Why we’re excited
A grocery store in San Francisco's Marina district becomes a crime scene when armed men seize everyone inside, killing two people within minutes. Among the captives are an FBI agent, two police officers carrying weapons, a mother in labour and an older couple facing a heart attack. Across one long day, a veteran who sleeps rough outside the shop works out a plan that might free them.
Danielle Steel is best known for family sagas and stories of women rebuilding their lives, and here she leans hard into suspense, with a SWAT standoff as the clock. It suits readers who like survival stories where strangers must rely on one another.
On our most-anticipated list since 25 October 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about 24 Hours
Danielle Steel is a familiar name here: 2 of Danielle Steel’s books have full reviews, averaging 4.3 out of 5. Our favourite to date is Far From Home (4.5★); the most recent is Never Say Never.
From the publisher
A hostage crisis erupts in San Francisco in this gripping novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel.
Days before Thanksgiving, a supermarket in San Francisco’s bustling residential Marina district is busy with shoppers preparing for a holiday filled with family and love. Then, violence shatters the festive mood as customers find themselves trapped with gunmen. Two murders are committed in the first few minutes of the hostage situation. The gunmen mean business.
The hostages are terrified, but not entirely helpless. Among the shoppers are FBI agent Tom Parker and two armed police officers.
Also trapped in the store is pregnant mother who was shopping with her young boys—and whose water just broke. A paramedic—whose own wife is home pregnant—tries to care for her under the worst possible circumstances. An elderly couple take comfort in being with each other—until one of them goes into cardiac arrest, creating a second medical emergency.
While the devoted store manager Fred Reilly has a gun held to his head, a homeless vet, who camps out in front of the supermarket, comes up with an idea that could potentially save them all.
In the tense, twenty-four-hour standoff with police and SWAT teams surrounding the store, many of the hostages come to reevaluate their lives and their choices. Amid the terror, new bonds are formed, which will prove life-changing. For those who survive, their gratitude this Thanksgiving will be profound.
Both thrilling and life-affirming, the emotional impact of this new novel by Danielle Steel will linger long after its dramatic resolution.
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read 24 Hours yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
