Status
Available
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bantam (2012), Edition: First Edition, 480 pages
Description
"If you like Harlan Coben, you'll love Linwood Barclay." --Peter Robinson, author of Bad Boy Glen Garber, a contractor, has seen his business shaken by the housing crisis, and now his wife, Sheila, is taking a business course at night to increase her chances of landing a good-paying job. But she should have been home by now. With their eight-yearold daughter sleeping soundly, Glen soon finds his worst fears confirmed: Sheila and two others have been killed in a car accident. Grieving and in denial, Glen resolves to investigate the accident himself--and begins to uncover layers of lawlessness beneath the placid surface of their Connecticut suburb, secret after dangerous secret behind the closed doors. Propelled into a vortex of corruption and illegal activity, pursued by mysterious killers, and confronted by threats from neighbors he thought he knew, Glen must take his own desperate measures and go to terrifying new places in himself to avenge his wife and protect his child. "The writing is crisp; the twists are jolting and completely unexpected."--Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly "Fast-paced and with an irresistible blend of suspense and tension."--Tucson Citizen… (more)
Media reviews
Reader Views
You're book was recommended by a friend, and he's right in saying this story is awesome. Why don't you try to join N0velStar's writing contest?
The Canadian-based journalist twists and turns the plot with believability and spices it with plenty of suspects and suspense. In some places, his homework does seem a bit lacking, but the book remains consistently interesting and ready to please thriller fans with both its action and pacing.
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Barclay has turned in a home run with plenty of edge-of-the-seat moments. Show Less
The Accident" (Bantam Books), by Linwood Barclay: A husband is forced to confront his wife's secret life in "The Accident," Linwood Barclay's best thriller to date....Barclay channels the best of Harlan Coben and Lisa Gardner in stories of families in suburbia dealing with tragic circumstances.
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Readers will quickly become emotionally involved with Glen and his daughter and will flip the pages of "The Accident" to figure out the puzzle. Show Less
Former Toronto Star columnist Linwood Barclay has another page turner in his latest, a story of trouble and turmoil in suburbia, in this case, the town of Milford, Conn....Barclay tells a fine tale, with blackmail, murder, suspense and the murky world of counterfeit goods. Just when you think
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you’ve figured it out, well, you haven’t. Right to the end, there are twists and turns in the plot, and people who you thought were squeaky clean? Not so much.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member vancouverdeb
I very much enjoyed my Canadian written thriller, The Accident by Linwood Barclay. It was a happy, escapist 4 star read for me. I discovered Linwood Barclay a few years ago, and I think I've read most or maybe all of his previous thrillers. They always have plenty of twists and turns and just when
Like his previous books, Linwood Barclay has written a domestic thriller. By that I mean that he writes stories about ordinary people living in ordinary neighbourhoods with seemingly ordinary lives. Alas - but as usual there is a criminal underbelly. This time our protaganist and narrator,Glen Garber, loses his wife in what appears to be drunk driving accident .Glen's wife, Sheila seems to be the person who was drunk and is blamed for killing two other people from Glen Garber's small town in Connenicut. Glen and Shelia have a young eight year old daughter Kelly, who is saddened by her mother's death, and even worse, bullied at school by her fellow school mates who blame her mother for the death of one of their classmates who was killed in the accident.
Glen Garber, Sheila's husband has real doubts about his wife drinking and driving as she is known to be a responsible and careful person. But Sheila died in the accident, so he struggles with his anger towards Sheila and her seemingly out of character drunk driving.
As the story goes on, one of Shelia's friends is killed shortly after in what appears to be a rather inexplicable accident. From there, Glen Garber begins to investigate things in earnest and finds a surprising underbelly to his small town. Twist after twist and death after death, Glen begins to unravel the clues to his wife's death.
In many ways, this book is very timely , as it deals with the economic fallout in the US during the 2008. People are out of work, have subprime mortages and are losing their homes , which in part expains the corruption and illegal activity in this seemingly quiet town in Connecticut.
It was a fast paced and enjoyable read for me. I did have trouble with the fact that so quickly after Glen Garber's wife's death, he was so quickly able to start looking into who might be responsible for his wife's death. His daughter, an eight year old, seems to land pretty quickly on her feet ,despite the loss of her mother. However, this is an escapist thriller, so it did not bother me, but it might seem rather unbeliveable to others.
As I have read several of author Linwood Barker's previous thrillers, I have to comment that he is maturing in his writing and there is less quirkness and humour to his current thrillers. I rather enjoyed his quirky, humorous thrillers just as much, if not more. Even so, I very much enjoyed this read and I note that many of his previous books have been optioned to be made into movies.
Another great thriller by Linwood Barclay. As it says on the book cover, if you like Harlen Coben, you will love Linwood Barclay. As someone who has read Harlan Coben too, I have to agree.( Disclaimer- I do not like Harlan Coban's Mylon Bolitar series - I only enjoy his stand alone thrillers).
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you think you've got the answer to the murder(s) - yet another possible clue turns up. While they are definitely thrillers, they are not the sort that will keep you awake with fear. They might keep you up all night turning the pages to see what happens next.Like his previous books, Linwood Barclay has written a domestic thriller. By that I mean that he writes stories about ordinary people living in ordinary neighbourhoods with seemingly ordinary lives. Alas - but as usual there is a criminal underbelly. This time our protaganist and narrator,Glen Garber, loses his wife in what appears to be drunk driving accident .Glen's wife, Sheila seems to be the person who was drunk and is blamed for killing two other people from Glen Garber's small town in Connenicut. Glen and Shelia have a young eight year old daughter Kelly, who is saddened by her mother's death, and even worse, bullied at school by her fellow school mates who blame her mother for the death of one of their classmates who was killed in the accident.
Glen Garber, Sheila's husband has real doubts about his wife drinking and driving as she is known to be a responsible and careful person. But Sheila died in the accident, so he struggles with his anger towards Sheila and her seemingly out of character drunk driving.
As the story goes on, one of Shelia's friends is killed shortly after in what appears to be a rather inexplicable accident. From there, Glen Garber begins to investigate things in earnest and finds a surprising underbelly to his small town. Twist after twist and death after death, Glen begins to unravel the clues to his wife's death.
In many ways, this book is very timely , as it deals with the economic fallout in the US during the 2008. People are out of work, have subprime mortages and are losing their homes , which in part expains the corruption and illegal activity in this seemingly quiet town in Connecticut.
It was a fast paced and enjoyable read for me. I did have trouble with the fact that so quickly after Glen Garber's wife's death, he was so quickly able to start looking into who might be responsible for his wife's death. His daughter, an eight year old, seems to land pretty quickly on her feet ,despite the loss of her mother. However, this is an escapist thriller, so it did not bother me, but it might seem rather unbeliveable to others.
As I have read several of author Linwood Barker's previous thrillers, I have to comment that he is maturing in his writing and there is less quirkness and humour to his current thrillers. I rather enjoyed his quirky, humorous thrillers just as much, if not more. Even so, I very much enjoyed this read and I note that many of his previous books have been optioned to be made into movies.
Another great thriller by Linwood Barclay. As it says on the book cover, if you like Harlen Coben, you will love Linwood Barclay. As someone who has read Harlan Coben too, I have to agree.( Disclaimer- I do not like Harlan Coban's Mylon Bolitar series - I only enjoy his stand alone thrillers).
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LibraryThing member michellereads
I thoroughly enjoyed this galley. Having never read any of the author's work before, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found Mr. Barkley's writing style extremely readable. "The Accident" was a great pool-side read - I had it finished in less than 48 hours. It has a super plot that really keeps
There were only a few little details that bothered me. I found the manner of "Kelly" to be somewhat inconsistent. At first, I found it hard to believe that she was a mere eight years old. I found her dialogue, etc. to be mature beyond her years. Later on in the story, I felt that she became more "true" to her age, and so I felt more comfortable with her character.
Secondly, I found the plot twist wherein Glen discovers who was behind the death of Emily's mother Ann, to be a little simplistic. It's hard to believe that he would automatically conclude that the culprit was someone he knew, when only their first name was in fact revealed.
Finally, I did find that movement between scenes (within the same chapter) tended to be slightly choppy, but not enough that it hampered my true enjoyment of the book.
I look forward to reading more books by the talented Linwood Barkley, in the very near future.
**** (four our of five stars)
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the pages turning! There were only a few little details that bothered me. I found the manner of "Kelly" to be somewhat inconsistent. At first, I found it hard to believe that she was a mere eight years old. I found her dialogue, etc. to be mature beyond her years. Later on in the story, I felt that she became more "true" to her age, and so I felt more comfortable with her character.
Secondly, I found the plot twist wherein Glen discovers who was behind the death of Emily's mother Ann, to be a little simplistic. It's hard to believe that he would automatically conclude that the culprit was someone he knew, when only their first name was in fact revealed.
Finally, I did find that movement between scenes (within the same chapter) tended to be slightly choppy, but not enough that it hampered my true enjoyment of the book.
I look forward to reading more books by the talented Linwood Barkley, in the very near future.
**** (four our of five stars)
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LibraryThing member suetu
Linwood Barclay asks, “What if…”
Two years ago, a New York woman caused a drunk driving accident that killed eight people, including herself and several children. She was severely impaired, and yet no one in her life seemed to be aware she had a substance abuse problem. All of America watched
What if there’s more to this story than meets the eye? Because in the opening pages of his new novel, The Accident, protagonist Glen Garber is coping with a similar situation. His wife Sheila, a social drinker at most, has caused a traffic accident that took her life and the lives of innocents in another car. Her blood alcohol level is off the charts. The only blessing is that their eight-year-old daughter, Kelly, was not with her.
As Glen and Kelly try to pull themselves together and move forward with their lives, a series of strange and menacing events occurs. Kelly accidentally overhears something while on a sleep-over at her best-friend’s home. The parental reaction seems entirely out of proportion. The economy is hitting their part of Connecticut hard. Everyone seems to be hurting for cash. The question is: what are these suburbanites willing to get mixed up in to get it? Glen seems to be surrounded by weirdness on all sides, and is now reevaluating people he’s known and trusted for years, as slowly events begin to cast Sheila’s accident in a new light.
This was my introduction to Linwood Barclay’s work, and The Accident was an enjoyable thriller all around. Glen was an appealing everyman in a bad situation. It was easy to empathize with him. Supporting characters may not have been as well-developed, but they fulfilled their function within the plot. As for the plot, it was enjoyably convoluted, and unfolded a measured pace that kept me turning the pages. All in all, it was a quick, enjoyable, not-too-challenging read. Bonus points to Barclay for writing stand-alone novels instead of the all-too-ubiquitous series I see everywhere these days. I’ll look forward to seeing what he produces next, and may have to check out his backlist as well.
Two years ago, a New York woman caused a drunk driving accident that killed eight people, including herself and several children. She was severely impaired, and yet no one in her life seemed to be aware she had a substance abuse problem. All of America watched
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the tragedy unfold in horrified speculation. And thriller writer Linwood Barclay looked at the news coverage and said, “What if…”What if there’s more to this story than meets the eye? Because in the opening pages of his new novel, The Accident, protagonist Glen Garber is coping with a similar situation. His wife Sheila, a social drinker at most, has caused a traffic accident that took her life and the lives of innocents in another car. Her blood alcohol level is off the charts. The only blessing is that their eight-year-old daughter, Kelly, was not with her.
As Glen and Kelly try to pull themselves together and move forward with their lives, a series of strange and menacing events occurs. Kelly accidentally overhears something while on a sleep-over at her best-friend’s home. The parental reaction seems entirely out of proportion. The economy is hitting their part of Connecticut hard. Everyone seems to be hurting for cash. The question is: what are these suburbanites willing to get mixed up in to get it? Glen seems to be surrounded by weirdness on all sides, and is now reevaluating people he’s known and trusted for years, as slowly events begin to cast Sheila’s accident in a new light.
This was my introduction to Linwood Barclay’s work, and The Accident was an enjoyable thriller all around. Glen was an appealing everyman in a bad situation. It was easy to empathize with him. Supporting characters may not have been as well-developed, but they fulfilled their function within the plot. As for the plot, it was enjoyably convoluted, and unfolded a measured pace that kept me turning the pages. All in all, it was a quick, enjoyable, not-too-challenging read. Bonus points to Barclay for writing stand-alone novels instead of the all-too-ubiquitous series I see everywhere these days. I’ll look forward to seeing what he produces next, and may have to check out his backlist as well.
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LibraryThing member mikedraper
This thrilling story tells of Glen Garber becoming worried when his wife, Sheila, fails to return home from night school. He gets his own car and follows the route she would take home and comes upon an accident. When he's closer, he sees that it's Sheila's car. As he approaches the car, police stop
One of Sheila's friends, Ann Slocum, is ordered to meet an unnamed man who tells her he wants his money. We learn that she was selling unregistered pharmaceutical products. She meets someone and in a dispute, she falls into the sound and dies.
Glen has lost so much. Besides Sheila's death, there was a fire in a home he was building and the accident report says that it was from shoddy equipment. In addition, children at his daughter Kelly's school are treating her cruelly. Glen seems surrounded by people intent on harming him and Kelly. He is a sympathetic character but we come to admire him because he doesn't ask for sympathy or give up when his world is crumbling around him.
Barclay has written a riveting book about a man who demonstrates that one man, acting with conviction, can make a difference.
This was an easy read that grabs the reader and holds them in a tight world of suspense until the novel is complete.
I enjoyed the fully developed story and found myself holding my breath and saying "Oh no!" and in other parts of the story, cheering for Glen's success.
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him and inform him that Sheila didn't survive and was apparently drinking and passed out. The is also the cause of the accident which resulted in two people from another vehicle being killed.One of Sheila's friends, Ann Slocum, is ordered to meet an unnamed man who tells her he wants his money. We learn that she was selling unregistered pharmaceutical products. She meets someone and in a dispute, she falls into the sound and dies.
Glen has lost so much. Besides Sheila's death, there was a fire in a home he was building and the accident report says that it was from shoddy equipment. In addition, children at his daughter Kelly's school are treating her cruelly. Glen seems surrounded by people intent on harming him and Kelly. He is a sympathetic character but we come to admire him because he doesn't ask for sympathy or give up when his world is crumbling around him.
Barclay has written a riveting book about a man who demonstrates that one man, acting with conviction, can make a difference.
This was an easy read that grabs the reader and holds them in a tight world of suspense until the novel is complete.
I enjoyed the fully developed story and found myself holding my breath and saying "Oh no!" and in other parts of the story, cheering for Glen's success.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
Was all set to give this book a four but the ending was a bit of an overkill for me. Up to that point I was loving the book, suspense was great, it was a cautionary tale about the buying and selling of ripoff purses and drugs, liked the character of father and daughter but just couldn't buy that
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ending. Show Less
LibraryThing member norinrad10
Simply put, if you like Harlen Coben, you'll like Linwood Barclay. Both write suspense books that breeze along. Books that won't save the world but are damn enjoyable. The Accident is no exception. It includes dubious accidents, a grieving husband turned investigator , suburban shenanigans, and
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knock off Chinese products all rolled up for a roller coaster ride of epic proportions. Only downsize to this book is when Barclay slips in a little sermonizing, otherwise....thumbs up Show Less
LibraryThing member Sharn
WOW! I loved this book! Great story telling here. I swear the author left a cliff hanger at the end of 85% of the chapters in this book. Really really good!
The story revolves around Glen Garber and the accident that killed his wife Sheila. Of course it's a mystery but in more ways than one so Glen
The ending will astound you. I doubt you'll see it coming. The author did a great job wrapping it all up at the end as well. Well done!
Will I recommend this book? Shoot! I was recommending it before I even finished it. YES!
The story revolves around Glen Garber and the accident that killed his wife Sheila. Of course it's a mystery but in more ways than one so Glen
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is scrambling the whole time trying to put together what he knows into something that makes sense.The ending will astound you. I doubt you'll see it coming. The author did a great job wrapping it all up at the end as well. Well done!
Will I recommend this book? Shoot! I was recommending it before I even finished it. YES!
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LibraryThing member EBT1002
Meh. It got exciting at the end, but overall this is a mediocre thriller.
LibraryThing member Pam1960ca
Wow - another excellent book by Linwood Barclay - couldn't put it down!!!
LibraryThing member skrishna
The Accident is a thriller dealing with the most ordinary of subjects: the suburban neighborhood. While it might seem like everything is boring and mundane in Glen’s town, there is much more going on under the surface. With the economic downturn, families are becoming desperate for money. Like
Glen is an honest man who simply wants to provide as much as he can for his wife and daughter. He holds those around him to the same standard, so when Sheila mentions that she has found an avenue of bringing in some more cash, he doesn’t really question her. He trusts Sheila to make ethical decisions. But after her accident, Glen can’t help but wonder what lay beneath the surface with Sheila. How did she not see she was an alcoholic, even if she was a functioning one? What was so bad in her life that would make her want to consume that much alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car? Did he know her at all? As Glen looks into her death and uncovers one surprise after another, he begins to wonder if Sheila’s accident was really what it seemed to be.
If you’re a person who constantly questions a book while reading, saying “Wait a minute! This isn’t realistic at all!” then The Accident is probably not for you. While this book is definitely gripping and thrilling, everyone in it seems to be involved in some sort of nefarious dealings, and it’s sometimes hard to believe. That being said, if you’re like me and can suspend your disbelief until a novel once it’s over,and only then start analyzing it, then you should consider this thriller. It’s a wild, twisty ride, and the fact that it’s not very realistic doesn’t change the fact that it’s an enjoyable read.
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Glen and Sheila, some are merely trying to provide for their families, while others are clinging onto the lifestyles they acquired because of the subprime mortgage culture, unable to stop spending. Barclay’s thriller deals with the question of how far people are willing to go to maintain that illusion of wealth.Glen is an honest man who simply wants to provide as much as he can for his wife and daughter. He holds those around him to the same standard, so when Sheila mentions that she has found an avenue of bringing in some more cash, he doesn’t really question her. He trusts Sheila to make ethical decisions. But after her accident, Glen can’t help but wonder what lay beneath the surface with Sheila. How did she not see she was an alcoholic, even if she was a functioning one? What was so bad in her life that would make her want to consume that much alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car? Did he know her at all? As Glen looks into her death and uncovers one surprise after another, he begins to wonder if Sheila’s accident was really what it seemed to be.
If you’re a person who constantly questions a book while reading, saying “Wait a minute! This isn’t realistic at all!” then The Accident is probably not for you. While this book is definitely gripping and thrilling, everyone in it seems to be involved in some sort of nefarious dealings, and it’s sometimes hard to believe. That being said, if you’re like me and can suspend your disbelief until a novel once it’s over,and only then start analyzing it, then you should consider this thriller. It’s a wild, twisty ride, and the fact that it’s not very realistic doesn’t change the fact that it’s an enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member Gatorhater
This was a most enjoyable novel, it basicly centers around three families from Milford, Conn., the Garber's, the Slocum's & the Morton's, that get involved with the selling of knock-off purses, prescription drugs & electrical components for a large mark up profit. Events are getting out of hand,
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Sheila Garber is killed in an auto accident in which the police determine that she was intoxicated, blocking an off ramp of a highway unconscious behind the wheel causing that fatal accident resulting in the deaths of a father & son with one son surviving the crash. Things don't add-up with Glen, Sheila's husband, she hardly ever drank and if she did, she wouldn't drive after one drink. Shortly there after her close friend Ann Slocum's daughter Emily invites Kelly, Sheila's daughter over for a sleep-over. The kids start playing like kids do,they decide to play hide & seek and while Kelly is hiding in Mrs Slocum's closet she overhears two different conversations that Mrs Slocum has that starts this mind boggling mystery of events of what an evil web one weaves. This takes off like a soap opera on steroids, with so many characters joining the fray, the action is continuious thoughout, with another who's responsible for this death. This was suppose to be my first book review for the librarything.com, but I never recieved it, so I located a copy of it from my local library and I'm so enlightened to have read this novel, most all will enjoy this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member ken1952
A roller coaster of a thriller...Whoooooooosh...and what a great ride it is!
LibraryThing member Schatje
Glen Barber's wife Sheila is killed in an accident in which there are two other fatalities. Indications are that she caused the accident by driving while impaired. Glen has difficulty believing that Sheila was responsible since she was not an irresponsible drinker. He decides, therefore, to
Besides grieving for his wife, Glen has several other problems. He has to protect his 8-year-old daughter from bullies; he is being sued by the family of the two victims in his wife's accident; his mother-in-law is trying to take his daughter to live with her; his construction business is suffering because of the poor economy and a fire at one of his building sites; several of his employees have personal problems.
The book is certainly suspenseful. Murders pile up as the plot twists and turns. Suspense is also created by the author's switching from one plot line to another at crucial points.
The major problem with the book is that there is an excess of villains. Everyone connected to Glen seems involved in murder or some type of criminal activity. Who knew that so much evil existed in suburban Connecticut!
Another weakness is that the motivation of characters is sometimes insufficient to justify their actions. Not everyone faced with financial woes will naively become involved with organized crime. In particular, the ultimate explanation given for Sheila's death is unsatisfactory.
This is the first book I've read by Linwood Barclay; based on my impressions, I won't rush to read his other books, although I'll probably give him another try when I've exhausted my "Must Read" list.
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investigate his wife's death.Besides grieving for his wife, Glen has several other problems. He has to protect his 8-year-old daughter from bullies; he is being sued by the family of the two victims in his wife's accident; his mother-in-law is trying to take his daughter to live with her; his construction business is suffering because of the poor economy and a fire at one of his building sites; several of his employees have personal problems.
The book is certainly suspenseful. Murders pile up as the plot twists and turns. Suspense is also created by the author's switching from one plot line to another at crucial points.
The major problem with the book is that there is an excess of villains. Everyone connected to Glen seems involved in murder or some type of criminal activity. Who knew that so much evil existed in suburban Connecticut!
Another weakness is that the motivation of characters is sometimes insufficient to justify their actions. Not everyone faced with financial woes will naively become involved with organized crime. In particular, the ultimate explanation given for Sheila's death is unsatisfactory.
This is the first book I've read by Linwood Barclay; based on my impressions, I won't rush to read his other books, although I'll probably give him another try when I've exhausted my "Must Read" list.
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LibraryThing member justablondemoment
Wow!!! This was such an awesome book. Kept me up all night way past bedtime. Well worth the bloodshot eyes the next day from lack of sleep.
LibraryThing member bookgirl_Isaacson
I really enjoyed this book alot! Great twists and turns. I was intrigued to see how all the storylines would end up coming together at the end. Great read!
LibraryThing member dannalora
This book would have been a little more realistic if there were a few less people that died. I enjoyed it though.
LibraryThing member martinhughharvey
Intentionally chose this book as I wanted something easy to read while on a challenging vacation. Was very easy to read and enjoyable, decent plot, decent characters. One somewhat annoying trait - it seemed eventually everyone was a villain!
LibraryThing member Twink
Comfy chair? Drinks? Snacks? Good lighting? Excellent! 'Cause you're not going to be getting up or stopping once you dive into Linwood Barclay's latest release - The Accident.
The opening prologue - a violent crime with a distinctly different setting caught my interest. But the foreshadowing in the
"If I'd known this was our last morning, I'd have rolled over in bed and held her. But of course, if it had been possible to know something like that - if I could have somehow seen into the future - I wouldn't have let go. And then things would have been different."
Glen Carver inherited his building business from his father. He's a straight shooter and does right by his customers, staff and his wife Sheila and eight year old daughter Kelly.
Times are tough all over - the economy still hasn't fully recovered - the Carvers have money troubles like everyone else. And then the unthinkable happens - Sheila is killed in an accident that also kills a father and son. The cops say Sheila was drunk and was at fault. But Glen knows that Sheila didn't drink to excess...or did she and he just never knew?
As Glen struggles to deal with his wife's death and looking after Kelly, more seeming unrelated incidents transpire. A web is being woven around Glen, but he can't see it. We can though. I just wanted to shout at Glen - NO! Look out! Ask them why....! When he finally twigs that there is something really wrong going on with his friends and family, it's almost too late...
Barclay's characters are almost anti-heroes; everyday men thrust into situations completely outside the scope of their everyday lives with the need to protect their families. It makes them all the more believable and likable. Adding more reality to the story is the economic thread of the story - foreclosures, lay-offs, downsizing and desperately trying to make ends meet.
Barclay has the suspense/thriller genre in a choke hold with no signs of letting go (thank goodness!)
I've read and reviewed three of Barclay's previous thrillers - all five star reads, as is The Accident.
Like Harlan Coben? You're going to love Linwood Barclay!
The opening prologue - a violent crime with a distinctly different setting caught my interest. But the foreshadowing in the
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first paragraph in chapter one clinched it:"If I'd known this was our last morning, I'd have rolled over in bed and held her. But of course, if it had been possible to know something like that - if I could have somehow seen into the future - I wouldn't have let go. And then things would have been different."
Glen Carver inherited his building business from his father. He's a straight shooter and does right by his customers, staff and his wife Sheila and eight year old daughter Kelly.
Times are tough all over - the economy still hasn't fully recovered - the Carvers have money troubles like everyone else. And then the unthinkable happens - Sheila is killed in an accident that also kills a father and son. The cops say Sheila was drunk and was at fault. But Glen knows that Sheila didn't drink to excess...or did she and he just never knew?
As Glen struggles to deal with his wife's death and looking after Kelly, more seeming unrelated incidents transpire. A web is being woven around Glen, but he can't see it. We can though. I just wanted to shout at Glen - NO! Look out! Ask them why....! When he finally twigs that there is something really wrong going on with his friends and family, it's almost too late...
Barclay's characters are almost anti-heroes; everyday men thrust into situations completely outside the scope of their everyday lives with the need to protect their families. It makes them all the more believable and likable. Adding more reality to the story is the economic thread of the story - foreclosures, lay-offs, downsizing and desperately trying to make ends meet.
Barclay has the suspense/thriller genre in a choke hold with no signs of letting go (thank goodness!)
I've read and reviewed three of Barclay's previous thrillers - all five star reads, as is The Accident.
Like Harlan Coben? You're going to love Linwood Barclay!
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Connecticut contractor, Glen Garber, is trying to keep his business from going under when his life is shattered by the death of his wife, Sheila, in a car accident. She and another family are killed in a drunk driving accident , one where she was the drunk driver. Glen knows his wife really doesn't
The story made a good effort in showing how people who are financially squeezed in bad economic times can, in ignorance and stupidity, get in too far over their heads. The story was a fast paced page turner and there was a roller-coaster of suspense as Glen uncovers the truth. This was a fun read and I'll definitely pick up another Linwood Barclay novel in the near future.
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drink to any excess and rarely drinks at all. As Glen struggles to deal with his wife's death and look after their daughter, Kelly, more seemingly unrelated “accidents” continue to occur. He begins his own investigation into Sheila's death as well as the death of one of her friends. Before long he discovers that the women may have been part of a group involved in selling fake designer handbags and imported pharmaceuticals. To add to his grief he is being sued by the family of the people who died in the car accident, his mother-in-law is trying to take Kelly, several of his employees have serious problems, and a secret of his own may lead to blackmail.The story made a good effort in showing how people who are financially squeezed in bad economic times can, in ignorance and stupidity, get in too far over their heads. The story was a fast paced page turner and there was a roller-coaster of suspense as Glen uncovers the truth. This was a fun read and I'll definitely pick up another Linwood Barclay novel in the near future.
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LibraryThing member enemyanniemae
As thrillers go, this one was pretty good. There is a lot going on and while it can get a bit convoluted at times, there is definite resolution to each individual mystery. It'll keep you guessing for sure. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was excellent. His characterizations were
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spot on. I'll be looking out for more of his work. Show Less
LibraryThing member bohemiangirl35
Glenn's wife Sheila and two other people die in a car accident. It looks like the accident is Sheila's fault, but something doesn't seem right to Glenn. Sheila's blood alcohol level was way over the limit, but she wasn't a heavy drinker and would never drive drunk. Glenn has a construction business
The plot was "extra," and the characters were pretty silly. Violence for no real reason. If people could cover up anything they did wrong by threatening and killing people they are supposedly friends with or even love, the whole world would be dead.
****************SPOILER ALERT************
Can you really make somebody drunk by by injecting vodka directly into their veins?
**************END SPOILER ALERT**********
Glenn and Kelly are likable and the narration is good, so I finished the book, but I was increasingly disappointed with the explanations for the "mysteries."
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to run and an 8-year-old daughter, Kelly, to take care of, but he starts trying to figure out what really happened on his own.The plot was "extra," and the characters were pretty silly. Violence for no real reason. If people could cover up anything they did wrong by threatening and killing people they are supposedly friends with or even love, the whole world would be dead.
****************SPOILER ALERT************
Can you really make somebody drunk by by injecting vodka directly into their veins?
**************END SPOILER ALERT**********
Glenn and Kelly are likable and the narration is good, so I finished the book, but I was increasingly disappointed with the explanations for the "mysteries."
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LibraryThing member LibraryCin
When Glen's wife, Sheila, is killed in a car crash, and it seems to be her fault because she is drunk, something doesn't add up for Glen. He also has an 8-year old, Kelly, to take care of.
I really enjoyed this. It pulled me in fairly quickly, and kept me interested in finding out what was going
I really enjoyed this. It pulled me in fairly quickly, and kept me interested in finding out what was going
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on. Actually a lot more was happening than the one storyline, so it was interesting to find out how it all connected. Show Less
LibraryThing member latorreliliana
Wife has accident. A ring of counterfeit purses and drugs involves many people in murder and mayhem. Typical Barclay. Everyone gets shot, and the hero just keeps going.
LibraryThing member librarymary09
Wow. Barclay does it again. Holy cow.
LibraryThing member librarymary09
Wow. Barclay does it again. Holy cow.
Awards
Evergreen Award (Nominee — 2012)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2011-08-09
Physical description
480 p.; 4.2 inches
ISBN
0553591762 / 9780553591767
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