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Not a Word
In the latest chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay, a man’s world is upended after he stumbles upon a grisly crime scene in the family home.
Every family has secrets, but when Reece visits his parents’ house, he’s shocked to find them 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 with a call. It’s the last person he ever would have expected to hear from.
Reeling from the day’s events, Reece finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew about his parents—and whether he and his own family are in danger now. While the authorities work to untangle the baffling crime scene, Reece is pulled into a web of secrets linked to the unscrupulous pharma company his father worked for years ago.
In order to protect the people he loves most, he’ll have to dig deep into his own past to understand who his parents were, what they did, and who they hurt—before he ends up paying for their sins.
Every family has secrets, but when Reece visits his parents’ house, he’s shocked to find them 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 with a call. It’s the last person he ever would have expected to hear from.
Reeling from the day’s events, Reece finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew about his parents—and whether he and his own family are in danger now. While the authorities work to untangle the baffling crime scene, Reece is pulled into a web of secrets linked to the unscrupulous pharma company his father worked for years ago.
In order to protect the people he loves most, he’ll have to dig deep into his own past to understand who his parents were, what they did, and who they hurt—before he ends up paying for their sins.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2026
About the author
Linwood Barclay
86 books7,606 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 473 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Not a Word by Linwood Barclay
This family drama thriller starts quickly. Reece is dropping books off at his parent's house and is surprised when no one answers the door even though his dad's car is at the house. Reece looks around and finds his mom and dad dead in bed, both shot, blood everywhere. It seems his dad killed his mom and then killed himself.
But then, Reece's mom calls him and she's been at some women's group meeting and things get more confusing and scary. Reece is totally in the dark about what is going on and we'll find out that others have a much better idea of why things could have come to this point. Reece knew his parents didn't really get along but just how messed up was their marriage?
Reece's dad was a bigwig at a unscrupulous pharma company but he'd gotten out after he realized that working for that company was a very bad idea. No problem, he'd earned his big bucks and his wife wasn't about to give up those big bucks. When Reece visits his recovering alcohol/drug using brother, Holden, things seem more than a bit off with him. Holden, not forthcoming at the best of times, seems to be hiding things from Reece but Reece has to tiptoe around his brother because the least thing could send him back to the revolving door of the recovery institution where their parents would send Holden during his relapses.
As we read the book, we'll find out just how deep Reece's family is in the muck of corruption, and how once one steps on the wrong side of things, there just may be no safe way out. Even Reece's fourteen year old son may know a lot more than Reece does and Reece, a journalist as a profession, will have his work cut out for him to save what family he has left. I was glued to the page the entire story. This made for great discussion with Jayme so be sure to check out her review.
Pub August 25, 2026
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC
This family drama thriller starts quickly. Reece is dropping books off at his parent's house and is surprised when no one answers the door even though his dad's car is at the house. Reece looks around and finds his mom and dad dead in bed, both shot, blood everywhere. It seems his dad killed his mom and then killed himself.
But then, Reece's mom calls him and she's been at some women's group meeting and things get more confusing and scary. Reece is totally in the dark about what is going on and we'll find out that others have a much better idea of why things could have come to this point. Reece knew his parents didn't really get along but just how messed up was their marriage?
Reece's dad was a bigwig at a unscrupulous pharma company but he'd gotten out after he realized that working for that company was a very bad idea. No problem, he'd earned his big bucks and his wife wasn't about to give up those big bucks. When Reece visits his recovering alcohol/drug using brother, Holden, things seem more than a bit off with him. Holden, not forthcoming at the best of times, seems to be hiding things from Reece but Reece has to tiptoe around his brother because the least thing could send him back to the revolving door of the recovery institution where their parents would send Holden during his relapses.
As we read the book, we'll find out just how deep Reece's family is in the muck of corruption, and how once one steps on the wrong side of things, there just may be no safe way out. Even Reece's fourteen year old son may know a lot more than Reece does and Reece, a journalist as a profession, will have his work cut out for him to save what family he has left. I was glued to the page the entire story. This made for great discussion with Jayme so be sure to check out her review.
Pub August 25, 2026
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC
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
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Linwood Barclay consistently delivers for me and this book was no exception! It was hard to put down!
When Reece drops by his parents home unexpectedly, he is shocked to discover a bloody crime scene,-what appears to be a murder-suicide in their bedroom, with his father Brent killing his mother Catherine, and then taking his own life.
The Police arrive and after Reece gives his initial statement, he is asked to wait by the Detective investigating, but when he receives a phone call from the last person he ever would have expected to hear from, he flees the scene.
Of course, nothing is ever open and shut-and soon inconsistencies arise.
As Detective McCabe works the case, Reece learns that this could be linked to Wiffel-Smith-the unscrupulous pharmaceutical company his father worked for years ago, and the secrets about the pain reliever, Oxy-Mirac that were buried back in 1999.
Secrets his older brother, Holden may be privy to.
WHAT really happened in Brent and Catherine’s bedroom that afternoon-and WHY?
Around the halfway point, I suspected WHO would be involved, and you probably will too-but the explanation of exactly how everything transpired is IMPOSSIBLE to put together!
This is a FAST PACED (especially the second half) ENTERTAINING family drama and Police Procedural, that kept me guessing!
And, actually had me TEARY EYED at the conclusion!
My favorites by this author are his books which dabble with the Supernatural/light horror like last year’s WHISTLE and his 2018 book A NOISE DOWNSTAIRS, but this proves that he can write in several genres, which has me requesting everything that he writes! I can’t wait to see what he pens next!
Did Marilyn enjoy this one? Watch for her review to find out!
NOW AVAILABLE!
Thank You to William Morrow for the gifted ARC provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.
When Reece drops by his parents home unexpectedly, he is shocked to discover a bloody crime scene,-what appears to be a murder-suicide in their bedroom, with his father Brent killing his mother Catherine, and then taking his own life.
The Police arrive and after Reece gives his initial statement, he is asked to wait by the Detective investigating, but when he receives a phone call from the last person he ever would have expected to hear from, he flees the scene.
Of course, nothing is ever open and shut-and soon inconsistencies arise.
As Detective McCabe works the case, Reece learns that this could be linked to Wiffel-Smith-the unscrupulous pharmaceutical company his father worked for years ago, and the secrets about the pain reliever, Oxy-Mirac that were buried back in 1999.
Secrets his older brother, Holden may be privy to.
WHAT really happened in Brent and Catherine’s bedroom that afternoon-and WHY?
Around the halfway point, I suspected WHO would be involved, and you probably will too-but the explanation of exactly how everything transpired is IMPOSSIBLE to put together!
This is a FAST PACED (especially the second half) ENTERTAINING family drama and Police Procedural, that kept me guessing!
And, actually had me TEARY EYED at the conclusion!
My favorites by this author are his books which dabble with the Supernatural/light horror like last year’s WHISTLE and his 2018 book A NOISE DOWNSTAIRS, but this proves that he can write in several genres, which has me requesting everything that he writes! I can’t wait to see what he pens next!
Did Marilyn enjoy this one? Watch for her review to find out!
NOW AVAILABLE!
Thank You to William Morrow for the gifted ARC provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.
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).
June 26, 2026
Reece stumbles upon a crime at his parents’ house, which turns into a rabbit hole of secrets and betrayals. Like a ton! This family certainly doesn’t hold back.
This didn’t have the same feel of other Barclay novels I have read. The characters themselves all seemed super one dimensional and some of their conversations seemed unnatural…one example would be the phone call regarding a handbag (no spoilers). It just didn’t seem realistic to me. Another issue I had was with the investigator. Everyone kept hanging up on her or not following her orders. One thing that I personally need in a novel is a realistic investigation. Everyone involved just seemed to be making unintelligent choices, not bad ones just not smart ones. Long story short, I just had a real hard time connecting with the characters and actions.
As for the positives…this definitely was a page turner and I wanted to know how this whole thing would turn out. Finally, at the end, we do get some emotional depth from a few characters. Everything was answered and ended satisfactorily.
This wasn’t my favorite by this author, but others certainly have enjoyed this more than me, so please check out their fabulous reviews.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This didn’t have the same feel of other Barclay novels I have read. The characters themselves all seemed super one dimensional and some of their conversations seemed unnatural…one example would be the phone call regarding a handbag (no spoilers). It just didn’t seem realistic to me. Another issue I had was with the investigator. Everyone kept hanging up on her or not following her orders. One thing that I personally need in a novel is a realistic investigation. Everyone involved just seemed to be making unintelligent choices, not bad ones just not smart ones. Long story short, I just had a real hard time connecting with the characters and actions.
As for the positives…this definitely was a page turner and I wanted to know how this whole thing would turn out. Finally, at the end, we do get some emotional depth from a few characters. Everything was answered and ended satisfactorily.
This wasn’t my favorite by this author, but others certainly have enjoyed this more than me, so please check out their fabulous reviews.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Four disturbing stars for this latest from Linwood Barclay.
Reece Chartwell discovers a grisly scene in his parent's home and his life will never be the same.
Here's what I liked:
📚Linwood Barclay knows how to tell a story. We get the 1st person POV from Reece from the beginning along with additional chapters in the 3rd person following other key characters.
🗓 Flashbacks to 1999 are well-timed and help the reader to begin putting the pieces of this disturbing puzzle together.
💊At the heart of this story is an opiod that ultimately takes lives. It reminded me of when we watched the "Empire of Pain" documentary on Netflix. The company was throwing lavish parties to pump up their sales force while people using the product were ruining their lives.
🧑⚕The characters in the story all need therapy! This author knows how to ratchet up the tension and dole out those clues just in time.
Would I read another book by this author? Absolutely! Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Reece Chartwell discovers a grisly scene in his parent's home and his life will never be the same.
Here's what I liked:
📚Linwood Barclay knows how to tell a story. We get the 1st person POV from Reece from the beginning along with additional chapters in the 3rd person following other key characters.
🗓 Flashbacks to 1999 are well-timed and help the reader to begin putting the pieces of this disturbing puzzle together.
💊At the heart of this story is an opiod that ultimately takes lives. It reminded me of when we watched the "Empire of Pain" documentary on Netflix. The company was throwing lavish parties to pump up their sales force while people using the product were ruining their lives.
🧑⚕The characters in the story all need therapy! This author knows how to ratchet up the tension and dole out those clues just in time.
Would I read another book by this author? Absolutely! Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 7, 2026
Wow…this book drew me in, right from the beginning!
I read 70% of it in one sitting, because once I started I couldn’t put it down.
I probably could have read all of it in one sitting, but it was getting really late and my eyes were dry from staring at my Kindle for so long.
Suffice to say, this book is fast-paced and once you start reading it, it’s hard to take a break!
This is my first time reading Linwood Barclay, although people have been recommending his books to me for a few years and now I see why.
I will definitely be reading more of his books!
Reece stops by his parent’s house only to discover them both dead in their bed, and it appears to be a murder-suicide.
But shortly after that, he receives a phone call from his mom.
She’s clearly alive..so who was the woman in bed with his dad?
There were a lot of characters in this book, but for some reason I didn’t find it difficult to keep up with all of them like I occasionally do in some books.
It seems like most of the books that I read take place in the US or the UK, so a Canadian setting was a nice change.
This book really reminded me of the adage “we’re only as sick as our secrets”.
Like my friend Jayme mentioned in her review, I also got teary-eyed at the end, and I was not expecting that to happen.
Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC to review.
I read 70% of it in one sitting, because once I started I couldn’t put it down.
I probably could have read all of it in one sitting, but it was getting really late and my eyes were dry from staring at my Kindle for so long.
Suffice to say, this book is fast-paced and once you start reading it, it’s hard to take a break!
This is my first time reading Linwood Barclay, although people have been recommending his books to me for a few years and now I see why.
I will definitely be reading more of his books!
Reece stops by his parent’s house only to discover them both dead in their bed, and it appears to be a murder-suicide.
But shortly after that, he receives a phone call from his mom.
She’s clearly alive..so who was the woman in bed with his dad?
There were a lot of characters in this book, but for some reason I didn’t find it difficult to keep up with all of them like I occasionally do in some books.
It seems like most of the books that I read take place in the US or the UK, so a Canadian setting was a nice change.
This book really reminded me of the adage “we’re only as sick as our secrets”.
Like my friend Jayme mentioned in her review, I also got teary-eyed at the end, and I was not expecting that to happen.
Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC to review.
September 2, 2026
The premise?! So good. The first half?! Amazing. But the second half ruined it all for me.
Reece returns home and finds his parents shot dead in bed, with his father still holding the gun. The police decide to rule it a murder-suicide until Reece's mom calls him and asks about his dad. If his mom is alive, then who's the woman lying beside his father? Why did he shoot her and then himself? Or did someone else kill them both and arrange the crime scene to make it look that way? Reece and the police detective set out to find the truth and, in the process, unearth even more secrets that the family has been hiding.
This started out great but kind of lost me after the halfway point. The author's writing is just as wonderful in this one as it was in the first book I read from him. He pulls you in immediately and keeps you glued to the pages by giving you the right information at exactly the right time. He leads you toward the clues and reveals them in the upcoming pages, and I really liked this style cuz it keeps you intrigued about what other secrets could possibly be hiding if all the information is being revealed as and when you figure things out.
This kept me hooked until the halfway point, but then the dual timelines merged and we had a particular character, Crane, from the past come back into the scene and that's where I lost interest in the story. I didn't really understand his motivations or his actions. There was a valid reason for what he did in the past, but now?! Nothing.
So when this book turned into a cat-and-mouse chase with Crane at the center of it all, I knew it was going to end without much satisfaction, and I was right. The final reveal leading up to it didn't have much of an effect on me, and even though it pains me to say this, I have to admit that this book isn't much of a mystery thriller but more of a messy family drama. And I probably would've enjoyed it more if I'd gone in with the right expectations.
Overall, if you want complicated family dynamics with a bit of mystery and flawed characters, you might want to give this a try. But don't go in looking for a satisfying and fulfilling mystery thriller.
✨Pre-read:
I read another book by this author last year (Whistle), and it totally exceeded my expectations (such an underrated book too, so do check that out if you haven't already). So I'm curious whether he's gonna be a one-hit wonder or a potential new fav author.
Reece returns home and finds his parents shot dead in bed, with his father still holding the gun. The police decide to rule it a murder-suicide until Reece's mom calls him and asks about his dad. If his mom is alive, then who's the woman lying beside his father? Why did he shoot her and then himself? Or did someone else kill them both and arrange the crime scene to make it look that way? Reece and the police detective set out to find the truth and, in the process, unearth even more secrets that the family has been hiding.
This started out great but kind of lost me after the halfway point. The author's writing is just as wonderful in this one as it was in the first book I read from him. He pulls you in immediately and keeps you glued to the pages by giving you the right information at exactly the right time. He leads you toward the clues and reveals them in the upcoming pages, and I really liked this style cuz it keeps you intrigued about what other secrets could possibly be hiding if all the information is being revealed as and when you figure things out.
This kept me hooked until the halfway point, but then the dual timelines merged and we had a particular character, Crane, from the past come back into the scene and that's where I lost interest in the story. I didn't really understand his motivations or his actions. There was a valid reason for what he did in the past, but now?! Nothing.
So when this book turned into a cat-and-mouse chase with Crane at the center of it all, I knew it was going to end without much satisfaction, and I was right. The final reveal leading up to it didn't have much of an effect on me, and even though it pains me to say this, I have to admit that this book isn't much of a mystery thriller but more of a messy family drama. And I probably would've enjoyed it more if I'd gone in with the right expectations.
Overall, if you want complicated family dynamics with a bit of mystery and flawed characters, you might want to give this a try. But don't go in looking for a satisfying and fulfilling mystery thriller.
✨Pre-read:
I read another book by this author last year (Whistle), and it totally exceeded my expectations (such an underrated book too, so do check that out if you haven't already). So I'm curious whether he's gonna be a one-hit wonder or a potential new fav author.
August 26, 2026
A white-knuckle ride of dark family secrets and well-timed plot reversals, Not a Word had me hooked from the very moment I finished the first jaw-dropping chapter. Starting off with a bang that drew me in deep, I inhaled 90% of this knockout in one single sitting. With well-hidden motives, oodles of suspects, and a whiplash-inducing plot full of clever twists and turns, Barclay stunned me yet again with a murder mystery that had a intoxicating family drama at its core. Deeply dysfunctional and hiding a handful of life-altering secrets, betrayals, and lies, the tension was palpable in this onion-like plot. You see, everyone had at least a few morally gray bones in their body—even if their actions were often for the very best reason. Exploring loyalty, greed, and ethical ambiguity, this book wasn’t just a fast-paced whodunnit—it also hit hard with heartfelt emotion.
So what else can I say about this dark, twisty rollercoaster ride of murder, intrigue, and corruption? Well, at the center of it all was a scheme that had a very Harlan Coben-meets-Charlie Donlea feel with a touch of Shari Lapena’s riveting domestic thrills. Combining a complicated mystery balancing misdirection and deceit with emotional insight and deeply human characters, it was the full package of poignancy and suspense for this diehard Barclay fan. Paired with the short, cliffhanger chapters, multiple POVs, and converging past-and-present timelines, and it was no surprise at all that I was hooked from beginning to end of this shockingly emotional tale. After all, the ending caught me off guard when the fallout hit this messy family hard. So as long as you don’t mind suspending your disbelief, you’re in for quite the binge-worthy treat. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Read if you’re a fan of:
- Short chapters
- Dysfunctional families
- Multiple POVs
- Past/present timelines
- Fast pacing
- Complex storylines
- Family drama
- Murder mysteries
- Twisty plotting
- Morally gray characters
- Emotional depth
- Dark family secrets
SYNOPSIS:
Every family has secrets, but when Reece visits his parents’ house, he’s shocked to find them 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 with a call. It’s the last person he ever would have expected to hear from.
Reeling from the day’s events, Reece finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew about his parents—and whether he and his own family are in danger now. While the authorities work to untangle the baffling crime scene, Reece is pulled into a web of secrets linked to the unscrupulous pharma company his father worked for years ago.
In order to protect the people he loves most, he’ll have to dig deep into his own past to understand who his parents were, what they did, and who they hurt—before he ends up paying for their sins.
Thank you Linwood Barclay and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 25, 2026
Content warning: gun violence, death of a parent, murder, suicide, blood, vomit, emotional abuse, addiction, drug abuse/use, infidelity, blackmail, violence
So what else can I say about this dark, twisty rollercoaster ride of murder, intrigue, and corruption? Well, at the center of it all was a scheme that had a very Harlan Coben-meets-Charlie Donlea feel with a touch of Shari Lapena’s riveting domestic thrills. Combining a complicated mystery balancing misdirection and deceit with emotional insight and deeply human characters, it was the full package of poignancy and suspense for this diehard Barclay fan. Paired with the short, cliffhanger chapters, multiple POVs, and converging past-and-present timelines, and it was no surprise at all that I was hooked from beginning to end of this shockingly emotional tale. After all, the ending caught me off guard when the fallout hit this messy family hard. So as long as you don’t mind suspending your disbelief, you’re in for quite the binge-worthy treat. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Read if you’re a fan of:
- Short chapters
- Dysfunctional families
- Multiple POVs
- Past/present timelines
- Fast pacing
- Complex storylines
- Family drama
- Murder mysteries
- Twisty plotting
- Morally gray characters
- Emotional depth
- Dark family secrets
SYNOPSIS:
Every family has secrets, but when Reece visits his parents’ house, he’s shocked to find them 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 with a call. It’s the last person he ever would have expected to hear from.
Reeling from the day’s events, Reece finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew about his parents—and whether he and his own family are in danger now. While the authorities work to untangle the baffling crime scene, Reece is pulled into a web of secrets linked to the unscrupulous pharma company his father worked for years ago.
In order to protect the people he loves most, he’ll have to dig deep into his own past to understand who his parents were, what they did, and who they hurt—before he ends up paying for their sins.
Thank you Linwood Barclay and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 25, 2026
Content warning: gun violence, death of a parent, murder, suicide, blood, vomit, emotional abuse, addiction, drug abuse/use, infidelity, blackmail, violence
August 26, 2026
3.5 stars--overall a decent mystery, I was really invested at first and then lost interest while it dragged for a while and then came around again for an exciting ending. Totally worth the read if you like a mystery/thriller.
Reece goes to his parents' house to drop off some books and discovers his parents dead in bed, looking like a murder suicide. At least he thought it was his parents. However when he goes outside to collect himself after the police arrive, he receives a phone call--from his mother. Who is the woman with his father? What secrets has everyone been keeping?
There are a large number of shocks that happen right away, which made me curious and excitedly reading to see what would happen next. However after a while it just felt like everything was spinning in circles. There were lots of interviews, lots of was it what it seemed or wasn't it, and some kind of far fetched tangents that didn't really matter to the overall storyline. But then towards the end things started to get more exciting and more twists were revealed. I just think the middle section could have been abbreviated a bit to allow for the action rather than the chasing people around following their cars and watching them to see what they were doing.
Overall, if you like a good twisty thriller, this one has a good payoff for your time. Just have patience in the middle.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Reece goes to his parents' house to drop off some books and discovers his parents dead in bed, looking like a murder suicide. At least he thought it was his parents. However when he goes outside to collect himself after the police arrive, he receives a phone call--from his mother. Who is the woman with his father? What secrets has everyone been keeping?
There are a large number of shocks that happen right away, which made me curious and excitedly reading to see what would happen next. However after a while it just felt like everything was spinning in circles. There were lots of interviews, lots of was it what it seemed or wasn't it, and some kind of far fetched tangents that didn't really matter to the overall storyline. But then towards the end things started to get more exciting and more twists were revealed. I just think the middle section could have been abbreviated a bit to allow for the action rather than the chasing people around following their cars and watching them to see what they were doing.
Overall, if you like a good twisty thriller, this one has a good payoff for your time. Just have patience in the middle.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
August 9, 2026
Linwood Barclay is a genius! I have loved every book that I have read by this author and his new one Not A Word is just brilliant.
The Chartwell Family appears to be a normal, happy family from the outside. We soon discover that there are a multitude of secrets and lies in this family that lead to a horrific tragedy. Reece is just popping in to check on his folks, say hi, have a coffee, you know as you do. The last thing he expects to find them in bed with blood everywhere and a gun by his father’s hand. The police arrive and then he receives a phone call that turns everything on its head.
This book is pretty impossible to put down. I was hooked from the very beginning and got so invested in this story that I just had to know. The ending… wow! 😮 it is suspenseful and dark and twisty, everything that you want from a great thriller.
The characters are all so well written. They are realistic, flawed and very believable. None of them are perfect, and I think that makes a huge difference in a story. It is very much a family drama, a family that find themselves in an impossible situation.
I will read anything that Linwood Barclay writes. I loved his foray into horror with Whistle, but his thrillers are so addictive.
Thank you so much to William Morrow for my early copy on NetGalley to read. Out on August 25th. A. Just read.
The Chartwell Family appears to be a normal, happy family from the outside. We soon discover that there are a multitude of secrets and lies in this family that lead to a horrific tragedy. Reece is just popping in to check on his folks, say hi, have a coffee, you know as you do. The last thing he expects to find them in bed with blood everywhere and a gun by his father’s hand. The police arrive and then he receives a phone call that turns everything on its head.
This book is pretty impossible to put down. I was hooked from the very beginning and got so invested in this story that I just had to know. The ending… wow! 😮 it is suspenseful and dark and twisty, everything that you want from a great thriller.
The characters are all so well written. They are realistic, flawed and very believable. None of them are perfect, and I think that makes a huge difference in a story. It is very much a family drama, a family that find themselves in an impossible situation.
I will read anything that Linwood Barclay writes. I loved his foray into horror with Whistle, but his thrillers are so addictive.
Thank you so much to William Morrow for my early copy on NetGalley to read. Out on August 25th. A. Just read.
September 14, 2026
A twisted blend of domestic thriller and police procedural, my first book by
Linwood Barclay
was the perfect dark mix! Reece finds his parents at home in bed in what looks to be a murder-suicide. Yet before he is even able to leave the crime scene, his phone rings—it's his mom. So who is in the bed with his dad, and is it really what it looks like?
Reece has a family of his own—a wife and son—and a brother who is an addict, all of whom are affected by the deaths in unique ways. The interpersonal relationships are messy and believable—to a point—while through past and present timelines readers get to learn the background on Reece's parents and what may have led to the present situation. There are tightly woven layers, an insidious conspiracy, and hidden agendas, along with a need to suspend disbelief regarding what initially started everything and some character decisions. The short punchy chapters that end on cliffhangers make this a gripping, fast-paced read that I binged quickly!
The dual narration of Nan McNamara and Johnathan McClain for the audiobook made for a captivating experience and only added to the "just one more chapter" intensity.
Armchair detectives who enjoy toxic family dynamics, dark themes (and even darker secrets), and twisted behaviors will enjoy putting their thinking caps on for NOT A WORD!
____
Thank you to William Morow Books and Harper Audio for my free copies. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
Reece has a family of his own—a wife and son—and a brother who is an addict, all of whom are affected by the deaths in unique ways. The interpersonal relationships are messy and believable—to a point—while through past and present timelines readers get to learn the background on Reece's parents and what may have led to the present situation. There are tightly woven layers, an insidious conspiracy, and hidden agendas, along with a need to suspend disbelief regarding what initially started everything and some character decisions. The short punchy chapters that end on cliffhangers make this a gripping, fast-paced read that I binged quickly!
The dual narration of Nan McNamara and Johnathan McClain for the audiobook made for a captivating experience and only added to the "just one more chapter" intensity.
Armchair detectives who enjoy toxic family dynamics, dark themes (and even darker secrets), and twisted behaviors will enjoy putting their thinking caps on for NOT A WORD!
____
Thank you to William Morow Books and Harper Audio for my free copies. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
September 26, 2026
Linwood Barclay takes the familiar ingredients of a murder mystery—an apparently straightforward crime scene, a missing mother, a cheating husband, corporate secrets—and keeps twisting them until almost nothing is what it first appears to be.
When Reece arrives at his parents’ home, he discovers his father and a woman who appears to be his mother dead in bed. It looks like murder-suicide, but the details don’t add up. Then his phone rings. It’s his actual mother, alive and completely unaware that her husband is dead. When Reece tells her simply, “Come home now,” she doesn’t. She disappears.
Suddenly, Reece is left wondering whether his mother is a victim, a suspect, or something far more complicated. And as questions about his father’s past begin surfacing, Reece discovers that the people he thought he knew best may have been keeping the darkest secrets of all. Worse, someone may now be coming after him and his own family.
Barclay structures the novel around short, punchy chapters that keep the momentum relentlessly moving forward. Reece is at the centre of the investigation, but crucially, he isn’t several steps ahead of the reader. We discover the truth alongside him, with each revelation forcing another question. The supporting cast is equally important, with competing interests, intersecting storylines and shifting loyalties giving the mystery considerably more depth than a simple hunt for a killer.
And Barclay knows when to let the characters breathe. The banter between various pairings adds a surprising wit to an increasingly dark story, giving the narrative personality without ever undercutting the suspense. There’s plenty happening, but the plot never feels needlessly convoluted as the pieces keep moving until they begin snapping together with increasing speed.
There’s also something distinctly Canadian running through Not a Word. Barclay has lived in the United States for years, but he clearly hasn’t lost the roots that inform his writing. The character mannerisms, conversational rhythms, understated humour and references to Canadian places and everyday life give the novel a familiarity that feels genuine rather than decorative. Even the suspense has a distinctly Canadian restraint to it. Barclay doesn’t need excessive gore or graphic violence to make a scene unsettling. He understands that sometimes what is left unsaid—or what you only glimpse—is far more effective.
Not a Word is clever, witty and refreshingly unpredictable. Barclay takes well-worn murder-mystery mechanics and keeps finding new ways to turn them sideways. The result is a thriller that never needs to shout to keep you hooked—and by the time the final pieces fall into place, you’ll be gasping silently right along with Reece.
Kudos, Mr. Barclay, for a unique story that never disappoints.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
When Reece arrives at his parents’ home, he discovers his father and a woman who appears to be his mother dead in bed. It looks like murder-suicide, but the details don’t add up. Then his phone rings. It’s his actual mother, alive and completely unaware that her husband is dead. When Reece tells her simply, “Come home now,” she doesn’t. She disappears.
Suddenly, Reece is left wondering whether his mother is a victim, a suspect, or something far more complicated. And as questions about his father’s past begin surfacing, Reece discovers that the people he thought he knew best may have been keeping the darkest secrets of all. Worse, someone may now be coming after him and his own family.
Barclay structures the novel around short, punchy chapters that keep the momentum relentlessly moving forward. Reece is at the centre of the investigation, but crucially, he isn’t several steps ahead of the reader. We discover the truth alongside him, with each revelation forcing another question. The supporting cast is equally important, with competing interests, intersecting storylines and shifting loyalties giving the mystery considerably more depth than a simple hunt for a killer.
And Barclay knows when to let the characters breathe. The banter between various pairings adds a surprising wit to an increasingly dark story, giving the narrative personality without ever undercutting the suspense. There’s plenty happening, but the plot never feels needlessly convoluted as the pieces keep moving until they begin snapping together with increasing speed.
There’s also something distinctly Canadian running through Not a Word. Barclay has lived in the United States for years, but he clearly hasn’t lost the roots that inform his writing. The character mannerisms, conversational rhythms, understated humour and references to Canadian places and everyday life give the novel a familiarity that feels genuine rather than decorative. Even the suspense has a distinctly Canadian restraint to it. Barclay doesn’t need excessive gore or graphic violence to make a scene unsettling. He understands that sometimes what is left unsaid—or what you only glimpse—is far more effective.
Not a Word is clever, witty and refreshingly unpredictable. Barclay takes well-worn murder-mystery mechanics and keeps finding new ways to turn them sideways. The result is a thriller that never needs to shout to keep you hooked—and by the time the final pieces fall into place, you’ll be gasping silently right along with Reece.
Kudos, Mr. Barclay, for a unique story that never disappoints.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
September 30, 2026
Linwood Barclay is a bestselling author of some of my favourite thrillers. I have found his crime stories entertaining and fast-paced, with relatable characters. I found his latest book, Not a Word, disappointing compared with his earlier books. This book is classified as a dark family drama and a (slow) police procedural. After reading several of his books, my only criticism was that Barclay, a Canadian, had not set any of the books I had read in Canada. This one is firmly set in Canada, on the outskirts of Toronto. It references Tim Hortons and Lake Ontario (not renamed Lake America)
The leading character is Reece Chartwell, a journalist. The story is told in the present with flashbacks to 1999. His father is Brent, who worked for an unscrupulous pharmaceutical company, knowingly selling painkillers that caused addiction. Brent quit after already earning a considerable fortune. Brent's wife and Reece's mother is Catherine, a cold, self-involved woman. Reece has a 14-year-old son, Gage, and a brother, Holden. Holden indulges in alcohol and drugs to reduce past memories and has been sent to a rehab facility
a number of times. Gage spends time with his Uncle Holden, and they are probably sharing secrets about events beginning in 1999. Young Gage may know more than the adults.
Reece enters his parents' home and witnesses, to his horror, what he believes to be his father and mother dead in bed and covered with blood. It appears that his father shot his wife and then himself. While he waits for the police, he receives a phone call from his mother. So who is the murdered woman in the bed, and what twisted connection does she have with Brent, Reece, and Holden? The story becomes tension-filled and complicated.
Not a Word contains dark secrets, unforeseen twists and revelations, family tension, lies, betrayals, and puzzling backgrounds. The crime scene has inconsistencies that Reece and Detective Janice McCabe notice. A 'fixer' is called to deal with the crime. The many characters lack depth, and the women are portrayed negatively. After a slow start, the story becomes more suspenseful, but the pace remains uneven.
The leading character is Reece Chartwell, a journalist. The story is told in the present with flashbacks to 1999. His father is Brent, who worked for an unscrupulous pharmaceutical company, knowingly selling painkillers that caused addiction. Brent quit after already earning a considerable fortune. Brent's wife and Reece's mother is Catherine, a cold, self-involved woman. Reece has a 14-year-old son, Gage, and a brother, Holden. Holden indulges in alcohol and drugs to reduce past memories and has been sent to a rehab facility
a number of times. Gage spends time with his Uncle Holden, and they are probably sharing secrets about events beginning in 1999. Young Gage may know more than the adults.
Reece enters his parents' home and witnesses, to his horror, what he believes to be his father and mother dead in bed and covered with blood. It appears that his father shot his wife and then himself. While he waits for the police, he receives a phone call from his mother. So who is the murdered woman in the bed, and what twisted connection does she have with Brent, Reece, and Holden? The story becomes tension-filled and complicated.
Not a Word contains dark secrets, unforeseen twists and revelations, family tension, lies, betrayals, and puzzling backgrounds. The crime scene has inconsistencies that Reece and Detective Janice McCabe notice. A 'fixer' is called to deal with the crime. The many characters lack depth, and the women are portrayed negatively. After a slow start, the story becomes more suspenseful, but the pace remains uneven.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2026
4⭐️ This thriller started off with a bang right from the start and was a real page turner for me!
Reece is dropping off books to his Dad but finds his parents shot dead in their bed. At first glance it looks like a murder/suicide. But things quickly turn much more nefarious and it’s not at all as it appears.
Reece’s Dad and Mom harbored a few secrets for many years and it’s all about to come out. Reeces addict brother and even his 14 year old son Gage are complicit.
Fast paced and twisty I was surprised at all the turns the story took! Great ending too!
Thanks to William Morrow Publishers and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Reece is dropping off books to his Dad but finds his parents shot dead in their bed. At first glance it looks like a murder/suicide. But things quickly turn much more nefarious and it’s not at all as it appears.
Reece’s Dad and Mom harbored a few secrets for many years and it’s all about to come out. Reeces addict brother and even his 14 year old son Gage are complicit.
Fast paced and twisty I was surprised at all the turns the story took! Great ending too!
Thanks to William Morrow Publishers and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 26, 2026
Just got this yesterday on audible and I devoured it.
Linwood Barclay can't write a bad book.
This story centers on a family named the Chartwells and the pharmaceutical industry.
Brent Chartwell is found in bed with a woman by his son Reece. Both Brent and his mistress were presumed to have been murdered.
The story then goes to the past when Brent first started working for big pharma. He thought him and his wife Katherine had it made until he witnessed the dark side and what money does to people.
Detective McCabe is also on the case in the present. What looks like a murder- suicide might not be.
Lots of twists in this book. A definite page turner.
Linwood Barclay can't write a bad book.
This story centers on a family named the Chartwells and the pharmaceutical industry.
Brent Chartwell is found in bed with a woman by his son Reece. Both Brent and his mistress were presumed to have been murdered.
The story then goes to the past when Brent first started working for big pharma. He thought him and his wife Katherine had it made until he witnessed the dark side and what money does to people.
Detective McCabe is also on the case in the present. What looks like a murder- suicide might not be.
Lots of twists in this book. A definite page turner.
September 10, 2026
➡️ Not too many words of praise for this "Not A Word" book.
Except that it was not my favorite Linwood Barkley thriller.
➡️ A son discovers his dead father in bed with another dead woman.
Who is the dead woman, and why were his father and this mystery woman murdered?
➡️ Lacked the sizzle and intrigue expected from this author.
The twists were underwhelming and, at times, the narrative veered off course.
The ending was far-fetched and eye-rolling.
➡️ I listened to the 10-hour audiobook expertly narrated by Nan McNamara and Johnathan McClain.
Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more had it been a 7-hour book with a more grounded ending?
September 16, 2026
In chapter 1, Reece stops by his parents house to drop off books. He finds them dead in bed with blood everywhere. After telling his story to the police, he gets a phone call where the Caller ID says Mom and it's really her. So who is the dead lady in bed with his dad? Yikes, what a start to the story.
I have to tell you the ending is a strong one as well. The author had me believing several people did it. I liked Detective Janice McCabe.
I have to tell you the ending is a strong one as well. The author had me believing several people did it. I liked Detective Janice McCabe.
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!
September 14, 2026
RATING: 3.5 ⭐ rounded up
GENRE: Psychological Thriller
When Reece visits his parent's home to return some books, he is horrified to find them dead from an apparent murder-suicide. As the police converge on the scene, a shaken Reece gets in incoming call on his cell from his mother Catherine. But if Catherine is alive and well and on the other end of the line, who is the dead woman in his father's bed? What starts as a seemingly tragic domestic, quickly unravels into a chaotic web of secrets and lies that goes back decades and Reece is thrust into a nightmare he's not sure how he can wake from.
🥳 What I loved
Premise: That initial hook grabbed me by the throat and set the pace for this very quick read. What could be more intriguing than an opening chapter where in incoming call is coming from a dead woman's cell phone?
Format: I loved the dual timeline and short, multi-POV chapters and the mini-reveals that came along with them. I'm not often a fan of too many POV but it worked for me here.
Characters: Honestly, I didn't love all the characters, but I think that was the point. Barclay's wit and talent for bringing his characters to life is one of the reasons I keep coming back to his books. I have to say that I had a soft spot for Holden!
Ending: 😭😭😭
🤔 Things that held me back
Pacing: I did find the momentum hit a bit of a snag in the middle, but the beginning and last 30% really made up for it.
Suspension of disbelief: Ok, so no surprises here, cause this is a trademark of Barclay's novels (at least in my experience!). There are many leaps of logic, coincidences and questionable character decisions here, so these need to be taken at face value 😅
Final Verdict
A fun, solid thriller that had me tearful at the end, I would recommend it for fans of the author.
GENRE: Psychological Thriller
When Reece visits his parent's home to return some books, he is horrified to find them dead from an apparent murder-suicide. As the police converge on the scene, a shaken Reece gets in incoming call on his cell from his mother Catherine. But if Catherine is alive and well and on the other end of the line, who is the dead woman in his father's bed? What starts as a seemingly tragic domestic, quickly unravels into a chaotic web of secrets and lies that goes back decades and Reece is thrust into a nightmare he's not sure how he can wake from.
🥳 What I loved
Premise: That initial hook grabbed me by the throat and set the pace for this very quick read. What could be more intriguing than an opening chapter where in incoming call is coming from a dead woman's cell phone?
Format: I loved the dual timeline and short, multi-POV chapters and the mini-reveals that came along with them. I'm not often a fan of too many POV but it worked for me here.
Characters: Honestly, I didn't love all the characters, but I think that was the point. Barclay's wit and talent for bringing his characters to life is one of the reasons I keep coming back to his books. I have to say that I had a soft spot for Holden!
Ending: 😭😭😭
🤔 Things that held me back
Pacing: I did find the momentum hit a bit of a snag in the middle, but the beginning and last 30% really made up for it.
Suspension of disbelief: Ok, so no surprises here, cause this is a trademark of Barclay's novels (at least in my experience!). There are many leaps of logic, coincidences and questionable character decisions here, so these need to be taken at face value 😅
Final Verdict
A fun, solid thriller that had me tearful at the end, I would recommend it for fans of the author.
September 1, 2026
Thank you so much to William Morrow for the gifted book and audiobook!
If you want a mystery thriller that might just set a record for the number of twists and suspects, this is it. Every time I thought I had a handle on who might have done it, another person or situation was thrown into the mix.
This story opens with Reece who has just gone into his parents’ home only to find them both passed away by gunshots in bed. As he is distraught and watching the police begin their investigation, his phone rings: it’s his mother calling. And so begins the crazy ride of Reece realizing the woman in bed with his father is not his mother, and he has no idea what has been going on or what led to this. The kicker to this beginning is that when he runs to pick up his mother from where she was having lunch with friends, she has disappeared.
A good portion of the mystery revolves around the father's work for a large pharmaceutical company producing addictive pain killers, and the lengths people would go to in order to protect their massive profits. It delves into the pain and destruction caused by addiction, and the people more than willing to look the other way in their greed.
This story had me completely caught up right from the beginning and I could not set it down. We have some very clear-cut villains but then others who moved me when their goodness came out in times of crisis. This was so fast paced and complex with clues constantly dropping, then it went in such a surprisingly touching direction at the end.
The audio is dual narration and just under ten hours; both narrators do a great job.
If you want a mystery thriller that might just set a record for the number of twists and suspects, this is it. Every time I thought I had a handle on who might have done it, another person or situation was thrown into the mix.
This story opens with Reece who has just gone into his parents’ home only to find them both passed away by gunshots in bed. As he is distraught and watching the police begin their investigation, his phone rings: it’s his mother calling. And so begins the crazy ride of Reece realizing the woman in bed with his father is not his mother, and he has no idea what has been going on or what led to this. The kicker to this beginning is that when he runs to pick up his mother from where she was having lunch with friends, she has disappeared.
A good portion of the mystery revolves around the father's work for a large pharmaceutical company producing addictive pain killers, and the lengths people would go to in order to protect their massive profits. It delves into the pain and destruction caused by addiction, and the people more than willing to look the other way in their greed.
This story had me completely caught up right from the beginning and I could not set it down. We have some very clear-cut villains but then others who moved me when their goodness came out in times of crisis. This was so fast paced and complex with clues constantly dropping, then it went in such a surprisingly touching direction at the end.
The audio is dual narration and just under ten hours; both narrators do a great job.
October 1, 2026
“Not a Word”, by Linwood Barclay
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was highly recommended for me.
And this was my 4th book by this author, who once again failed to impress me, at least with his most recent works. I still have to read the ones from the beginning of his career, which everyone guarantees that they are a lot better.
Anyways, the concept here is really good and the story started strong, with an excellent twist right on the second chapter (which is spoiled right in the blurb).
The writing was good, although I wanted stronger dialogues, but I didn’t find the storytelling that engaging, perhaps because I didn’t care enough for the characters.
This was more of a family drama rather than a thriller. I was never on the edge of my seat. The development of the story, as well as the characters, could have been better and I disliked the conclusion and I was left with an answered question regarding Crane.
Have I mentioned that I don’t like convenient coincidences?
Anyways, this was better than the other 3 that I read. One of these days I will try to read his older works.
E-book (Kobo): 368 pages (default), 94k words
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was highly recommended for me.
And this was my 4th book by this author, who once again failed to impress me, at least with his most recent works. I still have to read the ones from the beginning of his career, which everyone guarantees that they are a lot better.
Anyways, the concept here is really good and the story started strong, with an excellent twist right on the second chapter (which is spoiled right in the blurb).
The writing was good, although I wanted stronger dialogues, but I didn’t find the storytelling that engaging, perhaps because I didn’t care enough for the characters.
This was more of a family drama rather than a thriller. I was never on the edge of my seat. The development of the story, as well as the characters, could have been better and I disliked the conclusion and I was left with an answered question regarding Crane.
Have I mentioned that I don’t like convenient coincidences?
Anyways, this was better than the other 3 that I read. One of these days I will try to read his older works.
E-book (Kobo): 368 pages (default), 94k words
August 26, 2026
I have never been so buzzing to be approved for a book on NetGalley. Linwood Barclay is my favourite author OF ALL TIME. I hate to say this but this was my least favourite of his books. (Haven’t read Whistle yet)
It was a good story and I read it in 2 days. But it wasn’t what I would call gripping, it dragged over the period of just a day or two. If you didn’t tell me who had written this I would have never have guessed Linwood Barclay. So different to his normal style.
There was a good mystery here and you are trying to investigate the clues along with the detective and the family involved. A good solid domestic thriller.
But… if you have never read a LB book before, I beg you, please to pick up No Time For Goodbye, The Promise Falls Trilogy, Never Look Away, The Noise Downstairs etc… absolutely excellent detective/crime/mystery thriller books.
This one is fine for a quick read as a palette cleanser between heavier more bulked out books with more depth.
Thank you @netgalley for my digital copy of this book to read and review.
It was a good story and I read it in 2 days. But it wasn’t what I would call gripping, it dragged over the period of just a day or two. If you didn’t tell me who had written this I would have never have guessed Linwood Barclay. So different to his normal style.
There was a good mystery here and you are trying to investigate the clues along with the detective and the family involved. A good solid domestic thriller.
But… if you have never read a LB book before, I beg you, please to pick up No Time For Goodbye, The Promise Falls Trilogy, Never Look Away, The Noise Downstairs etc… absolutely excellent detective/crime/mystery thriller books.
This one is fine for a quick read as a palette cleanser between heavier more bulked out books with more depth.
Thank you @netgalley for my digital copy of this book to read and review.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Journalist Reece Chartwell, recently unemployed, stops by to see his parents at their home near Toronto and is shocked by what he finds. His father Brent is in his bed with a gun in his hand, lying next to a bloodied woman he assumes is his mother. While it looks like a murder-suicide, Detective Janice McCabe is not convinced. Especially when it is discovered that the woman in the bed was not Brent's wife, Catherine, who is very much alive and had been at a luncheon. Reece and his wife are especially concerned about how Brent's death will affect their 14-year-old son Gage. They also fear the reaction of Reece's brother Holden, who struggles with addiction. As the true story of the Chartwell family unfolds in multiple timelines, questions arise about whether Brent's former work as a salesman for Wiffel-Smith, the pharmaceutical giant, is connected to the deaths. And who was the woman in the bed?
Not a Word by Linwood Barclay is one twisty ride! It's a fast-paced, highly engaging, hard to put down thriller that I chose to alternate between reading the book and listening to the audio version, which features both male and female narrators, enhancing the story's suspense and enjoyment. If you are a fan of family dramas filled with dark secrets and lies, be sure to add this book to your list.
Many thanks to William Morrow for the gifted advance.
4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Not a Word by Linwood Barclay is one twisty ride! It's a fast-paced, highly engaging, hard to put down thriller that I chose to alternate between reading the book and listening to the audio version, which features both male and female narrators, enhancing the story's suspense and enjoyment. If you are a fan of family dramas filled with dark secrets and lies, be sure to add this book to your list.
Many thanks to William Morrow for the gifted advance.
4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
August 24, 2026
Wow, the banger of a first chapter this book has! 👏🏻 I was immediately invested in the story. I had never read a Linwood Barclay book before, but after hearing such incredible reviews of his book Whistle (on my tbr), I was excited to read this one and it did not disappoint.
There are several perspectives telling the story, and a dual timeline. In some ways, I fully anticipated the direction the book would go, and in other ways I fully did NOT. The first chapter was crazy, and the ending actually (surprisingly) had me a little emotional, but I will say that the middle dragged a little for me and became a bit repetitive. There was also one character in here that I could not stand start to finish, but they did add good conflict so 🤷🏻♀️
The ending was a great twist for me! If I had put in a lot of thought, I *might* have been able to figure it out, but it really took me by surprise and gave me a lot of feels. I love when that happens in a thriller of all genres!
I really enjoyed this one! I loved the focus on the familial relationships and it was easy enough to follow. I had a fun time with it.
🎧The audio was a good choice for this book! I personally just wasn’t a huge fan of the male narrator’s voice BUT he fit the MMC very well, so I was okay with it. I thought it was an interesting choice to have the female narrator voice the teenage boy, but it ended up not being a big deal. I’d still recommend the audio!
There are several perspectives telling the story, and a dual timeline. In some ways, I fully anticipated the direction the book would go, and in other ways I fully did NOT. The first chapter was crazy, and the ending actually (surprisingly) had me a little emotional, but I will say that the middle dragged a little for me and became a bit repetitive. There was also one character in here that I could not stand start to finish, but they did add good conflict so 🤷🏻♀️
The ending was a great twist for me! If I had put in a lot of thought, I *might* have been able to figure it out, but it really took me by surprise and gave me a lot of feels. I love when that happens in a thriller of all genres!
I really enjoyed this one! I loved the focus on the familial relationships and it was easy enough to follow. I had a fun time with it.
🎧The audio was a good choice for this book! I personally just wasn’t a huge fan of the male narrator’s voice BUT he fit the MMC very well, so I was okay with it. I thought it was an interesting choice to have the female narrator voice the teenage boy, but it ended up not being a big deal. I’d still recommend the audio!
September 10, 2026
Reece goes over to his parents’ house to talk to his dad about something he’s struggling with in life, only to find his father shot dead in his bed, along with his mother. Except…it turns out it’s not his mother. From there, the book unravels the who, why, and how behind the murders.
This was a solid three-star thriller and a perfect palate cleanser for me. Although there’s never a shocking revelation, the kind that makes you yell “holy shit!” out loud, it’s a page-turner and the kind of book you just want to keep reading. Nothing groundbreaking, but an entertaining, easy read that kept me hooked.
This was a solid three-star thriller and a perfect palate cleanser for me. Although there’s never a shocking revelation, the kind that makes you yell “holy shit!” out loud, it’s a page-turner and the kind of book you just want to keep reading. Nothing groundbreaking, but an entertaining, easy read that kept me hooked.
August 2, 2026
Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this free advance copy, and I’m writing this review honestly and without bias.
Linwood Barclay is an author that never fails to deliver and has come up trumps again with Not A Word. It's well written with a solid plot with sharp to the point chapters. The pace is fast and turns up a few notches in the latter chapters. The characters are well portrayed and the twists keep coming and an absolute blinder with the final twist. You never know what plot you will get with this author but you do know you will be in for a great read. Enjoyed this one a lot
September 2, 2026
Reece, an unemployed journalist, visits his parents home and finds his father, Brent, shot dead in bed along with a woman Reece assumes is his mother but it turns out his mother is fine - the woman shot with Brent is a mystery. Detective Janice is puzzled by the lack of motive for this alleged murder/suicide shooting especially since the woman with Brent wasn't his wife, Catherine. Horrifying family secrets are revealed and tied to a job Brent took decades ago with a pharmaceutical company that produced a highly addictive opioid that caused the deaths of hundreds of people. This is a beautifully constructed puzzle resulting in another outstanding suspense thriller from Linwood Barclay. 4.5 stars.
September 17, 2026
3.5 rounded up.
Interesting plot, strangely expressed. Personally it felt over worked and one too many fingers in the pie. There was a lot going on and some of it felt over the top. My biggest problem was a lack of connection to any of the characters and this I did not feel invested in the outcome.
Not bad, but not great either.
Interesting plot, strangely expressed. Personally it felt over worked and one too many fingers in the pie. There was a lot going on and some of it felt over the top. My biggest problem was a lack of connection to any of the characters and this I did not feel invested in the outcome.
Not bad, but not great either.
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