August 20, 2007
Barclay (Bad Guys
) tugs hard on the heartstrings with the tragic tale of Cynthia Bigge, whose parents and brother vanished without a trace the day after she had a tempestuous teenage argument with her father. Twenty-five years later, raising a daughter with her husband, Terrence Archer, in Milford, Conn., but still haunted by her family's disappearance, Cynthia goes on TV to talk about what happened and plead for clues. A mysterious phone call leads her to believe her father, at least, may still be alive, but as her excitement grows, so do Terrence's worries. It soon appears that someone is playing a unexpectedly vicious game with Cynthia's emotions, and that her family held secrets she never suspected. Though some plot twists require significant suspension of disbelief, skilled characterization and convincing dialogue more than compensate.
Starred review from September 1, 2007
Cynthia Archer, a suburban Connecticut teenager, wakes up to an unusually quiet house one morning. At first, she finds the peacefulness comforting, but feelings of horror quickly settle in as she discovers that her family has vanished. Her father, mother, and younger brothergone!without a note or clue as to what happened. Flash forward 25 years, and Cynthia has a family of her own, but she can't stop looking for answers to what happened the day her life changed forever. Is her family still alive? Was she simply abandoned? If the rest of her family was murdered, why was she spared? Small clues to her family's disappearance start to show up, and Cynthia soon faces ghosts more horrific that she ever imagined. For Cynthia, finding the truth may be the worst part of the mystery. Barclay's ("Stone Rain; Bad Move") latest novel is a top-notch thriller, with surprises around every corner. The suspense comes in layer after layer and doesn't stop until the last page. Strongly recommended for all fiction collections. [See Prepub Mystery, "LJ" 6/1/07.]Ken Bolton, Cornell Univ. Lib., Ithaca, NY
Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 1, 2007
Afterturning out fourmystery novels featuring science-fiction author Zack Walker (the most recent isStone Rain, 2007), Toronto Star columnist Barclaypens a stand-alone thriller that carrieshis signature blend of humor and suspense. Fourteen-year-old Cynthia Bigge wakes up one morning to find her entire family gone. Twenty-five years later, their unexplained disappearance still haunts her. She agrees to appear on thereenactment showDeadline, hoping the TV exposuremight provide her with some answers, although her husband, English teacher Terry Archer, is considerably more skeptical. Indeed, not long after the show airs, thetwo areshaken down by a psychic, receive a series of bizarre phone calls, andbecome the victims ofa break-in, although nothing is taken; instead, something is lefta hat that Cynthia is convinced belonged to her father. As Cynthias paranoia escalates, Terrys patience wears thin, and the two decide to hire a private detective. Thats when the mayhem starts. Despite a few implausible plot turns, thisfast-paced readis bound to please, offering an especially intriguing premise andplenty of irreverenthumor.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)
October 29, 2007
When Cynthia was 14 years old, her family disappeared without a trace. Twenty-five years later, Cynthia has her own family and though sometimes overprotective of her daughter, she has become a functioning adult. But as she and her husband, Terry, attempt to live normal lives, hints and clues begin appearing that bring Cynthia back to that night years ago. Lane blesses this twisting novel with a fantastic performance, which improves the overall narrative experience. At first, some voices may seem like vocal caricatures, but given each character’s development, listeners soon realize how well chosen the voice has been. Lane also displays an impressive range, including such believable characters as a middle-aged thug, a sinister old woman and Cynthia’s precocious daughter. Told through the eyes of Terry, Lane also seamlessly augments his tone throughout as Terry grapples to figure out the mystery that haunts his family. Simultaneous release with the Dell hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 20).