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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 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.
496 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2026
About the author
Linwood Barclay
85 books7,510 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 224 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
August 25, 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.
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.
August 31, 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 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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
August 27, 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.
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
August 14, 2026
Not a Word
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Linwood Barclay
I received this ALC on NetGalley from the publisher and am giving my review.
I was excited to listen to this book as I recently read Whistle which I thoroughly enjoyed and this book did not disappoint.
I’m not even certain where to begin with this book but there was more twists and turns that I swore I have whiplash.
Without giving much away the story revolves around a husband who had worked for a big pharma giant and had been a top salesman selling a drug for pain that ended up killing many patients and they also found the company was corrupt and the company eventually went under.
The husband quit before that happened but not before all kinds of things started coming out. I cannot in good conscience tell any more but I went through so many people thinking about who was to blame but in the end I really hadn’t guessed who actually had committed the crimes.
If you want a fast paced thriller that will not only keep you guessing but have your head on a swivel then this is the book for you!
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Linwood Barclay
I received this ALC on NetGalley from the publisher and am giving my review.
I was excited to listen to this book as I recently read Whistle which I thoroughly enjoyed and this book did not disappoint.
I’m not even certain where to begin with this book but there was more twists and turns that I swore I have whiplash.
Without giving much away the story revolves around a husband who had worked for a big pharma giant and had been a top salesman selling a drug for pain that ended up killing many patients and they also found the company was corrupt and the company eventually went under.
The husband quit before that happened but not before all kinds of things started coming out. I cannot in good conscience tell any more but I went through so many people thinking about who was to blame but in the end I really hadn’t guessed who actually had committed the crimes.
If you want a fast paced thriller that will not only keep you guessing but have your head on a swivel then this is the book for you!
August 20, 2026
not a word | linwood barclay
📖/🎧 book/audiobook review
pub date 08.25.26
narrated by: nan mcnamara + johnathon mcclain
length: 9h 27 min / 320 pages
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
thank you @williammorrowbooks + harper audio for my gifted ARC/ALC
this was my first book by this author & I was pleasantly surprised! a solid thriller that keeps you invested throughout.
reece is shaken up because he’s just discovered his parents dead in their bedroom, an apparent m*rder s*icide. but he’s even more shaken when he looks down at his ringing phone… and his mother is on the other line.
definitely pick this one up!! there are several layers to the story and it all comes together seamlessly in the end. there’s family drama/secrets/murders.. all the things 👌🏻 I really enjoyed it!
📖/🎧 book/audiobook review
pub date 08.25.26
narrated by: nan mcnamara + johnathon mcclain
length: 9h 27 min / 320 pages
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
thank you @williammorrowbooks + harper audio for my gifted ARC/ALC
this was my first book by this author & I was pleasantly surprised! a solid thriller that keeps you invested throughout.
reece is shaken up because he’s just discovered his parents dead in their bedroom, an apparent m*rder s*icide. but he’s even more shaken when he looks down at his ringing phone… and his mother is on the other line.
definitely pick this one up!! there are several layers to the story and it all comes together seamlessly in the end. there’s family drama/secrets/murders.. all the things 👌🏻 I really enjoyed it!
August 13, 2026
I was looking for 1. A thriller, and 2. Something that was close to Charlie Donlea’s writing. My friend said hwy show me what arcs you have and bam! She said NOT A WORD fit the bill and she was 100% right. It checked every box and more.
Reece and Holden are the sons of Brent and Catherine Chartwell and what looks like a wholesome family is anything but. This family is weighed down by secrets and betrayals out the wazoo!
I loved unraveling every secret and not knowing who was the culprit until the end. This was a very twisty, layered story that was easy to follow and fulfilled all my thriller loving desires! It addressed the weight of secrets, the consequences, and how it affects those who carry them.
Reece and Holden are the sons of Brent and Catherine Chartwell and what looks like a wholesome family is anything but. This family is weighed down by secrets and betrayals out the wazoo!
I loved unraveling every secret and not knowing who was the culprit until the end. This was a very twisty, layered story that was easy to follow and fulfilled all my thriller loving desires! It addressed the weight of secrets, the consequences, and how it affects those who carry them.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A big thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this twisty psychological thriller.
All the Linwood Barclays books I have read so far have been so very different from thrillers to chilling horror books and all very exciting and also very different style books, but all brilliant.
Not a word is a real fast paced page turner and a pleasure to read.
Cant wait for more by this author.
4.5 stars
All the Linwood Barclays books I have read so far have been so very different from thrillers to chilling horror books and all very exciting and also very different style books, but all brilliant.
Not a word is a real fast paced page turner and a pleasure to read.
Cant wait for more by this author.
4.5 stars
August 8, 2026
Okay picture this. You walk into your parents house and find your father and a woman who looks like your mother dead in their bedroom… and then you get a phone call from your mom who is very much still alive. I was super invested in this one from the beginning.
Reece is left trying to figure out who the woman is, what happened to the father, and why there are so many secrets surrounding this family. The deeper he digs, the more he uncovers about his father’s past, his work in the pharmaceutical industry, and things his family has kept hidden for years.
There is so much happening with this one and I was questioning everything and everyone. I loved the mystery, the family drama, and all the unexpected turns along the way.
Reece is left trying to figure out who the woman is, what happened to the father, and why there are so many secrets surrounding this family. The deeper he digs, the more he uncovers about his father’s past, his work in the pharmaceutical industry, and things his family has kept hidden for years.
There is so much happening with this one and I was questioning everything and everyone. I loved the mystery, the family drama, and all the unexpected turns along the way.
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!
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Linwood Barclay takes an exciting step in a new direction with this gripping thriller that unfolds at a furious pace over just a few days.
The story hits the ground running when Reece visits his parents' house and discovers a devastating crime scene, plunging him into a spiral of shock and confusion. His struggle to keep his emotions in check while unravelling long-buried family secrets is portrayed with real skill. I really felt for 14 year old Gage as he struggles to process the sudden chaos and carry burdens no teenager should be saddled with.
Suspense builds constantly because no character seems trustworthy, keeping you guessing until the heartbreaking conclusion. It's a fantastic, twisty read that fans of dark family thrillers will devour.
My thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC.
The story hits the ground running when Reece visits his parents' house and discovers a devastating crime scene, plunging him into a spiral of shock and confusion. His struggle to keep his emotions in check while unravelling long-buried family secrets is portrayed with real skill. I really felt for 14 year old Gage as he struggles to process the sudden chaos and carry burdens no teenager should be saddled with.
Suspense builds constantly because no character seems trustworthy, keeping you guessing until the heartbreaking conclusion. It's a fantastic, twisty read that fans of dark family thrillers will devour.
My thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC.
August 30, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy; all thoughts are my own.
📖 Book Review 📖 I’ve been following current trials, watching Netflix documentaries, and then read this one so I am definitely questioning everything. Linwood Barclay delivers a gripping thriller that truly creates a puzzling mystery from the start. Set on the shores of Lake Ontario, Not a Word is a chaotic cluster in real time, watching a family self-destruct after a tragedy that makes no sense. The questions surrounding everything - and everyone - keep building as the plot advances in this fast-paced novel. This was my first Linwood Barclay book and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of twists and turns that kept coming.
📖 Book Review 📖 I’ve been following current trials, watching Netflix documentaries, and then read this one so I am definitely questioning everything. Linwood Barclay delivers a gripping thriller that truly creates a puzzling mystery from the start. Set on the shores of Lake Ontario, Not a Word is a chaotic cluster in real time, watching a family self-destruct after a tragedy that makes no sense. The questions surrounding everything - and everyone - keep building as the plot advances in this fast-paced novel. This was my first Linwood Barclay book and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of twists and turns that kept coming.
August 26, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I listened to the audiobook for this one. I thought the narration was very good. It kept me hopeful and entertained throughout the entire book.
Family secrets, hidden pasts, family drama and a murder mystery! This book was really good. I had a lot of layers to it. I like that we got different perspective from what was going on. There was dual timelines going on. We had everyone that was character in this book had a secret that needed to come out.
I really like that. Everybody also had a different type of personality and their role in this book with key to the beach mostly love the end of this book. I thought it was a perfect ending.
I listened to the audiobook for this one. I thought the narration was very good. It kept me hopeful and entertained throughout the entire book.
Family secrets, hidden pasts, family drama and a murder mystery! This book was really good. I had a lot of layers to it. I like that we got different perspective from what was going on. There was dual timelines going on. We had everyone that was character in this book had a secret that needed to come out.
I really like that. Everybody also had a different type of personality and their role in this book with key to the beach mostly love the end of this book. I thought it was a perfect ending.
August 31, 2026
This is the first book I have read by Linwood Barclay. I’ve been hearing about him for years, and finally decided to take the plunge. I hope all of his backlist is this good, cause I’m going to have to go back and read his older stuff.
This is a who dun it type book, but all the answers are right there in front of you. The clues start to make sense quickly, and move like dominos. One thing exposed leads to another until everything is out in the open and sh;t hits the fan! The best part is, it’s all within one family and stems from a mistake made years ago. It’s juicy and scandalous. I couldn’t put it down.
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.
August 19, 2026
Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperAudioAdult for the book #NotAWord by #LinwoodBarclay. Reese walks into his parent’s home to return some books to his dad. He never expected to find them in bed, both dead. At least he thinks it’s his mom and dad. After the police arrive, he gets a phone call from his mother. How can that be? Who is the woman in bed with his dad?
August 15, 2026
Super solid messy family drama god they’re all awful and stupid who gave them a gun
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
Intro
Linwood Barclay (favorite author) returns with NOT A WORD, an electrifying, white-knuckle masterpiece of domestic suspense. This blistering thriller delivers a kinetic, volt-charged narrative that sends a jolt of pure adrenaline straight to your system from page one.
The Hook
A man walks into his parents' suburban Toronto home for a casual visit, only to discover his father dead in bed next to a murdered stranger he thought was his mom—and then his phone lights up with a call from his actual mother.
Elevator Pitch
When newly laid-off news journalist Reece Chartwell steps into a grisly crime scene at his childhood home, his living mother suddenly vanishes. The mystery plunges him into a dangerous labyrinth of old big-pharma corruption, family betrayal, and lethal secrets where nothing is as it seems.
Setting
A quiet, deceptive suburban neighborhood located just outside of Toronto, Ontario.
Vibe
High-stakes adrenaline, domestic paranoia, fast-paced urgency, and edge-of-your-seat tension.
Genre
Psychological Thriller / Domestic Suspense.
Themes
~The shock of parental secrets
~Corporate pharmaceutical greed
~The devastating ripples of addiction
~Hidden double lives.
Standout Characters
~Reece Chartwell: A son caught in a living nightmare, desperately trying to protect his family while untangling his parents' dark past.
~Detective Janice McCabe: A sharp, relentless investigator trying to untangle a staged murder-suicide that defies logic.
Author Writing Standout
Barclay masters the cliffhanger chapter ending. His signature style uses multiple perspective shifts and flashbacks to 1999 that never slow down the pacing, keeping you guessing about motivations until the final pages.
Title Significance & Metaphor
Not a Word functions as the ultimate code of silence, mirroring both the literal tight lips of a corrupt pharmaceutical giant and the devastating secrets kept within the Chartwell family walls. The story is a speeding runaway train with cut brakes—once the initial panic sets in, there is no stopping the momentum until the final, explosive crash.
Audio Standout
🎧 Nan McNamara and Johnathan McClain are phenomenal dynamic narrators. They perfectly capture the distinct, escalating panic of the family and the methodical tension of the police investigation, making the audio format feel like a live-action audio drama.
My Thoughts
When I cracked open the first page, I knew I was at the mercy of a storytelling mastermind who knows exactly how to manipulate your heart rate. Having read his entire catalog, I can safely say Barclay has constructed his most kinetic, volt-charged puzzle yet. The pacing is absolutely blistering—short, sharp chapters terminate in jolting cliffhangers that practically force your fingers to flip the page. While the web of big-pharma opioid corruption and suburban lies gets wildly complex, the raw, frenetic panic of Reece trying to protect his family anchors the story in pure, relatable emotion. It is a white-knuckle countdown where the tension never dips; it just constantly escalates until the incendiary final showdown.
Why You Should Read
As a long-time Barclay fan, I promise this one delivers his trademark relentless pacing, complex plotting, and highly relatable family stakes that make it impossible to put down.
Verdict ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 / 5 Stars
"An absolute knockout. Not a Word is an electrifying, high-voltage triumph that completely redefines domestic suspense. It is fierce, flawless, and undeniably addictive."
Recs & Read Alikes
~No Time for Goodbyeby Linwood Barclay
~The Stranger by Harlan Coben by Harlan Coben
~The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
~Also for fans of authors, Laura Lippman and Michael Robotham
Special thanks to William and Morrow and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 25, 2026
Aug 2026 Must-Read Books
August Newsletter
Linwood Barclay (favorite author) returns with NOT A WORD, an electrifying, white-knuckle masterpiece of domestic suspense. This blistering thriller delivers a kinetic, volt-charged narrative that sends a jolt of pure adrenaline straight to your system from page one.
The Hook
A man walks into his parents' suburban Toronto home for a casual visit, only to discover his father dead in bed next to a murdered stranger he thought was his mom—and then his phone lights up with a call from his actual mother.
Elevator Pitch
When newly laid-off news journalist Reece Chartwell steps into a grisly crime scene at his childhood home, his living mother suddenly vanishes. The mystery plunges him into a dangerous labyrinth of old big-pharma corruption, family betrayal, and lethal secrets where nothing is as it seems.
Setting
A quiet, deceptive suburban neighborhood located just outside of Toronto, Ontario.
Vibe
High-stakes adrenaline, domestic paranoia, fast-paced urgency, and edge-of-your-seat tension.
Genre
Psychological Thriller / Domestic Suspense.
Themes
~The shock of parental secrets
~Corporate pharmaceutical greed
~The devastating ripples of addiction
~Hidden double lives.
Standout Characters
~Reece Chartwell: A son caught in a living nightmare, desperately trying to protect his family while untangling his parents' dark past.
~Detective Janice McCabe: A sharp, relentless investigator trying to untangle a staged murder-suicide that defies logic.
Author Writing Standout
Barclay masters the cliffhanger chapter ending. His signature style uses multiple perspective shifts and flashbacks to 1999 that never slow down the pacing, keeping you guessing about motivations until the final pages.
Title Significance & Metaphor
Not a Word functions as the ultimate code of silence, mirroring both the literal tight lips of a corrupt pharmaceutical giant and the devastating secrets kept within the Chartwell family walls. The story is a speeding runaway train with cut brakes—once the initial panic sets in, there is no stopping the momentum until the final, explosive crash.
Audio Standout
🎧 Nan McNamara and Johnathan McClain are phenomenal dynamic narrators. They perfectly capture the distinct, escalating panic of the family and the methodical tension of the police investigation, making the audio format feel like a live-action audio drama.
My Thoughts
When I cracked open the first page, I knew I was at the mercy of a storytelling mastermind who knows exactly how to manipulate your heart rate. Having read his entire catalog, I can safely say Barclay has constructed his most kinetic, volt-charged puzzle yet. The pacing is absolutely blistering—short, sharp chapters terminate in jolting cliffhangers that practically force your fingers to flip the page. While the web of big-pharma opioid corruption and suburban lies gets wildly complex, the raw, frenetic panic of Reece trying to protect his family anchors the story in pure, relatable emotion. It is a white-knuckle countdown where the tension never dips; it just constantly escalates until the incendiary final showdown.
Why You Should Read
As a long-time Barclay fan, I promise this one delivers his trademark relentless pacing, complex plotting, and highly relatable family stakes that make it impossible to put down.
Verdict ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 / 5 Stars
"An absolute knockout. Not a Word is an electrifying, high-voltage triumph that completely redefines domestic suspense. It is fierce, flawless, and undeniably addictive."
Recs & Read Alikes
~No Time for Goodbyeby Linwood Barclay
~The Stranger by Harlan Coben by Harlan Coben
~The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
~Also for fans of authors, Laura Lippman and Michael Robotham
Special thanks to William and Morrow and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 25, 2026
Aug 2026 Must-Read Books
August Newsletter
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The opening of Not a Word is the kind of thing that would make me immediately move to a remote island and stop answering phone calls forever. Reece drops by his parents' house, finds what appears to be his mother and father dead in bed, calls the police, and is already having the worst day imaginable. Then his phone rings... and it's his mother.
At that point I was fully locked in. Linwood Barclay basically walked into the room, threw a chair through a window, and said, "You have my attention now."
What follows is less a murder investigation and more a giant family-sized box of secrets being violently shaken until everything flies out at once. Every time Reece learns something new about his parents, his brother Holden, or his family's connection to a shady pharmaceutical company, you can practically hear his brain screaming. The poor man spends most of this book discovering that every person he loves apparently had an entire side quest happening without his knowledge.
And honestly, that's what worked so well for me. The mystery is great, but the real hook is watching Reece realize that being related to someone doesn't mean you actually know them. There are a lot of thrillers where the characters are basically cardboard cutouts running from plot point to plot point. Here, everyone is carrying around enough baggage to qualify as an international airport.
Holden especially got under my skin in the best way. He's frustrating, messy, heartbreaking, and exactly the kind of character who makes you want to grab him by the shoulders and simultaneously hug him and yell at him. Every family has that one person everyone worries about when the phone rings at 2 AM, and Barclay captures that dynamic so well it almost hurts.
The twists just keep stacking on top of each other. Not in the exhausting way where a thriller starts feeling like it was written by a conspiracy board covered in red string. More in the way where every answer creates three new questions and suddenly you're reading way past bedtime because you need to know who is lying, who is hiding something, and whether literally anyone in this family has ever told the complete truth.
I also loved Detective McCabe, mostly because she felt like the only person in the book reacting to events with the appropriate level of concern. Everyone else is uncovering decades of betrayal, corruption, addiction, cover-ups, and family trauma, while she's over there trying to assemble a coherent timeline from what appears to be a group project designed by chaos itself.
The thing that surprised me most was how emotional it got underneath all the suspense. Beneath the murders and secrets, this is really a story about what parents pass down to their kids, intentionally or not. Sometimes it's money. Sometimes it's trauma. Sometimes it's a catastrophic mess that shows up twenty years later demanding everyone's attention. The book never gets bogged down in that stuff, but it lands when it needs to.
By the end I was having one of those thriller-reader experiences where you're suspicious of literally everyone, including people who aren't even currently in the room. The reveals kept coming, the pace never really let up, and even when I thought I had a handle on things, Barclay found a new way to make me question my entire working theory.
This was an easy four-star read for me. Fast, twisty, entertaining, and packed with enough family dysfunction to make Thanksgiving dinner seem relaxing by comparison. If you enjoy thrillers where every secret has another secret hiding behind it, Not a Word absolutely delivers.
Whodunity Award: For Turning One Very Bad Family Visit Into The Most Stressful Ancestry Report Ever Created
Huge thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. I arrived expecting a murder mystery and left wanting to gently ask every member of this family if they had considered maybe sharing important information before multiple crimes occurred.
At that point I was fully locked in. Linwood Barclay basically walked into the room, threw a chair through a window, and said, "You have my attention now."
What follows is less a murder investigation and more a giant family-sized box of secrets being violently shaken until everything flies out at once. Every time Reece learns something new about his parents, his brother Holden, or his family's connection to a shady pharmaceutical company, you can practically hear his brain screaming. The poor man spends most of this book discovering that every person he loves apparently had an entire side quest happening without his knowledge.
And honestly, that's what worked so well for me. The mystery is great, but the real hook is watching Reece realize that being related to someone doesn't mean you actually know them. There are a lot of thrillers where the characters are basically cardboard cutouts running from plot point to plot point. Here, everyone is carrying around enough baggage to qualify as an international airport.
Holden especially got under my skin in the best way. He's frustrating, messy, heartbreaking, and exactly the kind of character who makes you want to grab him by the shoulders and simultaneously hug him and yell at him. Every family has that one person everyone worries about when the phone rings at 2 AM, and Barclay captures that dynamic so well it almost hurts.
The twists just keep stacking on top of each other. Not in the exhausting way where a thriller starts feeling like it was written by a conspiracy board covered in red string. More in the way where every answer creates three new questions and suddenly you're reading way past bedtime because you need to know who is lying, who is hiding something, and whether literally anyone in this family has ever told the complete truth.
I also loved Detective McCabe, mostly because she felt like the only person in the book reacting to events with the appropriate level of concern. Everyone else is uncovering decades of betrayal, corruption, addiction, cover-ups, and family trauma, while she's over there trying to assemble a coherent timeline from what appears to be a group project designed by chaos itself.
The thing that surprised me most was how emotional it got underneath all the suspense. Beneath the murders and secrets, this is really a story about what parents pass down to their kids, intentionally or not. Sometimes it's money. Sometimes it's trauma. Sometimes it's a catastrophic mess that shows up twenty years later demanding everyone's attention. The book never gets bogged down in that stuff, but it lands when it needs to.
By the end I was having one of those thriller-reader experiences where you're suspicious of literally everyone, including people who aren't even currently in the room. The reveals kept coming, the pace never really let up, and even when I thought I had a handle on things, Barclay found a new way to make me question my entire working theory.
This was an easy four-star read for me. Fast, twisty, entertaining, and packed with enough family dysfunction to make Thanksgiving dinner seem relaxing by comparison. If you enjoy thrillers where every secret has another secret hiding behind it, Not a Word absolutely delivers.
Whodunity Award: For Turning One Very Bad Family Visit Into The Most Stressful Ancestry Report Ever Created
Huge thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. I arrived expecting a murder mystery and left wanting to gently ask every member of this family if they had considered maybe sharing important information before multiple crimes occurred.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
There are not many thriller authors out there whose novels leave such a deep impact on your psyche as Canadian writer Linwood Barclay. His novels range from twisty treats to those that completely pull the rug out on you when you least expect it. His latest, NOT A WORD, is in the former category, and it is a twisting as a predatory snake in the grass.
This novel proceeds to present the reader with what looks like a cut-and-dried murder-suicide, only to slowly reveal a dark truth behind that born from deep family secrets that are not revealed until it is too late to prevent a tragedy from taking place. Events unfurl immediately as Reece is being questioned by police about what he found inside his parents house. What appeared to be both of their naked bodies, dead inside their bedroom. A gun that he had never seen before was also present, but this was not the biggest surprise. The deceased male was definitely his father, Brent Chartwell. The deceased woman, however, was not his mother.
Reece then phones his mother, Catherine, who is still at work. This is all done at the behest of the lead detective in the case, Janice McCabe, who is no one to be trifled with and seems to see through the visage of lies and family secrets before Reece does --- or what Diana will admit to. Both deceased died from gunshot wounds to the head, and the initial find is a murder suicide perpetrated by Brent. The deceased is eventually identified as a Leah Kennard, a name completely unfamiliar to Reece. He goes to pick up his mother from work to bring her home, where he can explain what happened along the way. Reece also shares details with his wife Diana and later his brother, Holden, a recovering drug addict who he knows will not handle this situation well.
As with much of Linwood Barclay’s work, it is difficult to present to much within the body of a review without giving important and really fun plot elements away. I will continue to take the high ride and avoid this. Let me just state that the portions of the novel that step back into the past show a relationship between Reece’s parents, Brent and Diana, that is not only quite shocking but full of deadly secrets and choices. The most ironic fact of all is that some of these ill-fated choices will lay the foundation for the tragic double murder at the start of the novel, and the ultimate retribution may not have played out yet.
One very telling historical note has to do with Brent Chartwell, who was once a top executive at the ultimately ill-fated pharmaceutical company called Wiffel-Smith, who created a pain medication that rivaled fentanyl for its deadly and addictive qualities. Just how deeply tied that part of his life played in his untimely demise must remain to be seen. Let me just state that Linwood Barclay has no throw-away references or plot elements and any and all of them may be at play in helping to sort out the truth behind the tragic events depicted in this novel.
Possibly, the biggest victim of this novel is our protagonist, Reece. The fact that so much of his own families history occurred both behind his back and directly under his nose elicits much sympathy from the reader, if any can be left after all the dark secrets of the Chartwell family are revealed. NOT A WORD is exactly what we have come to expect from a Linwood Barclay novel, and I am confident his fans will be quite satisfied.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
This novel proceeds to present the reader with what looks like a cut-and-dried murder-suicide, only to slowly reveal a dark truth behind that born from deep family secrets that are not revealed until it is too late to prevent a tragedy from taking place. Events unfurl immediately as Reece is being questioned by police about what he found inside his parents house. What appeared to be both of their naked bodies, dead inside their bedroom. A gun that he had never seen before was also present, but this was not the biggest surprise. The deceased male was definitely his father, Brent Chartwell. The deceased woman, however, was not his mother.
Reece then phones his mother, Catherine, who is still at work. This is all done at the behest of the lead detective in the case, Janice McCabe, who is no one to be trifled with and seems to see through the visage of lies and family secrets before Reece does --- or what Diana will admit to. Both deceased died from gunshot wounds to the head, and the initial find is a murder suicide perpetrated by Brent. The deceased is eventually identified as a Leah Kennard, a name completely unfamiliar to Reece. He goes to pick up his mother from work to bring her home, where he can explain what happened along the way. Reece also shares details with his wife Diana and later his brother, Holden, a recovering drug addict who he knows will not handle this situation well.
As with much of Linwood Barclay’s work, it is difficult to present to much within the body of a review without giving important and really fun plot elements away. I will continue to take the high ride and avoid this. Let me just state that the portions of the novel that step back into the past show a relationship between Reece’s parents, Brent and Diana, that is not only quite shocking but full of deadly secrets and choices. The most ironic fact of all is that some of these ill-fated choices will lay the foundation for the tragic double murder at the start of the novel, and the ultimate retribution may not have played out yet.
One very telling historical note has to do with Brent Chartwell, who was once a top executive at the ultimately ill-fated pharmaceutical company called Wiffel-Smith, who created a pain medication that rivaled fentanyl for its deadly and addictive qualities. Just how deeply tied that part of his life played in his untimely demise must remain to be seen. Let me just state that Linwood Barclay has no throw-away references or plot elements and any and all of them may be at play in helping to sort out the truth behind the tragic events depicted in this novel.
Possibly, the biggest victim of this novel is our protagonist, Reece. The fact that so much of his own families history occurred both behind his back and directly under his nose elicits much sympathy from the reader, if any can be left after all the dark secrets of the Chartwell family are revealed. NOT A WORD is exactly what we have come to expect from a Linwood Barclay novel, and I am confident his fans will be quite satisfied.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Not a Word, is the latest thriller by Linwood Barclay. A standalone psychological thriller where a family identity, corporate malfeasance, and the terrifying realisation that the people who raised you might be complete strangers.
Reece, is an ordinary guy whose world completely implodes during a routine visit to his parents’ suburban home. Walking inside, he makes a life changing discovery, his father and a woman he naturally assumes is his mother are in bed, both dead from gunshot wounds. The local police treat it as a tragic, clear-cut case of murder-suicide perpetrated by Reece’s father. However, Reece notices immediate, glaring inconsistencies at the crime scene. The positioning of the body, the physics of the weapon, and the overall staging strongly suggest his dad didn’t pull the trigger.
While a horrific crime scene and a cheating father are devastating enough, Reece sits on the curb awaiting formal police interrogation, when his smartphone lights up. The caller ID displays a name that makes his heart stop: Mom. His real mother is completely oblivious, calling to chat from a lunch date with friends. She mentions she hasn’t been able to reach her husband all day and asks Reece to pop by the house to see if everything is okay. Stricken with panic and unable to explain over a cellular connection that his dad is dead in bed with a total stranger, Reece simply managed three words: “Come home now.”
But she never arrives. Instead of rushing back to the house, his mother completely vanishes into thin air. Her sudden disappearance spins the investigation into a chaotic, multi-directional tailspin. Reece is left to navigate a minefield of terrifying possibilities: Did his mother discover the affair, execute her cheating husband and his mistress, and flee the jurisdiction?. Did a professional assassin target the house intending to eliminate both parents, mistakenly executing the mistress thinking she was Reece’s mother? Most alarmingly, does this gruesome double homicide stem from the unscrupulous pharmaceutical conglomerate Reece’s father worked for decades ago?
Reece is forced into a desperate, ticking-clock investigation. To protect his own wife and children from an invisible, approaching predator, he has to look past the carefully manicured façade of his childhood and figure out exactly who his parents were, what they stole, and who they hurt.
Not a Word is a tight, emotional domestic drama. Reece is full of emotion, confused, paranoid and grieving, making his descent into the dark underworld of his father’s past incredibly gripping.
This is a fast paced thriller that is emotionally charged. In my opinion it is back to the high standard I enjoyed a few years ago from Linwood Barclay.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and HQ for a supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Reece, is an ordinary guy whose world completely implodes during a routine visit to his parents’ suburban home. Walking inside, he makes a life changing discovery, his father and a woman he naturally assumes is his mother are in bed, both dead from gunshot wounds. The local police treat it as a tragic, clear-cut case of murder-suicide perpetrated by Reece’s father. However, Reece notices immediate, glaring inconsistencies at the crime scene. The positioning of the body, the physics of the weapon, and the overall staging strongly suggest his dad didn’t pull the trigger.
While a horrific crime scene and a cheating father are devastating enough, Reece sits on the curb awaiting formal police interrogation, when his smartphone lights up. The caller ID displays a name that makes his heart stop: Mom. His real mother is completely oblivious, calling to chat from a lunch date with friends. She mentions she hasn’t been able to reach her husband all day and asks Reece to pop by the house to see if everything is okay. Stricken with panic and unable to explain over a cellular connection that his dad is dead in bed with a total stranger, Reece simply managed three words: “Come home now.”
But she never arrives. Instead of rushing back to the house, his mother completely vanishes into thin air. Her sudden disappearance spins the investigation into a chaotic, multi-directional tailspin. Reece is left to navigate a minefield of terrifying possibilities: Did his mother discover the affair, execute her cheating husband and his mistress, and flee the jurisdiction?. Did a professional assassin target the house intending to eliminate both parents, mistakenly executing the mistress thinking she was Reece’s mother? Most alarmingly, does this gruesome double homicide stem from the unscrupulous pharmaceutical conglomerate Reece’s father worked for decades ago?
Reece is forced into a desperate, ticking-clock investigation. To protect his own wife and children from an invisible, approaching predator, he has to look past the carefully manicured façade of his childhood and figure out exactly who his parents were, what they stole, and who they hurt.
Not a Word is a tight, emotional domestic drama. Reece is full of emotion, confused, paranoid and grieving, making his descent into the dark underworld of his father’s past incredibly gripping.
This is a fast paced thriller that is emotionally charged. In my opinion it is back to the high standard I enjoyed a few years ago from Linwood Barclay.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and HQ for a supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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