Find You First is such a brilliant and gripping read! You never know what to expect next, it is full of surprises and twists, and I couldn’t put it down.

It all starts with Miles Cookson, a millionaire who just received the news that he has a terminal illness. He decides it is time to find the children he fathered when he was younger, not only to find out if they inherited his illness, but also to distribute his fortune. Chloe Swanson is a waitress who, in her free time, makes videos of her family. She is looking for the family she never had, the half-siblings and the father she never met. When their paths cross, they discover that Miles’s children are disappearing, leaving no trace of their existence. In a race against time, Miles and Chloe must discover who is after them, before someone else disappears…

The story is fast-paced and thrilling. The author masterly switches from a character’s point of view to another, leaving you in suspense and wondering: who will survive? I turned the pages as fast as I could, always on the edge of my seat.

I liked the characters of Miles and Chloe. Miles’s discovery of his illness changes him. He becomes obsessed in finding his children and protect them. I found Chloe very mature for her age. She is feisty, witty, and independent. Miles and Chloe are the two main characters, but there are other characters that keep the tension high: there is the runaway teenager kept prisoner in the mansion of a psychopathic billionaire. There is the manipulative woman who is ready to sacrifice her family to get her hands on Miles’s money. There is the fertility doctor keeping a secret. The plot is so intricate that you don’t know how these characters are all connected, until it is slowly revealed.

Find You First is an addictive thriller, well-written and with an excellent ending… you won’t be able to put it down!

Billionaire businessman Miles Cookson is diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and decides to try and locate the children born through his donations to a sperm bank. But when these people, based all around the US, start disappearing, with their homes wiped clean of any traces of them, he starts to realise that somebody else is keen for them not to be found. Can he discover the truth and prevent any more deaths?

I really enjoyed Find You First. Whilst it starts off with a seemingly simple premise, it’s soon clear that there’s more to the story than meets the eye. There are several different strands to the plot, which manage to flow along without getting too confusing or outlandish. The final scenes, especially involving the Winnebago was slightly over the top, but it worked. There were no unsatisfactory loose ends left behind and all in all, a very good book.

#FindYouFirst #NetGalley
An excellent read.
Tech billionaire Miles has more money than he can ever spend, and everything he could dream of – except time. Now facing a terminal illness, Miles knows he must seize every minute to put his life in order. And that means taking a long hard look at his past.
Somewhere out there, Miles has children. And they might be about to inherit both the good and bad from him – possibly his fortune, or possibly something more sinister.
So Miles decides to track down his missing children. But a vicious killer is one step ahead of him. One by one, people are vanishing. Not just disappearing, every trace of them is wiped.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advanced copy of this psychological thriller.

Lockdown is a funny old thing and it certainly has an impact on my reading. I find that sometimes I crave an easy, fast, entertaining read that’s going to lift me out of my all-too-familiar surroundings and whisk me away somewhere else. Delightfully, Linwood Barclay’s Find You First does all that in spades.

So where have I been whisked away to? Pleasingly, I am in the world of billionaires, glass and chrome buildings, high tech houses and the foibles of the monied. Miles Cookson made his fortune from the apps that grace every smart phone in America. He has more money that he can keep track of and though he is single, he is content to devote his energy to his company. Until that is, he receives unwelcome news that causes him to re-evaluate his priorities.

Miles employs his brother, Gilbert as a trusted colleague and family member, but he is less keen on Gilbert’s wife, Caroline, a woman he finds to be both greedy and manipulative. As Miles looks back to a time when, in need of funds, he took steps to make money by selling his sperm, he determines that he will seek out those who carry his genes and make sure he looks after them.

But however determined Miles is to find the fruit of his loins, someone is equally determined that he will not do so, and thus young people start disappearing just as Miles tracks them down. All except Chloe, a 22 year old waitress and would-be documentary maker who has been documenting her family history and who has already submitted her DNA to a family tracing site. Through this site she discovers she has a half–brother, Todd whom she visits in his trailer. When Miles finds Chloe and explains who he is, they go together to find Todd, only to find the Todd gone and the trailer completely empty of any of his belongings and reeking of bleach. As others disappear or turn up dead, it is obvious that something very nasty is going on. Chloe and Miles start to bond and soon they are in a race against time to track down the perpetrators of these disappearances.

Barclay weaves a well-plotted, fast paced rollercoaster-ride of a tale. He draws great characters it is easy to warm to and his villains are excellent too. He manages to get quite a bit of depth into his characters by creating light and shade and imbuing them with some interesting moral quandaries, so that, although this is sheer glorious, fantastic escapism, you are still drawn to and fascinated by those characters – though his villains are very clearly wrong ‘uns.

On form here with a plot that changes course in a series of captivating sharp twists and turns, Barclay creates great tension and surprise through unexpected and sometimes eye watering plot moments. Find You First held me in its grip and did not let go until it had squeezed the last drop of enjoyment from me.

Verdict: There’s a lot to be said for rip-roaring escapist entertainment right now and Linwood Barclay is a master of his art in this regard. Find You First is pure entertainment and all the better for it. It swept me up, carried me along and took my mind off the world as I read it. Just what the doctor ordered. A great read.

I'm a bit late to the party with this author but I am doing my best catching up with his back catalogue as well as pouncing on new books as they are published. As with previous of his I have read, this one starts with a bang and is action packed all the way through. Not only that but it is also cerebral and very clever with some of the misdirection and twists and turns.
When we first meet him, Miles Cookson has just been told he has Huntingdon's. He is a tech billionaire but all the money in the world isn't going to help his situation. His health is going to fail and there is nothing he can do to stop it. His health professionals ask about children and other relatives, this being an hereditary disease, and he remembers back in the day when he was struggling for cash and frequented a sperm donation clinic. Surely any progeny has a right to know about this possibly happening to them. Problem is, those records are sealed. But money can buy that information, surely... Meanwhile, it soon becomes apparent that someone is also trying to find his children as they appear to be either disappearing or succumbing to "accidents". It thus begins a race against time to find them first. But there's a sting in the tail... you wouldn't expect anything less from this author and, believe me, it's a doozy...!
I devoured this book straight through from start to finish. Savouring every delicious word. And thoroughly enjoying it. So, why just the 4 stars. Well, to be honest, for all its great assets, it's a bit busy and confusing in places. Now that could be just me but I did struggle occasionally along the way and that had the consequence of jarring me out of the moment and so it wasn't as fluid a read as I really wanted it to be.
That said it was a cracking storyline and the ending, when it came, was satisfying. Frenetic but it did for me! Characters, and there were quite a few, were well drawn and as consistent as their storylines allowed them to be. Pacing was on the whole good but there was a tad of padding which slowed it down occasionally.
All in all, a good solid read that I did enjoy. Looking forward to his next one. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

An engaging thriller with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Gripping and well paced storyline leading to an action packed ending.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Find You First by Linwood Barclay, Pub Date 4/2/2021
Computer billionaire, Miles discovers that he has a terminal illness, it provokes him to take a good hard look at his life, present and passed. With no family of his own, he needs to consider who he will leave his fortune to. Although he works with his brother Gilbert, he is not keen to bequeath all his wealth to him as he fears Caroline, his brother's wife will waste it and ruin the company.
When Miles was a young man to earn extra money, he donated sperm, and he is now distraught by the thought that any of his offspring have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the disease. Bribing the receptionist at the clinic, he finds out he has fathered nine children. He decides with investigators' help to set out and find them to tell them the news, but there is more to it than DNA alone.
Whilst Miles begins his search killers are trying to assassinate them. Miles must move swiftly to save them and work out who is behind the stratagem to kill them. Several suspects are revealed.
Selfishness, dishonesty, hitmen, murder and double-crossing aplenty as this story progresses with an assortment of characters both likeable and despicable. Fast-paced from start to finish, with many twists and turns to keep your interest, a good thriller that I am happy to recommend.
I want to thank NetGalley, HQ and author inwood Barclay for a pre-publication copy to review.

Thanks to Net Galley and HQ for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This is a dark read and a gripping rollercoaster read.
There is a little t going on, deception, greed, corruption and murder.
MilesCookson is a successful billionaire who has been diagnosed with Huntingdon’s disease and there begins his rollercoaster ride.
There is a fifty percent chance that his Huntingdon disease could be passed to the next generation, Miles doesn’t have children but some years ago he donated his sperm to a fertility clinic. With some shady research he learns their are 9 young people out there belonging to him, Miles decides to track them down to warn them of this hereditary disease they may or may not have and to assure them there will be money to enable them to have the best of care. So then begins the dark tale of deception, greed, corruption and murder.
I have read many of Linwood Barclay’s books and this is definitely another great read which I highly recommend.
4.5 stars

Miles Cookson doesn’t have long left to live. His doctor has told him he’s terminal. Even his billions can’t save him but maybe they can save others.
He wasn’t always rich. Needing money twenty four years ago he donated to a fertility clinic and now wonders if he has offspring. With his diagnosis being hereditary, he must find out if he is a father, and to whom.
This leads to a dramatic turn of events. It seems he is not the only one looking for his progeny. With time running out, can Miles save them before there is no one left to save?
Linwood Barclay has surpassed himself with this novel. A story that packs a punch from the start and the ending will knock the reader’s socks off.
An author of incredible talent, and this book might be the best he’s ever written.
Just sensational.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fast-paced, exciting, action packed thriller! I’ve not read anything by Lindwood Barclay, but what a story to start with. I’ll certainly be reading more from this author. Once the story got going I couldn’t put it down.

Miles is a multi-millionaire living in New York who has just found out he has Huntington’s disease. Whilst finding this out, he also realises that if he has kids, they have a 50% chance of also having Huntington’s. Two decades ago when Miles didn’t have much money he gave a fertility centre some sperm to sell to get a computer to start his tech business.

So Miles is on a search to try and find if he has any offsprings and if he does, do they have Huntington’s?
Whilst Miles is doing this it seems someone else is trying to hunt down his heirs and make them disappear. It’s a race to find them first!

This book was so twisty too. Lots of things happened I never saw coming. I’ve not read a book with this type of plot before I thought it was very original! If you like thrillers then you’re going to love this book.
Thanks to HQ for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a brilliant book that I absolutely loved reading.
It’s a great, original story that certainly grabbed my attention.
Miles finds out he is dying from Huntington’s disease and being a very rich man, he wants to share his fortune. He’s also aware that he donated sperm when he was younger so wants to find his ‘children’ and warn them about the hereditary disease, and also leave them some money.
There’s someone else that wants to know the identity of these nine people and it seems they want to kill them.
One by one, the nine people start to disappear but Miles has found Chloe who agrees to help him find the others before it’s too late.
They have a great relationship as Chloe is streetwise and knows when things aren’t what they seem which helps Miles no end.
We find out later in the book who wants these people dead and just as you’re digesting this, we realise more lives are in danger.
This is a gripping thriller that I can highly recommend.
A brilliant read yet again from Linwood Barclay.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

A gripping and well paced psychological thriller, with Linwood Barclay on top form. Miles Clarkson is on a mission to find the nine children that were created from his donations to the sperm bank so that he can distribute his wealth and address his concerns about his hereditary illness. This gives us quite a number of very good characters who are totally believable, giving a multi-faceted story line as they develop nicely into the plot. One example of these is Chloe, as she rides the roller coaster with Miles as he tries to find out more. Twists and turns throughout keep you guessing and the story culminates with a dramatic ending. Very enjoyable and, for me, a 5 star read. Many thanks to HQ and Netgalley for my ARC.

A millionaire businessman diagnosed with a terminal illness tries to find the offspring from his days as a sperm donar. Wanting to help them with a legacy on his death he meets a young girl he assumes to be his daughter and then others on the list start to disappear. With a Trump like New York businessman involved the tale gets rather complex but the pace and tension doesn’t flag all the way to a super ending. Good stuff!

An interesting concept with a millionaire businessman finding out he has a terminal disease and wanting to trace his 9 children who were born as a result of him being a sperm donor when he was younger. He firstly wants to trace them to tell them the disease could be hereditary and secondly to leave them some of his fortune. However, there are plenty around him who would prefer his fortune for themselves!
He first meets Chloe, a plucky young woman who he would be proud to call his daughter. However, all around them the other offspring start to disappear/die. Who is engineering this and how?
A good thriller that leaves you wanting to read more and find out the ending!

What a fantastic jaw dropping read! I loved reading every page of it.
Story rushes along at break neck speed,never letting the tension slip. Brilliant characters ,each with their own stories,their story strands inter twining finally dove tailing into a breath taking action packed ending.
I do so like the way this author writes a story,never a dull moment,I read it almost in one sitting!

I’d like to thank HQ and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Find You First’ written by Linwood Barclay in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Billionaire businessman Miles Cookson has been diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease and in the time he has left wants to track down the nine children he fathered through donating sperm to a fertility clinic when younger and in need of funds. Meanwhile, Kendra Collins and Rhys Mills have a hit-list of the nine children and are killing them before Miles can locate them. Why are Collins and Mills disposing of Miles’ offspring before he can find them, and who’s paying them?

I’m a great fan of Linwood Barclay and after reading all of his thrillers and thoroughly enjoying them, especially ‘Elevator Pitch’ which I thought one of the most exciting books I’ve ever read, I was looking forward to losing myself in ‘Find You First’. To say I was disappointed is an understatement and I’m sorry to admit that on reaching the half-way mark I didn’t finish it as I didn’t much care what happened to the characters none of whom I liked. The plot was far-fetched, unbelievable and inconsequential, with none of the excitement I’d normally expect, and although I usually fly through a book in twenty-four to forty-eight hours maximum I was struggling with this one and had only managed to get half-way through three days later. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to give a more positive review but am still looking forward to the next one.

I hate to have to review this book with such a low score but honestly I find it very hard to say much that is positive about it. I have previously loved Linwood Barclay’s writing but this story seemed completely ridiculous and far fetched. I have always thought the ideas behind Barclays books original and fascinating and the idea behind this one was just as promising. The start put a smile on my face when I realised the premise of the plot but it failed to live up to my expectations in a big way.

Miles Cookson was a sperm donor but now he has a terminal illness and wants to find his adult children. Follow Miles as he searches for them before his time runs out.

I found Find You First to have the 3 e’s - engaging, enjoyable and entertaining. Although this novel deals with terminal illness and characters who disappear or are killed, it is easy reading because Linwood writes so smoothly. He writes about current times, attitudes and social issues in a soothing style like listening to a radio phone-in programme. All the lifestyle trigger points are covered, for example landlines, burner phones, following Gwyneth Paltrow on Twitter, binge-watching TV, teenagers at home with their mobile phones and ear buds, who text or email with voice calls the last option, Airbnb, Nespresso, and Google Alerts.

There were a lot of twists and turns through this story, lots of finger pointing and a fair range of good and bad characters. These characters gave Linwood the room for subtle humour which made me chuckle, for example…

He’d be ruined professionally. The clinic would be shut down. God, he might even face criminal charges. He’d be lucky to have a job as a Walmart greeter by the time the dust settled.

“You get to a certain age you can throw your back out just wiping your ass.”

Maybe this was what marriage was, Gilbert mused. Unrelenting unhappiness, but at least you had someone to talk to.

“Four stops, four days. Like I’m Drake on tour.”

… I found the plot of Find You First to be okay but the really clever bits were from the beginning and as the story unfolded, slowly but steadily the intriguing elements reduced to a mediocre race to the end. I think Find You First is a GOOD 4 star read but I did not enjoy it as much as his previous book Elevator Pitch.

Miles, who is worth millions finds out he has a terrible disease and that this may affect 9 children brought to life following his sperm donation earlier in his life. The time has come for him to find these children to look after them, but someone else has the list and what’s them all killed.
Brilliant book, full of twists and turns, emotions and action. Read and enjoy.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Miles is a multi-millionaire who has more money than he can ever spend. Now facing a terminal illness, Miles is accessing his future and his past. Somewhere out there, he has biological children, conceived from his sperm donations at a fertility clinic, and they are about to inherit both the good and the bad from him - his fortune, but possibly something they do not want.

Miles decides to track down his biological children, but someone is one step ahead of him, wiping each one out, one by one, without a trace.

This is the first Linwood Barclay novel I have read, and a fantastic choice to start with! It was action-packed and fast-paced from the start, full of twists and mystery keeping me guessing. Lots of things happened that were totally unexpected to me; I loved it.

I loved the character of Miles; I expected him to be a bit of a rich snob, but he was likeable and heartwarming. I also liked Chloe, one of his potential biological children; she was feisty and a really strong female character.

A brilliant read full of suspense from the start.