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A review by judithdcollins
Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay
4.0
Linwood Barclay returns with TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY —six years after a woman mysteriously disappears, she reappears. Where has she been all the time?
The past threatens to ruin the present. Andrews thought this was all behind him and now resurfacing.
Brie Mason disappeared six years earlier where she lived with her husband, Andrew. This house has since been rebuilt and another owner.
At the time, Andrew was a contractor and flipped houses. They would live in and remodel and sell and move. After the disappearance, his business failed with his former partner and best friend, Greg, and he turned to alcohol.
He has since moved and lives in Connecticut with his pregnant girlfriend and her troubled brother, Tyler.
From murder, lies, and accusations, everyone thinks Andrews had something to do with her disappearance. They thought he was the murderer—including Detective Marissa Hardy and Brie's sister, Isabel.
Andrew has kept his past a secret since it was overwhelming, and he just wanted to start over with his new girlfriend, who does not know about his past.
Andrews had an alibi that night with his business partner Greg. He was not charged, but people were suspicious. But did he murder her?
Now appears people are seeing Brie, so she must be alive, but where has she been all this time? Is it her or someone who looks like her? Is there something more sinister going on?
Isabel had been convinced Andrew had killed her sister, Brie, and pursued him relentlessly, but is it possible Brie is alive?
After showing up at her old house, the old neighbor Max reports seeing her, and she also visits her dying mother in the hospital. What is real and what is false?
Did someone put a hit out on her, and if so, where is the body if this person is not Brie?
Told from multiple POVs, with flashbacks of past events and transcripts from police interviews from the investigation dating back six years.
MY THOUGHTS: With Barclays's signature twists and turns, he keeps you guessing until the end. However, I think some of the riveting suspense and heart-pounding, action, and urgency were missing, or it was just too drawn out.
Multi-layered, some parts were unrealistic and wacky. Can't quite put my finger on why I did not enjoy this book as much as his other books. The delicious humor was lacking in this one that we normally find in Barclay's books. Also, the exterminator guy gave me the creeps.
While I have read all of Linwood Barclay's books and loved them, this was my least favorite. It seemed to drag and was a bit far-fetched. You might need to suspend some disbelief. Also no likable characters.
I purchased the audiobook and did not care for a few of the narrators, and others are my favorites. I think it was just the storyline, I did not care for. From the full cast of talent: Joe Knezevich (love), George Newbern (do not care for), Hillary Huber (love), Pete Simonelli, Michael Crouch (love), Lauren Fortgang, Jim Meskimen, and Karissa Vacker.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars
May 2022 Must-Read Books
The past threatens to ruin the present. Andrews thought this was all behind him and now resurfacing.
Brie Mason disappeared six years earlier where she lived with her husband, Andrew. This house has since been rebuilt and another owner.
At the time, Andrew was a contractor and flipped houses. They would live in and remodel and sell and move. After the disappearance, his business failed with his former partner and best friend, Greg, and he turned to alcohol.
He has since moved and lives in Connecticut with his pregnant girlfriend and her troubled brother, Tyler.
From murder, lies, and accusations, everyone thinks Andrews had something to do with her disappearance. They thought he was the murderer—including Detective Marissa Hardy and Brie's sister, Isabel.
Andrew has kept his past a secret since it was overwhelming, and he just wanted to start over with his new girlfriend, who does not know about his past.
Andrews had an alibi that night with his business partner Greg. He was not charged, but people were suspicious. But did he murder her?
Now appears people are seeing Brie, so she must be alive, but where has she been all this time? Is it her or someone who looks like her? Is there something more sinister going on?
Isabel had been convinced Andrew had killed her sister, Brie, and pursued him relentlessly, but is it possible Brie is alive?
After showing up at her old house, the old neighbor Max reports seeing her, and she also visits her dying mother in the hospital. What is real and what is false?
Did someone put a hit out on her, and if so, where is the body if this person is not Brie?
Told from multiple POVs, with flashbacks of past events and transcripts from police interviews from the investigation dating back six years.
MY THOUGHTS: With Barclays's signature twists and turns, he keeps you guessing until the end. However, I think some of the riveting suspense and heart-pounding, action, and urgency were missing, or it was just too drawn out.
Multi-layered, some parts were unrealistic and wacky. Can't quite put my finger on why I did not enjoy this book as much as his other books. The delicious humor was lacking in this one that we normally find in Barclay's books. Also, the exterminator guy gave me the creeps.
While I have read all of Linwood Barclay's books and loved them, this was my least favorite. It seemed to drag and was a bit far-fetched. You might need to suspend some disbelief. Also no likable characters.
I purchased the audiobook and did not care for a few of the narrators, and others are my favorites. I think it was just the storyline, I did not care for. From the full cast of talent: Joe Knezevich (love), George Newbern (do not care for), Hillary Huber (love), Pete Simonelli, Michael Crouch (love), Lauren Fortgang, Jim Meskimen, and Karissa Vacker.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars
May 2022 Must-Read Books