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David Raker #1-3
The David Raker Collection Books 1-3
The first three thrillers in the stunning David Raker series - for the first time in one unique bundle
Chasing the Dead
One year ago, Alex Towne's body was found.
One month ago, his mother saw him on the street.
One week ago, David Raker agreed to look for him.
He'll wish he hadn't.
Mary Towne's son, Alex, went missing six years ago. Five years later he finally turned up - as a corpse in a car wreck. Missing persons investigator David Raker doesn't want the it's clearly a sad but hopeless case of mistaken identity brought to him by a woman unable to let go of her son. But haunted by a loss of his own, Raker reluctantly agrees.
The Dead Tracks
Seventeen-year-old Megan Carver was an unlikely runaway. A straight-A student from a happy home, she studied hard and rarely got into trouble. Six months on, she's never been found. David Raker knows what it's like to grieve. He knows the shadowy world of the lost too. So, when he's hired by Megan's parents to find out what happened, he recognizes their pain - but knows that the darkest secrets can be buried deep. And Megan's secrets could cost him his life.
Vanished
For millions of Londoners, the morning of 17 December is just like any other. But not for Sam Wren. An hour after leaving home, he gets onto a tube train - and never gets off again. No eyewitnesses. No trace of him on security cameras. Six months later, he's still missing. Out of options and desperate for answers, Sam's wife Julia hires David Raker to track him down. Raker has made a career out of finding the lost. He knows how they think. And, in missing person cases, the only certainty is that everyone has something to hide.
But in this case the secrets go deeper than anyone imagined . . .
Tim Weaver is the author of four David Raker Chasing the Dead and The Dead Tracks were followed by Vanished and the most recent Never Coming Back.
'Weaver's books get better each time - tense, complex . . . written with flair as well as care' Guardian
'Weaver has delivered another cracking crime thriller' Daily Mail
Chasing the Dead
One year ago, Alex Towne's body was found.
One month ago, his mother saw him on the street.
One week ago, David Raker agreed to look for him.
He'll wish he hadn't.
Mary Towne's son, Alex, went missing six years ago. Five years later he finally turned up - as a corpse in a car wreck. Missing persons investigator David Raker doesn't want the it's clearly a sad but hopeless case of mistaken identity brought to him by a woman unable to let go of her son. But haunted by a loss of his own, Raker reluctantly agrees.
The Dead Tracks
Seventeen-year-old Megan Carver was an unlikely runaway. A straight-A student from a happy home, she studied hard and rarely got into trouble. Six months on, she's never been found. David Raker knows what it's like to grieve. He knows the shadowy world of the lost too. So, when he's hired by Megan's parents to find out what happened, he recognizes their pain - but knows that the darkest secrets can be buried deep. And Megan's secrets could cost him his life.
Vanished
For millions of Londoners, the morning of 17 December is just like any other. But not for Sam Wren. An hour after leaving home, he gets onto a tube train - and never gets off again. No eyewitnesses. No trace of him on security cameras. Six months later, he's still missing. Out of options and desperate for answers, Sam's wife Julia hires David Raker to track him down. Raker has made a career out of finding the lost. He knows how they think. And, in missing person cases, the only certainty is that everyone has something to hide.
But in this case the secrets go deeper than anyone imagined . . .
Tim Weaver is the author of four David Raker Chasing the Dead and The Dead Tracks were followed by Vanished and the most recent Never Coming Back.
'Weaver's books get better each time - tense, complex . . . written with flair as well as care' Guardian
'Weaver has delivered another cracking crime thriller' Daily Mail
1143 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2013
199 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Tim Weaver
56 books1,602 followersTim Weaver is the Sunday Times Top 3 bestselling author of the David Raker missing persons series, the standalone thriller, Missing Pieces, and the novella collection, The Shadow at the Door. His novels have been selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club four times, and his work has been nominated for a National Book Award and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. He is currently developing an original TV drama with the team behind Line of Duty. He lives near Bath in the UK. Find out more about Tim and his writing at www.timweaverbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 20, 2015
So often, I find new authors through buying books when they’re in an offer. Such is the case with Tim Weaver and the David Raker series.
I picked up one of the later books in the series, only to realise my mistake once I was at home. Of course, what else could I do but buy those I was missing? So, I jumped in. With the first book I was tentative, as I wasn’t sure whether or not I would enjoy it (even though the ideas of the later books really pulled me in). In retrospect, it was a silly thought to have in my head.
Weaver has created a wonderful character and throughout the series we deal with so many different things. Without a doubt, the David Raker series is well worth a read.
I picked up one of the later books in the series, only to realise my mistake once I was at home. Of course, what else could I do but buy those I was missing? So, I jumped in. With the first book I was tentative, as I wasn’t sure whether or not I would enjoy it (even though the ideas of the later books really pulled me in). In retrospect, it was a silly thought to have in my head.
Weaver has created a wonderful character and throughout the series we deal with so many different things. Without a doubt, the David Raker series is well worth a read.
July 13, 2025
wow!
Very rarely do I read 3 books in a row by the same author, I usually like a bit of a breather, even when they’re all part of a single package. However, these stories really grabbed my attention, I couldn’t put them down. Excellent plots, fully developed interesting characters and intelligent story lines- if you fancy a page turning thriller or 3 you won’t go wrong with this collection.
David Raker is quite a complex protagonist and I expect you’ll get more out of these stories if they’re read in sequence.
Very rarely do I read 3 books in a row by the same author, I usually like a bit of a breather, even when they’re all part of a single package. However, these stories really grabbed my attention, I couldn’t put them down. Excellent plots, fully developed interesting characters and intelligent story lines- if you fancy a page turning thriller or 3 you won’t go wrong with this collection.
David Raker is quite a complex protagonist and I expect you’ll get more out of these stories if they’re read in sequence.
June 14, 2019
A bit over the top
This is nicely written but the twists and turns of the plot rely on way too much suspension of disbelief. Made the David Raker character unbelievable.
This is nicely written but the twists and turns of the plot rely on way too much suspension of disbelief. Made the David Raker character unbelievable.
July 18, 2019
All three books were an exceptional read, all different and brilliant.
March 18, 2020
I am hooked onto Tim Weaver now. Amazing write.
July 30, 2020
Missing people
Really good stories in these 3 books. A former journalist was searching for missing people. Well worth reading this author
Really good stories in these 3 books. A former journalist was searching for missing people. Well worth reading this author
August 2, 2021
Rivetting reading, fast paced, twist and turns especially towards the end of each story!
July 3, 2023
Great way to consume a new author and hero-binge reading 3 books in a row!
February 25, 2024
Brilliant as expected!! Couldn’t put it down!
The David Raker books are brilliant! I would highly recommend to any avid murder mystery reader. Always a good twist at the end!
The David Raker books are brilliant! I would highly recommend to any avid murder mystery reader. Always a good twist at the end!
February 1, 2025
A dark and gruesome series, but real page turners. The back story follows on, so read in order if you can.
July 21, 2015
I had missed out on these novels until I came across Tim Weaver with Never Coming Back. The book was astounding. These are the books that make the reading experience so exciting. These are the books that keep you up, the ones that draw you back, stop you doing what you should be doing. David Raker keeps the reader on the edge. Raker finds the people who cannot be found, His methods may be questionable but each story has a clever plot, that twists and turns. Fast paced and enthralling. Tim Weaver is a first class author and has surpassed Barclay and Coben in my reading lists.
September 17, 2016
New talent
I'm really getting into this author. My time is being consumed by his ability to keep me engaged with David Raker. Very entertaining if not extremely far fetched but I can't put it down.
I'm really getting into this author. My time is being consumed by his ability to keep me engaged with David Raker. Very entertaining if not extremely far fetched but I can't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews