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The Accident
The Accident
Author: Linwood Barclay
It’s the new normal at the Garber household in Connecticut: Glen, a contractor, has seen his business shaken by the housing crisis, and now his wife, Sheila, is taking a business course at night to increase her chances of landing a good-paying job. — But she should have been home by now. — Waiting for Sheila’s return, with their eight-...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780553807189
ISBN-10: 0553807188
Publication Date: 8/9/2011
Pages: 400
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 53

4.1 stars, based on 53 ratings
Publisher: Bantam
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

susieqmillsacoustics avatar reviewed The Accident on + 1062 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
A real page turner! Definitely one of Barclay's best-and that is saying alot. I could not put this one down! With all the twists, it kept me guessing to the end! Well done!
my2luvsemmyandmally avatar reviewed The Accident on + 758 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Fast paced exciting thriller! Keeps you turning pages as fast as you can to see what happens next!
Chocoholic avatar reviewed The Accident on + 291 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Stephen King listed this book as one of his "must-reads" for the summer, so naturally I had to read it. This book defies description, really. It is a thriller that will keep you awake at night and turning the pages, unable to put it down. I've never read one of Mr. Barclay's books before, but this will not be the last I read. It starts when Sheila, the wife of a building contractor is killed in a car accident deemed to be her fault for DUI which also kills two other people. Her husband doesn't believe that she could have done this and sets out to find out what really happened to her. Along the way, he encounters corrupt police, counterfeiting rings, prostitution, and murder. Just read this book. Trust me on this.
jdyinva avatar reviewed The Accident on + 408 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
What a winner! I enjoyed this book from first page to last. I've enjoyed all of Barclay's novels but think this one is hands down the best. Highly recommended.
Chocoholic avatar reviewed The Accident on + 291 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Stephen King listed this book as one of his "must-reads" for the summer, so naturally I had to read it. This book defies description, really. It is a thriller that will keep you awake at night and turning the pages, unable to put it down. I've never read one of Mr. Barclay's books before, but this will not be the last I read. It starts when Sheila, the wife of a building contractor is killed in a car accident deemed to be her fault for DUI which also kills two other people. Her husband doesn't believe that she could have done this and sets out to find out what really happened to her. Along the way, he encounters corrupt police, counterfeiting rings, prostitution, and murder. Just read this book. Trust me on this.
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reviewed The Accident on + 175 more book reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars How well do you really know those people in your circle of family and friends?

I have read all of Barclay's previous books so was looking forward to the latest one! This suspense novel had a fast pace with an interesting subject presented immediately in the prologue - the illegal sales of counterfeit merchandise and the seedy, dangerous underground -- and it kept me turning the pages well past bedtime.

A quiet suburban neighborhood is rocked first by the car accident death of a housewife and mother, Sheila Garber, whose inexplicable car crash while driving drunk results in the unraveling of the lives of several interconnected families. As her husband, Glen, and daughter, Kelly, try to come to terms with this tragedy, discoveries are made that make Glen wonder if indeed "the accident" was what it seemed. As the narrative goes on, suspense mounts as first one character and then another comes to light as involved in a ring of sorts that centers around the sale of various items and a stereotypical villain who wants "the money." The novel has several plot twists but a savvy reader will not be too surprised as events unfold and the climax is reached.

My main complaints, and the reasons I don't give this novel 5 stars: I felt that the death toll was unnecessary -- it didn't advance the plot, and it seemed overmuch. In addition, I've come to notice that the protagonist, in this book he's named Glen Garber, is one that Barclay duplicates in every single book -- a decent ordinary man, husband, father driven to extremes by events he didn't anticipate and now must avenge. This man is always a bit naive and ignorant about things going on under his own roof until the moment when he's spurred into action and then pretty much has to take matters into his own hands and figure out the truth even though he's facing some pretty unrealistic scenarios that cause the reader to suspend some disbelief.

Despite feeling sometimes that I keep reading the same Barclay novel over and over, I would recommend this for any of his fans and others who enjoy a suspense mystery with lots of layers and a well-constructed (though not completely unpredicted) conclusion.
reviewed The Accident on + 4 more book reviews
Enjoyed reading The Accident as well as all Linwood Barclay's books.


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