Who's There? (The Time Police)
by Jodi Taylor
Double, double, Team Weird's in trouble. It's Halloween, and something wicked this way comes...The Time Police don't do Halloween. They like to make that clear. So, it's just an ordinary day when Luke, Jane and Matthew are despatched on a minor mission to apprehend some insignificant but illegal time travellers.The result is a surprising success - miscreants arrested and artefacts recovered. Congratulations all round. Until it becomes very apparent that miscreants and artefacts are not all they've brought back with them.What can Luke hear inside the wall?What's behind Jane in the corridor?What's under Matthew's bed?And then people begin to die at TPHQ and suddenly it's a race against time.To which shambolic organisation could Team Weird turn for help? We all know the answer to that one...Readers love Jodi 'The Chronicles of St Mary's is one of the most enjoyable series of books I have ever read''Jodi Taylor is a master storyteller''I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so much reading a book''I am always gutted when I finish a Jodi Taylor book as I know I will have to wait for the next one'
Rating
4.56
REVIEWS
A spooky short story involving Team Weird, a recon job into the Bronze Age and the possible entity they bring back.... Things don't just go bump on the night when a sacred underground chamber is disturbed by opportunistic thieves. Except Team 236 end up having to deal with scratches in the wall, things under the bed, and two dead thieves. That's a lot of inconvenient paperwork.
A great Halloween story that features a couple of familiar St Mary's faces too.
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Team weird is out weirded.
Sometimes if you are in a hidden cave chamber with an alter and artifacts you should just leave them there. However, when the time police apprehend a few thieves in the bronze age looting said chamber they took some of the artifacts as evidence and something might come back with them through time with those artifacts.
In this Halloween story Jodi Taylor gives us a glimpse into a fun mystery with things that go bump in the night. Also, someone trolling Grint with a Pumpkin. It is always a good time to take a side jaunt with team weird and this was a good October read with some beloved characters.
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Rating: 2.4/5
Short stories from Jodi Taylor are nothing new, although they more commonly appear around the season of Yule rather than Halloween. I enjoy a well-written short story and admire any writer who can successfully execute one. There is a definite skill in being able to create something that is properly rounded in so few pages. Jodi Taylor is perhaps aided by the fact that she is using established protagonists from an existing series, so there is not the same pressure to establish new characters within the limited time-frame too.
The downside of basing a short story around an existing series is that it runs the risk of only playing to an existing audience and excluding the more casual reader. I have not read all of the Time Police series, so perhaps "Who's There?" will hold more appeal to the devotees. As you would expect from Jodi Taylor, the writing is sound, with a reasonable smattering of quirky humour. For all that, this one didn't appeal to me as much as her other short stories and full length novels have.
Nonetheless, an enjoyable 1-2 sitting read.
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More goodness from Jodi Taylor!
Having a "Halloween Special" appear almost like magic was a wonderful surprise. It's a nice spooky little tale - some deaths and the odd swearword also - but this is a locked room mystery with a mystical quirk. Team 236 go back in time to arrest some artifact looters to find something else rather more creepy.
It is not essential, nor do you have to have read previous stories, although there's a few nice little connections to other St Mary's stories should the long-time reader wish to look for them.
But it is a story that does what it is supposed to - entertain, with some typically nice Jodi humorous touches along the way. A wonderful way to spend an hour on the runup to Halloween.
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Audiobook narrated by Zara Ramm
It’s Halloween, but the Time Police don’t care. Team 236, Luke, Jane and Matthew, are sent on a routine mission to the Bronze Age to apprehend a group of rogue time travellers. To everyone’s surprise, they grab the miscreants and return to TPHQ. So far, so good, but it begins to look as though they’ve brought something sinister back with them. What’s that banging in the walls, and how come the miscreants they brought back from the Bronze Age are dead in their cells?
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A spooky Halloween story featuring Team Weird and some of St Mary's finest.
It was a pleasure spending my morning tea time with Team 236 on the page in front of me and in my ears listening to the narration by Zara Ramm.
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It’s always fun to see Team 236 with cameos from Grint, Varma and of course the St. Mary’s gang.
It’s a good book and I enjoyed it. It is not as scary as when Max encounters Jack the Ripper though.
Frankly it was a pretty standard plot line. It actually felt like an episode of Relic Hunter (à la Time Police) to me. But a quick, fun read anyway.
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A fun Halloween story. Ghost, demons and invisible things that go bump (and scritch and grab!) in the night. Team 236 has brought back an unexpected hitchhiker with the perpetrators... and now they have to figure out how to get rid of them, before the demons do in all the humans.
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A well paced short story with younger members of the Time Police and a few minor characters of St. Mary’s that adventure to return stolen artifacts and save the world. Complete with supernatural entities perfect for Halloween.
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Who's there, you ask?
I am so glad I found this. After far too many downer books, I needed something fun (scary fun, but fun nonetheless).
More if our weird squad, please.
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Bit different than usual but nice to read a new story of the Team.
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Great book. The Time Police and Team 236 return. I finished this series years ago and it was great to hear from Jane again. The plot was eerie and tense, fitting for a Halloween story.
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Oh, my Team Weird, how I've missed you. <3 One star for each of you... ;D
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Jodi Taylor has written a short story which is released on Christmas Day for many years now. I was delighted that she has one for 2026 but also, we get a Halloween story this year, as well! In fact, we get a Time Police Halloween story featuring Team 236 (aka Team Weird).
Of course, various characters absolutely get to say "Who's There?" at appropriate times but other than that this is a totally unexpected yet one hundred percent delightful tale!
Team 236 is dispatched to the Bronze Age to collar and bring back some time miscreants. Their entire brief is go arrest these guys [who are NOT supposed to be there disturbing an ancient ritual site] and bring them back to headquarters. It does not go well.
Not surprisingly, Jodi Taylor gets the spooky ambience just right. The feeling that, while you appear to be alone, you definitely are NOT alone. I am totally NOT a fan of horror, but this was just spooky enough to be fun without going for scaring you out of your wits!
Highly recommended for all Chronicles of St. Mary's fans, all Time Police fans, time travel fans, and fans of well-told stories with plenty of character-driven action!
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A suitably spooky Halloween offering from Jodi Taylor, bringing together the usual chaos of the Time Police with a supernatural twist.
When Team Weird return from a seemingly straightforward assignment, they appear to have brought something rather unwelcome back with them. Strange happenings at Time Police Headquarters soon escalate into something considerably more sinister, and naturally, St Mary’s ends up getting involved.
This was a fun, suitably creepy little adventure, with all the humour, familiar characters and chaos I’ve come to expect from Jodi Taylor. I always enjoy spending more time with Team Weird, and the Halloween setting made this a particularly enjoyable seasonal read. A lovely little addition to the wider St Mary’s universe.
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Jodi Taylor is my happy place & together with Zara Ramm as brilliant narrator totally make my day. TBH I had forgotten that I had preordered this short story & when I received notification that this book was available in my audible library, I immediately set to listening.
It's a lovely spooky tale where "Team Weird" are actually successful on a Time Police mission for once. My favorite Time Police characters are all there & there is a trip to St Mary's as well. The usual amusing sarcastic writing style just brings me joy.
Basically I loved everything about this short story which acted as a small treat to keep me almost satisfied until the next novel is released
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A Time Police short story is becoming a tradition each Halloween. This time, Team Weird are sent to retrieve some illegal time travellers intent on stealing from a cave in the Bronze Age. All goes well until they return to headquarters and some very strange and eerie things begin to haunt them. A desperate attempt to put things right follows, but not before a quick trip to St. Mary's (where personnel are thin on the ground but a few regulars offer their assistance). This is an interesting story, taking place sometime in between the Time Police novels. It's also a genuinely scary story at times that had me looking over my shoulder once or twice. Perfect for spooky season.
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This novella was really good. Everyone asks “Who’s there”?!?! Lots of funny and somewhat scary happenings. Perfect for St. Mary’s and Time Police readers. Anyone could enjoy it. Team 236 goes back in time to stop time thieves from stealing artifacts. Then strange things start to happen at TPHQ. Lots of laughs.
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I loved it, of course. I don't think Taylor could write a book about these characters that I wouldn't love. And it never hurts to have St. Mary's make a guest appearance. A scene near the end brought the flavor of am Elizabeth Csge novel into it. The only thing missing was a magical white horse. It's forgivable. 🙂
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More. Please!
Just right for a Halloween night's snack, but I'd like more. I miss the Time Police. And Smallhope and Pennyroyal. And St Mary's and even that chick who can't keep her arse in the saddle, and the invisible horse too. I love all MS Taylor's characters, this was a treat.
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Trouble and Time-Trave
I absolutely love Jodi Taylor’s short stories featuring St Mary’s and the Time Police. Team Weird are the best, and somehow all the weird and wonderful things always seem to happen to them! Another fun little adventure with plenty of chaos, exactly what I’ve come to expect and love from Jodi Taylor.
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Three and a quarter stars.
Our favourite Team Weird get sent to apprehend some rogue time travellers in the long-distant past. But the time travellers have stolen something important and if Team Weird don't return it there could be consequences.
A fun spooky short story for Halloween, although missing some of Jodi Taylor's trademark humour.
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Loved this story Jodie
Another fantastic tale from Team Weird as they encounter sinister monsters from ancient times who travel back with them in their pod and wreak vengeance on those who disrupted their alter. Well done Jodi. I was on the edge of my seat. Absolutely recommended.
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Thank you, Jodi Taylor, for this fun, spooky early Halloween treat! I loved this little look at a Halloween adventure at the time police headquarters with a little visit to St Mary's. Just what I needed today!
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Another fantastic TP instalment from one of my favourite writers. Only read if you’ve read the rest of the series first, as the characters are familiar to TP readers, but it won’t necessarily be as impactful without the rest of the series.
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A Halloween release was a wonderful treat from Jodi. I’m a chicken and suspenseful books usually are not on my TBR list. This was about a three out of ten. Maybe listening as I grocery shopped was helpful.
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Whew, I needed this little novella. Short story? Whichever, it was good fun to go back to the early days of Team Weird. The humor and TP characters I adore with bonus guests from St Mary’s. Not the usual suspects!
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Who’s There? - Taylor
Audio performance by Zara Ramm
3 stars
Time Police Team 236 successfully arrest a pair of illegals as they desecrate a bronze age tomb. The paranormal aftereffects send them into St. Mary’s territory. This was 2.5 hours of lightly spooky Halloween entertainment with familiar characters. Fitted in nicely between pumpkin carving and trick or treat with the little granddaughters.
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Entertaining Halloween treat. It was good to check in with Team Weird as it's been a while. I enjoyed the story but was hoping for more of a bang up climax. Oh well, it was still a great a fun read and a pleasant surprise to find at the bottom of my Trick or Treat bag. Recommended.
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Fun Halloween story with ghosts and demons
Ghosts, demons, and invisible things that go bump (and scritch and grab!) in the night. Team 236 brought back ... something... and its out to get them.
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