Fear the Worst: A Thriller

by Linwood Barclay

Book Overview

Tim Blake is an average guy. He sells cars. He has an ex-wife who's moved in with another man. It's not a life without hassles, but nothing will prepare him for when his daughter, Sydney, vanishes... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553591754
• Release Date: February 2010
• Publisher: Dell
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 1.2" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Very Good Thriller

I just finished reading this book late last night. It is the second book I read by this author, Linwood Barclay. The first was "Never Look Away." I am downloading all his books into my Kindle. Linwood Barclay is the best author that I read in a long time, I really don't want to write a summary of this book because because it would take away from your enjoyment. Suffice to say, the main character could be YOUR father, brother uncle etc. He is employed as a car salesman. All around him, his life if falling apart and with every step he takes, consequences make him look more and more a murderer. It is like a suburban nightmare, with more and more being placed on the man's shoulders. This is not a ghost story or anything like that. Everything that happens COULD really happen. If you like crime/psychological thrillers, you should read this book!

A REAL Thriller

What a great book. This author has become one of my favorites. Could not put it down.

Wow!

I liked this one even more than _Too Close To Home_! It was so exciting and really, I couldn't predict the plot at all! The characters were strong, as well as the narration. It was such a fun book! I really enjoyed it! My only complaint was that there could have been a bit more to the ending... that's not to say that it ended poorly, I just felt like there were some things that I would have liked to know more about. I am really looking forward to reading more from this author!

GET THIS!!!

I couldn't put it down no matter what else I needed to do!!!! I was captured from the first page right through to the end. The characters are realistic with all the quirks of human beings, the story fast paced and the end riveting. Tim, the Father whose daughter has gone missing, pulls the reader into the story and doesn't let go. From his nutty girlfriend, to his ex-wife, to grasping at straws, he is human--a parent who has lost the most precious thing in his life. The more he finds out about his missing daughter, the more puzzled he is. Her job appears not to have existed, her best friend haunts Tim's every move, and there are some very bad people who seem determined to kill him. The police appear to believe she is just a runaway and are not interested in looking for her; until they decide perhaps Tim is reponsible for her disappearance. The story takes riveting twist and turns yet remains believeable throughout. This is a must read.

This Thriller Really Delivers the Goods

I read a lot of thrillers, but it's been a while since I've read a novel that's kept me up at night, frantically turning the pages. FEAR THE WORST is a book that does exactly this. In this novel, author Linwood Barclay takes a well-worn page out of Harlan Coben's playbook. This novel deals with a middle-class, middle-aged, easy-going suburbanite who suddenly finds his life turned upside down by events beyond his control. His daughter has mysteriously disappeared, and he has no idea why. FEAR THE WORST is about him doggedly pursuing the answer, and along the way discovering all sorts of unpleasant secrets about not only his daughter, but about many of the people around him. The result is a well-plotted nail-biter that's impossible to put down. While FEAR THE WORST does have a few flaws (most notably a plot that grows more violent and and less realistic as the story progresses) it has a crazy, hard-driving momentum that few novels possess. Barclay also has a real knack for characterization, and all the supporting characters struck me as real human beings. FEAR THE WORST is little more than a glossy entertainment, a slick beach read, but it's one that really works. This is far better than anything Harlan Coben has written in quite a long time. If you've never tried Barclay before, this is a great place to start.