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!

Review | We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves | Brilliant Books

For my birthday, my friends were nice enough to get me (as well as other lovely gifts) a £15 voucher for Waterstones. So when I went to spend it and saw the 'buy one, get one half price' offer on so many books, I couldn't resist and naturally bought four. Oops.

The very last book I picked up was this one - We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. It was actually a friend I was with who suggested I buy it. The synopsis was fairly generic, I've taken a picture of it here; girl hasn't seen her brother in ten years after her sister mysteriously disappears when she's young, blah blah blah. But this novel was far from generic!

Split into different parts, the book has a major plot twist around part two or three. Until then, it is mildly intriguing as the main character recalls vague memories from her childhood regarding her sisters abrupt disappearance. The twist, which I won't give away here, will change the way you've been thinking throughout the entire book so far. An incredibly clever tactic used by the author in order to vary the readers mindset to empathize with the main character and even relate to her before the extent of her strange upbringing is revealed.

If anything, I would maybe say the writer reveals the twist a tad too early on. The novel progresses quite slowly after that but without abandoning the readers attention. It is a subject unfamiliar to the vast majority of readers and so therefore becomes harder to relate to - hence why the late revelation is so paramount to the books success.

A real insight into a completely different era, this book is a treasure and a definite must read this summer ... or any time, really. And with the RRP at just £7.99 or on Waterstones special offer, it's a bit of a bargain!

Have you read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves? Or maybe you have a book
to recommend that you just couldn't put down this summer?
Let me know!