Too Close to Home: A Thriller

I no sooner finished "No Time for Goodbye" by Linwood Barclay that I knew that I just had to find another book by him. This book certainly did not let me down!! It was an easy read, captivating ~ I hated to put it down ~ had enough murder and intrigue to hold anyone's interest!!!

I read this book on recommendation from a friend. I usually don't read suspense-thrillers anymore because once you have read a few, it starts to seem like you have read them all. Although I rated this book 2 stars, it did have a few twists that I did not call, which was a saving grace. Although, some of the twists, were a bit cringe-worthy. The main reason I did not like this novel is because almost every character is despicable or stupid. Some of the glaring issues about the novel I did not like were the unrealistic portrayal of events and people's actions. For instance, a certain character's family member is in jail, charged with triple homicide, and a political figure who is campaigning asks that character (the one not in jail) to work for him, to be his driver. I find a false note in this as a political figure would not want their name attached to anything of a negative capacity, especially something as damaging as having a family member in prison for a high profile murder charge in the small town he is campaigning in. That political figure is just asking for a smear campaign. Another issue that had me groaning a few times is how the main character treats any relevant information he comes across. He finds a clue that suggests this person might be a murderer, etc. And what does he do? He blabs these relevant, dangerous clues to just about everyone except the police. And speaking of the cops, they are no better. The head investigator pretty much tells the main character relevant, key facts of the investigation as if holding back information is not something real cops do. Because of these issues, and the fact that the entire cast of characters are unlikable, it was hard to relate or like any of them. I found myself speed reading near the end just so I could finish it and move onto my next novel. If you have never read a suspense thriller or seldom do, you might find more than a few surprises, twists, and turns with this novel. However, beware, don't expect to find a decent, moral person in the span of these pages, aside from the main character. Also be prepared to suspend belief a time or two.

Plot involves murders in an otherwise quiet town, with several shifty characters to suspect: openly dirty mayor, quietly dirty college president, and wife who....gasp!...drinks a full glass of wine from time to time (yeah, it doesn't quite seem on par, does it?). Barclay's very good about not giving things away. You won't feel like you're waiting to have your guess be proven right for fifteen chapters as you do in many books.

I love the idea of a thriller with an ordinary father narrating -- not an assassin, spy, witness for the prosecution, etc. I like that, although we'd all say this is a "good" father, he still has his flaws, such as occasionally having a temper or overreacting to his teenaged son's acts. So many thrillers with a male lead have to have an obligatory scene with the guy being kind to a prostitute to make us sympathetic to him (must be on a checklist), and that's in here too, sigh. I don't really understand why the son is the first chapter's narrator before we switch to the father for the entire rest of the book. Seems like that could have been written around to be consistent. And in the son's first chapter, he mentions finding "kiddie porn" on an old computer, but that is never mentioned again, which seems odd for an otherwise cautionary, moralistic tale. Many other things don't get wrapped up at the end of the book either; see spoilers below.

The book contained a snippet of another, more interesting-sounding book that I wished I'd read instead. There's always the danger of that. Maybe the author will pick that idea back up some day.

Spoilers:
I did think the ending felt far fetched. For this ordinary family to get mixed into the mafia, a congressional run, a triple homicide, assaults, child prostitution, suspicion of murder, etc. was a bit much. It also strained my willingness to believe that this guy would stick with his wife who engaged in a campaign of many years' worth of lies and unbelievably stupid decisions that put the family in turmoil several times over. The mother and father are ethically on opposite sides of the spectrum (he'll quit a questionable job where she'll go the distance for the money), and I think that would be too big of a challenge to continue. Several things are left hanging in the book -- letters between a teacher and a student, mafia may choose to come after family after professor dies, what will family do to protect themselves legally after going public about professor without the proof anymore, etc. I hope the mother of the dead boy sues for intentional infliction of emotional distress for nobody telling her how her son really died until years later and the threat of job loss over. This whole book was about consequences of failing to act, and yet it leaves other failures unaddressed. I guess it has a "no good deal goes unpunished" feel to it.

Seventeen-year-old Derek Cutter’s best friend Adam Langley was going away for a week with his parents, Albert and Donna; their house would be vacant for that period. But when the whole family was murdered in their home the night they were meant to be leaving, the people in the town of Promise Falls were shocked and saddened. Derek’s parents Jim and Ellen lived the closest to the Langley’s home but they hadn’t heard a thing. With the air conditioning blasting to compensate for the scorching summer conditions, no sound was heard from outside.

As investigations deepened, the police were puzzled – but with more questions than answers, even Jim Cutter’s suspicions seemed ludicrous. What on earth had happened that night? And why? And was it connected in any way to a ten year old suicide? The worst thing was – there was still a murderer out there and if he wasn’t caught soon, others could die…

Oh what a tangled web we weave!! Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay is just that! A tangled web of intrigue, information and misinformation; lies and secrets – and then there’s murder and deception. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and can’t quite understand why it’s been sitting on my bookshelf for over four years! The gritty tension; the fast pace of the plot – all was designed to get the reader fully immersed – and I sure was! Highly recommended.

Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay is another book that I didn't want to put down! High school student Derek Cutter thinks he has the perfect plan to make out – and possibly more - with his girlfriend Penny in his neighbors' house while they're away on vacation - until something goes terribly wrong. The family returns unexpectedly, and as Derek hides in the basement, an unknown visitor shoots the Langleys in cold blood. Why were they killed? Are the murders related to others in the area? What other secrets and lies will wreak havoc on the Cutter family and their community? If you want a fast-paced, action-packed thriller, then this isn't the book for you, but if you have read any of Barclay's other works, you know that he can create a very engaging tale filled with suspense.

We hear the story from Derek’s father, Jim Cutter. As the details of the killings emerge, we learn that Derek is not the only person with something to hide. There is Jim’s former boss, the mayor, and his driver, Lance. Then there is mother Ellen Cutter’s boss and former lover, Conrad. Even Ellen herself has secrets. Is there a connection between the murders next door and the secrets of the past? Much later in the novel, a hard-working parolee named Drew is hired by Jim to help in his lawn maintenance business and rescues the Cutters from a hostile situation. But is he too good to be true?

Barclay has woven a complex plot in which many wrongs are done; I must say that I found it satisfying that at least some of the wrongdoers receive their comeuppance. Moreover, I found Too Close to Home to be more than satisfying; it was highly entertaining and engrossing. I plan to read more of Linwood Barclay’s books in the near future.

5 of 5 stars

Note: This review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca)

My Review: Linwood Barclay is a Canadian author who has been equated with other highly successful suspense writers like Harlan Coben and Lisa Gardner. Yup, the big dogs of suspense writing. Unfortunately if "Too Close to Home" is your first book by Barclay I'm afraid you'll come away disappointed. While I'm almost positive that I've read at least one of his previous books (although the name escapes me -- too many books and all that) I can't say that this book wowed me.

The book started off strong and had me intrigued after the shock of the initial murders. Unfortunately shortly after that, the pace and focus of the book stalled. It seemed like too many characters had random skeletons in their closets making it feel scattered, slightly cheesy and the book, generally, just didn't seem to have any direction.

First of all, for a suspenseful read it had an incredibly slow pace and it was predictable. Predictability and suspense do not make for a good, shocking, edge-of-your-seat read. I felt like I kept waiting for something big to happen -- some kind of major twist. The book just kept plodding along until the 'big ta-da' moment which I had already surmised making it less 'ta-da' and more 'ho-hum'.

I think one of the main issues is that the characters were just plain dull. The book is told through the eyes of Jim Cutter which really limits how much leeway the author has with setting up scenes. Plus, I just didn't like Jim Cutter. He was blaw and I had a hard time getting behind him.

I expected a lot more from this book. Unfortunately with the slow plot, predictability and dull characters stars left me wanting much more from this 'suspense' read.

My Rating: 2/5 stars

As a latecomer to discover Linwood Barclay's novels, my first read in 2013 was "No Time for Goodbye". WoW! I couldn't imagine anything another novel more riveting or powerful at the time. However, I started reading "Too Close to Home" and read it in two (2) days. I couldn't put it down! Thank goodness I opened the book on a weekend! WoW! In a quiet neighborhood, on an ordinary night, murder and mayhem intrude and family secrets and community secrets begin to unravel. It's an absolutely incredible speed boat ride of suspense and chilling excitement from cover-to-cover and yet I wanted to read the novel as though on a sailboat on the calmest of waters to catch every detail of the experience so I didn't miss a clue in the descriptions or dialogue, and to understand every nuance in each characterization. It was intense, intricate, and presented at a pace that was fast and furious and yet didn't skip a beat. There are only three words to share, "Don't miss it!"

After adding a comment to the author's Facebook page about the incredible whirlwind I felt reading "Too Close to Home", I learned that many of the characters will return in this year's release of the title, "Broken Promise". I can't wait!

Once again this author has written a stupendous mystery. Previously I read "No Time For Goodbyes" and was so impressed I'd decided to try his other series. The character portrayals including parent and teenager interactions make this an exciting forensic plot. Revenge seems to play a role. Only problem for this reviewer was seeing an the store movie callled "The Words" just prior to this book. Part of the theme was almost identical. Still I look forward to his future books as well as to all his prior ones.

We’ll admit to mixed reactions to Barclay’s “Close to Home” standalone thriller, our second reading (to “The Accident”) of the author. We thought the premise was excellent – a teenager tries to hide out in his neighbor’s house while they are departing for a week’s vacation, only to be surprised by their sudden return, at which point he witnesses their murder. Most of the tale is from the perspective of his father, who runs his own lawn-mowing business while his wife works at a nearby college. Hidden among these three are a lot of secrets; and before long, a very convoluted plot involving a corrupt mayor, a plagiarizing college president, and a few other off-beat characters leads us readers down a long path to discover all the motivations and events leading to a somewhat surprising ending.

While the dad was a decent enough person, there wasn’t another character to admire or with whom to relate, as much of the book plodded along just as painfully as the efforts of the police to solve the case. Some further violence seemed heavy-handed; and the morals of the leading couple and their resolutions at book end were at best questionable. Yet at times the plot was suspenseful and some of the player’s antics entertained. An uncertain three stars was our verdict of sorts.

Linwood Barclay is an excellent story-teller, I highly recommend reading any of his books, they are all incredibly well written and absolutely enjoyable with complete characters that are easy to relate with. If your neighbors are murdered in their home, of course you’re thinking “what if we’re next”? or “that could have been us”! or “what if we’re next”? so much to consider…you will NOT be disappointed.

It would be easy to call Linwood Barclay's latest work a "breakthrough novel." But Barclay already has been garnering critical as well as growing popular acclaim, particularly in his native Canada, for his Zack Walker books. Perhaps more significantly, his stand-alone thriller, NO TIME FOR GOODBYE, has been nominated for enough literary awards to collapse a fireplace mantle; as I write this, it is in the middle of an astonishing though deserving run at the top of the London Sunday Times bestseller list. Having said all that, TOO CLOSE TO HOME is an even better book.

I believe the stories that resonate the most within us are the ones that strike closest to home; Barclay has been mining the veins of domestic terror for a while now and hits the mother lode in TOO CLOSE TO HOME. Derek Cutter is a healthy 17-year-old whose best friend, Adam Langley, happens to live next door. When Adam's family takes a week's vacation, Derek decides to execute a foolproof plan to access their house for a bit of romantic interlude time with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, she can't make it and then the Langleys suddenly come back only an hour after they leave. While Derek is hiding in the basement, trying to figure out a way to sneak out of the house, someone comes in and murders the family.

A terrified Derek can't even think of telling his parents, who have problems of their own. Indeed, Jim Cutter, whose first-person narration informs most of TOO CLOSE TO HOME, is more in the dark than the reader in the book's first part. Jim, who used to be a driver for Randall Finley, the mayor of Promise Falls, New York (an upstate college town), is attempting to help support his family by running a landscaping service. Jim's wife Ellen is employed at Thackeray College by Conrad Chase, the school president. A former English professor, Conrad has utilized his status as a one-and-done bestselling author to create a respected and popular literary festival, due in no small measure to Ellen's organizational skills.

The Cutters are making ends meet, but barely. And no one is really happy. While Jim is well rid of Finley, his former employer (think Diamond Joe Quimby of "The Simpsons" without the charm), he is a failed artist, one who would rather be painting on a canvas than riding a mower. Ellen, meanwhile, has her own issues with her boss, which have quietly resolved themselves and yet continue to simmer uneasily. The Cutters' problems --- small, though not unimportant, and certainly not unusual --- are suddenly brought to the forefront when the Langleys are found murdered. The police are not lacking for motives --- Adam's father was a criminal defense attorney with no shortage of enemies --- yet it is Derek who provides the first potential clue as to the why, if not the who, behind the violent end of the family next door.

Adam and Derek enjoyed recovering discarded computers and tinkering with them; in the course of doing so, they often uncovered data on the hard drive that had been long forgotten. Derek, on a walkthrough of the house conducted by police detectives, notices that one of the computers is missing. He recalls it well because of what was on it: a print file that has the potential to shake the city of Promise Falls and one of its most famous citizens to its foundations. The police, however, are barely interested. They have discovered that Derek was in the house at the time of the murders and have a potential and convincing motive for why Derek is responsible. As the Cutters' lives are turned upside down, Jim and Ellen must confront the truths and secrets of their own pasts, even as the killer of their next-door neighbors prepares to strike again. He is much closer than they ever can imagine.

Barclay has succeeded in producing a masterwork in TOO CLOSE TO HOME. You will want to race through it yet savor page by page to remember seemingly unimportant details whose significance will be revealed later. He waits until a third of the way through before making a major disclosure, one that resonates through the remainder of the novel both explicitly and implicitly. There are other bombshells, both great and small, that lurk in its pages, and part of the fun is attempting to discern what is most important. While Barclay's trademark humor is toned down a bit here, Jim Cutter, like his creator, is the master of the quick retort. This is one of 2008's standouts, from an author whose best work is yet to come.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

I read across many genres, but often struggle to find modern thrillers that mix intriguing plots with strong characterization. I discovered Linwood Barclay through his latest book, "Fear the Worst", and I look forward to his upcoming title, "Never Look Away."

In the meantime, "Too Close to Home" filled the void. It's the story of a triple slaying in a house next door to the Cutter family. Jim and Ellen Cutter are hard-working parents who are not entirely aware of their son's teenage activities--or of each other's, for that matter. The secrets that divide them will also entangle them as it becomes apparent that their son, Derek, was in the neighbors' house when the crime took place. A missing computer, possible double dealings by professors and politicians, and the philandering ways of the townsfolk of Promise Falls spiral into fast-paced mystery and suspense, with Jim Cutter trying to unravel the truth before those he loves pay the ultimate price.

Once again, Barclay uses believable dialogue, workable characters and motivations, and clever plot-weaving to create a heart-pounding novel. I have to agree with the Booklist reviewer, that excessive profanity dragged down the story, especially in the first half of the book; and yet, Barclay seems intent on showing us the consequences of poor moral choices and long-kept secrets. Some reviewers claim his plot is farfetched and convoluted. It seems to me, though, that he explains everything with deceptive clarity, and that, as in any real-life crime scene, the more people dragged into an investigation, the more likelihood of their dirt being uncovered.

Harlan Coben, Joseph Finder, Stephen James, and James Lee Burke are already on my "must read" mystery/thriller list, and now Linwood Barclay joins them.

First time reading Barclay but not my last. Too Close to Home weaves murder and mystery superbly through suburbia. I was impressed by the fast moving plot that also supports very rich and authentic likable characters.

Barclay does an exceptional job at keeping the suspense high, and gets us thinking exactly the same line of thoughts as the investigators, suspecting one person while hoping against all hopes it isn't them.

Of all the characters I liked Randy, the mayor the best. He's the ultimate optimist, charming, and hilarious even though he does what he does.

If I had any criticism at all it is that the wife, Ellen is fairly un like able and un redeemable. Otherwise a great page turner with plenty of twists and turns.'

If you like suspense, thrills and twists and turns, then Linwood Barclay is your man. I am reading all of his books now and I believe I have read all of them now.

The protaganist of the story is Jim Cutter an artist who no longer paints but provides lawn mowing services to the community of Promise Falls. One night Jim's neighbors, the Langley's are murdered in cold blood and Jim's son, Derek witnesses the murder while hiding in the Langley's house.

From that moment on there are so many convoluted plot twists, your head spins around on your neck! But that is after all why I like Linwood Barclay so much! You become addicted to the twists.

Jim Cutter sets out to determine who murdered his next door neighbors and in each chapter, Barclay lets out a bit more of the story and the back story to draw the reader in and lead them down a path and you are just not sure if that path leads to the murderer or to something else.

The only problem I have with this story is the total forgiveness that Jim Cutter has for his wife. She done him wrong and he seems to take it all totally in stride so that characterization is unrealistic to me. Also Jim's son, Derek was, even for a teenager, totally clueless in some of the things he did. However, a great thrill ride and you won't want to put this book down.

When I learned Linwood Barclay had a new book out I couldn't wait to read it, as his last book, No Time for Goodbye, was excellent. His latest book, Too Close To Home, gives the reader one roller coaster of a ride.

In this book we are introduced to the Cutter family, whose next door neighbors, the Langleys, are gunned down in their own home one hot August night. A night when the Cutter's son Derek happened to be hiding in the Langley's basement, waiting for the family to leave for the weekend. Derek was planning on using the vacant home to entertain his girlfriend. While he is waiting for his girlfriend Penny to arrive, the Langleys return unexpectedly as Mrs Langley is ill, and the trip gets canceled. Unable to get out of the house in time, Derek hides in a crawl space in the basement waiting for the family to go to bed so he can escape. Instead intruders arrive and shoot and kill Mr and Mrs Langley and their son Adam, a friend of Dereks, while he is still in the basement.

Why did something like this happen? The town of Promise Falls in upstate New York is a sleepy place. The Cutters try to console themselves by saying that this had to be a random act, but did the killers perhaps go to the wrong house? Little by little, it seems everyone has something to hide. Don't miss this book if you enjoy a good thriller.

Jim Cutter is shocked when his neighbours, the Langleys, are murdered, but even more shocked when it turns out that Derek his teenage son is keeping a secret about the crime and that all the evidence points to him. As suspicion turns on his family, Jim starts to do some investigating of his own into who might have committed the murders. As he starts to uncover some long-buried secrets, his own life comes under risk.

This is the second book by Linwood Barclay that I have read. I enjoyed No Time for Goodbye, but felt that the ending let it down. Too Close to Home is just as readable but also hangs together better. It's an accomplished mystery that grabs you early and keeps you turning the pages late. Linwood Barclay's writing style is similar to that of Harlan Coben's and the cliffhanger endings to each chapter keep you wanting to read just one more. There are a lot of different strands to the book (at least one of which is a total red herring), and while parts of the mystery are quite predictable, there were a couple of twists that I definitely didn't spot in advance. The final resolution is somewhat far-fetched (so often the case with this genre), but overall it's a clever story that's been well thought through. The central narrator is likeable and the relationship with his teenage son feels very believable.

I do have one significant criticism of this book and it's hard to explain it without giving anything away, but there's one central secret that someone has kept because they thought they would be compromised and I just didn't believe that they would have felt the need to do that. However I still really enjoyed Too Close To Home. I read this book when I was in hospital recently and it was the perfect lightweight diversion. If you like Harlan Coben's books, I'm pretty sure that you will enjoy this too.

I have learned from experience that best-sellers are not necessarily well-written or well-plotted. However, I still wanted to believe that a book with good reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist would be worth reading. I now know that this is not the case. Library Journal calls the book a terrific read with shady characters. Actually ALL of the characters are despicable. There is no one to root for. Booklist says it has proper twists and turns that make it engaging. Actually the twists run from the implausible to the ludicrous. Publishers Weekly says readers will zip through the book with delight. I zipped through it with disgust and only finished it because I was curious to discover what bizarre ending it would have. Nothing could have prepared me for the outlandishness of the last few chapters.
The good news is I got the book from my local library so I didn't waste any money on it -- only my time. The bad news is that because it's a library book, I can't burn it.

Barclay delivers an interesting, though somewhat predctable book. Two diverse storylines converge in the lives of Jim & Ellen Cutter. The main story revolves around the murder of their neighbors. Were the murders a revenge killing or a tragic mistake? The second storyline involves the mysterious death of a college student some 10 years prior. As the Cutters learn more and more about both, they are left to wonder if the two tragedies might be related.

The main storyline follows a somewhat predictable path. Alert readers will figure out most of the plot twists well in advance. The second storyline is more effectively veiled, and the resolution is surprising, yet plausible.

Barclay's books are well developed. Characters and situations are believable. The plot of 'Too Close to Home' moves at an even pace. The reader is given vital information throughout and there is very little wasted text.

In summary, though not shocking, or even all that surprising, 'Too Close to Home' is an enjoyable read from a dependable author.

I first discovered one of Linwood Barclay's book Bad Move in our local library and instantly became a fan. Since then I've enjoyed everyone of his books. Too Close to Home: A Thriller is no exception. Jim Cutter (much like all of Barclay's main characters) is an ordinary family man, suddenly caught up in a big mystery when his next-door neighbors are slain one night and Jim's son Derek becomes a murder suspect. Barclay does a great job of baiting the reader with red herrings by introducing slime-ball characters and sinister individuals. Face-paced and exciting. Everyone involved has a secret to bare. Satisfying conclusion and well orchestrated.

I highly recommend the following Barclay books:
Bad Guys
No Time for Goodbye
Never Look Away: A Thriller
Fear the Worst: A Thriller

This was a "can't put down" book. Interesting characters. a story line that got you involved. Never saw the ending ("murderer") coming. I was completely "sucked" in. I generally have an idea of maybe who is guilty. Not here. Will read more of Linwood Barclay novels based on this book.

This is a story about Jim Cutter, his family, his neighbors, his town.

Mr. Barclay's writing puts you right there, right in the middle of the story. I love writing like that, don't you? You aren't READING the story, you are IN THE STORY.

The story revolves around the murder of the Cutter's neighbors, their entire family. Jim's son plays a huge part in the story and I swear Jim's son is my son. Does what every teenage son does, talks like them, acts like them.

The quest is to find the killer and of course Jim's son is accused, you saw that coming, right? But that is just a small portion of the book. Every time you think you'll put the book down and do something else, the next paragraph will grab you and you can't put it down after all.

I won't give away the ending, but you won't see it coming.

I picked this book up used, never heard of Linwood Barclay, but I plan on reading all of his books. Now get your own copy!

I had just finished reading Barclay's "Never Look Away" which I had enjoyed when I found a copy of "Too Close to Home" at our local B&N Bookstore. So I thought I'd give it a read. The story started out strong with the murder of a neighborhood family. Then the narrative switched to the first person as told by Jim Cutter. As I read the story I started to scan it since I found a lot of side stories that didn't seem to be germane to the story. About half way through the novel I started to dislike the character of the narrator-a tough,, shallow, vulgar individual with a similar unsympathetic wife. The concluding chapters seemed to be pulled out of a hat-especially the "surprise revelation of who Drew really was." I think I am being generous in giving it two stars.

I flipped through other reviews here and am somewhat surprised at the division. Some people really hate this book, one even thinks it was way too profane. Others love it. I gave it 4. I did not notice the profanity, and as teenagers go Derek is not untypical. I do not think it is fair to compare this type of book with more literary efforts, it is a thriller and I thought a good one. The story is original and well laid out. I dropped a star for two reasons. I saw the ending coming and I did not enjoy the narration style fully. I found the conversations somewhat stilted - then again it is told in the first person and so perhaps this is an effect of someone telling what they said, she said etc. This is fairly standard Barclay fare. It is not the best of his writing but none the less enjoyable. You won't be blown away but it is a good read.

Promise Falls, New York is a small town where big crimes are never supposed to happen. Teenager Derek Cutler hides in his neighbor's basement crawlspace waiting for them to leave so he have some cuddly time with his girlfriend Penny. When they finally go, he takes a tour of their house, but hears a noise and scurries back to his basement hiding place. The Langleys have returned home because the wife felt ill. Derek waits for them to go to sleep so he can sneak out. Someone enters the house and shoots the entire family; Derek flees without talking to anyone including the police about what he witnessed.

The police find a suspect who lied to them. They realize Derek was in the house when the homicides occurred based on phone calls he made. His earring is found in the bed of the late mother and the blood on his sneaker belonged to his friend Adam. The cops arrest Derek; however other evidence surfaces exonerating Derek who is freed from imprisonment as the charges are dropped. His parents fear the nightmare has just begun as a cold blooded killer is still on the loose and their family may be the target.

Linwood Barclay creates a great complicated crime caper that seems so genuine especially for anyone who has a teen in the household. The murders strip away the veneer of safety in the small town ands secrets become known that were never meant to see the light of day. The only moralistic person in Promise Falls is Derek's dad Jim who always wants to do the right thing, but also realizes how difficult that can be with so many choices to make that harm perhaps kill someone; often an innocent. Although he knows there is NO TIME FOR GOODBYE with his expecting a stalking killer coming their way, his cerebral ethical pondering adds depth to a strong whodunit that will have sub-genre fans seeking Mr. Barclay's backlist.

Harriet Klausner.

Last year when I read an earlier Linwood Barclay, the story was pretty good, but a bit too contrived; I felt a little manipulated. Lately, I've read several books where, halfway into the story, I've wondered if it would ever be possible to become enthralled.

TOO CLOSE TO HOME by Linwood Barclay (2008) captured my attention within the first few paragraphs, and had thrown the first whammy by the end of Chapter One.

The plot moves, mutates, and continues to surprise. By the time the story is into its final arc, tall tales are being told, but I never felt disconnected. The twists in the plot provide continuing, and captivating, interest.

The protagonist is my favourite kind: fallible, quirky and kinda loveable.

TOO CLOSE TO HOME was a very satisfying story.

Theresa de Valence, Reviewer, [...]

To begin with, "Too Close To Home" is nowhere near his previoius novel - "No Time For Goodbye" - but that's not a fair comparison because his last novel was one of the best thrillers I've ever read.

His latest effort starts with an interesting premise and keeps twisting and turning right up until the end. A young boy, hiding in the crawlspace of his neighbors house while they are on vacation is trapped there when they return suddenly the same day they leave. While trapped, he hears them addressed by a strange voice and then 3 shots ring out - killing the entire family. What could have been a straight story told from the boy's perspective quickly switches gears (and narration) to focus on the boy's father and most of the twists in this case are unexpected.

I cannot wait to see what Linwood Barclay does next because his "good" efforts are better than most thriller writers "best" efforts today!

It's almost impossible to review this without mentioning Harlan Coben as this could so easily have been written by him, and is sure to be enjoyed by his many fans.
Here we have a family shocked by the murder of their neighbours and, as the plot unravels there is the question that the killers might have got the wrong family and is a hidden secret the cause of it all?
A page turner as we get sucked into a fast moving plot that twists and turns until its conclusion. I have to say that I guessed where it was going which slightly took the edge off it for me, but this is well written and the characters have some depth and are interesting. The town mayor is also an amusing light touch amongst the murder and mystery.
If you liked Barclay's previous novel or you like Coben's stuff, then you should pick this one up...

Started to read this book a while ago, something else caught my attention, and suddenly the books is forgotten. But then one day I decided to continue and man, I just couldn’t put the damn book down. I was torture to do other stuff; I needed to know what happened, just one more chapter, one more…

Unfortunately the ending wasn’t that surprising, partly surprising, yes, but not fantastic surprising ending. But the book was still really, really good. So if you like a book with twist and turns than this is a book for you!

I enjoy most of this authors books. I only reason I gave this one 4 stars is because I figured out who the culprit was as soon as he was introduced into the book. Usually, when I read Linwood Barclays books I'm guessing until the very end. It was still a very enjoyable book. I would recommend reading it. If you do, enjoy.

Okay fellow readers - learn from my mistake! I started Linwood Barclay's latest suspense novel Too Close to Home too close to bedtime. I couldn't put it down! ( And I was very tired at work the next day.)

Seventeen year old Adam Langley and his parents are headed out on a week's vacation. Adam's best friend Derek Cutter decides to hide out in their basement until they're gone. He has plans to use the Langley house as a meeting place for him and his girlfriend Penny. He's just settled in, waiting for Penny when the Langley's SUV pulls in. He hides again. Mrs. Langley is sick and they've cancelled the holiday. While Derek is figuring out how he's going to get out and get back home, shots ring out. Someone else is in the house and has killed the entire family. And Derek's still hiding..

Okay, that was just the prologue!! And the opening line? From Derek's father Jim....

"The night they killed our neighbours we never heard a thing."

Derek does escape and runs home. From there things get crazy. Could the killings have something to do with some data Adam and Derek found on an old computer? Will the cops believe Derek's story? Does this killing have something to do with two other recent murders in town? The past has unexpectedly come back to haunt the present and Jim Cutter is determined to protect his family at all costs.

Just when you think the story is headed one way, it takes a sharp left turn and heads in a new direction. There's great foreshadowing at the end of many chapters, which kept me reading even later. Although I did figure out one thread ahead of the ending, there were many twists and turns I didn't see coming.

I discovered Barclay when I read his first novel, Bad Move, a darkly humourous mystery. Since then Barclay has just gotten better and better, heading more into suspense. If you've enjoyed Harlen Coben, you will love Linwood Barclay!

Very good plot, but the narrator often got in the way of the tale making it seem slow in places. The who done it came as a surprise, which shows that the plot held together well.
Goes to prove 'no good deed goes unpunished', while also that errors of ommission by being a quiet bystander can be as deadly as the acts of a perpetrator.

The plot kept me guessing until nearly the end! The most refreshing thing about it, though, was that the central character of this murder mystery was not a detective, or a PI, or a lawyer or anyone at all affiliated with the legal system. It was a fast read, too. I am certainly interested in reading more books by this author. I think he did a really wonderful job of maintaining suspense, creating mostly likable characters and having a strong, and at times funny, narrator. I really enjoyed this!

I think Linwood Barclay is my new favorite author. I've read several of his books now and each one keeps you on the edge of your seat! My kind of reading. Can't wait to pick out my next book to read! If you like thrillers, read one of his books. You won't be disappointed#

Barclay's not even close in the comparison to Harlan Coben. This is the second book that, I've read from him that has this narration style, which just ruins his thriller when you put it up against the late Robert B. Parker (RIP), Coben, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner; etc, and just makes for a slow, boring, long drawn out tale that never takes off.

Purchased this one because of the back cover preview of the book, and the prologue, but what I really bought was a book that the author just fumbled the whole story by making it a narration told by Derek's father. It just never took off for me, found it to be too slow way to boring for my taste, and just gave up after reading 42 pages.

I'll never purchase another book from Barclay, even have stopped a few readers at my local B-A-M store from bothering with the book and won't recommend the author.

There is nothing better than a Linwood Barclay novel to keep you glued to your seat and turning pages well into the night. "Too Close to Home" is a stunning piece of writing; a thriller of the best kind. Barclay has this way of keeping you guessing right to the last page. Loved every bit of it!

Entertaining and fast paced mystery/thriller - not gory or overly bloody. Multiple layers of deception and intrigue with different subplots going on. The various characters were mostly believable, although I wasn't always convinced of the realistic nature of their motives and actions. All's well that ends well.
Recommendation: Buy

I enjoyed this book immensely. I've never heard of Linwood Barclay, and so I bought it. I was not disappointed at all. I like his style of writing and suspense mixed with humor. I am sure to purchase more of his books.

The plot was a little predictable, but overall, it is a very enjoyable book.

Too Close To Home was fantastic. One of the best books I have read, and I read about 3 books a week. You cannot stop reading this as you can't wait to see what will happen next. I read this in 2 days.