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Not a Word
Not yet published
Expected 25 Aug 26In the latest chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay, a man’s world is upended after he finds his father and a woman who isn’t his mother dead in the family home—and his mother goes missing.
Every family has secrets, but when Reece visits his parents’ home he’s shocked to find his father and a woman he assumes is his mother in bed. Dead. At first glance it looks like a murder-suicide perpetrated by his father, but on closer inspection there’s clearly more to the story. For starters, inconsistencies in the crime scene suggest his dad may not have shot himself.
As Reece, shaken by his horrifying discovery, awaits questioning from the police, his phone lights up. It’s a call from his mom—his real mom. The dead woman in that bed is clearly not the person Reece believed her to be.
His mom is at a lunch date with friends, she says, and can’t raise her husband on the phone. Could Reece drop by and see if everything’s okay? At a loss for how to tell his mother her husband is dead in bed with another woman, Reece simply tells “Come home now.”
But instead of rushing home, she disappears. Could she have been involved? Was she seeking revenge on her husband and a mistress? Or, just as frightening, did someone kill Reece’s father and that woman, thinking wrongly that Reece’s mother had been dispatched?
And what might this grisly scene have to do with the unscrupulous pharma company Reece’s father worked for years ago?
Soon Reece finds himself questioning how well he really knew his parents—who they were, what they did, and who they hurt. Most importantly, he needs to figure out who might want to hurt him and his own family now.
Every family has secrets, but when Reece visits his parents’ home he’s shocked to find his father and a woman he assumes is his mother in bed. Dead. At first glance it looks like a murder-suicide perpetrated by his father, but on closer inspection there’s clearly more to the story. For starters, inconsistencies in the crime scene suggest his dad may not have shot himself.
As Reece, shaken by his horrifying discovery, awaits questioning from the police, his phone lights up. It’s a call from his mom—his real mom. The dead woman in that bed is clearly not the person Reece believed her to be.
His mom is at a lunch date with friends, she says, and can’t raise her husband on the phone. Could Reece drop by and see if everything’s okay? At a loss for how to tell his mother her husband is dead in bed with another woman, Reece simply tells “Come home now.”
But instead of rushing home, she disappears. Could she have been involved? Was she seeking revenge on her husband and a mistress? Or, just as frightening, did someone kill Reece’s father and that woman, thinking wrongly that Reece’s mother had been dispatched?
And what might this grisly scene have to do with the unscrupulous pharma company Reece’s father worked for years ago?
Soon Reece finds himself questioning how well he really knew his parents—who they were, what they did, and who they hurt. Most importantly, he needs to figure out who might want to hurt him and his own family now.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 25, 2026
About the author
Linwood Barclay
80 books7,344 followersLinwood Barclay is the #1 internationally bestselling author of seventeen novels for adults, including No Time for Goodbye, Trust Your Eyes and, most recently, A Noise Downstairs. He has also written two novels for children and screenplays.
Three of those seventeen novels comprise the epic Promise Falls trilogy: Broken Promise, Far From True, and The Twenty-Three. His two novels for children – Chase and Escape – star a computer-enhanced dog named Chipper who’s on the run from the evil organization that turned him into a super-pup.
Barclay’s 2011 thriller, The Accident, has been turned into the six-part television series L’Accident in France, and he adapted his novel Never Saw it Coming for the movie, directed by Gail Harvey and starring Eric Roberts and Emily Hampshire. Several of his other books either have been, or still are, in development for TV and film.
After spending his formative years helping run a cottage resort and trailer park after his father died when he was 16, Barclay got his first newspaper job at the Peterborough Examiner, a small Ontario daily. In 1981, he joined the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest circulation newspaper.
He held such positions as assistant city editor, chief copy editor, news editor, and Life section editor, before becoming the paper’s humour columnist in 1993. He was one of the paper’s most popular columnists before retiring from the position in 2008 to work exclusively on books.
In 2004, he launched his mystery series about an anxiety-ridden, know-it-all, pain-in-the-butt father by the name of Zack Walker. Bad Move, the first book, was followed by three more Zack Walker thrillers: Bad Guys, Lone Wolf, and Stone Rain. (The last two were published in the UK under the titles Bad Luck and Bad News.)
His first standalone thriller, No Time for Goodbye, was published in 2007 to critical acclaim and great international success. The following year, it was a Richard and Judy Summer Read selection in the UK, and did seven straight weeks at #1 on the UK bestseller list, and finished 2008 as the top selling novel of the year there. The book has since been sold around the world and been translated into nearly thirty languages.
Barclay was born in the United States but moved to Canada just before turning four years old when his father, a commercial artist whose illustrations of cars appeared in Life, Look and Saturday Evening Post (before photography took over), accepted a position with an advertising agency north of the border. Barclay, who graduated with an English literature degree from Trent University, in Peterborough, Ontario, was fortunate to have some very fine mentors; in particular, the celebrated Canadian author Margaret Laurence, whom Linwood first met when she served as writer-in-residence at Trent, and Kenneth Millar, who, under the name Ross Macdonald, wrote the acclaimed series of mystery novels featuring detective Lew Archer. It was at Trent that he met Neetha, the woman who would become his wife. They have two grown children, Spencer and Paige.
Three of those seventeen novels comprise the epic Promise Falls trilogy: Broken Promise, Far From True, and The Twenty-Three. His two novels for children – Chase and Escape – star a computer-enhanced dog named Chipper who’s on the run from the evil organization that turned him into a super-pup.
Barclay’s 2011 thriller, The Accident, has been turned into the six-part television series L’Accident in France, and he adapted his novel Never Saw it Coming for the movie, directed by Gail Harvey and starring Eric Roberts and Emily Hampshire. Several of his other books either have been, or still are, in development for TV and film.
After spending his formative years helping run a cottage resort and trailer park after his father died when he was 16, Barclay got his first newspaper job at the Peterborough Examiner, a small Ontario daily. In 1981, he joined the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest circulation newspaper.
He held such positions as assistant city editor, chief copy editor, news editor, and Life section editor, before becoming the paper’s humour columnist in 1993. He was one of the paper’s most popular columnists before retiring from the position in 2008 to work exclusively on books.
In 2004, he launched his mystery series about an anxiety-ridden, know-it-all, pain-in-the-butt father by the name of Zack Walker. Bad Move, the first book, was followed by three more Zack Walker thrillers: Bad Guys, Lone Wolf, and Stone Rain. (The last two were published in the UK under the titles Bad Luck and Bad News.)
His first standalone thriller, No Time for Goodbye, was published in 2007 to critical acclaim and great international success. The following year, it was a Richard and Judy Summer Read selection in the UK, and did seven straight weeks at #1 on the UK bestseller list, and finished 2008 as the top selling novel of the year there. The book has since been sold around the world and been translated into nearly thirty languages.
Barclay was born in the United States but moved to Canada just before turning four years old when his father, a commercial artist whose illustrations of cars appeared in Life, Look and Saturday Evening Post (before photography took over), accepted a position with an advertising agency north of the border. Barclay, who graduated with an English literature degree from Trent University, in Peterborough, Ontario, was fortunate to have some very fine mentors; in particular, the celebrated Canadian author Margaret Laurence, whom Linwood first met when she served as writer-in-residence at Trent, and Kenneth Millar, who, under the name Ross Macdonald, wrote the acclaimed series of mystery novels featuring detective Lew Archer. It was at Trent that he met Neetha, the woman who would become his wife. They have two grown children, Spencer and Paige.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 STARS
Love this author, and this one did not disappoint!
This family has more secrets than your favorite haunted house. There is a crime scene and things are not adding up.
AND... the plot thickens. 😲
"Someone knows." Has someone figured it out? Boy, the unexpected turn of events had me and Detective Janice McCabe questioning everything. A manipulative person who may regret their actions. Is it time to call "the fixer"?
The twists and turns really kept the pages moving.
Thanks to NG and the publisher for my ARC! OUT on Aug 25, 2026
Love this author, and this one did not disappoint!
This family has more secrets than your favorite haunted house. There is a crime scene and things are not adding up.
AND... the plot thickens. 😲
"Someone knows." Has someone figured it out? Boy, the unexpected turn of events had me and Detective Janice McCabe questioning everything. A manipulative person who may regret their actions. Is it time to call "the fixer"?
The twists and turns really kept the pages moving.
Thanks to NG and the publisher for my ARC! OUT on Aug 25, 2026
March 7, 2026
Received an Arc from NetGalley.
This was my first time reading a book by Linwood Barclay, and now I definitely want to read more! The story drew me in from page one, and kept me intrigued the whole time. I liked how the story got told from each character’s perspective, and we also got to flash back to 1999 to get more back story. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a dark thriller full of family secrets!
This was my first time reading a book by Linwood Barclay, and now I definitely want to read more! The story drew me in from page one, and kept me intrigued the whole time. I liked how the story got told from each character’s perspective, and we also got to flash back to 1999 to get more back story. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a dark thriller full of family secrets!
May 4, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the ARC. #NotaWord
Linwood Barclay's novels are always interesting and Not a Word is no exception.
Life is just not going Reece's way lately. And it does not get any better when he drops by his parent's home unexpectedly to drop something off. When no one answers his greeting he makes a gruesome discovery in their bedroom. The police believe his father killed his mother and then himself. As Reece is taking a break from talking to the police, he gets a surprise call from his mother. Turns out it wasn't his mother in the bedroom after all. The ensuing investigation opens up long held family secrets and sets into motion events that can't be taken back.
This one was quite a ride. Every chapter or so it seemed there was a twist or turn in the story. I really enjoyed this book. The family was so full of drama. They really make you feel better about your own family! LOL! The pace was very good. I was interested in the story the whole way through. Also, something that Linwood is always good at is you think you may know who the killer is, but in his books you just can't be sure until the absolute very end. Overall, a great book!
Linwood Barclay's novels are always interesting and Not a Word is no exception.
Life is just not going Reece's way lately. And it does not get any better when he drops by his parent's home unexpectedly to drop something off. When no one answers his greeting he makes a gruesome discovery in their bedroom. The police believe his father killed his mother and then himself. As Reece is taking a break from talking to the police, he gets a surprise call from his mother. Turns out it wasn't his mother in the bedroom after all. The ensuing investigation opens up long held family secrets and sets into motion events that can't be taken back.
This one was quite a ride. Every chapter or so it seemed there was a twist or turn in the story. I really enjoyed this book. The family was so full of drama. They really make you feel better about your own family! LOL! The pace was very good. I was interested in the story the whole way through. Also, something that Linwood is always good at is you think you may know who the killer is, but in his books you just can't be sure until the absolute very end. Overall, a great book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Last year, I read a horror novel by this author, so I had to dive into this thriller, as mystery really is my thing!
Reece's life shatters when he discovers his father dead alongside a woman in their home, with his mother missing. Initially suspected as a murder-suicide, Reece learns the dead woman is not his mother when she calls him from a lunch date. As he grapples with the shocking revelations, including the possible connections to a corrupt pharmaceutical company, Reece must uncover the truth about his family's secrets and the potential threats they now face.
The story unfolds through several perspectives, including Reece, Detective McCabe, Alicia, Crane, and Gage. The timeline shifts around a bit, giving us insight into what triggered Holden's troubling behavior that led him down the path of addiction. His childhood trauma has resurfaced, and letting go of the past proves to be a real struggle, as it heavily influences his poor choices in the future. This novel is a complex tale of a dysfunctional family, leaving you on an emotional rollercoaster! Tensions run high, and the stakes keep escalating as each character fights to protect their family and the secrets intertwined with it. Honestly, my head is still spinning!
I loved how everything came together; the coincidences are neatly explained, which ensures you won't be left with a million unanswered questions. Instead, you get a satisfying conclusion. I appreciated the sharp detective work from Reece, who starts noticing inconsistencies at the crime scene, leading him to suspect that he might be dealing with a murder. And then, when the mother goes missing, you definitely start to smell a rat! There will be moments when you're full of questions, but keep reading because everything eventually clicks into place, with twists and turns popping up along the way.
This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about large families and the dark secrets they keep. If you like playing detective and piecing together clues, or if you're seeking a complex family drama with a mystery at its core, this one’s for you. It's clever and suspenseful, ensuring you'll want to keep reading, even if the pace varies a bit. With a full cast of characters, it’s easy to keep track of who’s who and who did what. Still, the main question lingers until the very end: who committed the crime, and what happened that night that altered the family's dynamics forever? Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check my birth certificate to be sure! Ha!
Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Reece's life shatters when he discovers his father dead alongside a woman in their home, with his mother missing. Initially suspected as a murder-suicide, Reece learns the dead woman is not his mother when she calls him from a lunch date. As he grapples with the shocking revelations, including the possible connections to a corrupt pharmaceutical company, Reece must uncover the truth about his family's secrets and the potential threats they now face.
The story unfolds through several perspectives, including Reece, Detective McCabe, Alicia, Crane, and Gage. The timeline shifts around a bit, giving us insight into what triggered Holden's troubling behavior that led him down the path of addiction. His childhood trauma has resurfaced, and letting go of the past proves to be a real struggle, as it heavily influences his poor choices in the future. This novel is a complex tale of a dysfunctional family, leaving you on an emotional rollercoaster! Tensions run high, and the stakes keep escalating as each character fights to protect their family and the secrets intertwined with it. Honestly, my head is still spinning!
I loved how everything came together; the coincidences are neatly explained, which ensures you won't be left with a million unanswered questions. Instead, you get a satisfying conclusion. I appreciated the sharp detective work from Reece, who starts noticing inconsistencies at the crime scene, leading him to suspect that he might be dealing with a murder. And then, when the mother goes missing, you definitely start to smell a rat! There will be moments when you're full of questions, but keep reading because everything eventually clicks into place, with twists and turns popping up along the way.
This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about large families and the dark secrets they keep. If you like playing detective and piecing together clues, or if you're seeking a complex family drama with a mystery at its core, this one’s for you. It's clever and suspenseful, ensuring you'll want to keep reading, even if the pace varies a bit. With a full cast of characters, it’s easy to keep track of who’s who and who did what. Still, the main question lingers until the very end: who committed the crime, and what happened that night that altered the family's dynamics forever? Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check my birth certificate to be sure! Ha!
Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 12, 2026
Thank you William Morrow Books for the advanced reader copy of Not A Word by Linwood Barclay.
Not A Word is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller that takes a seemingly straightforward tragedy and turns it into something far more complicated. Told through multiple POVs and flashbacks, the story slowly uncovers buried secrets, messy mistakes, and family tensions that run deep.
This book starts with a bang and hooked me immediately. As more pieces of the puzzle came together, the story stayed entertaining and suspenseful, even if most of the twists weren’t particularly shocking. I found myself predicting several reveals before they happened, so I never quite got that jaw-dropping moment I was hoping for. I also felt like the climax wrapped up a little too quickly after all the buildup.
Overall, though, this was a solid mystery thriller that kept me invested and eager to see how everything would unfold.
Not A Word is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller that takes a seemingly straightforward tragedy and turns it into something far more complicated. Told through multiple POVs and flashbacks, the story slowly uncovers buried secrets, messy mistakes, and family tensions that run deep.
This book starts with a bang and hooked me immediately. As more pieces of the puzzle came together, the story stayed entertaining and suspenseful, even if most of the twists weren’t particularly shocking. I found myself predicting several reveals before they happened, so I never quite got that jaw-dropping moment I was hoping for. I also felt like the climax wrapped up a little too quickly after all the buildup.
Overall, though, this was a solid mystery thriller that kept me invested and eager to see how everything would unfold.
May 17, 2026
Linwood Barclay always writes great thrillers! He does it again with this book. So many twists that I didn’t see coming. I definitely didn’t figure out the ending. Throughout the book I was suspicious of everybody! (Except the person who actually was guilty!) Great ARC that I received from NetGalley. The book will come out in August.
April 22, 2026
I was introduced to this author last year when I read his horror novel. I absolutely loved that, and I was looking forward to reading him again. This book does not disappoint! It grabbed me from the very beginning and as I got to know ( love and hate) the characters , all the backstory, the lying, the deceit, the stories as they were interwoven.. It all just works so well together and comes together in such a satisfying way . It was a very compelling and page turning mystery! I received a complimentary copy of this e-book and all opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m really not sure how this is my first read by Linwood Barclay?! First of all, many thanks to NetGalley for giving me an early digital copy to read. I stayed thoroughly entertained with this book, and I will be looking forward to reading more from this author going forward!
In this story, Reece Chartwell arrives at his parents home, only to find who he thinks is his mother and father murdered in their bed. Not only were his mother and father murdered, it appears to have been a murder-suicide. How can that be? Reece’s father could never do such a thing…
After Reece is done being questioned by Detective McCabe, he receives a phone call from his mother. What?! 🤯 If the dead woman in bed with his father wasn’t his mother, then who was she?
We then get to meet Reece’s brother, Holden. Holden has been in and out of rehab/treatment centers since he was a teenager. Reece’s son Gage has been disappearing and not sleeping well at night. Catherine, Reece’s mother is keeping secrets that are slowly coming to light. We also get flashbacks to 1999, when Brent Chartwell, Reece’s father, worked for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies around. That company was Wiffel-Smith.
As we are introduced to all these characters and the flashback to 1999, everything starts to come together as to who the woman was in bed with Brent Chartwell, and what really happened. There were so many secrets, and I was pointing my finger at every single character in this story.
I really enjoyed the fast pacing of this story, and I did enjoy the storyline enough. However, I did feel that there was a bit of repetition going on between the characters. Some of the facts/stories were repeated over and over. I also kind of knew how this story would end, and I’m having a hard time buying it unfortunately. It might sit better with others than it did with me. All in all, this was still a good read that I do recommend reading.
(3.5 stars)
Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and the author for a DRC of this book in which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own.
Publication date: August 25, 2026
Genre~ Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction (adult).
In this story, Reece Chartwell arrives at his parents home, only to find who he thinks is his mother and father murdered in their bed. Not only were his mother and father murdered, it appears to have been a murder-suicide. How can that be? Reece’s father could never do such a thing…
After Reece is done being questioned by Detective McCabe, he receives a phone call from his mother. What?! 🤯 If the dead woman in bed with his father wasn’t his mother, then who was she?
We then get to meet Reece’s brother, Holden. Holden has been in and out of rehab/treatment centers since he was a teenager. Reece’s son Gage has been disappearing and not sleeping well at night. Catherine, Reece’s mother is keeping secrets that are slowly coming to light. We also get flashbacks to 1999, when Brent Chartwell, Reece’s father, worked for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies around. That company was Wiffel-Smith.
As we are introduced to all these characters and the flashback to 1999, everything starts to come together as to who the woman was in bed with Brent Chartwell, and what really happened. There were so many secrets, and I was pointing my finger at every single character in this story.
I really enjoyed the fast pacing of this story, and I did enjoy the storyline enough. However, I did feel that there was a bit of repetition going on between the characters. Some of the facts/stories were repeated over and over. I also kind of knew how this story would end, and I’m having a hard time buying it unfortunately. It might sit better with others than it did with me. All in all, this was still a good read that I do recommend reading.
(3.5 stars)
Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and the author for a DRC of this book in which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own.
Publication date: August 25, 2026
Genre~ Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction (adult).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓.
Reece walks into his parents’ house and finds his father in bed with a woman he can only assume is his mother—both dead. Already a nightmare. Already a situation I would not recover from. But then his phone rings and, inexplicably, it’s his mom. Alive. Casual. Asking him to check on his father. At that point, I would simply exit the narrative and run away screaming, but Reece? Our boy runs toward the mystery. And from there, this story absolutely yeets itself off a cliff into chaos.
This book does not walk. It does not build slowly. It grabs you by the collar in chapter one and just keeps escalating like it has something to prove. Every time I thought, okay, this is the twist, the story basically laughed in my face and said, lol, nope. Secrets pile up. Motives shift. People start looking suspicious who had no business being suspicious five pages ago. And the deeper Reece digs, the worse it gets. Honestly, if the Fates of Greek mythology were in charge of his life, they’d be in the corner cackling—because this entire story feels like a thread being pulled until everything unravels.
By the final stretch, I was fully bracing for impact. This is one of those thrillers where you stop trying to predict what’s coming and just hold on while it unfolds. And when it’s all said and done, you’re left sitting there, blinking, replaying everything, wondering how a story this twisted managed to spiral so completely out of control without you noticing sooner. If you like your thrillers fast, chaotic, and just a little unhinged, this one absolutely delivers. Read it. Then come back and tell me you weren’t completely thrown. Many thanks to William Morrow for this early copy that will publish August 25, 2026.
Reece walks into his parents’ house and finds his father in bed with a woman he can only assume is his mother—both dead. Already a nightmare. Already a situation I would not recover from. But then his phone rings and, inexplicably, it’s his mom. Alive. Casual. Asking him to check on his father. At that point, I would simply exit the narrative and run away screaming, but Reece? Our boy runs toward the mystery. And from there, this story absolutely yeets itself off a cliff into chaos.
This book does not walk. It does not build slowly. It grabs you by the collar in chapter one and just keeps escalating like it has something to prove. Every time I thought, okay, this is the twist, the story basically laughed in my face and said, lol, nope. Secrets pile up. Motives shift. People start looking suspicious who had no business being suspicious five pages ago. And the deeper Reece digs, the worse it gets. Honestly, if the Fates of Greek mythology were in charge of his life, they’d be in the corner cackling—because this entire story feels like a thread being pulled until everything unravels.
By the final stretch, I was fully bracing for impact. This is one of those thrillers where you stop trying to predict what’s coming and just hold on while it unfolds. And when it’s all said and done, you’re left sitting there, blinking, replaying everything, wondering how a story this twisted managed to spiral so completely out of control without you noticing sooner. If you like your thrillers fast, chaotic, and just a little unhinged, this one absolutely delivers. Read it. Then come back and tell me you weren’t completely thrown. Many thanks to William Morrow for this early copy that will publish August 25, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Wm. Morrow & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Linwood Barclay is getting weirder and weirder, and I am here for it!
This story is not (thankfully) another supernatural outing (although I'd read it if it were). This is a straight up twisty murder mystery of the type that Barclay has been honing for the last couple of decades, and it's a good one.
First, there is the murder, and then we meet the cast of characters, and then shit starts happening: Reece, younger son, is entreated by his mom to stop by the family domicile (Reece is an adult and out of the house) to check on his dad, who his mom cannot reach on the phone. Reece finds lots of nothing good there, and the bad stuff is compounded by the fact that his dad is not only dead, but also naked and not alone. Reece calls his mom and tells her she needs to come home, and she demands to be picked up, then promptly disappears, both incidents creating havoc in the police dept. The crime scene seems straightforward, but is it really? Reece's mom's strange reactions have everyone, including the detective in charge of the case, feeling hinky, and when we meet the rest of this dysfunctional family, it only feels weirder; Reece's brother, Holden, is a bit of a mess, and his quasi-GF, Alicia, isn't much better - they are both fresh out of rehab, and not exactly acting like it, and Reece's son, Gage, is 14 and having a hard time dealing with his emotions in the face of this tragedy.
Barclay keeps you guessing throughout, not that it's easy to figure out how all these strands tie together. Perhaps in deference to the M. Night Shyamalan-ing of the book world (thanks a lot, Freida McFadden/Sara Cohen), he even delivers a twist, which I didn't love but grudgingly respect.
4.5 stars rounded up. Please keep writing, Mr. Barclay.
Linwood Barclay is getting weirder and weirder, and I am here for it!
This story is not (thankfully) another supernatural outing (although I'd read it if it were). This is a straight up twisty murder mystery of the type that Barclay has been honing for the last couple of decades, and it's a good one.
First, there is the murder, and then we meet the cast of characters, and then shit starts happening: Reece, younger son, is entreated by his mom to stop by the family domicile (Reece is an adult and out of the house) to check on his dad, who his mom cannot reach on the phone. Reece finds lots of nothing good there, and the bad stuff is compounded by the fact that his dad is not only dead, but also naked and not alone. Reece calls his mom and tells her she needs to come home, and she demands to be picked up, then promptly disappears, both incidents creating havoc in the police dept. The crime scene seems straightforward, but is it really? Reece's mom's strange reactions have everyone, including the detective in charge of the case, feeling hinky, and when we meet the rest of this dysfunctional family, it only feels weirder; Reece's brother, Holden, is a bit of a mess, and his quasi-GF, Alicia, isn't much better - they are both fresh out of rehab, and not exactly acting like it, and Reece's son, Gage, is 14 and having a hard time dealing with his emotions in the face of this tragedy.
Barclay keeps you guessing throughout, not that it's easy to figure out how all these strands tie together. Perhaps in deference to the M. Night Shyamalan-ing of the book world (thanks a lot, Freida McFadden/Sara Cohen), he even delivers a twist, which I didn't love but grudgingly respect.
4.5 stars rounded up. Please keep writing, Mr. Barclay.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I consider a new Linwood Barclay book a present to me. I read them as fast as I get them and then have to show extreme patience until the next one is published. NOT A WORD is the newest standalone in Barclay's impressive library of thrillers.
The book begins with Reece dropping by his parents' house to return a book he borrowed from his father. Or that's the excuse he's using. His focus will quickly change when he finds his parents dead in their bedroom in what initially looks like a murder suicide. He calls 911 and is standing outside when the first detective arrives. He gives her everything he can think of that could help explain why his father would kill his mother, then himself. But almost immediately, Reece questions what he sees. The father he knows would never own a gun, much less use it against his mother. That's not his first surprise. As he waits for the detective to view the crime scene, Reece receives a call......from his mother!!!!
If you've read his books before, you know that Linwood Barclay loves to keep readers on their toes. Clues are tossed throughout this multiple POV book. Readers must pick through them to find which ones are real clues and which ones are red herrings. With every chapter, every conversation between characters, the plot......as they say......thickens and the suspects change. I will tell you, Barclay is famous for his SURPRISE endings and this one plays on every emotion you have. You should really read this awesome book. You can thank me later.
The book begins with Reece dropping by his parents' house to return a book he borrowed from his father. Or that's the excuse he's using. His focus will quickly change when he finds his parents dead in their bedroom in what initially looks like a murder suicide. He calls 911 and is standing outside when the first detective arrives. He gives her everything he can think of that could help explain why his father would kill his mother, then himself. But almost immediately, Reece questions what he sees. The father he knows would never own a gun, much less use it against his mother. That's not his first surprise. As he waits for the detective to view the crime scene, Reece receives a call......from his mother!!!!
If you've read his books before, you know that Linwood Barclay loves to keep readers on their toes. Clues are tossed throughout this multiple POV book. Readers must pick through them to find which ones are real clues and which ones are red herrings. With every chapter, every conversation between characters, the plot......as they say......thickens and the suspects change. I will tell you, Barclay is famous for his SURPRISE endings and this one plays on every emotion you have. You should really read this awesome book. You can thank me later.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not A Word is a strong crime thriller from Linwood Barclay. This is the first novel I've read by Barclay and I'm impressed with his clean, accessible writing, compelling storyline, and skill at maintaining tension throughout. I was completely drawn into the characters and enjoyed the twisty, chaotic journey to uncover dark family secrets. One hallmark of a great thriller is its ability to fully capture my attention, with a story I can't put down and characters I can believe, and this one absolutely delivers!
Barclay created sympathetic characters and he clearly has a knack for putting ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. I didn't always like the characters, but I found them convincing and understood most of their choices. The story was compelling, and I was fascinated with how the various characters' storylines all interconnected. I simply wanted to know more!
Not A Word is a story of long-held family secrets, lies, manipulation, and greed. It's also a story of family bonds and how far one will go to protect those they love. It's always fun to discover new authors, and I'm excited to put Barclay on my must-read list. I'll definitely check out his previous novels.
Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Linwood Barclay for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Barclay created sympathetic characters and he clearly has a knack for putting ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. I didn't always like the characters, but I found them convincing and understood most of their choices. The story was compelling, and I was fascinated with how the various characters' storylines all interconnected. I simply wanted to know more!
Not A Word is a story of long-held family secrets, lies, manipulation, and greed. It's also a story of family bonds and how far one will go to protect those they love. It's always fun to discover new authors, and I'm excited to put Barclay on my must-read list. I'll definitely check out his previous novels.
Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Linwood Barclay for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
Release: August 25, 2026
Author: Linwood Barclay
Publisher: William Morrow
Rating: 4.25★
Thoughts:
Linwood Barclay once again delivers a gripping and suspenseful story with this one. The twisty family secrets, the shock of Reece discovering his parents’ bodies, and the slowly unraveling mystery had me hooked from the first page. The tension between the personal and the criminal was so well done, and I loved how the story kept me guessing about who could be trusted.
This book suits someone in the mood for something: tense, mysterious, emotional
Pace: medium
Plot or Character Driven?: a mix
Strong Character Development?: yes
Loveable Characters?: it’s complicated
Diverse Cast?: it’s complicated
Are Character Flaws a Main Focus?: yes
Main Themes / Tropes:
family secrets, crime, corporate corruption, murder mystery, betrayal, redemption
Synopsis:
When Reece stumbles upon the grisly scene of his parents’ deaths, what first appears to be a murder-suicide quickly reveals inconsistencies that suggest a darker truth. As Reece is drawn into a web of family secrets linked to his father’s past with a shady pharmaceutical company, he must uncover the truth to protect his own family—before the sins of the past come back to haunt him in deadly ways.
Favorite Quote:
“The scariest discoveries aren’t about strangers. They’re about family.”
Author: Linwood Barclay
Publisher: William Morrow
Rating: 4.25★
Thoughts:
Linwood Barclay once again delivers a gripping and suspenseful story with this one. The twisty family secrets, the shock of Reece discovering his parents’ bodies, and the slowly unraveling mystery had me hooked from the first page. The tension between the personal and the criminal was so well done, and I loved how the story kept me guessing about who could be trusted.
This book suits someone in the mood for something: tense, mysterious, emotional
Pace: medium
Plot or Character Driven?: a mix
Strong Character Development?: yes
Loveable Characters?: it’s complicated
Diverse Cast?: it’s complicated
Are Character Flaws a Main Focus?: yes
Main Themes / Tropes:
family secrets, crime, corporate corruption, murder mystery, betrayal, redemption
Synopsis:
When Reece stumbles upon the grisly scene of his parents’ deaths, what first appears to be a murder-suicide quickly reveals inconsistencies that suggest a darker truth. As Reece is drawn into a web of family secrets linked to his father’s past with a shady pharmaceutical company, he must uncover the truth to protect his own family—before the sins of the past come back to haunt him in deadly ways.
Favorite Quote:
“The scariest discoveries aren’t about strangers. They’re about family.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
One of the things I have enjoyed this last year reviewing books is finding new authors (new to me). I have seen Linwood Barclay books from time to time in bookstores but have never ventured out into reading any of his books. Shame on me. If “Not a Word” is a taste of what he writes on a regular basis, then sign me up.
This novel has so many twists and turns to it. And not the contrived kind that is so often found in modern mystery/thrillers. “Not a Word” will have you fastening your seatbelt from page one and it never slows down. It’s not a funny or happy-go-lucky mystery. It is dark. And you need to spell that with a capital D for DARK.
Ultimately, this is a tale of deceit, love of “things”, family secrets, and manipulation. This is a broken family. But even through the darkest moments, you see love.
This will be the perfect beach read for those that are looking for one last trip before the school year begins. But warning, you will startle the people around you when you gasp out loud while reading this novel. And the only appropriate way to answer the question you will get, “What’s wrong?” is “You will just have to read it for yourself.”
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
This novel has so many twists and turns to it. And not the contrived kind that is so often found in modern mystery/thrillers. “Not a Word” will have you fastening your seatbelt from page one and it never slows down. It’s not a funny or happy-go-lucky mystery. It is dark. And you need to spell that with a capital D for DARK.
Ultimately, this is a tale of deceit, love of “things”, family secrets, and manipulation. This is a broken family. But even through the darkest moments, you see love.
This will be the perfect beach read for those that are looking for one last trip before the school year begins. But warning, you will startle the people around you when you gasp out loud while reading this novel. And the only appropriate way to answer the question you will get, “What’s wrong?” is “You will just have to read it for yourself.”
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm not sure how I lost track of Linwood Barclay- but it was back during the pandemic. Up until then, I devoured every thriller he wrote. Running across Not a Word on NetGalley was a stroke of good luck for me. A murder-suicide that involves the patriarch of the Chartwell family. As a former big pharma scion, there are questions around his untimely death that bother the investigating detective and devastates a family. Reece Chartwell, the youngest son, is the one to find the bodies and at first, he believes it's his parents but then chaos ensues when his mom calls him on the phone. Who is the mystery woman involved in the death scene? His mom disappears and now there are suspects everywhere as secrets threaten to destroy solving the murder as well as dismantling a family forever. Who, how, what, why are the questions of the day and Barclay leads you astray here and yonder before you get a straight answer. The truth becomes distorted and you'll never see this ending coming.
Thank you to William Morrow and in the incredible Linwood Barclay for allowing me the generous opportunity to read this ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#LinwoodBarclay #NotAWord #libraryninja📚
Thank you to William Morrow and in the incredible Linwood Barclay for allowing me the generous opportunity to read this ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#LinwoodBarclay #NotAWord #libraryninja📚
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this book and am giving it a strong 4 out of 5 stars. My sincere thanks go to #NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this novel for review.
The book's storyline was utterly captivating and successfully held my attention from the very first page to the final sentence. The author masterfully wove together individual character storylines, each one providing rich and necessary background that contributed significantly to the ultimate resolution. These distinct narrative threads didn't just exist independently; they skillfully converged, drawing the entire story together in a powerful and cohesive manner. The final conclusion, in my opinion, was truly perfect, providing a deeply satisfying close to the entire experience. While reading, I found myself getting quite emotional during certain passages, but the overall depth and sincerity of the narrative made those feelings well worth the experience. I absolutely loved it.
#notaword
#linwoodbarclay
The book's storyline was utterly captivating and successfully held my attention from the very first page to the final sentence. The author masterfully wove together individual character storylines, each one providing rich and necessary background that contributed significantly to the ultimate resolution. These distinct narrative threads didn't just exist independently; they skillfully converged, drawing the entire story together in a powerful and cohesive manner. The final conclusion, in my opinion, was truly perfect, providing a deeply satisfying close to the entire experience. While reading, I found myself getting quite emotional during certain passages, but the overall depth and sincerity of the narrative made those feelings well worth the experience. I absolutely loved it.
#notaword
#linwoodbarclay
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This review may contain spoilers.
Thank you for the opportunity to preview Not A Word. This is one of my favorite books this year. Read it in a day. Barclay has the habit of taking every day people and putting them in impossible situations and making them feel like they are in control. But they are not!
A family drama centering on a crime of murder/suicide. But it’s a little too clean and soon cracks begin to splinter in this normal family’s background. The police are beginning to look at the crime scene closer including the immediate family. The question is Why??? Why would the head of a family kill himself and kill another person. Makes no sense.
The characters and plot will keep you reading into the night. Each page reveals a new twist and will have you guessing till the very last page.
Brilliantly written and executed expertly. 5 big stars to the author on this stunner of a novel.
Thank you for the opportunity to preview Not A Word. This is one of my favorite books this year. Read it in a day. Barclay has the habit of taking every day people and putting them in impossible situations and making them feel like they are in control. But they are not!
A family drama centering on a crime of murder/suicide. But it’s a little too clean and soon cracks begin to splinter in this normal family’s background. The police are beginning to look at the crime scene closer including the immediate family. The question is Why??? Why would the head of a family kill himself and kill another person. Makes no sense.
The characters and plot will keep you reading into the night. Each page reveals a new twist and will have you guessing till the very last page.
Brilliantly written and executed expertly. 5 big stars to the author on this stunner of a novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Reece finds his mother and father in bed and dead of an apparent murder suicide. But when his mother calls him on his phone, he realizes his father may have been in bed with another woman. He and his family must come to terms with many things that transpired over the years.
Linwood Barclay has been one of my favorite authors for years and I am so relieved that he has returned to good form. Whistle was a disaster and there were others that weren't quite up to par. This was a really good read that I flew through in two days. I was fully engaged throughout and the ending was interesting. Even when you thought it was over and figured out, there was more to the story. A really good read. I so hope he continues to write books like this.
Reece finds his mother and father in bed and dead of an apparent murder suicide. But when his mother calls him on his phone, he realizes his father may have been in bed with another woman. He and his family must come to terms with many things that transpired over the years.
Linwood Barclay has been one of my favorite authors for years and I am so relieved that he has returned to good form. Whistle was a disaster and there were others that weren't quite up to par. This was a really good read that I flew through in two days. I was fully engaged throughout and the ending was interesting. Even when you thought it was over and figured out, there was more to the story. A really good read. I so hope he continues to write books like this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the first book by Linwood Barclay and I loved it. I will be looking into their backlist. This was such a solid mystery with so many throughlines that are tied together. His pacing is impeccable and I was hooked from beginning to end. The characters are fleshed out, especially for a thriller. I don’t usually expect characterization done this thoroughly in a thriller, but he did it. There were so many twists and turns throughout the book, a few I predicted, but there were some, including the main one that I did not and the ending was great. If his other books are as great as this one, then I found myself a new-to-me favorite thriller author. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.
Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not A Word is the remarkable story of a dysfunctional family and the relationships of 3 generations depicted therein. The story takes place in the present with several flashbacks to 1999 which serve to explain why things are happening. There is considerable action occurring throughout this immensely powerful narrative—- murder, corporate greed, police investigation, drugs, etc. Once started, the book is “unputdownable” and caused this reader to stay up to finish it in one day. Kudos to Mr. Barclay for writing this extraordinary novel with constant surprises and a completely unexpected and astonishing conclusion. Thanks also to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its publication.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not A Word is the remarkable story of a dysfunctional family and the relationships of 3 generations depicted therein. The story takes place in the present with several flashbacks to 1999 which serve to explain why things are happening. There is considerable action occurring throughout this immensely powerful narrative—- murder, corporate greed, police investigation, drugs, etc. Once started, the book is “unputdownable” and caused this reader to stay up to finish it in one day. Kudos to Mr. Barclay for writing this extraordinary novel with constant surprises and a completely unexpected and astonishing conclusion. Thanks also to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its publication.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
They say that two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead. What if there are many secrets shared by pairs of people and what if those people are of the same family? With so many twists and turns, you might have to buckle up so you don't fall down, Not a Word is classic Linwood Barclay where you don't know what you don't know. In a tale that's started before their first child is born, continuing with a life changing event when he is a child and exploding when he is an adult, can all those involved keep the family secrets, even (or especially) from each other? And what would the consequences be if any of it got out? An intriguing story of corporate corruption, whistle blowing, murder and the cover up, and of course family dynamics. Not a Word is not to be missed.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Reece visits his parents and finds them dead, he is horrified. Is this truly a murder-suicide as it looks like, or something else tied to family secrets?
Linwood Barclay is one of my favorite authors, and this book tells me why. I love his writing – turning ordinary suburban lives into ticking time bombs throughout the chapters. He delivers a fast-paced read that kept me guessing until the end. His chapters are short – making it incredibly easy to keep turning pages. The characters are authentic (especially with their flaws). Reece’s struggles to do the right thing and still protect his loved ones only add to the story. It asks the question of all of us, “What would I do in this situation?” This will keep you hooked until the final pages!
Linwood Barclay is one of my favorite authors, and this book tells me why. I love his writing – turning ordinary suburban lives into ticking time bombs throughout the chapters. He delivers a fast-paced read that kept me guessing until the end. His chapters are short – making it incredibly easy to keep turning pages. The characters are authentic (especially with their flaws). Reece’s struggles to do the right thing and still protect his loved ones only add to the story. It asks the question of all of us, “What would I do in this situation?” This will keep you hooked until the final pages!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to William Morrow for an ARC of Not A Word via NetGalley.
Linwood Barclay's horror title Whistle was in my top 5 favorite reads of 2025 so I was excited to give one of his thrillers a try. I have never read a thriller with a twist that shocked me IN THE FIRST CHAPTER! This first twist did a great job of pulling me in to the mystery right from the beginning. The middle felt a bit slow with a lot of characters just running around trying to get in touch with each other and "discuss things in person", but the ending tied up the loose threads from the story nicely, was satisfying and (mostly) believable. Overall I still prefer this author's previous horror book, but this was a unique and engaging addition to the thriller category!
4 stars
Linwood Barclay's horror title Whistle was in my top 5 favorite reads of 2025 so I was excited to give one of his thrillers a try. I have never read a thriller with a twist that shocked me IN THE FIRST CHAPTER! This first twist did a great job of pulling me in to the mystery right from the beginning. The middle felt a bit slow with a lot of characters just running around trying to get in touch with each other and "discuss things in person", but the ending tied up the loose threads from the story nicely, was satisfying and (mostly) believable. Overall I still prefer this author's previous horror book, but this was a unique and engaging addition to the thriller category!
4 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Not a Word is my third book by Linwood Barclay, and it’s the best one yet. It grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go.
Reece stops by his parents’ home only to discover them dead in their bedroom in what appears to be a murder-suicide. But just when you think you understand what happened, the story takes a surprising turn, and the twists keep coming.
I really liked Reece as the protagonist and found myself rooting for him throughout. Catherine, on the other hand, was impossible to like, but she was exactly the kind of character you love to hate, which made the story even more compelling.
This is a 5-star read for me. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one day!
Reece stops by his parents’ home only to discover them dead in their bedroom in what appears to be a murder-suicide. But just when you think you understand what happened, the story takes a surprising turn, and the twists keep coming.
I really liked Reece as the protagonist and found myself rooting for him throughout. Catherine, on the other hand, was impossible to like, but she was exactly the kind of character you love to hate, which made the story even more compelling.
This is a 5-star read for me. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one day!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Reece stops by his parent’s house for a visit and finds his father and who appears to be his mother dead in their bed - an apparent murder/suicide. But as the police arrive, he receives a call on his cell, from his mother., who promptly disappears. Not A Word is a slam dunk winner of a thriller that absolutely flew by. There are no wasted words in this one, as each chapter is straightforward and furthers the plot, with no superfluous musings from the characters or tedious background fluff, just pure storytelling. You can almost feel the adrenaline coursing through the book, and that fuels the plot from the whiplash start to a satisfying finish. Great read! I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars.
✨This book hooked me from the first page! It started with a bang, and the unsettling storytelling never let up. It’s a fast-paced thriller packed with family secrets and lies, jaw-dropping revelations and high stakes thrills throughout.
✨ Multiple timelines and points of view drove the narrative well, and I had so much fun following the investigation as new clues came to light. This was such a smart, cleverly plotted thriller that kept me guessing from beginning to end. I definitely recommend it for those who enjoy a good domestic thriller.
🌿Read if you like:
✨Family secrets and lies
✨Multiple points of view
✨Detective narratives
✨Domestic suspense
✨Fast-paced thrillers
✨This book hooked me from the first page! It started with a bang, and the unsettling storytelling never let up. It’s a fast-paced thriller packed with family secrets and lies, jaw-dropping revelations and high stakes thrills throughout.
✨ Multiple timelines and points of view drove the narrative well, and I had so much fun following the investigation as new clues came to light. This was such a smart, cleverly plotted thriller that kept me guessing from beginning to end. I definitely recommend it for those who enjoy a good domestic thriller.
🌿Read if you like:
✨Family secrets and lies
✨Multiple points of view
✨Detective narratives
✨Domestic suspense
✨Fast-paced thrillers
May 15, 2026
I read my first Linwood Barclay book last year (Whistle) and really enjoyed it so getting the arc to this was such a treat! I’ve been really loving messy family/friendship thrillers and this did not disappoint! A son finding father dead from a murder suicide… or was it? This story hooked me from the very beginning!! I will say that the multiple povs kind of threw me off at the beginning but I quickly figured out how necessary it was for the plot. This was so good and the last 25% of this book had me so invested trying to figure out how the story ended. I absolutely flew through this and I’m so excited to get my hands on a physical copy!
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this arc in exchange for an honest review 💚
Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this arc in exchange for an honest review 💚
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Not A Word is another stellar read in a long line of terrific books from veteran writer Linwood Barclay. The novel is well-written, meticulously plotted, and perfectly paced. The story hooked this reviewer from the opening chapter and kept me engaged through every twist and turn. Barclay weaves his plot twists so subtly at times the redirections come as a pleasant surprise. The novel is highly entertaining and recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was the very first linwood barclay book that i have read and it was so good.
Reese discovers his father dead in an apparent murder suicide. He was found with a woman but was it an affair or something planned. Detective on the care is detective mccabe who wants to find out these answers.
Reese’s brother is on drugs his mother seems to be hiding something sketchy and his son has his own secrets. The back goes back so we can learn more about each character. The ending is mind blowing.
Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book and fall in love with this amazing author that i will love.
Reese discovers his father dead in an apparent murder suicide. He was found with a woman but was it an affair or something planned. Detective on the care is detective mccabe who wants to find out these answers.
Reese’s brother is on drugs his mother seems to be hiding something sketchy and his son has his own secrets. The back goes back so we can learn more about each character. The ending is mind blowing.
Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book and fall in love with this amazing author that i will love.
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