Customer Reviews

Fear the Worst: A Novel

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Tim Blake is just an ordinary divorced dad. He's good at his job (selling cars), average at his parenting, mediocre at dating... His biggest problem is putting up with his ex-wife's new boyfriend. When Tim's 17 year old daughter, Sidney, comes to stay with him for the summer he faces the usual parenting worries. Until the day when Sydney doesn't come home from work and Tim's average life is turned upside down. Suddenly, Tim is racing against time to reveal the truth about his daughter's disappearance.

This book was easy to read, and hard to put down. Of course there were the predictable plot twists: incompetent police, deceptive sub-plots, etc. But it was still an enjoyable read. The main character, Tim Blake, was well written; his angst over losing his daughter, and his approach to finding the truth were believable. I hate when the main character keeps bumbling over dumb moves and mistakes, (or conversely, when an ordinary character all of a sudden has super spy skills and training). So I was happy with the way the father was portrayed.

Overall, I was really happy with this story. Not super heavy or deep, but it will keep your interest from start to finish.

I have just finished this book, which actually caused me to lose some sleep, since it was hard to put down, especially in the beginning. The premise of the story is that a 17 year old girl, who is staying with her father for the summer, disappears. Everything he thought he knew about her seems to be an illusion. This is the story of his quest to find her, with many high action adventures along the way. You have to keep reading to find out where she is.
The writing style is quick, the characters are easy enough to relate to; ordinary folks, the father is a car salesman, but the story is far fetched and not believable, getting (at least for me) more unrealistic as it goes, and the ending was not satisfactory, it kind of leaves you hanging. For me, this was a quick read, which was hard to put down, but also rather predictable in spots and I probably will not remember much of it for long. This is the type of book that you can take on an airplane, not too deep, you don't have to pay close attention to follow what is going on, but it does hold your interest.

I actually feel guilty because I absolutely LOVE every book I've read by Linwood Barclay but for some reason I seem to forget about him (he's not on my "watch list") until I stumble across one. I'm so glad I found this one. He never disappoints. If you are looking for a good thriller, look no further than Linwood Barclay.

In this outing, Tim Blake is a divorced dad, not really over his ex, probably not living up to his full potential in life, but comfortably. His 17-year-old daughter Sydney is spending the summer with him instead of living with his ex and her boyfriend, a rich car dealer. (It just so happens that Blake is also a car salesman, but not such a sleaze as the new boyfriend, Bob).

Sydney goes missing one morning after a fight with her dad. When he tries to find her, he discovers that the place she said she worked never heard of her. Her best friend, who you know is somewhat hinky and is obviously wild, tries to help (perhaps too much?). Blake does everything he can to find Sydney. Think of the movie "Taken" but with and ordinary father who doesn't know what happened to his daughter and with cops who are not really helpful.

This book had me on the edge throughout. I really, really enjoy Barclay's novels. I honestly couldn't figure out what was going on completely until the end. My only complaint would be that the ending was a bit abrupt -- I would have liked to see an epilogue to tie up a few loose strings, but otherwise it was top notch. I'd also recommend his other thrillers. And keep him on your watch list. Great writing and great thrillers, suspenseful reading!

This is a really good story. The author has just the right number of characters and the tension escalates as the story expands. If you also have an interest in cars (especially Honda) you will enjoy the many references to the goings on in car dealerships. Although such things are not hugely relevant to the plot, it adds a great deal to the storytelling.

Of course, the police are stereotyped as a bit slow and lagging behind. Not surprising as the story rides along at a good clip and nearly all the characters are well defined and believable. There are even a few funny moments, but I won't spoil the fun.

As a regular reader of thrillers, this author and book are almost up there with the very best. I heartily recommend you buy this book and am sure it will provide very worthwhile enjoyment.

Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay

Wow! What a rollercoaster ride! Linwood Barclay certainly has the thriller suspense part of writing down. This is a fast paced story that is hard to stop reading!
Tim Blake has a morning argument with his teenage daughter Sydney not knowing that it is the last time he will speak to her before finding out she is missing.
The characters, especially Tim, were very real and the emotions are portrayed in a very realistic and moving way. There are also other subplots involving the other characters, all just as interesting and move along cohesively with the main plot.
I really loved everything about this book but the ending fell flat for me, I wish Barclay had continued for a few more pages to wrap up better.
Even though the ending was blasé, I would still recommend it for a great suspenseful read.

This was the first book I'd read by Linwood Barclay, and I enjoyed the story. It would make good summer reading.

Tim Blake is a divorced Connecticut car salesman. His teenage daughter Sydney is staying with him for the summer. One night she doesn't come home from work. Tim goes looking for her at the inn where she's been working, and is told she never worked there. He tries to go on with his normal life while looking for Sydney, and eventually devotes all of his time to the search. In his desperation he gets sucked into some cons and false leads, and finds himself tangled up with some bad actors. He is introduced to another world he knew nothing about, involving an underground economy.

The book is a thriller, but one of the best things about it is the humor! There were some things that made me laugh so hard I had to put the book down. The thing with Juanita and the flower shop guy is hilarious! Barclay has a fine ear for average everyday dialogue which left me laughing in appreciation. You'll recognize yourself or people you've known.

The only real weakness in the book is at the end. Barclay doesn't leave you hanging, so that's good. But the story needs an epilogue or short final chapter telling how everyone fared when the drama had passed. Tim Blake leaves a lot of trouble and destruction in his wake as he goes after Sydney, and we need to know about the aftermath.

When I first read Linwood Barclay, he flat-out floored me with "Too Close to Home," and I couldn't wait to read more by this man! And I happened to run into "Fear the Worst," and for most of the ride, I was floored once again. This man has an amazing ability to write a great thriller. With some crazy humor, but even better suspense, Barclay gives his readers a handful, while having some fun in the process.

Tim Blake is a smooth talker, your average car salesman, but one of the best where he works. And his daughter, Sydney, is living with him for the summer. At least until the day she mysteriously goes to work of her own, and then disappears. And what's worse, who is Sydney Blake? Nobody at the hotel she supposedly works at knows who she is! Ok, what is going on here? Before he knows it, Tim realizes that he is being watched, and his ex-wife is possibly being watched too. As a dad, Tim is ready to get to the bottom of where Sydney really is. Get ready for a wild and terrifying ride.

This was fantastic, it really was. And I can't wait to see what else Barclay has in store for a reader like me. But in the very end, I kind of felt screwed over. All the building suspense, all the twists and turns, only to end so abruptly? You've gotta be kidding me! Is it the worst ending in the whole wide world? Not by a long shot. But I wanted a little more than that, and I'll be expecting more the next time I take a trip with Linwood Barclay. Crazy son-of-a-gun, only to end like that!

I enjoy a good mystery and this book delivers. This is my first experience with Linwood Barclay and I want to read more. I liked this book from the first page. It is set in Milford, CT and was fun to identify with the sites. I know this area well. I can even picture the hotel and car dealership in this book. I know the missing child angle has been written to death however this book made me want to find his daughter. I was so hoping she would be alive (no spoilers). I liked the relationship he had with his ex-wife and her new family. There are some endearing moments which fit nicely into the plot. Yes, there are some things that seem unrealistic but that's fiction. This was a fun, quick read for me and I recommend it.

I am liking Linwood Barkley more and more as I go through reading his books one by one. Not in order, but as they are found and picked up. His style is so similar to one of my favorites -- Harlan Coben in that his stories are usually about everyday people with ordinary lives that have some scary bad and/or horrific things happen to them. FEAR THE WORST is no exception.

Everyman Tim Blake is a regular divorced dad with a teenage daughter who goes missing. Thereby hangs this tale. In his search he comes across so many duplicitous characters it is hard to keep track of the good guys and the bad guys. Eventually, you settle in and sort out what is going on and it gets fast and furious.

Cannot discuss the premise of the storyline because it would be somewhat of a spoiler. We get it just before our hero gets it and it is a shocker. There are car chases, gun play, shooting knee caps out and a doozy of a twist. You will cheer for Tim Blake because he is doing just what we think we would do in the same circumstances.

Story A
Characters A-
Surprises A
Language A-

Recommended for sure.

No spoilers...

Barclay is a masterful storyteller. This is the third book of his I have read. The ones I read are all very similiar, a story where a love one goes missing. Would be hard to read his books back-to-back, but I love to intersperse his between other genres and especially after I have read a few duds or slow reads.

"Fear the Worst" is not just enjoyable because of the mystery involving a missing person. It is great because Barclay makes the characters jump off the page, not sure how he does it without writing from each character's view, but the reader gets a sense of each person's thoughts and emotions. It contains situations a lot of people can identify with....divorce, one spouse remarrying, troubled teens, unfulfilling job, uncaring boss, money issues, aging, etc.

The book is steeped in humor which I love. It is a fast-paced read that does not get bogged down with detailed descriptions. Though some scenes contain injury and/or death, it is not gory.


If you like criminal mysteries filled with hunting for clues, evidence, ballistic reports, a host of possible suspects, and character's in constant peril, this author may NOT be your type. If you dislike author Harlan Coben, I would definitely tell you not to buy as they have very similar styles.

Hope this review helps. Happy reading!