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Time's Undoing
A searing and tender novel about a young Black journalist’s search for answers in the unsolved murder of her great-grandfather in segregated Birmingham, Alabama, decades ago—inspired by the author’s own family history
Birmingham, 1929: Robert Lee Harrington, a master carpenter, has just moved to Alabama to pursue a job opportunity, bringing along his pregnant wife and young daughter. Birmingham is in its heyday, known as the “Magic City” for its booming steel industry, and while Robert and his family find much to enjoy in the city’s busy markets and vibrant nightlife, it’s also a stronghold for the Klan. And with his beautiful, light-skinned wife and snazzy car, Robert begins to worry that he might be drawing the wrong kind of attention.
2019: Meghan McKenzie, the youngest reporter at the Detroit Free Press, has grown up hearing family lore about her great-grandfather’s murder—but no one knows the full story of what really happened back then, and his body was never found. Determined to find answers to her family’s long-buried tragedy and spurred by the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement, Meghan travels to Birmingham. But as her investigation begins to uncover dark secrets that spider across both the city and time, her life may be in danger.
Inspired by true events, Time’s Undoing is both a passionate tale of one woman’s quest for the truth behind the racially motivated trauma that has haunted her family for generations and, as newfound friends and supporters in Birmingham rally around Meghan’s search, the uplifting story of a community coming together to fight for change.
Birmingham, 1929: Robert Lee Harrington, a master carpenter, has just moved to Alabama to pursue a job opportunity, bringing along his pregnant wife and young daughter. Birmingham is in its heyday, known as the “Magic City” for its booming steel industry, and while Robert and his family find much to enjoy in the city’s busy markets and vibrant nightlife, it’s also a stronghold for the Klan. And with his beautiful, light-skinned wife and snazzy car, Robert begins to worry that he might be drawing the wrong kind of attention.
2019: Meghan McKenzie, the youngest reporter at the Detroit Free Press, has grown up hearing family lore about her great-grandfather’s murder—but no one knows the full story of what really happened back then, and his body was never found. Determined to find answers to her family’s long-buried tragedy and spurred by the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement, Meghan travels to Birmingham. But as her investigation begins to uncover dark secrets that spider across both the city and time, her life may be in danger.
Inspired by true events, Time’s Undoing is both a passionate tale of one woman’s quest for the truth behind the racially motivated trauma that has haunted her family for generations and, as newfound friends and supporters in Birmingham rally around Meghan’s search, the uplifting story of a community coming together to fight for change.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2023
About the author
Cheryl A. Head
9 books251 followersShe/Her. I write the Anthony Award nominated Charlie Mack Motown Mystery series-two-time, Lambda Literary Award Finalist, Goldie Winner, Next Generation Indie Award Finalist. I live and write in DC with my partner and two dogs. Introvert, solver of puzzles, righter of fictional wrongs. Look for Time's Undoing, published by Dutton Books in 2023
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December 21, 2022Time’s Undoing is time well spent – a heartbreaking dual timeline tale about the murder of a Black man in 1929 Birmingham and his great-granddaughter’s dogged attempts to find out what happened 90 years later. Cheryl Head uses her own grandfather’s murder at the hands of the local police to craft an unforgettable novel that’s a compelling mix of historical family drama, well-plotted mystery, and searing social commentary.
March 6, 2024
Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A Head. Another wonderfully written novel. Dual timeline. One in 1929 Jim Crow , Birmingham Alabama snd the other 2019 the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. Megan travels from Detroit to Birmingham to research how the police interact with the black community. While there she also investigates a possible murder of her great grandfather and where he maybe buried. She unearths much more than she bargained for. Deep secrets buried in the south. Secrets some people will go to any means necessary to keep secret.
October 25, 2022
A deeply absorbing and intricately-woven story of racial injustice and the healing power of truth. It confronts the issue of police brutality on the epic scale of decades and generations whilst preserving the intimate, human detail that gives the novel its heart.
March 20, 2023
[3,5 stars]
I had been looking forward to this book and it could have been so much more. The story was interesting and the way the truth was revealed certainly thought-provoking enough. But I found the writing shallow, repetive and at times just boring. It reminded me more of an essay for school or maybe a book for teenagers.
I had been looking forward to this book and it could have been so much more. The story was interesting and the way the truth was revealed certainly thought-provoking enough. But I found the writing shallow, repetive and at times just boring. It reminded me more of an essay for school or maybe a book for teenagers.
December 3, 2022
Timely. Historical. Deeply moving. Terrifying and disturbing. Necessary.
This book is so difficult to explain well! It's part thriller, part historical mystery, and all important. I loved the main character, worried about her safety, and couldn't put down the sections about her grandfather and her research into the past.
I think the most disturbing part of this thriller is the fact that so little has changed in our country in a century.
This book is so difficult to explain well! It's part thriller, part historical mystery, and all important. I loved the main character, worried about her safety, and couldn't put down the sections about her grandfather and her research into the past.
I think the most disturbing part of this thriller is the fact that so little has changed in our country in a century.
March 19, 2023
Family multigenerational drama at its best set in two time frames: Birmingham, Alabama 1929; Detroit, Michigan 2019. Time’s Undoing is based on a true story of racial injustice in America. Book review clubs will discover a plethora of discussion themes, read it!
Brava to excellent author, Cheryl A. Head
Brava to excellent author, Cheryl A. Head
March 16, 2023
This should be marked as a young adult novel. Language and tone was juvenile which distracted from the story telling.
April 1, 2023
Based on real life events, this book is a moving story of a young journalist doing a research for her future article, discovering the secrets of her family past. It is also an exceptional, gripping mystery/triller. Cheryl A. Head is a wizard of this genre and of storytelling in general.
I loved every page of it.
I loved every page of it.
March 30, 2023
What length will someone one go to uncover the truth? That’s what I thought about after reading Time’s Undoing. This was such an extraordinary novel I literally enjoyed every moment of reading this book. When I say I want to read historical fiction this book is the perfect example of that. The type of mood it creates was so masterful and the mystery and suspense behind uncovering the truth about Meghan’s grandfather had me on edge. It was also the perfect blend between the 1920’s and present day. Once I found out the author based some of the book off her family history I was immersed even deeper into the story.
This heartbreaking story will take you back into a world where tragedy strikes and those who vowed to uphold the law attempt to cover up the truth. Inspired by true events the novel follows Meghan McKenzie a young Black reporter who searches for answers in the unsolved murder of her great-grandfather Robert Lee Harrington in segregated Birmingham, Alabama, back in the 1920’s. It unfolds between alternating timelines of the past and present by both Meghan and her grandfather Robert.
The authors vivid depiction of the past and her similarities to police brutality and corruption in the judicial system shows that these are issues African Americans still face today. I felt so many emotions while reading this book I was upset even a little heartbroken at one point.
Overall this book was nothing short of amazing for me. The believable details, great pacing, and the way the characters background stories are gradually revealed keeps the reading going. Although the novel centers around such a tragic event knowing the truth will be uncovered by the end gives a degree of hope. Special thanks to the author, @duttonbooks, & @netgalley for my advanced copy!!!!
This heartbreaking story will take you back into a world where tragedy strikes and those who vowed to uphold the law attempt to cover up the truth. Inspired by true events the novel follows Meghan McKenzie a young Black reporter who searches for answers in the unsolved murder of her great-grandfather Robert Lee Harrington in segregated Birmingham, Alabama, back in the 1920’s. It unfolds between alternating timelines of the past and present by both Meghan and her grandfather Robert.
The authors vivid depiction of the past and her similarities to police brutality and corruption in the judicial system shows that these are issues African Americans still face today. I felt so many emotions while reading this book I was upset even a little heartbroken at one point.
Overall this book was nothing short of amazing for me. The believable details, great pacing, and the way the characters background stories are gradually revealed keeps the reading going. Although the novel centers around such a tragic event knowing the truth will be uncovered by the end gives a degree of hope. Special thanks to the author, @duttonbooks, & @netgalley for my advanced copy!!!!
January 11, 2023
Strong plotting and history, but lots of the latter is told through thick blocks of dialogue and it leaves the characters feeling a little flat. Like AI characters in a history program.
I'm a former journalist. The process of journalism in this book is pretty solid, but some of the slang -- calling a newsroom a bullpen -- and even the initiating event, ie sending a reporter hundred of miles away for a nebulous personal story, are from a different era of newspapers, when companies were flush and reporters and editors plentiful. It doesn't hurt the story, but if you know that, it does pull you out of the narrative.
This would be a good discussion group book to get people talking.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
I'm a former journalist. The process of journalism in this book is pretty solid, but some of the slang -- calling a newsroom a bullpen -- and even the initiating event, ie sending a reporter hundred of miles away for a nebulous personal story, are from a different era of newspapers, when companies were flush and reporters and editors plentiful. It doesn't hurt the story, but if you know that, it does pull you out of the narrative.
This would be a good discussion group book to get people talking.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
January 12, 2023
“Pain does dim with memory. It resides deep in the marrow and lasts for generations.”
My interest was piqued immediately when I read the publisher’s citation which indicates this book is inspired by the author’s family history. Once I began reading, I was invested to see how things were going to play out. I thought I’d finish a chapter or two before bed, but retired that first night having completed a third of the novel in one sitting - and completed it the second night effortlessly.
True to the title, the time theme is pervasive: There are two narrators in two eras who recount their stories in alternating chapters. In 2019 Detroit, Meghan McKenzie, an investigative journalist covering the Black Lives Movement, is compelled to highlight police violence as generational trauma and dually address the unsolved murder of her great-grandfather (Robert Lee Harrington) in Birmingham, AL. In 1929 Birmingham, Robert, narrates his experiences and challenges as a (Black) man navigating and surviving (because it’s difficult to use the term “living” in this context) under duress in the segregated Jim Crow South in both St. Petersburg, FL and Birmingham, AL.
Meghan is authorized to travel South and bolster her story in a week. What unfolds is the history of Birmingham aka The Magic City – the good, the bad, and the ugly of this once booming City of Industry hailed as the Pittsburgh of the South. Meghan is a methodical investigator and the reader tags along as she follows the breadcrumbs to unravel the mystery behind her forefather’s demise. Robert’s story is an all too familiar cautionary tale of a talented man, full of dreams and confidence, who succumbs to the proverbial ire of a “scorned woman” and the ill-fated results of attracting attention from the wrong crowd. It also bolsters Meghan’s position regarding the distrust and angst that marginalized communities harbor as a result of decades-long systemic racism, social injustices and repeated, unanswered occurrences of police brutality. Her family history is a testament of how a seemingly isolated act has a catastrophic impact on the entire community and negatively affects his and other families for multiple generations.
The supporting cast of characters are smart, well-connected, and contribute to Meghan’s quest in meaningful ways. This book offers hope and a satisfying ending (I hope that’s not considered a spoiler) when in reality, that is not usually the case. This is a quick, timely, satisfying read that mirrors events from yesteryear and today’s headlines – causing one to question if times have really changed. Recommended for book clubs as it will no doubt spark great conversation around pertinent matters.
Thanks to Penguin Group, Dutton, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read in advance for an honest review.
My interest was piqued immediately when I read the publisher’s citation which indicates this book is inspired by the author’s family history. Once I began reading, I was invested to see how things were going to play out. I thought I’d finish a chapter or two before bed, but retired that first night having completed a third of the novel in one sitting - and completed it the second night effortlessly.
True to the title, the time theme is pervasive: There are two narrators in two eras who recount their stories in alternating chapters. In 2019 Detroit, Meghan McKenzie, an investigative journalist covering the Black Lives Movement, is compelled to highlight police violence as generational trauma and dually address the unsolved murder of her great-grandfather (Robert Lee Harrington) in Birmingham, AL. In 1929 Birmingham, Robert, narrates his experiences and challenges as a (Black) man navigating and surviving (because it’s difficult to use the term “living” in this context) under duress in the segregated Jim Crow South in both St. Petersburg, FL and Birmingham, AL.
Meghan is authorized to travel South and bolster her story in a week. What unfolds is the history of Birmingham aka The Magic City – the good, the bad, and the ugly of this once booming City of Industry hailed as the Pittsburgh of the South. Meghan is a methodical investigator and the reader tags along as she follows the breadcrumbs to unravel the mystery behind her forefather’s demise. Robert’s story is an all too familiar cautionary tale of a talented man, full of dreams and confidence, who succumbs to the proverbial ire of a “scorned woman” and the ill-fated results of attracting attention from the wrong crowd. It also bolsters Meghan’s position regarding the distrust and angst that marginalized communities harbor as a result of decades-long systemic racism, social injustices and repeated, unanswered occurrences of police brutality. Her family history is a testament of how a seemingly isolated act has a catastrophic impact on the entire community and negatively affects his and other families for multiple generations.
The supporting cast of characters are smart, well-connected, and contribute to Meghan’s quest in meaningful ways. This book offers hope and a satisfying ending (I hope that’s not considered a spoiler) when in reality, that is not usually the case. This is a quick, timely, satisfying read that mirrors events from yesteryear and today’s headlines – causing one to question if times have really changed. Recommended for book clubs as it will no doubt spark great conversation around pertinent matters.
Thanks to Penguin Group, Dutton, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read in advance for an honest review.
April 7, 2023
3.5
Everybody from Michigan knows the Detroit Free Press isn’t sending anyone anywhere for a news story. That alone was difficult for this MI native to get past.
The gratuitous mention of Airbnb on repeat was almost enough for me to DNF this title. What’s the deal with all the brand name dropping ? Yikes.
While I did enjoy this book for the most part (I listen on audio-highly recommend, it was a very well done ensemble) it read like a YA novel, which is fine except it isn’t a YA novel. The premise is fantastic, perhaps it needs slightly different marketing target to reach its full potential.
Everybody from Michigan knows the Detroit Free Press isn’t sending anyone anywhere for a news story. That alone was difficult for this MI native to get past.
The gratuitous mention of Airbnb on repeat was almost enough for me to DNF this title. What’s the deal with all the brand name dropping ? Yikes.
While I did enjoy this book for the most part (I listen on audio-highly recommend, it was a very well done ensemble) it read like a YA novel, which is fine except it isn’t a YA novel. The premise is fantastic, perhaps it needs slightly different marketing target to reach its full potential.
February 17, 2023
I really liked this by the end, but at the start, I hope the mundane details ("Called this person, left a message and hope to hear back") get removed in the final version. Why would I want that?
March 5, 2023
Not bad overall. My issue is that it was more like a YA-ish style book which really isn't my thing. YMMV
March 11, 2023
RTC.
Compelling. Brilliant.
Compelling. Brilliant.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
March 27, 2023DNF at 37%. Good premise, but the characters felt a bit flat with there being too much telling and not enough showing in the writing. I didn’t care enough about the mystery to draw me in.
October 24, 2024
This is historical fiction at its finest. The story is heartbreaking and based on the author's family. Well written and a dual timeline that flows.
July 13, 2024
This is a book with dual timelines. One in 1929 and the other in 2019. Meghan is a young African-American journalist from Detroit who wants to write an expose of the corruption in the police department in Birmingham AL. Her great-grandfather was murdered under mysterious circumstances in 1929. This is Meghan’s story. I gave it 3 stars. I liked it quite well but it had an element toward the end that I never embrace. If you read it, you will see what I mean.
February 28, 2023
I would give this a 3.5 if I could. Time's Undoing is a cozy mystery with a little romance and mysticism thrown in for fun. It was a light and easy read, but a little too sugary sweet for me.
March 31, 2023
I was surprised to discover that it's a YA Romance being disguised as a thriller and a call for justice and change. Had to re-read the book jacket to make sure I didn't miss something. Disappointing and a waste of a good premise.
May 17, 2023
Narration is bad. Female narrator sounds nothing like a reporter.
Plot line is good, but execution is not. Multiple sentences in a row starting with I. Lack of complex sentences. Almost no figurative language.
Sad. I thought this would be a great book.
Plot line is good, but execution is not. Multiple sentences in a row starting with I. Lack of complex sentences. Almost no figurative language.
Sad. I thought this would be a great book.
April 5, 2023
Moving, captivating, heartbreaking, beautiful, gut-wrenching, intriguing, mesmerizing. These are the words I use to describe this literary mystery from Cheryl A. Head.
I loved this book so much and it gave me the same feelings as when I read THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET by Diane Chamberlain.
Based on true events from the author’s own life, this book is remarkable. Highly recommend!
I loved this book so much and it gave me the same feelings as when I read THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET by Diane Chamberlain.
Based on true events from the author’s own life, this book is remarkable. Highly recommend!
March 10, 2024
3.5 stars
an interesting and intriguing story, but some parts fell a bit flat.
an interesting and intriguing story, but some parts fell a bit flat.
February 2, 2023
Thank you Netgalley and Dutton books for the opportunity to read this novel. I was quickly captivated by this book and finished it in just two days; it was definitely a 5-star read for me.
This book did the dual plot lines well flipping back and forth between modern day (2019) and the past (1929), and it was exciting to see how these came together. Both timelines showcased common themes of racial discrimination, violence, and corruption while also highlighting the power of family and community. For a debut author, I was really impressed by how these timelines worked together without becoming repetitive or spoiling the ending.
The book included a diverse group of characters (in both timelines) who represent a lot of different societal positions and beliefs. The ways these characters formed friendships (and enemies) was very relatable to the divisions that remain in our society today. My only gripe as that the characters felt under-developed at the beginning of the book, but this seemed much better in the second half. If their personalities were better developed from the beginning, I think it would have helped highlight the personal growth of some of the characters, especially Meghan.
Overall, this was a well-written debut novel. It reminded me a lot of the YA debut novel "We Deserve Monuments" that was released in Nov. 2022 as the themes and plot had many similarities. However, this one provided more depth and further commentary, perfect for adult readers. It is definitely one that I will be recommending this year.
This book did the dual plot lines well flipping back and forth between modern day (2019) and the past (1929), and it was exciting to see how these came together. Both timelines showcased common themes of racial discrimination, violence, and corruption while also highlighting the power of family and community. For a debut author, I was really impressed by how these timelines worked together without becoming repetitive or spoiling the ending.
The book included a diverse group of characters (in both timelines) who represent a lot of different societal positions and beliefs. The ways these characters formed friendships (and enemies) was very relatable to the divisions that remain in our society today. My only gripe as that the characters felt under-developed at the beginning of the book, but this seemed much better in the second half. If their personalities were better developed from the beginning, I think it would have helped highlight the personal growth of some of the characters, especially Meghan.
Overall, this was a well-written debut novel. It reminded me a lot of the YA debut novel "We Deserve Monuments" that was released in Nov. 2022 as the themes and plot had many similarities. However, this one provided more depth and further commentary, perfect for adult readers. It is definitely one that I will be recommending this year.
May 5, 2023
Journalist Meghan McKenzie is searching for the story behind family lore in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement. No better time than now to connect the past to the present while gaining the answers your family has never known. McKenzie travels from Detroit to Birmingham and gets way more than she bargained for. Buckle up and hold on 💺 , you’re in for an adventure with this genre combo of romance, history, mystery, and thrill.
The transitions from the past to present are seamless 👌🏾. The past really works to complement the present. And none of it was overdone. Sometimes historical fiction plots contain too many elements that become hard to keep track of, and that wasn’t the case with this book at all.
If you enjoyed On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Y. Clark, then Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head is for you.
The transitions from the past to present are seamless 👌🏾. The past really works to complement the present. And none of it was overdone. Sometimes historical fiction plots contain too many elements that become hard to keep track of, and that wasn’t the case with this book at all.
If you enjoyed On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Y. Clark, then Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head is for you.
May 10, 2023
This story had great potential..Megan a reporter was researching her family history to uncover the truth about her great grandfather. The story went between past and present seamlessly giving us the truth of what happened while she uncovered clues of the past …but.. The ending that’s where they lost me the way that they tried to tie in the white supremacy of the past to the present to explain why her ancestor was killed, and why it was a secret didn’t make any sense. Then for her to be Kidnapped in front of everyone and still make out alive was a huge stretch . The reasons given for her being threatened still didn’t make sense…. if you read this book and make it to the end, please come back and explain to me and maybe I’m missing something on how she try to wrap this book up in the end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2023
Time's Undoing is part mystery, part historical fiction, and all wake up call about racial injustice in America.
It follows Meghan, a journalist who's been covering the Black Lives Matter movement and the police shootings of Black men. She decides to start digging into her own family history, trying to uncover what happened to her great-grandfather who was shot by police in Birmingham, Alabama in 1929. We also follow that great-grandfather, struggling to make a living and stay alive in the South.
The tension builds as someone is unhappy about Meghan digging into Birmingham's history, with the last 50 pages reading more like a thriller. I found it fascinating to read about her methodology as a reporter, digging through archives and interviewing different people. The work sounded tedious at times, and unfortunately, the book got too bogged down in details.
We're confronted with so many tragedies in the past and present, and the generational harm left by the legacy of racism. It's about how much has stayed unchanged, how "they can put men into space, but they won't make space for Black men."
There's still hope throughout the book, though, as people come to Meghan's aid. She builds a community quickly in Birmingham, full of people trying to create a better future. The ending is bittersweet, leaving us with a reminder of the trauma that's already been caused but also hope for a better tomorrow. 3.5 stars
Thank you Dutton for my copy of the book!
It follows Meghan, a journalist who's been covering the Black Lives Matter movement and the police shootings of Black men. She decides to start digging into her own family history, trying to uncover what happened to her great-grandfather who was shot by police in Birmingham, Alabama in 1929. We also follow that great-grandfather, struggling to make a living and stay alive in the South.
The tension builds as someone is unhappy about Meghan digging into Birmingham's history, with the last 50 pages reading more like a thriller. I found it fascinating to read about her methodology as a reporter, digging through archives and interviewing different people. The work sounded tedious at times, and unfortunately, the book got too bogged down in details.
We're confronted with so many tragedies in the past and present, and the generational harm left by the legacy of racism. It's about how much has stayed unchanged, how "they can put men into space, but they won't make space for Black men."
There's still hope throughout the book, though, as people come to Meghan's aid. She builds a community quickly in Birmingham, full of people trying to create a better future. The ending is bittersweet, leaving us with a reminder of the trauma that's already been caused but also hope for a better tomorrow. 3.5 stars
Thank you Dutton for my copy of the book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews