Helpful Score: 6
Tim Blake sells cars had his ups and downs professionally and now lives divorced from his ex-wife, sharing the custody of teenage daughter Sydney.
When Sydney suddenly vanishes without a trace and the police is unable to help in finding her he seems to be the only person determined enough to visit places she hung around at and interview people who might have seen her besides of his from an accident recovering ex-wife Susanne.
He needs to learn his daughter didn't trust him enough to let him know what was going on in her life, even lied to him about the hotel she was jobbing at and a secret relationship with Susanne's boyfriend Bob's son.
Nobody saw her, nobody even knew her at the hotel she claimed to be working at the desk but soon, it seems, people are trying to get Tim's investigations out of the way. Luring him out of state with faked clues where she might be, carefully placing incriminating evidence against Tim. When Patty, Sydney's best friend vanishes after last seen with Tim and people are found dead Tim has to go hiding from police and those who try to get him and his daughter out of the way.
But things aren't at all how Tim pieces them together and he is in for some surprises.
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During the book I began to admire Tim's determination quite a bit. He went from being the slimy salesperson to the man determined to rescue his daughter with a gun in his hand.
Linwood Barclay again created a page turner that kept me reading for hours in anticipation. Not saying a few things weren't sort of obvious but it didn't hurt the book at all. Fine spun and thrilling the plot itself might not be original but the suspense keeps coming at ya.
When Sydney suddenly vanishes without a trace and the police is unable to help in finding her he seems to be the only person determined enough to visit places she hung around at and interview people who might have seen her besides of his from an accident recovering ex-wife Susanne.
He needs to learn his daughter didn't trust him enough to let him know what was going on in her life, even lied to him about the hotel she was jobbing at and a secret relationship with Susanne's boyfriend Bob's son.
Nobody saw her, nobody even knew her at the hotel she claimed to be working at the desk but soon, it seems, people are trying to get Tim's investigations out of the way. Luring him out of state with faked clues where she might be, carefully placing incriminating evidence against Tim. When Patty, Sydney's best friend vanishes after last seen with Tim and people are found dead Tim has to go hiding from police and those who try to get him and his daughter out of the way.
But things aren't at all how Tim pieces them together and he is in for some surprises.
-
During the book I began to admire Tim's determination quite a bit. He went from being the slimy salesperson to the man determined to rescue his daughter with a gun in his hand.
Linwood Barclay again created a page turner that kept me reading for hours in anticipation. Not saying a few things weren't sort of obvious but it didn't hurt the book at all. Fine spun and thrilling the plot itself might not be original but the suspense keeps coming at ya.
Helpful Score: 3
This book was riveting! I could not turn the pages fast enough and it did not let me down at all. An intense read with twists you do not see coming. I liked "No Time For Goodbye", but this book was so much better. I will definitely be reading more of this author. Excellent book!
I read this book in less than 24 hours. I was THAT hooked! It captures you from the beginning and doesn't let go until the very end.
Helpful Score: 2
Wow! I liked this one even more than _Too Close To Home_! It was so exciting and really, I couldn't predict the plot at all! The characters were strong, as well as the narration. It was such a fun book! I really enjoyed it! My only complaint was that there could have been a bit more to the ending... that's not to say that it ended poorly, I just felt like there were some things that I would have liked to know more about. I am really looking forward to reading more from this author!
Helpful Score: 2
It got me hooked early on - the Detective role could have been more developed - the ending though just was a true let-down....
Helpful Score: 2
Maybe I'm too much of an adrenaline junky, but this book seemed a bit slow to get going. It was interesting enough, getting to know the characters and their particular issues, but the pace didn't really pick up until about 3/4 of the way through it. The characters were believable, although I found the detective in charge of the case, Det. Jennings, to be underdeveloped. She could have played a much greater role. Interesting plot with some illegal activity at its foundation, but the author doesn't dive deeply enough into the main plot or any of the subplots to give the book the depth it could have had. 3/5 stars.
There was some shameful "product placement" in the book - especially as relates to cars.
Barclay has done better.
There was some shameful "product placement" in the book - especially as relates to cars.
Barclay has done better.
Helpful Score: 2
Absolutely one of the best books I've read this year. I could not put it down and enjoyed every page. A father will do anything to find a missing daughter and for 399 pages you suffer his frantic efforts to solve the mystery of her disappearance. Wow! I definitely recommend this terrific book.
Helpful Score: 2
This is my first Barclay book and it won't be my last. Lots of twist and turns, a definite page turner. Don't plan a thing, once you start you will not want to stop.
Once you start, you probably won't stop until you are done.
Helpful Score: 1
I usually have a great time reading Barclay's thrillers, but this isn't up there with the best in my opinion. He's done better. The divorced dad, though seeming to be going through a dry spot in his job of selling cars, manages to find never ending cash when he starts on his quest to find his missing teen daughter. He has an unbelievably hard time with the police who are as dumb as bumps on a log. And the ending is just too pat. Every little knot is tied. If you are a big fan of Barclay's, you may find this a bit disappointing. Is he becoming a hack? Gosh I hope not.
For some reason I missed this one when it originally came out, and since I really enjoy everything Linwood writes I went back to catch up. This is right up there with his best.
Mr. Barclay makes it hard for you to stop reading. I try to always take one of his books when I go on a warm weather vacation and I am heading to Florida soon, so
one of his books will be taking the trip with me.
Mr. Barclay makes it hard for you to stop reading. I try to always take one of his books when I go on a warm weather vacation and I am heading to Florida soon, so
one of his books will be taking the trip with me.
Great story and keeps you picking the book up until you're done.
I enjoyed this story from top to bottom - a real page-turner. However, the ending was a big disappointment. It felt like it ended in mid-sentence! This story really needed one more chapter or at least an epilogue, and that would have been extremely easy to do. Booh on that!
Enjoyed the book. I have read several of Linwood Barclay books.
Great thriller...............
I've got to tell you, I had never heard of Linwood Barclay until I picked up "No Time for Goodbye" and could not put it down. I just finished "Fear the Worst" in record time, and Linwood just keeps getting better at his craft. Totally engrossing, great character development, and a story line that just keeps you turning the pages - loved it, loved it! On to his next one!
haasker
haasker
For you Barclay fans, all you need to know is that this book lives up to his standards! A couple of minor plot things that I felt were unnecessary made it 4 star instead of 5. It was really a toss up.
This book will grab you right away and never let you go through the whole thing. It was riveting, but all his books have been for me. I'm about to read another and I can't wait.
If you've never read Barclay and are a suspense fan, read it! I think you'll love it!
This book will grab you right away and never let you go through the whole thing. It was riveting, but all his books have been for me. I'm about to read another and I can't wait.
If you've never read Barclay and are a suspense fan, read it! I think you'll love it!
a fast moving story based on a missing person theme, with lots of sideline scenarios to keep you from setting the book down til you finish it.
New author for me. I really enjoyed one of his latest books that I picked up so I have been trying to find some of his first works. He keep those pages turning and never let u know until the end. His characters are good & believe able. I would recommend this book and am currently reading his latest.
This book has some fairly good action in it toward the end and getting there keeps the reader guessing who really is the bad guy/gal. The only irritating part to me was the relationship of Tim Blake to his daughter, Sydney, and her friend. Who seriously let's a teen talk to their parents using such foul language, let alone let the teen get away with the things they have?! Perhaps many do, which is why society is going to sh*t now. Anyway, a decent book with an unusual outcome.
couldn't put it down 2013
This book had me hooked all the way through. So far it's definitely one of my favorite Linwood Barclay books.
