The Twenty-Three by Linwood BarclayMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
When I discovered Linwood Barclay's thrillers, I waited anxiously each time until I could get my hands on the next one. This one won't be available until November 1, 2016 but you have lots of other choices before then.
I love the fact that his story telling can surprise the reader. His plots are clever. His characters unexpected. The Promise Falls, New York setting is a small town we know. It's a lot like where we all live but with unthinkable things happening.
THE FIRST LINE: "I know I won't be able to get them all. But I hope I'll be able to get enough."
THE STORY: Book 1: Broken Promise - "With a demanding job at the Boston Globe, single parent David Harwood cannot find enough time to spend with his son. The solution he chooses is to go back home and work for the local paper in Promise Falls. Things start going wrong immediately."
Book 2: Far From True - "A group of teens are planning to attend a final showing at the local drive-in theater, smuggling in beer and one of their friends in the car trunk. They are in line when there is an explosion, the screen collapses, and people are killed. The reader is hooked! From there the author begins feeding out various story lines. The daughter of one of the victims asks Cal Weaver, a private investigator, to help solve a break-in at her father's house where he finds a hidden room. Meanwhile Detective Barry Duckworth is trying to solve two murders, one three years old, that he suspects are linked. And lurking in the background is the ominous Mr. 23."
And finally Book 3: The Twenty-three - People are suddenly being felled by a mysterious illness which is quickly identified as the town's water supply (shades of Flint, Michigan). Private investigator Cal Weaver focuses on who could benefit from such a tragedy while Detective Barry Duckworth investigates another murder which seems to be part of a pattern. David Harwood is back with his troubles too. How will it all end?
WHAT I THOUGHT: The confusion of characters I noted in my review of the second book just becomes more intense here. I actually had trouble getting into the story but by the time I was halfway through, I was committed to finding out the answers. Barclay does a great job of reminding the reader of who characters are, but I find it annoying sometimes. Will I read his next offering? Of course. Linwood Barclay is a masterful storyteller.
BOTTOM LINE: My recommendation would be to read some of the stand alone titles first. If you find, like me, that you love Linwood Barclay, then go ahead and read this trilogy. You can find reviews of other titles on my blog. One of my favorites is Never Look Away.
Title: The Twenty-Three (Promise Falls Trilogy #3)
Author: Linwood Barclay
Genre: Thriller
No. of Pages: 464
Copyright: November 1, 2016
ISBN-10: 0451472721
ISBN-13: 978-0451472724
Disclaimer: An advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book was provided to me by Berkley and Net Galley for an honest review.
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. (from Amazon)
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Update from Linwood Barclay: Great news, announced today in Publishers Weekly:
ReplyDeleteWilliam Morrow Inks Barclay to Triple
Bestselling author Linwood Barclay (No Time for Goodbye) signed a three-book U.S. rights deal, for three new standalone thrillers, with Jennifer Brehl at William Morrow. Brehl preempted the books from Helen Heller, who has an eponymous shingle. The first title in the deal, The Typewriter, is about a man who gets an antique typewriter and begins to think he may be receiving communications on it from two murder victims who once used the machine. The book is set for a spring 2018 release.