Review | A Tap On The Window by Linwood Barclay | Brilliant Books

A Tap On The Window - Linwood Barclay
RRP - £7.99

I bought this book as part of Waterstones' "buy one get one half price" offer to read whilst I was on holiday in Mallorca this summer. It was the last book I read there as I was a tad reluctant to read it because of how disappointing the last Linwood Barclay book I read was for me. I first stumbled across Barclay's works in high school, reading No Time For Goodbye and  was eager to read Too Close To Home upon finishing it. However, the latter was slightly disappointing and to say I was put off Barclay afterwards is a bit of an understatement. But I thought I'd give this one a go! And I was not disappointed this time...

The synopsis details a man approached by a young girl who asks for a lift home one rainy night. He accepts and finds out the next day that she's disappeared. Although it sounds like a generic thriller plot line, it turns out to be much more complex than the synopsis gives it credit for; in fact, I'd go as far to say that it could actually be off-putting to some people. Just a chapter or two in, the novel becomes a lot more interesting when the girl gets out of the car and her friend, dressed as her, replaces her. Bewildered, the man confronts her and she runs out of his car. Now, the synopsis wrongly says that only one girl goes missing the next day, but in fact both the first girl and her friend turn out to be missing and so it becomes essential that the main character prove his innocence by finding them. I've included a photo of the synopsis that you can read for yourself here.

That's all I'll give away about the storyline but that one crucial twist which is so unlike the original impression of the book you receive turns out to be paramount to the investigation into the disappearance of the girls and the novel is full of twists and turns, corrupt police and a breaking marriage. In parts, I'll admit it can be a bit slow, the main character constantly going from pillar to post attempting to extract information from everyone and anyone. The travelling of the character, I'll admit, made even me feel tired from each journey so a little less of that might have been desirable. It's not exactly No Time For Goodbye - I think Barclay will always find it hard to live up to that - but it'll do for a damn good summer read.

Have you read 'A Tap on the Window'? Is it one of your favourite Barlcay books or has he not lived up to expectations with this novel? Let me know!