A review by allieeww
Far From True by Linwood Barclay

3.0

A decent thriller, and I enjoy Barclay's writing and pacing. He is awful at writing female characters though, and I think he has a real issue with fat people. Every chapter with Duckworth he mentions his weight. Does Linwood Barclay think that people are overweight because they eat 3 donuts and a whole pie every day and never exercise? Duckworth is smart and witty, but he's reduced to the "fat cop" trope, making the reader picture him as this enormous glutton who is winded just by walking and constantly craving Burger King. And then he mentions that he clocks in at 280 pounds. Hell, that's not that big for a man. That's certainly not the gelatinous mound of a person Barclay makes him out to be.
Honestly, I really like this series and these stories, but I'm so mad about the weight portrayal that I'm bumping it down to 3 stars. And that's generous based on just how annoyed I am about it.