Linwood Barclay, Fear the Worst

Car salesman Tim Blake has his teenage daughter Syd staying with him for the summer. She works the desk at the Just In Time Inn but one day fails to come home from her job. The days pass without a word from her and the cops have no clues though they assume she is just another runaway. Tim searches for his daughter. He asks people if they have recently seen her, but no one has. One of Syd's friends sets up a website so if someone does they can contact Tim ASAP.

A woman Yolanda Mills emails Tim saying she saw Syd in a shelter in Seattle. Tim travels there, but he does not find Syd or Yolanda. He returns home to find someone broke into his house; everything is wrecked but nothing seems taken as if they searched for something. He calls the police who find cocaine in his home, but the cops believe it is a plant. Tim keeps searching and the results are car chases, getting shot, finding the enemy, killing the enemy and setting up an investigation that surpasses what the police are doing.

Readers who enjoy the thrillers of T. Jefferson Parker and Joseph Finder will relish Linwood Barclay's latest tale. The story line is enthralling to watch an everyman hunting for his beloved daughter as he fears the worst has happened to her; however he will soon learn that there are even more terrible things than he nightmares imagined; his blunders bring plausibility to the plot. Filled with twists and suspense, the audience will be spellbound to learn what happens next.

Harriet Klausner