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illusie's review against another edition
3.0
I am not sure if I should give this book 3 or 4 stars, sbut in the ende decided to go for 3 stars. The book started good. I like Grace and her family.
Spoiler
I didn't like all the fuss about the vase. Such a strange and weird reason to kill people. It made me feel annoyed with the plot once I finished the bookpaulabrandon's review against another edition
2.0
I normally really enjoy Barclay's work, but unfortunately, this was his worst one so far!
It brings back the characters from "No Time For Goodbye", but this can be read as a stand-alone. Although it refers frequently to events from that book (and there's no spoilers either, as Barclay obviously wants you to read that one if you haven't already), none of the events here actually connect with that book. I get the feeling it's mostly a ploy to provide us with a reason why Terry and Cynthia would continue to help Vince despite the fact he's a thug who continually throws them under the bus. Most people would tell Vince to take a hike, but Terry and Cynthia still feel indebted to him after he helped them in the last book and got shot for his efforts - that's the only reason these characters have been brought back for a second round! Otherwise, it's basically a completely separate story - make a couple of changes and these could be totally different characters.
That was one of the reasons this felt so very artificial! Although the plot is well-constructed, as a Linwood Barclay novel typically is, it was all so deliberate and set up. For example, in trying to keep plot elements secret for as long as possible, he has characters speak in ways that no person on Earth would actually speak. Also, the plot REALLY DRAGGED for the first half. I can't figure out why the cop character was even around. It's not like she figured anything out that the reader didn't already know for themselves. A cop-on-the-case subplot in which they do nothing but catch up to what's going on (and which the reader is already aware of) is a sure sign to me that someone is padding out the word count! Lisa Gardner does it a lot, too. Here, Barclay often tells the same events twice or more, just through different view points. Boring and lazy.
Then we have the characters. Unfortunately, I didn't like anyone! Main character Terry is okay, but not terribly interesting. Grace is an insolent brat who gets her family dragged into the whole mess, then completely changes character and suddenly wants to take responsibility for her actions and find out what's going on. It never rang true! If Barclay wanted me to believe that, he shouldn't have had her behaving like a complete bitch for the first few chapters! Cynthia also annoyed me. I'm not sure I have much sympathy for a wife and mother who is selfish enough to walk out on her family and move into an apartment because she needs a time out. That she kept expecting her husband and child to keep her in the loop reeked of selfish entitlement. I did not like her! Vince Fleming was a thug willing to hurt and murder people to maintain his lifestyle. How are we supposed to like a person like that? At one stage it's mentioned that Vince makes it hard for people to like him. Well, duh! It seems like Barclay is relying on familiarity with the characters from the previous book to plug in all the gaps of these otherwise highly unlikable people. And considering the first book was some seven years prior, that's a big and presumptuous ask - people will have read a lot of books between the first one and this one.
It's a generous two stars from me! It was close to being a total dud, but redeemed somewhat by a quickening in the pace in the last quarter, some wry commentary and one or two okay action bits. Overall, a bit of a yawner!
It brings back the characters from "No Time For Goodbye", but this can be read as a stand-alone. Although it refers frequently to events from that book (and there's no spoilers either, as Barclay obviously wants you to read that one if you haven't already), none of the events here actually connect with that book. I get the feeling it's mostly a ploy to provide us with a reason why Terry and Cynthia would continue to help Vince despite the fact he's a thug who continually throws them under the bus. Most people would tell Vince to take a hike, but Terry and Cynthia still feel indebted to him after he helped them in the last book and got shot for his efforts - that's the only reason these characters have been brought back for a second round! Otherwise, it's basically a completely separate story - make a couple of changes and these could be totally different characters.
That was one of the reasons this felt so very artificial! Although the plot is well-constructed, as a Linwood Barclay novel typically is, it was all so deliberate and set up. For example, in trying to keep plot elements secret for as long as possible, he has characters speak in ways that no person on Earth would actually speak.
Spoiler
For example, characters saying "love of my life" and "the item" when they're actually referring to a freaking vase! Any normal person would just say "the vase"! I mean, come on!Then we have the characters. Unfortunately, I didn't like anyone! Main character Terry is okay, but not terribly interesting. Grace is an insolent brat who gets her family dragged into the whole mess, then completely changes character and suddenly wants to take responsibility for her actions and find out what's going on. It never rang true! If Barclay wanted me to believe that, he shouldn't have had her behaving like a complete bitch for the first few chapters! Cynthia also annoyed me. I'm not sure I have much sympathy for a wife and mother who is selfish enough to walk out on her family and move into an apartment because she needs a time out. That she kept expecting her husband and child to keep her in the loop reeked of selfish entitlement. I did not like her! Vince Fleming was a thug willing to hurt and murder people to maintain his lifestyle. How are we supposed to like a person like that? At one stage it's mentioned that Vince makes it hard for people to like him. Well, duh! It seems like Barclay is relying on familiarity with the characters from the previous book to plug in all the gaps of these otherwise highly unlikable people. And considering the first book was some seven years prior, that's a big and presumptuous ask - people will have read a lot of books between the first one and this one.
It's a generous two stars from me! It was close to being a total dud, but redeemed somewhat by a quickening in the pace in the last quarter, some wry commentary and one or two okay action bits. Overall, a bit of a yawner!
samcapo's review
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
samstillreading's review against another edition
4.0
No Safe House is the sequel to No Time for Goodbye, which was a bestseller in 2008. I must have been hiding under a rock with no internet at the time, because I missed out on reading this thriller based on Cynthia and the loss of her family. I’m lucky in that I get to meet her in the sequel, No Safe House, which I read happily as a stand-alone. While you get some background as what happened to Cynthia as she found out the truth about her family, the whodunit aspects are cleverly masked so you can read the original book and still be surprised.
Cynthia returns in this book with her teenage daughter, Grace, making trouble. It’s the usual teenage stuff but Cynthia is super-controlling due to her past. When an incident takes Cynthia to breaking point, she moves out of home to stay at a friend’s apartment. Little does she know that she’s going to be taking a backseat in another wild ride that will threaten the family. The action is mainly told from Terry’s viewpoint (Cynthia’s husband) as a date with Stuart, a wild boy, goes horribly wrong for Grace. Breaking into a house for a joyride appears to have had deadly consequences and Grace turns to her father. Terry’s immediate reaction is to protect Grace, but in doing so, comes into contact with Vince (who just happened to have saved Terry and Cynthia in the previous book). Vince is a shady character and covering Grace sucks the entire family into a world of guns, money and hidden goods across the town of Milford. Meanwhile, another group led by the mysterious Reggie wants something Vince has and will go to any lengths to get it. Can the family make it through another ordeal?
It’s amazing the book takes place over only a few days – in fact, most of the writing is in the first 48 hours as the crime is set up and the revealed slowly. What exactly happened to Grace and Stuart in the house? Is Grace a murderer or just unlucky? Terry is the unlikely hero as he thinks up ways to protect Grace and in doing so, becomes involved with Vince’s underworld dealings and a man he really doesn’t like. The occasional chapters about Reggie took me a while to warm to as they initially don’t seem to have any link to what’s going on with the Archers. When Reggie does show up in the main narrative though, the reader knows there’s going to be Big Trouble. We are also introduced to the character of Jane (she may have appeared in the first book, I’m not sure) – she was my favourite. She’s spunky, spiky and doesn’t take any lip. She could have her own series, she’s that street savvy and smart. Vince was another one that grew on me – he’s a gangster with a heart buried deep inside and has trouble expressing his feelings, something that Jane didn’t realise. He still had the ability to act in cold blood, which made him quite unpredictable and much better for the plot.
Cynthia – well, obviously she’s been through a lot, but I didn’t really warm to her. She’s overbearing one minute, then coolly breaking the law the next. Grace is a teenager with attitude who reverts into a little girl after her alleged crime. She’s got a bit of a mouth on her and seemed quite immature underneath. Terry’s got a lot of guts for a mild-mannered teacher. His devotion to his family is admirable, some of his actions stupid but never boring. The same can be said for the plot. Don’t expect flowery detail of the town, just action and a plot with a number of hairpin bends. While the final reveal was a little underwhelming, it was a wild ride that I enjoyed. You’ll never give anyone a house key without serious thought again.
Thank you to Hachette Australia and The Reading Room for the ARC of this book.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Cynthia returns in this book with her teenage daughter, Grace, making trouble. It’s the usual teenage stuff but Cynthia is super-controlling due to her past. When an incident takes Cynthia to breaking point, she moves out of home to stay at a friend’s apartment. Little does she know that she’s going to be taking a backseat in another wild ride that will threaten the family. The action is mainly told from Terry’s viewpoint (Cynthia’s husband) as a date with Stuart, a wild boy, goes horribly wrong for Grace. Breaking into a house for a joyride appears to have had deadly consequences and Grace turns to her father. Terry’s immediate reaction is to protect Grace, but in doing so, comes into contact with Vince (who just happened to have saved Terry and Cynthia in the previous book). Vince is a shady character and covering Grace sucks the entire family into a world of guns, money and hidden goods across the town of Milford. Meanwhile, another group led by the mysterious Reggie wants something Vince has and will go to any lengths to get it. Can the family make it through another ordeal?
It’s amazing the book takes place over only a few days – in fact, most of the writing is in the first 48 hours as the crime is set up and the revealed slowly. What exactly happened to Grace and Stuart in the house? Is Grace a murderer or just unlucky? Terry is the unlikely hero as he thinks up ways to protect Grace and in doing so, becomes involved with Vince’s underworld dealings and a man he really doesn’t like. The occasional chapters about Reggie took me a while to warm to as they initially don’t seem to have any link to what’s going on with the Archers. When Reggie does show up in the main narrative though, the reader knows there’s going to be Big Trouble. We are also introduced to the character of Jane (she may have appeared in the first book, I’m not sure) – she was my favourite. She’s spunky, spiky and doesn’t take any lip. She could have her own series, she’s that street savvy and smart. Vince was another one that grew on me – he’s a gangster with a heart buried deep inside and has trouble expressing his feelings, something that Jane didn’t realise. He still had the ability to act in cold blood, which made him quite unpredictable and much better for the plot.
Cynthia – well, obviously she’s been through a lot, but I didn’t really warm to her. She’s overbearing one minute, then coolly breaking the law the next. Grace is a teenager with attitude who reverts into a little girl after her alleged crime. She’s got a bit of a mouth on her and seemed quite immature underneath. Terry’s got a lot of guts for a mild-mannered teacher. His devotion to his family is admirable, some of his actions stupid but never boring. The same can be said for the plot. Don’t expect flowery detail of the town, just action and a plot with a number of hairpin bends. While the final reveal was a little underwhelming, it was a wild ride that I enjoyed. You’ll never give anyone a house key without serious thought again.
Thank you to Hachette Australia and The Reading Room for the ARC of this book.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
cl0ejo3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
valerie87's review against another edition
2.0
The second book in this series had a very promising start. I was really enjoying about the first 20%. Then it went downhill. So boring and the amount of profanity also spoiled the story. I’m not someone who is typically bothered by swearing now and then, but this was ridiculous.
Since I liked the first book, I will still give another one a try. Hopefully this was a one off.
Since I liked the first book, I will still give another one a try. Hopefully this was a one off.
mmc6661's review against another edition
4.0
I was fortunate to be able to download a preview copy of Barclay's newest novel No Safe House. It goes back to the characters from his first book No Time For Goodbye. While it brings back Terry and Cynthia the story itself is a standalone. As always Barclay writes a first class thriller that will keep you up past bedtime. A page turner !
carlg88's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book, cannot recommend this author highly enough. Keeps the reader guessing and eager to find out what happens on the next page. Make sure to have plenty of time when starting one of these books because I promise you won't want to put it down. The desire to know what happens next is strong !
Barclay does not disappoint.
Barclay does not disappoint.
tithonus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5