An Actual Review of Tracks in Time…

My second novel, Tracks in Time is due for release soon, but in order to get a feel for what the general public might feel about it, us authors tend to send out a few advance copies for review. Here’s an actual review recieved…

Tracks in Time is a novel about the moments we almost miss and how they can quietly transform our lives. It opens on New Year’s Eve 1999, where a split-second decision on a London underground platform becomes a moral hinge, echoing decades later in the life of Daniel, the protagonist. In that unique moment, the central theme is established: how small acts of attention, kindness, or hesitation can ripple far beyond their immediate context.

Daniel is a man who is competent and reliable, but deeply stuck in life. His life functions well on the surface with steady work and a robust support system. However, beneath that stability lies a persistent sense of hesitation for Daniel. Through careful observation, dry humour, and moments of striking clarity, the reader comes to understand not just what Daniel does, but how he avoids, defers, and quietly negotiates his own desires. The result is a deeply humane character whom readers instinctively connect with, not because he is extraordinary, but because he is so relatably ordinary.

The story’s strength lies in its honest core: the recognition that a life can be stable, safe, and still feel unfinished. Above all, it resists the familiar narrative of radical reinvention or dramatic escape. Instead, it offers a gentler suggestion that a meaningful life is built through attention and courage applied daily.

What makes Tracks in Time particularly resonant is its reminder that history does not tidy itself away. The author, Steve McCarthy, understands that adulthood is often shaped by the slow accumulation of choices deferred and risks not taken, rather than by dramatic turning points. He crafts a story that unfolds through showing up and the moral weight of small decisions rather than grand gestures.

Tracks in Time for anyone who has ever felt that their life was technically fine and still wanted more. Long after the final page, the book lingers with a profound question: What are you waiting for?

Tracks in Time is available for pre-order (Kindle) on Amazon now, and is releases on both Kindle and in Paperback on 2nd February 2026

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GBYVP9JD