-
Seasonal Offer:
This title is part of our Seasonal Offers promotion.
Never Look Away
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Never Look Away for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Special Offers and Product Promotions
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
There are several nightmares shared by parents, principally involving the disappearance of their children. It is, of course, the job of novelists who deal in suspense to utilise these fears, and that is precisely what Linwood Barclay does in Never Look Away, which is typically mesmerising fare from a writer who knows how to play readers like a musician plays an instrument. In the new book, journalist David Harwood takes his wife and baby son out for the day to a New York amusement park, but while he is buying ice cream, his wife runs to him in a panic and tells him that their child, Ethan, has disappeared. The distressed couple separates to look for their son. When Harwood gives chase to a man with a pushchair, he finds his son unharmed. But to his horror, he discovers that his wife has now disappeared. Harwood is deeply worried, for a variety of reasons -- his wife has been suffering from depression, and his fear is that she has taken some ill-advised -- and irrevocable -- action. But on investigation, it is discovered that surveillance cameras give no indication that she was ever in the rollercoaster park with her husband.
To some degree, the best crime novelists (and Linwood Barclay is certainly among their number) are well aware that most of the classic plots have been utilised again and again. Certainly, the sudden disappearance of a loved one, and a search for them in the face of suspicion and distrust (usually based on the fact that proof cannot be produced that the missing person was ever in a given place) is a particularly familiar plot; anyone who has seen the film (directed by Terence Fisher) So Long at the Fair will be familiar with it. But the real question is whether or not something fresh and dynamic can be done with such material, and Barclay admirers will not be surprised to learn that is precisely what he's done here. There are other elements involved (including a businessman working in private prisons who has been bribing local officials, as well as the fact that one of Harwood's wife’s colleagues at work has also vanished), and it is this juggling of a variety of elements that makes Never Look Away such a compelling experience. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
More wriggles and twists than a bag full of snakes ... mind-blowingly good (Alex Gordon EVENING TELEGRAPH )
Expect the unexpected in this compelling, unputdownable best-seller. (TELEGRAPH & ARGUS )
Expect the unexpected in this compelling, unputdownable best-seller. (TELEGRAPH & ARGUS )
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
73 of 74 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
When I started reading this book, I kept having the feeling that I'd read it before. The basic plot - family member goes missing, everyone thinks the hero did it and he has to clear his name while realising that the family member had kept secrets from him - is hardly original, having been used by everyone from Linwood Barclay to Harlan Coben. Having said that, the plot does develop in its own unique way and it is maintains the reader's interest from start to finish.
It opens with a family outing to an amusement park. David's wife Jan has been depressed lately and he hopes that a fun day out will lift her spirits. But almost immediately, their four year old son Ethan goes missing. Ethan is found, but then Jan disappears. David goes to the police, but there is no record of her ever purchasing a ticket or even having entered the park. All the evidence suggests that David is lying about what happened and that he has murdered her.
Linwood Barclay is very good at building little twists into his books: dropping clues that you think mean its going one way, but then it goes another way. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, it would surprise me.
Unlike some of his other books, Barclay holds the story together until the end. Yes, the final couple of chapters are a little silly, and yes, by the end the plot has just got too far-fetched - but not so much that it spoils your enjoyment of the book.
This is the fourth Linwood Barclay book I've read and I felt it was his best yet.
It opens with a family outing to an amusement park. David's wife Jan has been depressed lately and he hopes that a fun day out will lift her spirits. But almost immediately, their four year old son Ethan goes missing. Ethan is found, but then Jan disappears. David goes to the police, but there is no record of her ever purchasing a ticket or even having entered the park. All the evidence suggests that David is lying about what happened and that he has murdered her.
Linwood Barclay is very good at building little twists into his books: dropping clues that you think mean its going one way, but then it goes another way. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, it would surprise me.
Unlike some of his other books, Barclay holds the story together until the end. Yes, the final couple of chapters are a little silly, and yes, by the end the plot has just got too far-fetched - but not so much that it spoils your enjoyment of the book.
This is the fourth Linwood Barclay book I've read and I felt it was his best yet.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
On a visit to a local amusement park, Jan, David Harwood's wife of 5 years, goes missing and naturally he comes under close scrutiny by the local police.
That's basically it for the starting point and the author develops his plot, drawing a tight strand of suspicion around the husband for her disappearance/murder. It's very much a standard beginning for this kind of thriller, but Linwood Barclay does takes events in a not altogether expected direction.
For me, what prevents the book being close to a modern classic is he stops short of upping the suspense level to the point where you can hardly breathe as you read on. You're never entirely convinced that the police feel Harwood is really responsible. This is an essential component of the Hitchcockian thriller (yes, I know he made films rather than wrote books, but you take my point, I hope!). Having said that it is still a hundred miles an hour read and I raced through it in a day, finding it to be engrossing, well plotted and, ultimately, satisfying.
One large flaw, without giving too much away, is a major character is forced to live a lie for quite a few years and this didn't strike me as particularly believable. Still, the author isn't going for major realism here - it's pure enjoyable escapism.
I haven't read a single other reviewer's take on this book but I just KNOW that they're going to be drawing comparisons with Harlan Coben, because this novel definitely has his stamp on it: let's call it Coben-lite. Thing is, I found 'Never Look Away' to be preferable to quite a few of Harlan's thillers.
Why 'Surprisingly Enjoyable Thriller' for my title? Well, one of Barclay's previous three novels was a Richard & Judy Book Club selection. This for me is an almost guarantee that the book is fairly bland, and designed to appeal to a very broad (to be snobbish, often not particularly discriminating) readership. However, have no fear, this book is refreshingly good even though it has 'bestseller' written all over it. I'll definitely be looking out for this guy's earlier stuff.
That's basically it for the starting point and the author develops his plot, drawing a tight strand of suspicion around the husband for her disappearance/murder. It's very much a standard beginning for this kind of thriller, but Linwood Barclay does takes events in a not altogether expected direction.
For me, what prevents the book being close to a modern classic is he stops short of upping the suspense level to the point where you can hardly breathe as you read on. You're never entirely convinced that the police feel Harwood is really responsible. This is an essential component of the Hitchcockian thriller (yes, I know he made films rather than wrote books, but you take my point, I hope!). Having said that it is still a hundred miles an hour read and I raced through it in a day, finding it to be engrossing, well plotted and, ultimately, satisfying.
One large flaw, without giving too much away, is a major character is forced to live a lie for quite a few years and this didn't strike me as particularly believable. Still, the author isn't going for major realism here - it's pure enjoyable escapism.
I haven't read a single other reviewer's take on this book but I just KNOW that they're going to be drawing comparisons with Harlan Coben, because this novel definitely has his stamp on it: let's call it Coben-lite. Thing is, I found 'Never Look Away' to be preferable to quite a few of Harlan's thillers.
Why 'Surprisingly Enjoyable Thriller' for my title? Well, one of Barclay's previous three novels was a Richard & Judy Book Club selection. This for me is an almost guarantee that the book is fairly bland, and designed to appeal to a very broad (to be snobbish, often not particularly discriminating) readership. However, have no fear, this book is refreshingly good even though it has 'bestseller' written all over it. I'll definitely be looking out for this guy's earlier stuff.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I couldn't wait for this book to come out, and had luckily finished reading another book the evening before this one arrived in the post. I knew I would be in for a sleepless night or two as once I pick up a Linwood Barclay book, I find it hard to put it down again!
This is another absolutely fantastic read - his books just get better and better. The twists and turns never fail to amaze - the characters are so well described that you find yourself really 'believing' in them and sharing their emotional journey.
I don't want to give any of the plot away, I'd hate to spoil it for anyone. I love this book - and now can't wait for Mr Barclay's next offering.
This is another absolutely fantastic read - his books just get better and better. The twists and turns never fail to amaze - the characters are so well described that you find yourself really 'believing' in them and sharing their emotional journey.
I don't want to give any of the plot away, I'd hate to spoil it for anyone. I love this book - and now can't wait for Mr Barclay's next offering.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Didn't float my boat
I expected far more from this book than it actually delivered.Knowing the author and given some of the glowing reviews the book received,I was really disappointed when it failed to... Read more
Published 2 days ago by LouiseV
An Excellent Read - full of twists
Another excellent thriller from Linwood Barclay - the best yet. This book had me fascinated from the first few pages and became a real page-turner. Read more
Published 4 days ago by S. Atkinson
Brilliant
What a super and absorbing book twists,turns and in different ways keeping you in suspense till the very end. Brilliant writer.
Published 29 days ago by Ronste
Never Look Away
Really enjoyed this book, it had me gripped from the start and held my interest all the way through. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bookworm
Linwood Barclay
Brilliant, once opened could not put this book down. Author builds up the tension and suspense, with twists along the way. Superbly written.
Published 1 month ago by sioan
Fast paced book
This is the first book I have read by Linwood Barclay and I must say that it gripped me from the outset. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Fionna Morley
Never Look Away
I always look forward to Linwood Barclay's next book and this certainly didn't disappoint! Only trouble was I couldn't put it down so I didn't get much done for a few days!!
Published 3 months ago by vicky d
Prosaic
On the cover of the paperback edition, there is an endorsement by Stephen King: "The best thriller I've read in five years." Mr. King has my deepest sympathy. Read more
Published 3 months ago by T. Culver
A good read
Bought this book for my husband to take to Egypt. Well he only read a few pages, and left it on a table in the hotel. Never to be seen again. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Brenda
Never Look Away ticked all my boxes
Of the three Linwood Barclay books I've read (No Time For Goodbye and The Accident being the others), this is my favourite. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Sid
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
