He also released podcasts of his articles and published three collections: The books were published in the United Kingdom and were modestly successful. His break came in when he published No Time for Goodbye. A runaway bestseller in the UK, it quickly sold a million copies there and elsewhere. But on June 28, , he wrote his last column, announcing his retirement from the newspaper.
Barclay made the cover of Variety Magazine because of the bidding war it had caused between Universal Studios and Warner Bros. Barclay lives in Oakville, Ontario , with his wife of more than three decades, Neetha with whom he has two children - Spencer and Paige. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Barclay at the Eden Mills Writers' Festival in Retrieved 20 March Linwood Barclay's rise from suburban dad to Canada's biggest fiction export". Retrieved September 26, This isn't like The Twenty-Three where I was clueless until the final chapter as to who did it still not over that tbh ; all the clues point in one clear and ultimately correct direction.
The mystery of this book comes from everything else. Rather than making you work out what you don't know, Barclay makes you question what you do. That's fascinating, and a lot more difficult to predict. Then, when you eventually do have everything worked out, Barclay throws in another complication or twist and the cycle starts again! This is such thrilling, unputdownable crime which follows such a carefully laid out chain of events. I have such admiration for Barclay. His memory for small details and method of planting them into significant parts of the story is extraordinary.
Even though the set-up is a little different, the follow-through in this book is just as incredible as in all his other books. Another thing that makes Parting Shot stand out is the personal aspects of it. Although it's Cal who has the first-person narration in this book, I would argue that the central character is Barry Duckworth.
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I love him so. He really is like an old friend at this point, but this is the first time that we really get to see his home life. Duckworth's wife, Maureen, and son, Trevor, both feature prominently in this book, which was really lovely. There were several beautiful moments between Barry and Trevor in particular. On top of that, I think that Barclay gave us a real insight into Barry's mindset in here. Up until now, he's been the pretty much ever-successful detective who unravels the secrets of every Promise Falls crime, but, after The Twenty-Three , that all changed.
Here, you can see the doubt creeping in. Duckworth considers a career change, questions whether he's doing the right thing, and is even dieting who'd have thought it! As a picture of a beloved character, Parting Shot is absolutely wonderful.
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All the Duckworth fans out there of which I'm sure there are many are going to love this. Damn, I'm going to miss Barry. Pretty much every single one of Barclay's endings absolutely kills me and leaves me screaming internally, but this one more so than others. I never saw this one coming in a million years and I'm still in shock. I think I'll be recovering from this one for a while. I'm struggling to pinpoint exactly what it was about this one that prevented me from absolutely loving it.
Perhaps it was the predictability of the main plot, although, as I suggested above, I think that was intentional because it led to other, more complicated mysteries? Something is making me hesitate before pressing the 5 star button, but, whatever it is, it's a small thing. For the most part, I loved this book. When I was reading it, I didn't want to stop, and there's no better sign of a good book than that.
Although Parting Shot did as usual with Barclay leave a couple of unanswered questions, I think it brought the Promise Falls chapter of Barclay's career to a thoroughly satisfactory close. I'm sad to say goodbye to Cal Weaver and Barry Duckworth and the others, but this is a good place to leave it. I, as always, can't wait to see what Linwood Barclay does next.
If his next book is anywhere near as good as his last four have been, then we're all in for a treat. Jun 19, Joanne rated it really liked it. I said I was done with Promise Falls after the last book, but Linwood Barclay drew me in again with this one. And darned if he didn't finish it with a monster cliff hanger or two. So when Promise Falls 5 comes out, count me in.
If you have any fond memories of the Promise Falls trilogy then be prepared to leave them firmly at the door before turning the first page of Parting Shot, which is a woefully poor effort for an author of Barclay's calibre. Easily the weakest novel to capture life in the unfortunate conurbation in upstate New York, it might have been better for Barclay to move to pastures new, because this town is well and truly dead in the water and it pains me to say so..
As an admirer of this trilogy with a s If you have any fond memories of the Promise Falls trilogy then be prepared to leave them firmly at the door before turning the first page of Parting Shot, which is a woefully poor effort for an author of Barclay's calibre. As an admirer of this trilogy with a soap-opera cast of characters who left a distinctive impression over the course of three previous instalments, the lacklustre opening did not bode well and sadly Parting Shot never really captured the pizazz of a firecracker thriller.
There is no role for David Harwood nor many of the much depleted cast that made it through to the end of The Twenty-Three, leaving Detective Barry Duckworth and private investigator, Cal Weaver, to run the show. The two interlinking plots featuring Detective Duckworth of the Promise Falls Police and Cal Weaver, a private investigator, are both prosaic affairs which failed to capture my imagination in what is essentially a run of the mill vigilante crusade.
It certainly didn't prove too taxing to latch onto the story Barclay was running with, and I felt one step ahead of a plot which limped along at a snail's pace. Nearly a year on from the dark days when the Promise Falls water supply was contaminated, the town still bears the scars. Locals might manage a day or two of going without mentioning the events, but the out-of-towners who flock to the 'retribution capital' for a photo opportunity beside the "Welcome to Promise Falls" sign won't go away.
Career cop Barry Duckworth nearly lost his life in that debacle and his perspective has shifted along with some forty-pounds of excess weight but he now has a new label as the hero cop who saved the day. Ever approachable and sincere Duckworth is plagued by paperwork when he is presented with a clearly spooked man in his early-twenties by the name of Brian Gaffney.
Whilst Gaffney is not the sharpest tool in the box, his tale of alien abduction and experimentation is not too far from the reality when Duckworth sees the crudely etched tattoo on his back. It doesn't take Duckworth too long to discover that Gaffney was the unintended victim of a malicious group of vigilantes advocating violent retribution and their own self-styled form of justice. Another of the victims of the group is emasculated predator, Craig Pierce, a man charged with assaulting a mentally handicapped girl, only to then be cleared and make his culpability known. Vengeful Pierce is eaten up with bitterness and makes clear to Duckworth that he believes the Just Deserts website and their social media entourage and behind the scars he now bears.
But with the lawyers mired in a legislative battle to close the website down, Duckworth knows he has limited time to make a difference and intervene before it is too late. Along the way he finds no shortage of moralising citizens all set on capitalising on the towns renown and with their own axe to grind.
His troubled relationship with son Trevor is also tested to the limit when a surveillance camera leaves Trevor and new girlfriend, Carol Beakman, with their own questions to answer about involvement in the investigation.. Private investigator Cal Weaver's jobs are anything but easy money and sadly young Crystal who he grew so fond of in the trilogy finale is nowhere to be seen, having moved to live with her father in San Francisco after her mother's death.
A call from the former publisher of the now out of print Promise Falls Standard, the local town newspaper sees Weaver introduced to Madeline Plimpton's niece, Gloria and her niece's son, Jeremy. Plimpton mentions a "traffic mishap" which has left Jeremy and his mother plagued by harassment, late night phone calls and threats to their safety in their Albany home, and sent them into hiding.
Demanding to know the details, Weaver discovers that his charge is Jeremy Pilford, aka "The Big Baby" who killed a girl will driving under the influence. A bizarre defence strategy that saw his solicitor citing Pilford's inability to make decisions, understand the consequences of his actions after a life of mollycoddling and micro-managing by mother Gloria saw him avoid prison much to the wrath of the general public.
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Weaver has the toughest plot strand to make something out of and I am not sure that anyone could have made a plodding protection job anymore exciting, but after his exploits in the trilogy this is disappointing fare. Weaver's part in the story basically entails taking Jeremy Pilford on a road trip, where he learns quite plenty about the boy and comes to suspect that maybe Jeremy himself is covering someone else's backside. As the separate Weaver and Duckworth lines of inquiry collide, an underwhelming finale fails to save the say, despite some slightly suprise making for a into the close.
In short, for readers who have not read the trilogy that commences with Broken Promise and climaxes with The Twenty-Three, there is no reason to read this novel and for fans of the series, Parting Shot will only taint the good memories. I believe that this is Linwood Barclay done with Promise Falls and for that I am thankful because I am well and truly outta here! Crystal first gets a mention just shy of two-hundred pages, Mayor Randy Finley is also notable in his background role, instead we get more of Duckworth's son and two pretty unsympathetic characters who have done wrong and wallow in their new status as victims.
It is hard to find any fondness for Jeremy, but his mother, Gloria, is completely devoid of common sense, attached to her mobile phone and vehemently engaged in his trial by social media. Likewise, Craig Pierce is an utterly loathsome character with zero redeeming features.
Previously I have read and enjoyed the Promise Falls Trilogy and when that was concluded the feeling is that that completes the story but then Parting Shot arrives, and Detective Barry Duckworth and Private Investigator Cal Weaver turn up again. A story of fiction in but one that highlights social media, electronic listening and tracking devices that are now synonymous of modern living, for better or worse, as well as the issue of revenge.
Barry and Cal set out along their own paths until events Previously I have read and enjoyed the Promise Falls Trilogy and when that was concluded the feeling is that that completes the story but then Parting Shot arrives, and Detective Barry Duckworth and Private Investigator Cal Weaver turn up again.
Barry and Cal set out along their own paths until events, formed around tragedy, come violently together. The style of this novel has the individual chapters following the main characters becoming more intermingled as the story reaches a climax that may not be as you would expect. A fast pace, involved but simple to follow plot lines.
Mar 26, Darlene rated it it was amazing. What a great addition to the Promise Falls series. Although only a few characters from the series return, the book is filled with edge of your seat excitement. As usual for Mr Barclay, the book is loaded with twists to the plot. This book is about lies, deceit, greed, and revenge, all of which can destroy an innocent human being.
The ending was a powerful shock. No doubt, we will be hearing more from Promise Falls. More drama from the small American town where the murder rate keeps mounting. This one isn't as gory as the first 3 in the Promise Falls series but it has its moments. I love how Linwood Barclay takes all the strands and weaves them together to produce a satisfying conclusion - with more than a few stings in the tail. So much has happened in this little town over the course of four books.
In Parting Shot the surviving folks are still coming to terms with the mass poisoning of their town last year. When a young girl is killed by a drunk driver, the town is outraged that the driver is let off. Private Investigator Cal Weaver is asked to serve as a body guard to the accused kid, and it soon becomes apparent that someone is out to teach the boy a lesson. Meanwhile Detective Barry Duckworth is investigating the seemingly random attack on a young man who is drugged and then tattooed across his back. Full of red herrings and wonderful twists that I didn't see coming, this was a very satisfying read.
Another brilliant thriller by the master Linwood Barclay. This author is the only one who has never, ever disappointed me so far, not in a single novel. I have to say, after the Promise Falls trilogy ending in the masterpiece that is The Twenty-Three I was not expecting the final installment to be even better but it was.
This is probably Barclay's best, more filled with action, humor, excellent pace and suspense work. Even with view spoiler [ that kind of open endin 5 stars??
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Even with view spoiler [ that kind of open ending that is killing me with curiosity. What did Jeremy do in the end? But that's probably a good thing, right? We may have more to come from Promise Falls. I'm a huge fan of Linwood Barclay's Promise Falls series. Fans of the earlier books will enjoy seeing two prominent characters return but Parting Shot could easily be Confession: Fans of the earlier books will enjoy seeing two prominent characters return but Parting Shot could easily be read as a standalone.
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Barclay does a good job giving his readers little plot reminders if they've read the previous books, but new-to-this-series readers won't be missing out if they're jumping in and I'm predicting these newbies will be enticed to read the first three books. Barclay's plot reminders from the previous books are few and usually not so detailed that they give away too much of the previous plots. As usual, Barclay provides twists and turns and just when I'm feeling like a Suspense hotshot and think I can predict what's going to happen, he pulls the proverbial rug out from under me with a big ol' twist.
I highly recommend picking up the Promise Falls series. It's fast-paced and twisty, with intricate plot lines that aren't fussy yet intersect smoothly with each other. The story is told via the POVs of several interesting characters and a touch of humour brings it all together for an entertaining and unputdownable book series. Put this book and series on your 'gotta read now' list.
You won't regret it. This book was generously given to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Promise Falls really isn't all that promising unless of course you're into death not living. The latest to succumb to it all is Jeremy and with his recent DUI for killing a girl without serving much jail time the folks of his quaint town are not too happy. Whether online or in person plenty of acts are being carried out to the point the family is feeling the pressure. Cal Weaver comes in as PI to handle it all as more a bodyguard than a crime seeker.
H Promise Falls really isn't all that promising unless of course you're into death not living. However a young man is brutally attacked and Det Barry Duckworth is on a mission to uncover the truths after the body was uncovered in a dark alley. Revenge Plots Gone Wild Nov 20, Linda Lpp rated it it was amazing. Completely enjoyed this no suprise there. Find out who did the parting, at what cost, and how many others will follow along? We are left keen for another visit to Promise Hills. When will that be Mr.
Fans of Linwood Barclay may remember his recent trilogy, set in Promise Falls. It did however, end with a cliffhanger. Well, the ahem trilogy did end. Until this — featuring some of the characters we came to know and love — was released… in some circles as a standalone, but also billed as Promise Falls 4! Readers were thrown into turmoil as the book and series ended implying he might have died.
We also learn two-thirds of the way through, who is responsible. I obviously enjoyed the time spent with Barry and Cal. Read the full review on my site: Oct 31, Luanne Ollivier rated it really liked it. Parting Shot releases today. It's a stand alone, but features two of the players from that trilogy - Cal Weaver and my favourite - Detective Barry Duckworth.
It's roughly a year after the events that concluded the trilogy. But it seems that horrific crimes are a staple in Promise Falls. Jeremy, a young man, tagged by the press as Big Baby, successfully avoided jail time a Did you wish there was more when you turned the last page of Linwood Barclay Promise Falls Trilogy?
Jeremy, a young man, tagged by the press as Big Baby, successfully avoided jail time after killing a young woman while drunk driving. He may have been cleared by the courts, but social justice vigilantes are determined to give him no peace. Cal, a private investigator, is brought in to act as a bodyguard for Jeremy. Barry seems to have his own vigilante issues. A young man disappears for two days, only to reappear with a crudely tattooed message on his back. Barclay employs a wide and varied cast of characters in Parting Shot. Each of them has their own drama and subplot in addition to their role in the bigger picture.
The quick, snappy dialogue, rapid plot developments, fast forward action will keep the reader turning pages. Barclay inserts a wry, darkly humourous undertone to many of the character's actions and dialogue. At times, you wonder if the criminals could really be that incompetent and the other players that foolish.
The plot does need to be read with a few grains of salt - but it does make for an entertaining read! Barclay throws in numerous twist and turns, especially in the final run up to the ending. And that last page caught me off guard.
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Truthfully, I didn't like that last turn of events and found it rather harsh note to end on. Defiant Teens, First Edition: Barkley , Gwenyth H. Edwards , Arthur L. What the Science Says Oct 19, Barkley , Kevin R.
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