160,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Six Minutes

3.85 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 3,045 ratings, 321 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Six Minutes by Petronella McGovern, a perfectly ordinary family outing turns into a terrifying ordeal when a child vanishes without a trace. As the clock ticks, secrets unravel, and every minute counts in the frantic search. This gripping narrative delves into the complexities of trust and family dynamics, captivating readers with its tense and emotional journey.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2600
Elsewhere:
$2799
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This gripping novel may appeal to you if you're fascinated by psychological thrillers that delve into the complexities of parenthood and community secrets. It unravels the tension and desperation surrounding the mysterious disappearance of a young child, capturing the emotional turmoil and suspicions that arise as secrets come to light. With its captivating plot and intricate character dynamics, this story keeps you guessing until the very end.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

An unputdownable thriller for fans of Liane Moriarty and Caroline Overington. If you were gripped watching The Cry, you'll be hooked on Six Minutes.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Impossible to put down and full of twists and turns you won't see coming! I loved this fabulous debut novel. - Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of Nine Perfect Strangers

...a suspenseful suburban thriller that steals your time and won't give it back. - Crime Book of the Month, Readings.com

How can a child disappear from under the care of four playgroup mums?

One Thursday morning, Lexie Parker dashes to the shop for biscuits, leaving Bella in the safe care of the other mums in the playgroup.

Six minutes later, Bella is gone.

Police and media descend on the tiny village of Merrigang on the edge of Canberra. Locals unite to search the dense bushland. But as the investigation continues, relationships start to fracture, online hate messages target Lexie, and the community is engulfed by fear.

Is Bella's disappearance connected to the angry protests at Parliament House? What secrets are the parents hiding? And why does a local teacher keep a photo of Bella in his lounge room?

What happened in those six minutes and where is Bella?

The clock is ticking...

This gripping novel will keep you guessing to the very last twist.

In a small community where everyone knows everyone else, everybody has secrets. No matter how far you try to outrun your past, even uprooting your life and the lives of your family to the literal other side of the planet, somehow you never escape. - Newtown Review of Books

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Six Minutes by Petronella McGovern is a gripping thriller that has been praised for its intricate plot and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight its compelling exploration of parental anxiety and community dynamics, often noting the suspenseful narrative that keeps readers engaged. The characters are described as believable and well-developed, enhancing the story's tension and realism.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760877569

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 June 2020

Country: Australia

Imprint: Allen & Unwin

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 360g

Pages: 448

About the Author

Petronella McGovern works in marketing and communications, and has written two non-fiction books. She grew up on a farm near Bathurst, New South Wales. This novel was inspired by her time living on the edge of Canberra, when her children's playgroup became a soure of support and friendship. Petronella now lives in Sydney, with her husband and two children, in a house backing on the bush with wallabies in the garden. Six Minutes is her first novel. Her new novel, The Good Teacher, will be published in 2020.

Also by Petronella McGovern

View all
  • The Good Teacher
    The Good Teacher is a fast-paced, heart-stopping thriller full of gripping tension, twists, and turns from bestselling author Petronella McGovern. Who Magazine A good teacher can change lives... Every evening, Allison watches her husband's new house, desperate to find some answers. Every morning, she puts on a brave face to teach kindergarten. She's a good teacher, everyone says soβ€”this stalking...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Last Trace
    'Petronella McGovern consistently delivers smart, twisty page-turners guaranteed to keep her readers coming back for more.' β€” Liane Moriarty The Last Trace has the winning combination of strong plot and heart that is sure to make it a favourite with fans of Sally Hepworth and Caroline Overington. One tip? Block out your diary. It's unlikely you'll want to move until...
    Paperback
    $3500
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • On Sale
    19% off
    The Liars
    One of my favourite Australian writers! Petronella McGovern consistently delivers smart, twisty page-turners guaranteed to keep her readers coming back for more! Liane Moriarty Compelling, contemporary crime fiction at its best. McGovern fully captures the soul of an Australian small town overdue a reckoning. RWR McDonald, author of the bestselling Nancy Business A wife burning with resentment. A husband hiding...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Every Time She Wakes
    Every Time She Wakes is gripping, unsettling and impossible to put down. With each time loop, the tension escalates and the stakes become heartbreakingly personal. A brilliant race against fate and time. I'll be adding this to my 'most often recommended' list. Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of Mad Mabel Every Time She Wakes is a taut, time-bending thriller about family,...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

More from General Fiction

View all
  • Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE β€” Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE β€” Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE β€” Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS β€” Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale β€” Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    A Court of Splintered Harmony
    Romance, danger, and intrigue await you in the breathtaking sixth book in the #1 bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series.What was broken will be remade.Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories,...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Threshing Day
    The next book in the blockbuster Empyrean series, Threshing DayΒ contains thirteen stories starring your favorite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-color illustrations by artist Joe Requeza.Β  Β  Rebecca Yarros is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing and In the...
    Hardback
    $6999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set (5 books)
    All five of the Court of Thorns and Roses paperbacks packaged together in a gorgeous box set. "Passionate, violent, sexy and daring." β€”USA TODAY on A Court of Thorns and Roses Feyre is a huntress. The skin of a wolf would bring enough gold to feed her sisters for a month. But the life of a magical creature comes at...
    Set
    $9999
    Elsewhere:
    $12495
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Assassin’s Apprentice
    Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Chain Reaction
    Jack Reacher, \"the coolest continuing series character\" (Stephen King), returns in a brand new, pulse-pounding read from Lee and Andrew Child. The world’s bestselling hero is back in a brand new, high-octane adventure! β€˜She knew that finding Reacher would not be easy . . .’ Washington DC. General Susan Turner needs help from the only guy she knows will get...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Things We Never Say
    Internationally bestselling and prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout's new novel tells the story of a chance incident in a man's lifeβ€”a poignant meditation on loneliness, friendship, and free will in a capsizing world. Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He spends his days teaching history to high schoolers, expanding their young minds, correcting their casual cruelties, and lending a...
    Hardback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin
    The third instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. In A Court of Wings and Ruin, the gripping third book of the ACOTAR series, Feyre Archeron faces the ultimate battle for her world. Having returned to the Spring Court, she is determined to gather...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Mist and Fury
    A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas continues Feyre Archeron's epic journey in the world of the High Fae. Having survived the brutal trials under the Mountain, Feyre returns to the Spring Court. Though she now possesses the immortal powers of the High Fae, the traumatic experiences have left scars on her human heart. Haunted by the...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 160,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!