In an Instant

By: Suzanne Redfearn

Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

An Amazon Charts bestseller.

A deeply moving story of carrying on even when it seems impossible.

Life is over in an instant for sixteen-year-old Finn Miller when a devastating car accident tumbles her and ten others over the side of a mountain. Suspended between worlds, she watches helplessly as those she loves struggle to survive.

Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret. Unable to let go, Finn keeps vigil as they struggle to reclaim their shattered lives. Jack, her father, who seeks vengeance against the one person he can blame other than himself; her best friend, Mo, who bravely searches for the truth as the story of their survival is rewritten; her sister Chloe, who knows Finn lingers and yearns to join her; and her mother, Ann, who saved them all but is haunted by her decisions. Finn needs to move on, but how can she with her family still in pieces?

Heartrending yet ultimately redemptive, In an Instant is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and carrying on...even when it seems impossible.

©2020 Suzanne Redfearn (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved

Critic reviews

"The characters are sensitively portrayed, as is their recovery, and the hopeful ending is realistic. Readers of domestic dramas will be enthralled." —Booklist

Intriguing look at the aftermath

Tragedy is one of those things that, if you weren't involved, it's not hard to look forward. However, those who experience it often struggle to live with survival and the emotional trauma that lingers. This book attempts to look at a single instant and its repercussions on a group of individuals. Each person involved remembers differently and is permanently changed.

Some of the characters were stereotypical. but the author did an admirable job exploring the myriad responses to tragedy. The narrator did an exceptional job managing the number of voices and her emotional expressions were spot on.

This is now my favorite book! i

it's written brilliantly! The incident that happened in this book is both tragic and horrible, and the writer gets the real look as to how it affected the people. This book is a page-turner.

Adeptly Narrated

This is a thought-provoking, touching story of how a family deals with tragedy. The narrator was incredibly skilled at going between the voices of the different characters. The first 3rd of the book was so exciting I wanted to call in sick from work to finish it and find out what happened. If there was justice. I'm seeing reviews saying there was no happy ending-all books don't have to be like that. This is a story about morality and character. Does our conscience change with cirumstance? I was impressed.

Very sad indeed

I had a hard time getting through this book not because it was boring but so sad. The book was well written and really made you think about how a family can recover from a tragic accident that happened. I found it interesting that the narrator was the dead daughter, therefore kept me interested in the story. It was so so sad though to me, so it took nearly a month for me to finish it. However, even though it was sad I enjoyed it, and the reader was fantastic!

Loved it

Absolutely the best narration I have listened to. Flawless.
An emotional rollercoaster that is well worth the ride.

One if the most thought provoking stories.

I used an entire box of tissues. Every emotion was felt to my deepest core!

The narrator had me hanging on every word. It was so relatable. So eye opening. So revealing.

This will be read over and over!

Awful.... but makes you think

The story itself is awful.... like a train wreck you can't look away from. The story itself is well written and an odd twist having it narrated from the grave. A lot of things in this story that really make you think about how you would react if put in the same situation. We all hope we would be better, but we never really know until we're put in that situation. I pray I never have to find out. It's a good story, the ending is a bit week. I would still recommend.

Mesmerizing

A great book. The author perfectly captures the behavior of entitled adults who gave the inability to parent without extreme selfishness.

I did appreciate the highlighting of “gray” areas of morality. However, holding adults and adolescence to the same standard is a stretch in my opinion. But, possibly more realistic than I like to believe.

Realizing just how precious life is!!

Caught up in the drama from the beginning. Vived descriptions that put you in the characters shoes and make you aware of life!!

Pearls of wisdom

In the midst of great sorrow, great insight and thoughts about what lays beyond as well as what is left behind.