My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ for the electronic copy.

I have enjoyed this author's books previously but this particular one left me feeling a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong - this has had intriguing plot and enough red-herrings to confuse - but the characterisation seemed too weak to support it (if that makes sense). All felt kind of one-dimensional.

Andrew and Greg, partners in a construction company, have taken to their fishing cabins for the weekend. Andrew's wife, Brie is at home - that is, until Andrew arrives back on the Sunday to discover his wife has disappeared. Andrew becomes the chief suspect but there is no proof; he's hounded by the police investigator, changes his surname and moves out of the district.

Six years later he's living with Jayne and her teenaged brother Tyler, happy with moving forward with his life, when a woman turns up in Andrew's old neighbourhood where she makes a scene about "her house". She looks remarkably similar to Brie - if it is, then where's she been for the last 6 years?

As members of Brie's family also witness sightings of the woman, and the dogged detective once again becomes involved, Andrew is determined to find out exactly what is going on.

There are secrets to be uncovered - and there are secrets to be kept.

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

Six years ago, Brie Mason vanished without a trace while her husband, Andrew Mason, was away on a fishing trip. Most people assumed he had gotten away with murder...

Now, six years later, Andy is rebuilding his life and has settled with his new partner, Jayne. But one day, a woman bearing a striking resemblance to Brie turns up, and the past is bought back to the surface.

This book was a great read and difficult to put down! It was only my second book by Linwood Barclay, but I loved the subplots, and the twists and turns; a classic intriguing mystery. I love how the author misdirects the reader and leads them straight down the wrong path, making sure they remain one step behind.

I like Andrew's character but struggled to connect with a few others. However, I think this is because they are all not who they seem, and I saw straight through them! The book is told from multiple points of view, so we get to know a little of the main characters and their backgrounds.

A brilliant whodunnit!

I have enjoyed Linwood Barclay’s books since No Time For Goodbye so I was delighted to receive an advance copy of Take Your Breath Away.
I like the purple on the cover, and if I saw it in a shop I would definitely pick it up.

Brie and Andrew are renovating a house and hoping to make this their permanent home. After some troubles in their marriage they’re looking for a fresh start.
Brie mysteriously disappears without a trace and Andrew is the prime suspect.
Six years later, Andrew has changed his name and moved on with someone new. He receives a call from his old neighbour to say that a woman who looks like Brie has turned up at the site of their former home, expressing total shock the house has been demolished.
So is Brie alive after all?

This was a readable enough book, but I really struggled to connect with any of the characters.

The plot alternates between the present day and the time leading up to Brie’s disappearance.
Initially, I found the book felt quite disjointed and it took me longer than usual to get into the story.

Partly because I wasn’t interested in the characters, I wasn’t that bothered about what was happening.

For me, the book lacked the usual pull of a solid thriller that I’ve come to expect from this author.

The plot could have been great but something was missing and it just fell flat. The ending was a let down and generally I found the book underwhelming.

Sadly, I was disappointed with this book and would be hesitant to recommend it.

I’ve really enjoyed most of this author’s other books so I would read more from him in future and hope this was just a blip.

2.5 stars rounded to 2.

Thanks to HQ Stories and NetGalley for a copy to review.

This book is a very enjoyable read. It races along full of secrets and lies and there are plenty of twists to keep the reader fully engaged.
The main storyline surrounds the disappearance of Andrew's wife six years ago, is she dead or just missing? Someone must know something but who?
It is one of those books that you look forward to picking up and settling down for an entertaining hour or so... or more!

Thanks to Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

Linwood Barclay is well known for his gripping crime thrillers and fans of this author will not be disappointed with his latest offering. Take Your Breath Away tells the story of Brie and Andrew Mason, living in Milford, Connecticut. They’ve had a few marriage problems of late, both at fault, but they’ve turned a corner and have worked things out. Whilst Andy is on a weekend fishing trip with his best friend Greg, his wife Brie disappears. The police, and most of Andy’s friends and family think he’s the prime suspect. But there’s no evidence, no body and no leads.

Six years later, there are reports that Brie has been spotted around town. News travels fast. Andrew’s world is turned upside down as he tries to figure out what's going on. Is it his wife?

This is a gripping, fast paced thriller with interesting dialogue and strong characters. The story led me down several paths as I started to suspect what was going on, I was wrong each time!

A fast paced psychological thriller full of secrets, lies and surprising twists.

If you’re a fan of Linwood Barclay then you’ll enjoy his latest thriller. This is a ‘just one more chapter’ sort of book so expect a late night or two as the author keeps you guessing right to the end.

This is an amazing, must read, mystery thriller. Andrews missing wife Brie, presumed dead, returns after six years. Where had she been? Friends, family and acquaintances are not to be dismissed. A great read worth 5 stars.

Linwood Barclay has been an instant-buy author for me for a long time. I've read almost all of his books, and I've loved and devoured most them. The last two or three I've either not liked or I've not finished.

I was taken in by this book in the early stages. I liked the premise and how it was progressing, but it just stalled. The plot became a repetitive cycle of conversations and inaction. Some of the narrative voices, in fact, detracted because they dissipated any tension of the unknown. Matt in particular.

None of the twists were actual twists because I saw them coming a mile off. In fact, some were so clumsily handled that I would have been more surprised if the twist hadn't been the twist. Norman and Greg in particular. The little clues are less subtle and more neon signs.

I also felt that the dialogue was often clunky and wooden, which was not a major point, but as I'm riding the wave of disappointment and ranting, I may as well be thorough.

I thought for a while that we were back to the Barclay novels of old, which genuinely had me on the edge of my seat more than once, but the hope soon faded.

I've rated 2 stars for the first 20% or so and the premise, but the rest was a 1 star (Did Not Like) from me.

Six years ago, Brie Mason went missing when her husband was away on a fishing trip. She hasn’t been found, and the suspicion that he had been responsible for her disappearance had never gone away. Andy Mason had sold up and moved and found a new life. But when a woman turns up, where their house had been, causing quite a scene, the neighbours could have sworn that it was Brie. More sightings of her were being reported to the police throughout the town. Then she disappeared again.

This is a great story full of suspense. The story picks up the pace and throws you into all sorts of directions. The author keeps you on your toes throughout and makes you believe you know how the story will end.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

My thanks to Netgalley and publishers Harper Collins for an ARC of this novel in return for an honest review. This is a sparsely told, fast-moving story as one expects from this author. Beautiful, evocative descriptive passages are not his style. There are the minimal number of characters and the bare facts. For example, police interviews are reported word for word from one character to another and you are left to assume it takes place in a police station. But there are no words wasted on a description of the building or the room in which it takes place. Consequently, the story rattles along at a very satisfying pace. This is a very complex story that is revealed a bit at a time and keeps you guessing. An intriguing mystery. But what really happened? And it’s all aided by sparks of dry humour throughout. As the tale slowly unfolds it becomes obvious that more is going on than first appeared.

The protagonist is Andrew and his sections of the story are written in the first person. Everything else is narrated in the third person. Andrew’s wife, Brie, disappeared six years ago and he is now living with his girlfriend and her brother Tyler. But Andre is still connected to Brie’s sister, who believes he killed Brie, her husband and his brother in law and his wife as well as their dying mother. And of course, the ever-present police officer still asking questions about this now cold case. The central question is, “What happened to Brie ?” And from there all sorts of other issues arise.

Although plausibly worked out, I did find the twist at the end a little hard to believe. But I would never want to miss out on a new Linwood Barclay book.

Classic Barclay novel, full of plot twists and a fast paced narrative Take Your Breath Away will do just that. This is another book from Linwood that will leave you wanting more and turning each page at a rapid, almost non stop, pace.

A compelling read with twists and turns all the way. The end did seem to come a little bit out of no-where, but the concept of this story is absolutely fascinating and carried me over any bumps in the road. I very much enjoyed how the sub-plots weaved together in the background of the main story.

Excellent twisty turny read you’ve come to expect from this author.

Kept me guessing and was quite unpredictable which was refreshing because I read a lot of this genre!

My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Take Your Breath Away’ by Linwood Barclay in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a number of Linwood Barclays’ thrillers over the years and am always impressed by the ingenuity of his plots. This domestic crime thriller was no different.

The Prologue has Brie Mason home alone while her husband Andrew is away on a fishing trip. That night she vanishes without a trace, though as readers we are given some insight into her disappearance.

Most people assumed that Andy got away with murder, including the police though they weren’t able to build a case against him. After losing his business, friends, and becoming a pariah in the community he hit rock bottom. Now, six years later he has put his life back together, is in a new relationship, and changed his surname to Carville. Yet his peaceful world is about to be shattered.

A woman, who bears a striking resemblance to Brie, shows up at his old address, which has been bulldozed and rebuilt. She starts taking groceries out of her car and then seeing the new house starts screaming, ‘Where’s my house? What’s happened to my house?' Then just as suddenly as she appeared, the woman leaves. The police are notified as is Andy. The original investigator Detective Melissa Hardy suspicions resurface.

The plot continues to twist and turn throughout. ‘Take Your Breath Away’ again confirmed my appreciation of Barclay as a sure bet with respect to providing a page-turning puzzle with a satisfying resolution.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Linwood Barclay is what I consider to be a quality author. So I knew I would not be disappointed with this book. I wasn't. Written in Barclay's unique style with fabulous characters with plenty of twists and turns. Definitely a recommended read.

Linwood Barclay does it again!! Six years ago, while on a fishing trip, Andy comes home to finding his wife Brie missing without a trace. After being investigated, Andy changes his name and moves away. Then, one day his old neighbour gets in contact to say a woman looking just like Brie has turned up at their old house and looked confused to see the changes made to the exterior. Later on, Brie’s sister and brother see the same lady outside the hospital their mother is at.
CanBrie really be back after all this time?
A compelling read and you are really rooting for Andy through out. Easy to lock yourself away and dedicate time to read this one in one sitting!!
5 stars!

I enjoyed this Linwood Barclay book, it was a good read, full of some twists and turns.
A missing wife and a 6 year old mystery combine to keep you guessing.
There are some creepy sections which will make for an interesting read.

Take Your Breath Away – Linwood Barclay

For me, what started off as an excellent beginning petered out to an ‘impossible to guess’ and totally implausible ending. From mid-point onwards I found myself going through the motions, and just hoping the tale would improve.

The protected PDF sent to me is littered with grammatical errors – I assume these will be corrected before publication, but they became more and more annoying as I read through the story.

I related to some of the main characters, but to be honest, the host of family members were largely unnecessary and did little or nothing to improve tension or credibility.
A shame really, as the concept was most original.

How fabulous to see one of my favorite thriller writers back on top form with this seductively twisty mystery that had me in a spin from start to finish. With its irresistible premise, intricate, multilayered plot, and sympathetic protagonist, it was an absolute blinder of a read.

Six years ago Brie Mason went missing while her husband Andrew was on a weekend fishing trip. The finger of suspicion firmly pointed at Andrew, although without a body, no charges were ever brought against him. Since then, Andrew has moved on, put his grief behind him, and found happiness with new partner Jayne.

When out of the blue, a woman bearing a strong resemblance to Brie is spotted locally, leading to speculation that she’s still alive, Andrew’s life is once again thrown into turmoil. Could it possibly be Brie, and if so where has she been? And what does her reappearance mean for him and Jayne?

I have always loved the way Barclay takes ordinary people and places them into extraordinary but believable situations. This is where he truly excels as a writer. And here, I immediately warmed to the character of Andrew, sympathizing with the fresh trauma he faced at this unexpected turn of events. His distress was palpable, the tension and pace racking up with every chapter, as his frantic search for the truth placed his own life in danger.

As of this weren’t enough, Barclay masterfully weaves in a raft of gripping subplots. These each take on an intrigue of their own and send you spinning off at tangents, even as you try to figure out how they’re going to come together.

But come together they do, in a heart-stopping finale that unpicks a messy tangle of domestic drama, deceit, desperation and betrayal. No holes, no dangling threads, just a deliciously satisfying ending to an outstandingly good book.

It’s all the stars from me.

When Andrew’s wife Brie disappears everyone points the finger at him. When she turns up years later does this prove his innocence? I really like Linwood Barclay books however I didn’t find this one particularly exciting. There were lots of spelling and grammatical errors that really annoyed me. There was no real twist to this tale for me unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the opportunity to read an advance copy in return for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. As expected this was a totally engrossing read which drew me in from the beginning and kept the twists and turns coming right to the end! A great read for fans of this genre.