Bad Guys (Zack Walker) [Kindle Edition]

Linwood Barclay (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reporter Zack Walker, worrier, bungler and reluctant hero, has moved from the suburbs back to the city (unnamed, but the generic metropolitan background suffices) with his wife, Sarah, son Paul and daughter Angie, in Canadian author Barclay's winning second comic caper (after 2004's Bad Move). The Walkers aren't really dysfunctional, but they're close enough to the edge as they cope with various pressures: 16-year-old Paul's flirtation with drinking; college freshman Angie's admirer, who may be a dangerous stalker; and the transportation convolutions necessary in a one-car, two-school, two-job family. Zack tries to solve this last problem while also working on a feature story that has him accompanying a PI on a stakeout for a smash-and-grab gang. He avoids hassling with a car dealer by going to a police auction, but the car he gets is no bargain. When his PI friend is attacked, Zack races to the rescue. And when some nasty folks target his family, Zack pulls out all the stops to try to remove the threat. This cleverly executed mystery includes both long-term setups and well hidden surprises. Agent, Helen Heller. (May 31)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

After discovering that the suburbs aren't as safe as they're cracked up to be (Bad Move, 2004), Zack Walker, his wife, and their teenage children move back to the city. Zack, still his overly anxious self, is working on a story for the local paper, the Metropolitan. He's observing P.I. Lawrence Jones, who has been hired to find the crooks who are smashing display windows with an SUV and robbing expensive men's clothing stores. The stakeout proves dangerous, with a wild car chase and shooting, and then Lawrence is badly injured in a home invasion. Zack continues to dig into the case despite Lawrence's warnings. Adding to Zack's anxiety is the fact his daughter, Angie, is being stalked by a young man, Trevor, and Zack begins to surreptitiously follow Trevor following Angie. Humor, realistic characters, a jaunty first-person narration, and fast pacing make for an enjoyable read. Sue O'Brien
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 340 KB
• Publisher: Bantam (May 31, 2005)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FCK5OE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,230 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Linwood Barclay is a former columnist for The Toronto Star and the author of several critically acclaimed novels, including Too Close to Home and No Time for Goodbye, a #1 Sunday Times (UK) bestseller. He lives near Toronto with his wife.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Blend of Humor and Drama, July 15, 2008

By 

Debra Purdy Kong "Author of Casey Holland Tra... (British Columbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bad Guys (Mass Market Paperback)

Zack Walker, features writer for the Metropolitan newspaper, has had some really busy nights lately. He's been assigned to write about the life of PI Lawrence Jones, who's been staking out high-end men's clothing stores targeted by crash-and-grab thieves. When Zack's off duty, he occasionally checks up on his eighteen-year-old daughter's whereabouts. Zack's perpetual worries about Angie's safety soar into overdrive when he learns she has a stalker. Angie doesn't take the stalker seriously, but when Zack and Lawrence catch him hiding behind Zack's garage, Lawrence volunteers to check the kid out. Before he can tell Zack what he's learned, Lawrence is stabbed. Meanwhile, for reasons Zack doesn't understand, the clothing thieves learn who Zack is and go after him.

Linwood Barclay's BAD GUYS is a perfect blend of humour and drama, twists and turns, that come together in a truly suspenseful ending. Zack's attempts to keep tabs on Angie have a way of backfiring, which creates some really funny moments. As a parent of teens, I related to his worries, frustrations, and growing helplessness as his daughter charges into the world--driver's license in hand--with the kind of confidence, optimism, and naivety only the young have. I liked many characters in this book, and kudos to Mr. Barclay for creating some of the strangest and most memorable bad guys I've read in a long time. If you're looking for pure entertainment and enjoyment, pick up BAD GUYS and get ready for one heck of a ride.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most under rated authors of our time!!!!!, March 28, 2010

By 

G. Powell "former caseworker" (indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bad Guys (Zack Walker) (Kindle Edition)

Barclay has an easy going style that drags the reader into the scenerio quickly and completely. He has the ability to convey his story simply and makes the reader want to know more and more about the outcome! I have enjoyed all his fiction and await more!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bad Guys a good read [4.5 stars], December 26, 2009

By 

Debra Hamel (North Haven, CT) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bad Guys (Mass Market Paperback)

Linwood Barclay's Bad Guys takes up where his 2004 novel Bad Move left off. After a disasterous foray into suburban living, Zack Walker has moved his family back to the city. He's now a feature writer for the local paper, and he's working on a story about ex-cop turned private eye Lawrence Jones. Together they've been staking out high-end mens' clothing shops, which have been the target of a spate of recent robberies. The gig with Lawrence, his family's need for a second car, and his daughter's insistence that she is being stalked by a trench coat-wearing admirer combine into a storm of troubles. Barclay's Bad Guys is another great read from an author who's quickly becoming a favorite. The plot is tight, and there's a perfect mix of action and Zack's thoughts, which explain why he makes the choices he makes. Readers should probably read Bad Move before starting this book, as it provides background about the anxieties which inform much of Zack's behavior, but it not essential to do so.

-- Debra Hamel