The Accident [Kindle Edition]

Linwood Barclay is another of those authors who I look forward to each year releasing a new novel. He is a brilliant author and is able to write crime fiction full of twists and turns and always finishes his books with a twist that hits the reader with a shock!

The Accident is his latest book, released 1 September 2011. It tells the story of Glen Barber, owner of a construction business, who is facing financial difficulties after a mysterious fire burnt his latest build down. There is also the sudden and unexpected death of his wife following a car accident where tests show she was drunk when driving, something which was completely out of character. The mystery continues when his daughter's best friend's mum also dies in suspicious circumstances.

The book is, as ever in Linwood Barclay's books, excellent written, where the readers are lead through the story at a fast pace, gaining pieces of information along the way. There is plenty of mystery, intrigue and despair within the book. The characters are all every day people, with the main male characters all having decent jobs, however the women are trying to earn a few extra pennies to supplement their husbands income - however there are consequences to this. The characters are all people you would find in any community and I really felt for Glen, worrying about his dead wife and also his daughter who is affected by both the death of her mum, but also the death of her best friends mum too. All the characters suffer a full range of emotions throughout this book and I, as the reader, also felt much anger, frustration and confusion throughout the book as Glen Barber tries to uncover what happened to his wife before she died in the accident.

I would definitely recommend this book to crime lovers of all ages.... Linwood Barclay has many fans but I think that with this book many more people will become fans. Read more ›

I've read all Linwood Barclay's paperbacks and have enjoyed all of them, particulary 'No Time for Goodbye' and 'Too Close to Home'. This was was a major disappointment to me. I don't understand the positive reviews on here, to be honest. The endless plot about purse parties etc bored me. Neither did I like all the stuff about Glen Garber's work colleagues and the interlinks seemed tenuous to me. I think I would have enjoyed it had it been a hundred pages shorter.

I don't read books as often as I would like to. More often than not it is usually during a two week annual holiday that I sort myself out a few paperbacks to relax with on the beach. A couple of years ago Richard & Judy nominated a Linwood Barclay novel as their best holiday read and I decided to give it a try. I became a fan overnight. Two years later I have read all the novels this Canadian thriller writer has penned. Yes I admit there is a similarity between them all, but there again perhaps that is the attraction. Stick with what you know and enjoy. In my view The Accident is the best to date..... which I guess mirrors the view of Stephen King, since the latest hard back edition I have just completed was emblazened with a similar comment from this world famous horror writer. Don't worry if you're not a fan of horror - Linwood Barclay is a different genre to Stephen King ; but I guess it takes a good writer to know one. It is hard to put a finger on it but I almost get the feeling that Barclay has matured in his writing style with each successive novel. The ever-so-slight rough edges have gone, giving the impression that this book was easier to write. So I'll conclude by saying if you you want to be absorbed by a fast paced thriller that twists and turns as it goes along and has that "can't put down" quality to it, give "The Accident" a try. It is a good easy read, that flows well, with a well thought out story line that is believable enough to get you engrossed. I'll wait patiently for his next one and I know I'll enjoy it as much as the ones that have gone before.

I am a fan of Linwood Barclay and have enjoyed all his previous novels. The Accident is a dark, gripping and for a while mysterious tale. Why have two women, both mums died in what looks like accidental death scenes? Kelly's mum Sheila was drunk and crashed her car. Ann, Kelly's mum was pushed off a pier into the sea, but the Police think it was an accident. The women were close friends and their daughters' are best friends. Clearly something is going on that their husbands don"t know about. Ann was married to Darren, a policeman and Sheila was married to Glen who is the central character here.
Glen runs his own building contract firm, he has recently had one of his new homes burn down and is trying to find out why. After his wife dies he is on a non stop struggle to take care of his daughter and deal with his grief while running his business.

The story has a backdrop of the credit crunch and financial pigeons coming home to roost. The Sub-Prime mortgages are biting and people are struggling to make ends meet: given that "ends" includes all the western cultural essentials like flat screen TV's and designer handbags.etc.

I like it that Linwood Barclay has included in his novel many of today's financial problems and the dodgy practices that are on the increase. The counterfeit medicines that can kill, toys for young children that are painted in Lead paint. The very dodgy building supplies like plasterboard containing toxic substances and the way faked safety stamps have been used to sell electrical units that burn out causing major damage. Many ordinary people do feel angry and betrayed by the bankers: and by including some current affairs it gives another level of tension to the novel. It did for me ! and I don't recommend this as a bedtime read!...

Some parts of the book are fast paced and gripping but some are more predictable and a bit disappointing. However its never boring and the momentum keeps you reading, particularly towards the end which I found exciting and satisfying. Read more ›