What do you think?
Rate this book
Harry Barnett #3
Never Go Back
In the spellbinding new mystery by the master of “the clever twist,” a group of ex-RAF comrades journey to a Scottish castle for a reunion. But by the time they reach their destination, two of them are dead.
Harry Barnett is leading a contented life in Vancouver with his wife and daughter when he is brought back to England by the death of his mother. He intends to spend just a few days sorting out her affairs when a chance meeting he will regret for the rest of his life makes him change his plans. Two old acquaintances from his National Service days track Harry down to his mother’s house — the last address they had for him. A lavish reunion has been organized to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their RAF days. Harry decides to go.
During the war, Harry and his fellow RAF conscripts spent three months in a Scottish castle where they acted as guinea pigs in a psychological experiment. The reunion is to take place in the same castle. It will be a chance to see friends, settle old scores and lay a few ghosts to rest.
The party begins on the train up to Aberdeen, until the apparent suicide of one of their number shatters the holiday atmosphere. Their arrival in Scotland seems under a cloud, and when another comrade dies soon after their arrival, Harry is gripped by a sense of foreboding. As well, the recollections of the old comrades of their time in the castle are frighteningly different, and unexplained events from 1955 still haunt them. As Harry tries to solve the mystery of what really happened fifty years ago, he uncovers an extraordinary secret that convinces him he will never leave the castle alive.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Harry Barnett is leading a contented life in Vancouver with his wife and daughter when he is brought back to England by the death of his mother. He intends to spend just a few days sorting out her affairs when a chance meeting he will regret for the rest of his life makes him change his plans. Two old acquaintances from his National Service days track Harry down to his mother’s house — the last address they had for him. A lavish reunion has been organized to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their RAF days. Harry decides to go.
During the war, Harry and his fellow RAF conscripts spent three months in a Scottish castle where they acted as guinea pigs in a psychological experiment. The reunion is to take place in the same castle. It will be a chance to see friends, settle old scores and lay a few ghosts to rest.
The party begins on the train up to Aberdeen, until the apparent suicide of one of their number shatters the holiday atmosphere. Their arrival in Scotland seems under a cloud, and when another comrade dies soon after their arrival, Harry is gripped by a sense of foreboding. As well, the recollections of the old comrades of their time in the castle are frighteningly different, and unexplained events from 1955 still haunt them. As Harry tries to solve the mystery of what really happened fifty years ago, he uncovers an extraordinary secret that convinces him he will never leave the castle alive.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
369 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
94 people are currently reading
641 people want to read
About the author
Robert Goddard
107 books866 followersIn a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
January 22, 2016
11 hours 40 mins, read by Joe Dunlop.Description: For a group of ex-comrades, it is to be the reunion to end all reunions: a weekend in the Scottish castle where they were guinea pigs in a psychological experiment many years before. They haven't seen each other since. But the convivial atmosphere on the journey north is quickly shattered by the apparent suicide of one of their party.
When a second death occurs, a sense of forboding descends on the group. It appears that the past is coming back to haunt them, a past that none of them have ever spoken about. Their recollections are all frighteningly different. So what really happened?
Then when one of them uncovers an extraordinary secret, he becomes convinced that they will never leave the castle alive...
The elephant in the corner is the change of narrator for this last book, it was not a good move for my shell-likes, especially when there was so much conversation calling for accent interpretation. Okay moving on, let's talk about the book:
You could be forgiven for thinking this reminiscent of And Then There Were None, and it becomes clear just how important it was to read this trilogy in order - if the previous books have not been read the main two characters will seem a little 2 dimensional here as Goddard doesn't spent time describing them all over again (thank goodness!). Winding up at a point where we all need to know about something called MRQS, we realise just how dangerous that quest was and still is.Let The Good Times Roll- Ray Charles
Harry and Barry, that rhyming couplet.4* Into The Blue (Harry Barnett #1) (1990) - re-visit 2016
4* Out of the Sun (Harry Barnett #2) (1996) - re-visit 2016
3* Never Go Back (Harry Barnett #3) (2006) - re-visit 2016
5* Past Caring (1986)
5* In Pale Battalions (1988)
3* Play To the End (1988)
4* Painting the Darkness (1989)
4* Take No Farewell (1991)
3* Hand in Glove (1992)
2* Closed Circle (1993)
3* Borrowed Time (1995)
TR Beyond Recall (1997)
4* Caught in the Light (1998)
4* Set in Stone (1999)
3* Sea Change (2000)
1* Dying to Tell (2001)
3* Days Without Number (2003)
3* Sight Unseen (2005)
2* Name to a Face (2007)
1* Found Wanting (2008)
TR Long Time Coming (2009)
TR Blood Count (2010)
WL Fault Line (2012)
3* The Ways of the World (The Wide World Trilogy #1) (2013)
WL Intersection: Paris, 1919 (2013)
TR The Corners of the Globe (The Wide World Trilogy #2) (2014)
WL The Ends of the Earth (The Wide World Trilogy, #3) (2015)
September 15, 2016
As a lover of crime fiction, it’s perfectly believable that an amateur finds herself knee deep in intrigue. In some mysteries, it’s uncanny (and unrealistic) how suddenly an amateur gets embroiled in yet another murder investigation. But, one argues, some crime must be discovered by amateurs. In real life, how would this work?
A friend found a slow beginning in NEVER GO BACK by Robert Goddard ©2006. Not I. I loved this story. Piece by piece the author lays down a snippet, another small tale. Men have died, some long ago. Not too surprisingly, another one does. It takes a long time to know if a death is just a death, or a crime.
In 1955 fifteen soldiers took part in a military operation at a Scottish castle commandeered by the Royal Air Force. In the modern day, some plan a reunion at the same castle. Harry Bennett, our protagonist, accidentally discovers the reunion and is swept along with the crowd to Scotland.
The story takes place in the present, but we see flashes of the past as Harry uncovers fragments of his memories. These lead him to question his fellow soldiers and their families. He doesn’t understand what he’s discovering, and he can’t quite believe it. The police don’t believe him either.
It’s a leisurely journey of many tales, seemingly unrelated, but every small diversion matters.
What a fabulous story!
http://www.reviewsbytdev.com/content/...
If you’re one of those people who like a Cast of Characters, you’ll find an easily downloadable one of NEVER GO BACK by Robert Goddard on the review page on my website. Or write to me and I’ll email it to you. In case you’ve never heard why I think ALL authors should add a Cast of Characters EVERY time, here’s my reasons: http://www.reviewsbytdev.com/content/...
A friend found a slow beginning in NEVER GO BACK by Robert Goddard ©2006. Not I. I loved this story. Piece by piece the author lays down a snippet, another small tale. Men have died, some long ago. Not too surprisingly, another one does. It takes a long time to know if a death is just a death, or a crime.
In 1955 fifteen soldiers took part in a military operation at a Scottish castle commandeered by the Royal Air Force. In the modern day, some plan a reunion at the same castle. Harry Bennett, our protagonist, accidentally discovers the reunion and is swept along with the crowd to Scotland.
The story takes place in the present, but we see flashes of the past as Harry uncovers fragments of his memories. These lead him to question his fellow soldiers and their families. He doesn’t understand what he’s discovering, and he can’t quite believe it. The police don’t believe him either.
It’s a leisurely journey of many tales, seemingly unrelated, but every small diversion matters.
What a fabulous story!
http://www.reviewsbytdev.com/content/...
If you’re one of those people who like a Cast of Characters, you’ll find an easily downloadable one of NEVER GO BACK by Robert Goddard on the review page on my website. Or write to me and I’ll email it to you. In case you’ve never heard why I think ALL authors should add a Cast of Characters EVERY time, here’s my reasons: http://www.reviewsbytdev.com/content/...
December 27, 2016
The rear cover has all the usual best seller buzz words, 'gripping', 'page turner', 'twists', 'unputdownable', etc......but it was a bit of a let down. I didn't really feel for any of the characters. In fact, the only characters I wanted to read about were the few that were only briefly mentioned, the key characters were only mildly interesting.
Long story, short....At a secret location in Scotland about 10 years after the war ended a handful of WWII servicemen underwent some secret military testing. Now it's present day and they're meeting for a reunion and none can really remember what happened back then and even the little bits they think they remember differs from man to man.
I kept going because the whole book was hinting that what they thought they remembered from the experiment in 1955 wasn't actually as it appeared and I wanted to know why. What happened to them en-route was just page filler.
I won't go into detail about what the tests involved or whether or not the sketchy memories were pieced together because that's basically the whole story. Overall, the trail that leads to the truth is littered with too many lucky breaks for the hero and seemingly 'being in the right place, at the right time' moments but it was still an ok read.
It's not the worst book I've read, but it's far from the best so while I'm glad I've read it, it's not one I'd go back to. The guy can definitely write though.
Long story, short....At a secret location in Scotland about 10 years after the war ended a handful of WWII servicemen underwent some secret military testing. Now it's present day and they're meeting for a reunion and none can really remember what happened back then and even the little bits they think they remember differs from man to man.
I kept going because the whole book was hinting that what they thought they remembered from the experiment in 1955 wasn't actually as it appeared and I wanted to know why. What happened to them en-route was just page filler.
I won't go into detail about what the tests involved or whether or not the sketchy memories were pieced together because that's basically the whole story. Overall, the trail that leads to the truth is littered with too many lucky breaks for the hero and seemingly 'being in the right place, at the right time' moments but it was still an ok read.
It's not the worst book I've read, but it's far from the best so while I'm glad I've read it, it's not one I'd go back to. The guy can definitely write though.
December 28, 2008
I actually picked this up on the recommendation of Stephen King (or, more precisely, his column in EW). It was a fun and quick-paced whodunit. Dick Francis was brought to mind, but that may have just been that this author and his setting is also British. Based on this first foray into Goddard's writings I do plan on picking up some more titles. A refreshing change of pace from many American thriller/mystery writers who seem to spend more time trying to make my skin crawl and my stomach turn with the minutiae of autopsy science or the depravity of the crime. I always say, "Just shoot the guy and let's get on with the story".
February 3, 2018
There were parts of this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Other parts were laboured, and therfore not so enjoyable. I will read more of Robert Goddard's books, but they are at the back of the queue.
December 28, 2009
Robert Goddard has a great formula for his books. He takes a seemingly innocuous situation and injects an event that turns someone’s life upside down, puts them in an impossible position and then follows that persons attempts to find the truth and clear their name / restore the status quo. What I like about these books is that the person we follow is really pretty normal and doesn’t have access to any tools / money / contacts outside those we would expect. The resolution of the story is down to an individual’s grit, determination and self belief. And the stories don’t always end happily, but they do resolve.
With this story Goddard takes a group of RAF veterans and brings them together for a reunion 50 years after they parted company. In their RAF days they were not flying aces, but troublesome rogues who, due to their attitudes were assigned to an educational experiment in a castle in Scotland. We later find out that this was a trial of a mind altering drug and that something happened while they were there – which none of them can recall – and which the reunion is in danger of bringing to the fore. Of course the authorities have to stop this becoming known using any means and this is where we start the twists and turns and false leads of a great Goddard story. For me I was also enthralled by the geography he chose (even with the soirees to Swindon) especially the final few chapters which were set in the city of Glasgow. But why he chose the Millennium Hotel is beyond me. It can only be because it fronts St George’s Square and so suited the plot (I do wish Glasgow City Council would compel the owners of that hotel to give it a facelift!!).
The flaw in this story, and maybe I am being ageist and unfair, is that I really can’t see men of the age these people would be attempting the antics they do or, for that matter, surviving the bumps and falls as easily as they seem to do. But for all that this is another great Goddard story. It can’t be long before one of these books is made into a film.
With this story Goddard takes a group of RAF veterans and brings them together for a reunion 50 years after they parted company. In their RAF days they were not flying aces, but troublesome rogues who, due to their attitudes were assigned to an educational experiment in a castle in Scotland. We later find out that this was a trial of a mind altering drug and that something happened while they were there – which none of them can recall – and which the reunion is in danger of bringing to the fore. Of course the authorities have to stop this becoming known using any means and this is where we start the twists and turns and false leads of a great Goddard story. For me I was also enthralled by the geography he chose (even with the soirees to Swindon) especially the final few chapters which were set in the city of Glasgow. But why he chose the Millennium Hotel is beyond me. It can only be because it fronts St George’s Square and so suited the plot (I do wish Glasgow City Council would compel the owners of that hotel to give it a facelift!!).
The flaw in this story, and maybe I am being ageist and unfair, is that I really can’t see men of the age these people would be attempting the antics they do or, for that matter, surviving the bumps and falls as easily as they seem to do. But for all that this is another great Goddard story. It can’t be long before one of these books is made into a film.
December 11, 2022
Third book in the Harry Barnett trilogy of unconnected stories which are uniformly excellent and it’s great to see the reluctant but comical Barry Chipchase playing a full part in proceedings.
The initially unpromisingly prospect of a reunion with his former national service colleagues takes a sinister turn on the train up to Aberdeen when one of their number disappears and the gloss is removed completely as an ‘And Then There Were None’ situation develops meaning that Harry and Barry must join forces to prevent themselves becoming victims or, worse, prime suspects in multiple murder.
Lots of characters to keep track of so a crib sheet of names and annoying nicknames well worth making as a bookmark - helped me anyway.
The initially unpromisingly prospect of a reunion with his former national service colleagues takes a sinister turn on the train up to Aberdeen when one of their number disappears and the gloss is removed completely as an ‘And Then There Were None’ situation develops meaning that Harry and Barry must join forces to prevent themselves becoming victims or, worse, prime suspects in multiple murder.
Lots of characters to keep track of so a crib sheet of names and annoying nicknames well worth making as a bookmark - helped me anyway.
August 19, 2019
A thrilling book from page to page. I'm absolutely a fan of Robert Goddard after reading this book. One of my favourite stories read. Keeping you on the edge throughout with it's twists and turns. A great and gripping story you'll enjoy joining the writer in.
June 19, 2012
I debated long and hard about whether to get this book, as I was running out of choices on the visit to the library.
I'm glad that I did, and I will find more of his work.
Its standard page turning, good for the beach, fiction that does not stand up to too much analysis but has nice characterisation.
It tells the story of a group of RAF comrades from national service who meet up again at a reunion in a scottish castle, where they escaped punishment if they agreed to go on an education program from a series of minor crimes committed.
This gives the author to roundly introduce a series of loveable old age pensioner rogues... including harry who was subject of two other books by the author.
In the present time, the penioners start getting bumped off and we have a mystery on our hands.
This reveals itself for be the fact the men were tested on with a memory removing drug. During their original trials, some locals were killed in an accident and this rather ridicoulsly has them being covered up in the current tense.
Story doesnt really matter - the pages fly by and you want to know what happens. At times, I think the author is entertaining himself - at least two chapters end with "And harry never saw him again" which is funnier than it sounds.
Good stuff.
I'm glad that I did, and I will find more of his work.
Its standard page turning, good for the beach, fiction that does not stand up to too much analysis but has nice characterisation.
It tells the story of a group of RAF comrades from national service who meet up again at a reunion in a scottish castle, where they escaped punishment if they agreed to go on an education program from a series of minor crimes committed.
This gives the author to roundly introduce a series of loveable old age pensioner rogues... including harry who was subject of two other books by the author.
In the present time, the penioners start getting bumped off and we have a mystery on our hands.
This reveals itself for be the fact the men were tested on with a memory removing drug. During their original trials, some locals were killed in an accident and this rather ridicoulsly has them being covered up in the current tense.
Story doesnt really matter - the pages fly by and you want to know what happens. At times, I think the author is entertaining himself - at least two chapters end with "And harry never saw him again" which is funnier than it sounds.
Good stuff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2008
As Goddard novels go, this one was so-so. It did hold my interest but the ending did not deliver. I like the main character, Harry, from my favorite of Goddard's novels, Into the Blue, but although Harry has improved his life since that book, his character is not as interesting as it was. He's still likeable, though, and the type of guy you'd want to have a beer with.
Anyway, the novel builds up all this mystery behind this secret wartime project which in the end is not all that scintillating. With all the build-up and foreshadowing, I was expecting An Island of Dr. Moreau scenario (or Boys of Brazil) but it ended up being a more common, prosaic crime.
Anyway, the novel builds up all this mystery behind this secret wartime project which in the end is not all that scintillating. With all the build-up and foreshadowing, I was expecting An Island of Dr. Moreau scenario (or Boys of Brazil) but it ended up being a more common, prosaic crime.
November 4, 2010
Good holiday read - dipped in and out on my trip to see Sandy in Brno, Czech Republic. Handy handbag size & not too taxing on the brain.
Leaving with Sandy to share around her English speaking friends.
Leaving with Sandy to share around her English speaking friends.
March 17, 2022
I read this out of sequence a while ago and didn't rate it highly. Gave it another go having listened to the previous two books and really enjoyed it!
January 23, 2023
A very disappointing book. A real page turner with a damp squib of an ending. Too many 2-dimensional characters though it felt as if it had potential.
April 15, 2014
I love the relationship between Harry and Barry :) another great book from Robert Goddard.
November 13, 2023
There is definitely something about Harry. Never Go Back is the third and I presume the last in the Harry Barnett books. He is now nearly seventy, living in Canada with an American wife and child when he is forced to return to Swindon, London after the death of his mother.
“Two old acquaintances from his National Service days track Harry down to his mother’s house...a lavish reunion has been organised to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their RAF days. Harry decides to go. In March 1955 Harry and his fellow RAF conscripts spent three months in a Scottish castle where they acted as guinea pigs in a psychological experiment.”
Yep, you can imagine how Goddard runs with this but cleverly holds out on the nature of the experiment till the end. Harry is not as fast or as fit as he used to be, but he still has his wits about him and later an irascible companion from two earlier books.
This reader was expecting shades of And Then There Were None but surprisingly two people, Chipchase and Askew, are missing before the rest even reach the castle.
“Harry did not share Dangerfield’s complacency. He knew Chipchase was lying about a dead sister and a distraught brother-in-law in Manchester. He also knew Askew had a mobile and had been using it on the train. If Askew had been capable of working out the logistics of getting back to London from Arbroath, he would surely not have been so forgetful as to leave his bag behind. What all this meant Harry had no idea, but the coincidence of Chipchase and Askew going missing was too much to swallow. Something was going on. And Chipchase was up to his neck in it.”
Not as good as the previous two books but still an enjoyable read and I was glad to have it with me (like a best friend) during a five hour wait at the hospital. Three and a half stars.
“Two old acquaintances from his National Service days track Harry down to his mother’s house...a lavish reunion has been organised to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their RAF days. Harry decides to go. In March 1955 Harry and his fellow RAF conscripts spent three months in a Scottish castle where they acted as guinea pigs in a psychological experiment.”
Yep, you can imagine how Goddard runs with this but cleverly holds out on the nature of the experiment till the end. Harry is not as fast or as fit as he used to be, but he still has his wits about him and later an irascible companion from two earlier books.
This reader was expecting shades of And Then There Were None but surprisingly two people, Chipchase and Askew, are missing before the rest even reach the castle.
“Harry did not share Dangerfield’s complacency. He knew Chipchase was lying about a dead sister and a distraught brother-in-law in Manchester. He also knew Askew had a mobile and had been using it on the train. If Askew had been capable of working out the logistics of getting back to London from Arbroath, he would surely not have been so forgetful as to leave his bag behind. What all this meant Harry had no idea, but the coincidence of Chipchase and Askew going missing was too much to swallow. Something was going on. And Chipchase was up to his neck in it.”
Not as good as the previous two books but still an enjoyable read and I was glad to have it with me (like a best friend) during a five hour wait at the hospital. Three and a half stars.
May 27, 2025
“Harry Barnett is leading a contented life in Vancouver with his wife and daughter when he is brought back to England by the death of his mother. He intends to spend just a few days sorting out her affairs when a chance meeting he will regret for the rest of his life makes him change his plans. Two old acquaintances from his National Service days track Harry down to his mother’s house — the last address they had for him. A lavish reunion has been organized to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their RAF days. Harry decides to go.
During the war, Harry and his fellow RAF conscripts spent three months in a Scottish castle where they acted as guinea pigs in a psychological experiment. The reunion is to take place in the same castle. It will be a chance to see friends, settle old scores and lay a few ghosts to rest.
The party begins on the train up to Aberdeen, until the apparent suicide of one of their number shatters the holiday atmosphere. Their arrival in Scotland seems under a cloud, and when another comrade dies soon after their arrival, Harry is gripped by a sense of foreboding. As well, the recollections of the old comrades of their time in the castle are frighteningly different, and unexplained events from 1955 still haunt them. As Harry tries to solve the mystery of what really happened fifty years ago, he uncovers an extraordinary secret that convinces him he will never leave the castle alive.”
During the war, Harry and his fellow RAF conscripts spent three months in a Scottish castle where they acted as guinea pigs in a psychological experiment. The reunion is to take place in the same castle. It will be a chance to see friends, settle old scores and lay a few ghosts to rest.
The party begins on the train up to Aberdeen, until the apparent suicide of one of their number shatters the holiday atmosphere. Their arrival in Scotland seems under a cloud, and when another comrade dies soon after their arrival, Harry is gripped by a sense of foreboding. As well, the recollections of the old comrades of their time in the castle are frighteningly different, and unexplained events from 1955 still haunt them. As Harry tries to solve the mystery of what really happened fifty years ago, he uncovers an extraordinary secret that convinces him he will never leave the castle alive.”
December 14, 2018
Goodbye to Harry....
The third and last installment in the Harry Barnet trilogy delivers the same solid crime/murder mystery as the previous books.
I enjoyed the, laid back, kind of old fashioned charming style of the book, which somewhat reminded me of the early Jeffrey Archer books, in fact, barren the fact the they year 2000 is mentioned a couple of times, the book could be from the 1970'ties.
The whole trilogy has been a pleasant surprise, perfect books to read while travelling to pass time.
The third and last installment in the Harry Barnet trilogy delivers the same solid crime/murder mystery as the previous books.
I enjoyed the, laid back, kind of old fashioned charming style of the book, which somewhat reminded me of the early Jeffrey Archer books, in fact, barren the fact the they year 2000 is mentioned a couple of times, the book could be from the 1970'ties.
The whole trilogy has been a pleasant surprise, perfect books to read while travelling to pass time.
December 4, 2012
A generally compelling read, although parts seemed a bit far fetched. I kept forgetting that these were supposed to be men in their seventies off exploring and crime fighting. I know that there a lot of active older adults, but it seemed a but far fetched. Also, enough with the stupid fucking nicknames. The introductions of, like, 10 characters in a row with their full names and nicknames was also annoying, and led to me not ever getting a grip on who most of the characters were. Also, naming your two main characters Harry and Barry is dumb. I didn't think the whole government/Erica Rawson part was particularly well explained, but books with government intrigue do hold some interest for me.
March 6, 2021
In the same vein as 'The 39 Steps' (by John Buchan) or 'Westwind' by Ian Rankin), so if you enjoyed either of those two then you will enjoy this one too. Slow to start with until the main cast of characters step into the stage but well paced thereafter. Set mainly in the Scottish Highlands so what's not to like ?
July 2, 2013
I read this at the recommendation of a friend. It wasn't as twisty as advertised. Not terribly memorable. A group of RAF guys reunited after 50 years find that they may have forgotten what really happened.
April 8, 2024
Ik denk niet dat ik spoil als ik zeg dat het een beetje 'tien kleine negertjes' lijkt in het begin. Of een typisch horror-scenario. Een groepje is afgezonderd en één voor één sterven er mensen. Het lijken ongevallen, maar we denken dat het ook wel eens opzet zou kunnen zijn.
Wat niet typisch is, is dat het oude knarren zijn die drie maanden samen in de RAF hebben gezeten in de jaren 50. Overheid en militaire doofpotsituatie?
Het verhaal is net zoals in de twee vorige boeken in de Harry Barnett-reeks een aaneengeregen reeks van kleine gebeurtenissen, allemaal op het eerste zicht toevallig, met zijsprongen die pas veel later samenvallen met de rest van het verhaal.
Harry Barnett zelf is absoluut niet de held of detective die je verwacht in een hoofdrol, maar ondertussen een oude man die liefst naar huis zou gaan, naar zijn vrouw. Hij stelt de vragen die je als lezer ook stelt, neemt niet graag risico's en zoekt naar informatie.
Al bij al wordt het nog spannend en hebben de 'goeien' gewoon veel geluk.
En wat ook tof is aan de boeken van deze auteur is dat na de ontknoping het boek ook nog een tijdje verdergaat, en alles mooi wordt afgerond.
Ik vond het heel tof dat de boeken echt tijdsprongen maken die overeenkomen met de tijd waarin ze uitgekomen zijn. Boek 2 speelt zich 6 jaar later af dan boek 1, en boek 3 nog eens 10 jaar later. Dat wil zeggen dat ze zich telkens afspelen in het heden (van toen het boek uitkwam). In het derde boek zijn er gsm's :-) en computers :-)
Ik raad aan om de drie boeken na elkaar te verslinden zoals ik deed.
(ik heb afgewisseld met Audible om in de auto verder te 'lezen', en de audioversie is super)
Wat niet typisch is, is dat het oude knarren zijn die drie maanden samen in de RAF hebben gezeten in de jaren 50. Overheid en militaire doofpotsituatie?
Het verhaal is net zoals in de twee vorige boeken in de Harry Barnett-reeks een aaneengeregen reeks van kleine gebeurtenissen, allemaal op het eerste zicht toevallig, met zijsprongen die pas veel later samenvallen met de rest van het verhaal.
Harry Barnett zelf is absoluut niet de held of detective die je verwacht in een hoofdrol, maar ondertussen een oude man die liefst naar huis zou gaan, naar zijn vrouw. Hij stelt de vragen die je als lezer ook stelt, neemt niet graag risico's en zoekt naar informatie.
Al bij al wordt het nog spannend en hebben de 'goeien' gewoon veel geluk.
En wat ook tof is aan de boeken van deze auteur is dat na de ontknoping het boek ook nog een tijdje verdergaat, en alles mooi wordt afgerond.
Ik vond het heel tof dat de boeken echt tijdsprongen maken die overeenkomen met de tijd waarin ze uitgekomen zijn. Boek 2 speelt zich 6 jaar later af dan boek 1, en boek 3 nog eens 10 jaar later. Dat wil zeggen dat ze zich telkens afspelen in het heden (van toen het boek uitkwam). In het derde boek zijn er gsm's :-) en computers :-)
Ik raad aan om de drie boeken na elkaar te verslinden zoals ik deed.
(ik heb afgewisseld met Audible om in de auto verder te 'lezen', en de audioversie is super)
May 26, 2020
Strange book. A thriller without a real plot.
Although this is easy on the eye, and there are a lot of plot twists and turns, it's really hard to work out why exactly this whole book is happening - there doesn't seem to be a real crime, and there certainly doesn't appear to be any reason why anybody is running around (let alone two Septuagenarian amateur detectives/ spivs) looking for anyone, nor why anyone else would want to be bumping these people off.
It's a bit like the author has taken the cliched framework of a thriller, disassembled it, added in some different names but taken out a couple of key ingredients viz. the crime and the motivation.
What's even more damning about this book is as I reached the (non!) end - where nothing really happens, strangely enough..... - I had the feeling that I may actually have read this before - but I barely remembered a thing about it. Which has a scarily weird tie in with one of the very confused plot lines.....
I need to write "read this - it's not very good" somewhere on the front pages so I never make the mistake of re-reading it again. Not a good book - though as I say, nicely written|!!!
Although this is easy on the eye, and there are a lot of plot twists and turns, it's really hard to work out why exactly this whole book is happening - there doesn't seem to be a real crime, and there certainly doesn't appear to be any reason why anybody is running around (let alone two Septuagenarian amateur detectives/ spivs) looking for anyone, nor why anyone else would want to be bumping these people off.
It's a bit like the author has taken the cliched framework of a thriller, disassembled it, added in some different names but taken out a couple of key ingredients viz. the crime and the motivation.
What's even more damning about this book is as I reached the (non!) end - where nothing really happens, strangely enough..... - I had the feeling that I may actually have read this before - but I barely remembered a thing about it. Which has a scarily weird tie in with one of the very confused plot lines.....
I need to write "read this - it's not very good" somewhere on the front pages so I never make the mistake of re-reading it again. Not a good book - though as I say, nicely written|!!!
March 30, 2023
This book was very... meh. The premise was intriguing and the whodunit element is quite well done, although I did guess the murderer after the second murder. But that's all the good I have to say really. Harry and Barry, our two central characters, are products of a bygone era. I cannot fathom how much beer they put away between them in this book. All the smoking and occasional lewd comments about women make this book feel much more dated than its published date of 2006. Harry Barnett is the more sympathetic character and he's not awful but I really couldn't empathise with him much. Barry Chipchase has committed fraud, swindled all his friends and treats women like objects and yet I think is meant to be one of those 'loveable rogue' characters? No thanks. Yeah... It wasn't in dnf territory but I'm not intending to go back to this author and I am clearly not his target audience.
September 22, 2024
A thrilling masterpiece of mystery
Robert Goddard has crafted a wonderfully complex mystery thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages till the end. The novel is extremely well-written and highly polished. Characters are diverse and each is fully delineated and fleshed out, physically and psychologically. The plot is suitably twisty with unexpected turns that surprise. And the geographical details are well-researched and accurate. Such experiments did, and probably still do, go on with military guinea pigs; experiments with LSD being a notable and provable example. The Audible narration is excellent and local accents are very credible. The pacing is perfect. I will certainly be reading more from this author. Highly recommended.
Robert Goddard has crafted a wonderfully complex mystery thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages till the end. The novel is extremely well-written and highly polished. Characters are diverse and each is fully delineated and fleshed out, physically and psychologically. The plot is suitably twisty with unexpected turns that surprise. And the geographical details are well-researched and accurate. Such experiments did, and probably still do, go on with military guinea pigs; experiments with LSD being a notable and provable example. The Audible narration is excellent and local accents are very credible. The pacing is perfect. I will certainly be reading more from this author. Highly recommended.
July 1, 2025
A page-turning mystery that takes a while to get going. There are numerous characters — the group of wayward RAF boys — who took part in an experiment in the mid-1950s.
When Harry Barnett reluctantly accepts an invitation to join a reunion. He’s reunited with his mate Barry Chipcase, a bit of a shyster. Harry lost money in one of Chipcase’s business ventures but they join forces again. Members of their group are murdered — one on the way to the reunion site. The police suspect Harry and Barry who make it their task to find the killer(s).
I’ve read a few of Goddard’s novels and will read more. The many characters in the set up stage made it difficult to keep track of who was whom but it was worth persevering.
Harry and Barry find the culprits, the identity of whom was surprising.
When Harry Barnett reluctantly accepts an invitation to join a reunion. He’s reunited with his mate Barry Chipcase, a bit of a shyster. Harry lost money in one of Chipcase’s business ventures but they join forces again. Members of their group are murdered — one on the way to the reunion site. The police suspect Harry and Barry who make it their task to find the killer(s).
I’ve read a few of Goddard’s novels and will read more. The many characters in the set up stage made it difficult to keep track of who was whom but it was worth persevering.
Harry and Barry find the culprits, the identity of whom was surprising.
July 6, 2024
This slow-burn mystery has intrigue and an interesting plot.
We follow the main character, Harry Barnett, as he travels to a remote location in Scotland for a reunion. Most of these guys haven't seen each other for 10 years and their memories of their previous time here are sketchy and unreliable. Therein lies the clue.
This story is a murder mystery with layers of intrigue. Some things I could guess others I couldn't. Some of the plot lines were resolved through luck and there were times when I would have liked a little more complexity.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, the setting, and the characters. It was an interesting read.
We follow the main character, Harry Barnett, as he travels to a remote location in Scotland for a reunion. Most of these guys haven't seen each other for 10 years and their memories of their previous time here are sketchy and unreliable. Therein lies the clue.
This story is a murder mystery with layers of intrigue. Some things I could guess others I couldn't. Some of the plot lines were resolved through luck and there were times when I would have liked a little more complexity.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, the setting, and the characters. It was an interesting read.
October 18, 2024
As usual, a good yarn!
I always enjoy Robert Goddard's books, and this was no exception, however, the author gave every character a nickname as part of the tale, which although necessary for the theme of the book, I found extremely confusing, as obviously, all the main parties then doubled, and one minute they were called by their original name, then their nickname, I wished he stayed with one each as I couldn't remember who the heck he was talking about!! Thus the reason for only 4* otherwise an original story, which kept me glued
I always enjoy Robert Goddard's books, and this was no exception, however, the author gave every character a nickname as part of the tale, which although necessary for the theme of the book, I found extremely confusing, as obviously, all the main parties then doubled, and one minute they were called by their original name, then their nickname, I wished he stayed with one each as I couldn't remember who the heck he was talking about!! Thus the reason for only 4* otherwise an original story, which kept me glued
January 23, 2019
A good read although a whole slew of characters - ex post WWII RAF - and a bevy of nicknames to remember. Lost who was who at some points but managed to pull it altogether at the end. Set in present day (early 2000s) and a reunion of a group that was sent to Aberdeen on a hush hush exercise in 1955. One by one they are murdered and Barnett and Chipchase are the prime suspects. Mystery ends up in the Outer Hebrides.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2019
Harry Barnett is the quintessential ordinary man pulled into an extraordinary situation, not once, but three times (this being the third book in his series). He and his old buddy (not the guy who would be your first choice in an emergency) drink excessively as they try to avoid being framed for several murders as they flit about England and Scotland. A certain Manchurian candidate twist at the end and heroics from an unexpected source or two round out the excitement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2020
Harry’s back!
Another chapter in the saga which is as good as the first two (although you don’t have to have read the other two first.) A slow burner that builds nicely to a satisfying ending and plenty of pubs visited and beer drunk. Harry is a gentle but determined character who reminds me of times gone by. The reason for the loss of a star was I got a bit confused with the characters nicknames and real names.
Another chapter in the saga which is as good as the first two (although you don’t have to have read the other two first.) A slow burner that builds nicely to a satisfying ending and plenty of pubs visited and beer drunk. Harry is a gentle but determined character who reminds me of times gone by. The reason for the loss of a star was I got a bit confused with the characters nicknames and real names.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews