?

Original poster
EmpressaurusKitty · 27/12/2025 21:47

Songlines · 27/12/2025 21:40

Yes. I've loved all the others but this one seems to have divided opinion. In the end I stuck with it and, like you, I think I need to re read it to clarify some things. I know of others who have simply given up on it.
I suspect all will become clear(er) in future books.

Since I put spoilers in the title…

All the way through I was waiting for an explanation as to why the hell Max had forgotten Markham, trying to remember if I’d heard of Hyssop before & gradually working it all out, which meant I was impatient through all the dinosaur stuff.

Once it got to Max’s return to St Mary’s, & Markham reappeared, I wanted the book to carry on from there.

I also thought there were a few too many snarky comments about Max. They’re to be expected from the Time Police, but having them in the actual narration as well was annoying.

I think given the choice I’d either be a historian or part of R&D. Not a TPO.

OP posts:
Songlines · 27/12/2025 21:40

Yes. I've loved all the others but this one seems to have divided opinion. In the end I stuck with it and, like you, I think I need to re read it to clarify some things. I know of others who have simply given up on it.
I suspect all will become clear(er) in future books.

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