This week's edition of #NewTitleTuesday is written by one of the most reliable bets in the thriller genre, Linwood Barclay, a master of a kind of book you don't see much of on the shelves as you used to - the "airport thriller," shorthand for a kind of forgettable novel that one might pick up at an airport to pass the time. There's little that's forgettable about his newest, however: TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY is an excellent page-turner that is perfect for a summer thriller that will keep you glued to the pages, desperate to find out what happens next.
TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY begins with Brie Mason, a newly-married young woman who seemingly vanishes from her home without a trace. Hew husband, Andrew - you always suspect the husband, right? - was away on a fishing trip with plenty of witnesses and is confused and distraught over his wife's disappearance. Yet Andrew seems to be the focus of the investigation, as well as the topic of several rounds of true-crime documentaries and podcasts about the crime. However, time eventually does pass and Andrew moves on, moving to a new house and building a new life for himself, which includes a girlfriend with a young son. But.
Six years later, a woman who looks exactly like the missing Brie shows up at the Mason's old house, acting confused and as if no time at all had passed, which throws everyone's lives into chaos. Is she the real Brie? What happened to her? Is she back? The long-dormant investigation into Andrew picks up again, with Brie's suspicious sister Izzy leading the charge. Andrew must work to clear his own name, and his investigation - along with the police's - crank up to a fever pitch.
Twists and turns? You betcha. Barclay juggles plotlines like a Cirque du Soliel artist, keeping multiple balls in the air without ever losing track of the story. For those patrons who want a little sizzle in their summer reading, be sure to put TAKE MY BREATH AWAY on your holds lists. (No airport necessary.)