I have a new rule: as soon as authors start using their characters to espouse political opinions that are clearly the author wanting to express his OWN opinion, I'm out. It's disingenuous and lazy writing. Just write an Op Ed for the NYT. ( )

Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay is a 2022 William Morrow publication.

Six years ago, Andrew’s wife, Brie, disappeared never to be seen or heard from again. Andrew, of course, was the prime suspect, with a dogged detective and his own sister-in-law voicing their adamant assurances of his guilt. Eventually, Andrew moved away, changed his last name, and met a woman he hopes to have a future with.

But his past comes back to haunt him, when people begin to see a woman around town that looks like the spitting image of Brie. This sends detectives back to his door and upsets the balance he’s managed to obtain in his personal life. Could Brie be alive or is it a clever trap to draw out her killer?

I’ve read Linwood Barclay’s books here and there- before Goodreads- but only one or two since then. I’m not sure why- I really enjoy his thrillers and his style. Yet, as of late, I have struggled with some of these veteran authors. The plots are okay, fun even… but… there’s no real mind-blowing twists- the kind that make you gasp out loud- or suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Which leads me to this book-

It’s okay- was entertaining enough- not memorable though, and pretty far-fetched- even for me- a person who normally gives authors a little creative license and enough rope to tell a thrilling story even if it’s not all that plausible. It was pretty easy to narrow down whodunit. A simple consciousness of guilt ‘tell’, and that was all it took. There were some moral ambiguities on top of all that and the story ended on an uncomfortable note. Was I supposed to shrug it off and think all’s well that ends well? I didn’t feel that way, so I felt weird about the conclusion- Which tainted the characters I’d rooted for from the beginning.

So, this was a rare Barclay miss for me, I’m sorry to say. Again, it’s not terrible- but not up to this author’s standards as I remember them. That said, my Kindle still holds several older and a few newer books by this author- and of course, I’ll pull one out someday and expect to have better luck with those than I did with this one.

2.5 stars ( )

4.5⭐️

It has been six years since Andrew Mason returned home after a fishing trip with his best friend and business partner to find his wife Brie missing. In those six years, he has been hounded by the police (who still suspect him ), hated by his wife’s family, lost his reputation and his business before finally moving to a neighboring town, changing his name and rebuilding his life. He is now in a new relationship with Jayne, who is unaware of his past, and has apparently moved on.

When a woman who looks a lot like Brie turns up in their old neighborhood in front of where their home used to be and creates a scene only to disappear again, Andrew and the police led by Detective Marissa Hardy resume their respective investigations of what happened six years ago and
try to figure out the identity of the woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Brie. Is Brie alive and if so, where has she been for six years? Will Andrew be able to prove his innocence this time or is he hiding something? Is there someone out there who knows the truth?

The narrative is shared between multiple PoVs with flashbacks of past events and transcipts from police interviews from the investigation dating back six years. With a plot that kept me guessing till the end (I love it when my predictions turn out to be wrong!), crisp writing, short chapters, consistent pacing and well-executed twists and turns, I thoroughly enjoyed Linwood Barclay's Take Your Breath Away. I combined reading with the incredibly entertaining audio narration featuring Joe Knezevich, George Newbern, Hillary Huber, Pete Simonelli, Michael Crouch, Lauren Fortgang, Jim Meskimen and Karissa Vacker.

My first Linwood Barclay novel but definitely not my last! ( )

A slow thriller with lots of motives, threads, characters. ( )

Finally putting his life back together six years after the disappearance of his wife, Brie, Andy Mason, settling down with a new partner, finds his future, and the lives of those closest to him, in danger when a woman bearing a striking resemblance to Brie shows up.

This story kept me guessing throughout with many suspects who might have reason for Brie to disappear. I like how it was easy to follow the story even though chapters switch between different characters. I thought the ending was somewhat unlikely, especially the final twist at the end. Overall, a light and interesting read. ( )