Fear the Worst

By: Linwood Barclay

Narrated by: Buck Schirner

“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.

©2009 Linwood Barclay (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“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

Favorite of all time so far!! GREAT Author!!!

What made the experience of listening to Fear the Worst the most enjoyable?

I have to say sometimes when you listen to these the narration is so bad...this is one of the best I have heard. Had me laughing at parts with the voices. LAUGH OUT LOUD! Great story, I could hardly stop listening!!

What other book might you compare Fear the Worst to and why?

All of Barclay's books have been FANTASTIC!!

Have you listened to any of Buck Schirner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have never heard him before but he is the best or at least in the top 5 of all I have heard before.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed at several parts. The back and forth between Sid's Dad and "Bob" were so funny at times.

Any additional comments?

Great book....great story....great narration.....for sure a DOUBLE THUMBS UP!!

Another Barclays winner

Exciting , interesting story! I always enjoy Barclay’s books so this was no exception. Believable characters and a main guy that you can identify with. The main character’s daughter has gone missing and no one seems to want to help. Once he starts looking for her, bad things start to happen and the cops aren’t any help at all. The ensuing story is the pursuit in finding his daughter no matter the cost. Well written and engaging story.
The narrator of this story was great too. Expertly done with different character voices and pacing.

Another Great Read from Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay books are simply awesome! ALL of them, and Fear the Worst is no exception. I was glued to my device. The characters are well developed, and relatable. They could be your neighbors. If you've enjoyed his other books, you will not be disappointed with this one. If you haven’t read Linwood Barclay yet, now’s the time!

loved everything until the last minute

Linwood Barclay has a good knack for creating characters, and his writing (and Buck Schirner's narration) do bring them to life. It's a good story, complicated enough to be interesting but straightforward enough to be understandable and I loved it all......until the final sentence in the last minute. Still, in spite of the ending, it was an enjoyable listen adn well worth the time and money. I'm sure it won't be my last book of his.

slow start abrupt ending

it was very slow to grap mYuny attention and then the story just ended. An epilog would have been good.