The Accident Propels Linwood Barclay Onto My To-Read List

Linwood Barclay's latest thriller starts off with a bang -- literally. Although the author kills characters off at every turn of the page, all that death only serves to accelerate his novel rather than squash it. Barclay won't be winning the National Book Award for his efforts anytime soon, but he might just snatch an Edgar or a Dagger. I read this novel every chance I had, and finished it in about two days.

The Accident begins in New York City with a crime in Chinatown in a back alley knockoff handbag shop. Barclay then takes the action to Milford, Connecticut, a suburb, where Glen Garber and his wife live a sedate, family-driven life. But when Sheila Garber is killed in an accident which she seems to have caused, their quiet life is turned upside down.

Things in their small Connecticut town continue to spiral downward, as one crime after another pops up. Glen fights to clear his wife's name, but causes a domino effect as he does so. The most surprising characters in this novel reveal their inner criminal, and I'll just have to stop there. Truly, no plot point can be discussed at any length without revealing too much.

The Accident is about the crimes inside us all, from the smallest white lies to the larger, punishable-by-law crimes. Barclay's characters are well-written and his plot flawless. I had previously only read one Barclay thriller, 2009's Too Close to Home; now I'll be downloading his backlist onto my Kindle Touch. If you're looking for a fast-paced, engaging thriller, The Accident is the book for you.