Fear the Worst Audiobook, by Linwood Barclay Play Audiobook Sample

Fear the Worst Audiobook

Fear the Worst Audiobook, by Linwood Barclay Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Buck Schirner Publisher: Brilliance Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 8.33 hours at 1.5x Speed 6.25 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: August 2009 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781423398424

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

46

Longest Chapter Length:

45:17 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

06:43 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

16:14 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

16

Other Audiobooks Written by Linwood Barclay: > View All...

Publisher Description

“An uncomfortably plausible tale . . . Barclay's pacing is impeccable. . . . A page-turner that keeps the reader guessing until the end.”—Denver Post

Tim Blake is an average guy. He sells cars. He has an ex-wife who’s moved in with another man. It’s not a life without hassles, but nothing will prepare him for when his daughter, Sydney, vanishes into thin air. 

At the hotel where she supposedly worked, no one has ever heard of her. Even her closest friends seem to be at a loss. As he retraces Sydney’s steps, Tim discovers that the suburban Connecticut town he always thought of as idyllic is anything but. What he doesn’t know is that his every move is being watched. There are others who want to find Sydney as much as Tim does. And the closer Tim comes to the truth, the closer he comes to every parent’s worst nightmare—and the kind of evil only a parent’s love has a chance in hell of stopping.

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"Of the three Linwood Barclay stand-alone thrillers I've read (No Time For Goodbye, Too Close to Home and Fear the Worst), this one took me the longest to become really involved in the characters' plight. Perhaps it was because, while I can sympathize with Tim Blake's distress at the thought of his daughter going missing, I couldn't really *feel* it because I am not a parent and don't actually possess much maternal instinct. To compare with the other two, I could fully imagine the horror of waking up one morning to discover my whole family was gone, or the next-door neighbours being murdered and realizing that the killers had visited the wrong house. Also there was a lot of discussion of cars at the beginning (fitting, considering Tim works at a car dealership), and it didn't sound quite natural to have a protagonist talking that way. But then I reasoned, well, if this is really a car salesman telling his story, of course he's going to describe the cars a lot, and it'll sound awkward until you get used to it. However, don't let this first paragraph make you think I disliked the book. Far from it. Yes it took a chapter or two to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked. This is a tense, puzzling plot. Where has Sydney Blake disappeared to? Why are the staff at the hotel where she worked insisting that they'd never heard of her? What has happened? As Tim gets deeper into the mystery, it turns more and more nightmarish, and the reader gets sucked in as well. Linwood has excellent plotting skills, as usual, and no narrative element is wasted. Also this is probably one of the most interesting explorations of the theme of "your past actions will come back to haunt you" I have ever come across -- sperm donors may be rather unsettled after reading this. Verdict: Recommended for Linwood fans. Newcomers may want to try Too Close to Home first before coming to this one."

— rabbitprincess (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “Readers will find themselves desperate to finish just one more page before putting the book down . . . a page-turning thriller that’s intense, compelling, and for the most part, expertly paced.

    — Kirkus
  • Barclay earns a solid A for his page-turning plot.“—Publishers Weekly

  • “Gripping…Unfold[s] with mounting tension and suspense…believable and scary for being rooted in human-sized characters and laced with saving humor.

    — Wall Street Journal

Awards

  • Selected for the September 2009 Indie Next List

Fear the Worst Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.30555555555556 out of 53.30555555555556 out of 53.30555555555556 out of 53.30555555555556 out of 53.30555555555556 out of 5 (3.31)
5 Stars: 4
4 Stars: 15
3 Stars: 8
2 Stars: 6
1 Stars: 3
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " What would you do to find your child? "

    — Christine, 2/12/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This book has a great story line that made me excited to read it! What a disappointment. It was boring and a few things happened in the end that made the whole story seem ridiculous to me. Waste of time. "

    — Tammy, 2/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Messy! A teen daughter disappears from work. This story involves "human trafficing" of young girls. "

    — Kathy, 2/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " some interesting parts; overall, not the best version of a common theme: kid goes missing "

    — Zank, 2/7/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I have to say either the author did a heck of a lot of research about cars, or he was a used car salesman in a previous life. I swear I learned more buying preowned cars by reading this book than I ever cared to know ... although there were a couple of interesting tidbits about what to look for. The story itself was, meh, not the best I read this year, but it certainly wasn't the worst. "

    — Vicki, 1/14/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This is a parent's worst nightmare: your daughter doesn't come home from her summer job one night. Worse than that, nobody at the supposed job has ever heard of her. So where was Syd going every day & where is she now? "

    — Mary, 1/12/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I also read No Time for Goodbye. Both are very suspenseful. "

    — Beth, 1/6/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Another can't-put-down thriller. When his daughter goes missing, a used car salesman takes it upon himself to find her. "

    — Ace, 12/17/2013
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " By page 20, I knew this one was a stinker. I didn't like either character, and it seemed implausible to me already... "

    — Lisa, 11/30/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " It's story of a father looking for his missing daughter. The beginning of the story is good but the end part of the novel is bit filmy. Overall it's a nice read. "

    — Nisha, 11/21/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " a great thriller-full of twists- "

    — Rebecca, 11/19/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " O, this was a good thriller! Barclay gives the reader a simple car salesman whose daughter goes missing. He adds a touch of humor here and there, some action scenes and some true to life dialogue. The only thing lacking was romance, but the hints were quite enough. "

    — Judee, 11/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Barclay is the master of plot propulsion. It's always "just one more page...just one more chapter". Impossible to put down and crazy action. "

    — Marie, 6/4/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Another Linwood Barclay that didn't disappoint. Stayed up way too late because I needed to finish it. "

    — Colleen, 1/11/2013
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " I don't expect much out of thrillers, just a solid story and believable characters. This was crap from every angle. Linwood Barclay should find a new day job. "

    — Dena, 10/3/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I find that this author is sneaky. He springs relationships between the characters that you never see coming. I like that! "

    — Jeri, 8/23/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I really enjoyed this one- I love Linwood Barclay books. This one had me wanting to keep turning the pages- and work was getting in the way!!!!! "

    — Kim, 6/19/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Another cracking page-turner from this author. Hooked from the start and kept me reading through to the end to see what happened next and what further plot twists there would be. "

    — Mark, 5/1/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Really love Barclay's books! "

    — Nancy, 3/12/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A thrilling page turner. Some parts were a bit far fetched, but overall an exciting read. "

    — Debra, 3/10/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This is a parents nightmare. Teenage daughter goes missing, the dad goes to her job and the people there say they have never heard of her. The dad doesn't stop looking until he gets to the truth. Very good twist right at the end!! "

    — Joy, 3/3/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I loved the characters in this book. It kept me reading and i didnt want to put it down. I wish some things were wrapped up at the end, but even though they werent i still loved it. "

    — Jenna, 7/24/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I read this through the library's "blind date with a book" program. I picked one of the books in brown paper packages, and this was it. It was a pretty good read. Suspense, intrigue and violence. I got into it, but will probably not look for more books by Linwood Barclay right now. "

    — Lea, 6/9/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Enjoyable enough, passed the time without too much trouble, though he seems to be writing to a bit of a formula, judging from the previous books of his I have read. Saying that though it's hardly a crime, and no-ones forced me to read them "

    — Col2910, 5/22/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This book started out really good but somehow in the middle it all went terribly wrong, things just didn't seem possible or believable about all how these people meshed together in some way. It could of went way better than originally told. "

    — Dana, 5/7/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Excellent read, kept you guessing right until the end. "

    — Sharon, 5/1/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This one had a few surprises. "

    — Laurie, 4/23/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Terrific thriller. Best book that I have read in awhile!! "

    — Harriet, 4/22/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " While searching for his missing 17-year-old daughter, a father uncovers some unsavory secrets about some of the people in his town - secrets that could get both him and his daughter killed. Excellent suspense. "

    — Dorothy, 4/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " My first Linwood Barclay book. This was an audiobook, and the narrator was very good. "

    — Debbie, 4/15/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " A decent thriller, which seems to have been written with the movie-adaptation in mind. The writing is fine, but this is not a writerly book (as most thrillers aren't, of course). Every scene is shaped by its visuals, composition, and camera angles. "

    — Leslie, 4/10/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Linwood Barclay just keeps pumping out this fabulous books, this man is a genius! "

    — Nicole, 3/29/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " a great thriller-full of twists- "

    — Rebecca, 3/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This really was like an action movie on the page. It wasn't great, but it held my attention while I was reading it. (I agree with other reviewers that naming the make and model of every single car ever mentioned was annoying.) "

    — Steph, 3/11/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " No where near as good as no time for goodbye. I got quite bored at times and found myself skipping paragraphs at a time because of this. I wouldn't recommend this particularly if you have read his earlier work. "

    — Ruth, 3/9/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " The daughter of a divorced, down on his luck car salesaman goes missing in this fairly routine thriller. It turns out that father didn't know his daughter so well. The story was okay, no trees were torn up but it was an easy enough read. "

    — Joe, 2/23/2011

About Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay is the author of more than twenty novels and two thrillers for children. His books have been translated into more than two dozen languages. He wrote the screenplay adaptation for his novel Never Saw it Coming, and his book The Accident has been made into a television series in France. His novel No Time for Goodbye was a global bestseller.

About Buck Schirner

Buck Schirner’s professional career has primarily been on stage as a character actor. He is currently active in the theater scene in Philadelphia. Buck also appears in the independent film In the Woods.