Fourteen-year-old Cynthia Bigge woke one morning to discover that her entire family–mother, father,brother–had vanished. No not...
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Dec 17, 2009
Bree
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it was written from the point of view of the woman's husband, and he takes you through the past, what little they know...starting with the 25th anniversary of her family's disappearance. About 1/3rd of the way through, you start to get pieces of the puzzle, but they throw in a lot of speculation about who could have done it. Parts of it kept me guessing right until the very end. LOVED this book!
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Mar 30, 2008
S
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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(4 people liked it)
Apr 01, 2008
Rebecca
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if you can stand the "F" word every other page, sometimes many times in one page...then read this book. Its a lot of fun and really interesting. If I cared enough tho, I'd write the author and tell him how a)unnecessary and b)annoying it was to have to see that word over and over again. I know to some people its not an issue at all but to me..blech. The book was so good on its own, it didn't need it AT ALL.
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Aug 04, 2008
Janice
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I gave this book five stars simply for entertainment value. It was almost like watching a film, the characters came to life and the whole book was great fun to read - who cares if the plot was a little implausable.
It's not the sort of book you'll want to keep and read again but enjoy it as a fast food treat. If you read it over a weekend as I did, beware, you might not get much else done.
It's not the sort of book you'll want to keep and read again but enjoy it as a fast food treat. If you read it over a weekend as I did, beware, you might not get much else done.
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Jan 05, 2009
Beth
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Because this book had rave reviews, I feel justified in launching into a few criticisms.
1.The first person narrator is a high school English teacher yet he insists on colloquialisms (or just plain bad grammar) such as, "Me and Grace went to the store." (Not an actual quote but close.)
2. The tone slips. When Vince comes on stage, we move from Stephen King creepiness to slapstick comedy.
3. Clearly the book was written for the movie version which means there's a lot o More...
1.The first person narrator is a high school English teacher yet he insists on colloquialisms (or just plain bad grammar) such as, "Me and Grace went to the store." (Not an actual quote but close.)
2. The tone slips. When Vince comes on stage, we move from Stephen King creepiness to slapstick comedy.
3. Clearly the book was written for the movie version which means there's a lot o More...
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(3 people liked it)
Oct 02, 2008
Michael
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After having a fight with her parents, fourteen year old Cynthia Bigge wakes up to find her entire family has mysterious vanished without a trace. Twenty-five years later, the mystery of just what happened to them remains unsolved, leading Cynthia to agree to a segment on a popular reality show in the hopes of finding a few answers about the past that haunts her.
Following the show's airing, a series of mysterious events begins to occur including a mysterious car following her daught More...
Following the show's airing, a series of mysterious events begins to occur including a mysterious car following her daught More...
Mar 19, 2009
Vivian
rated it: 
I picked this one up because the description reminded me of Harlan Coben's books, but was disappointed. The first half of the book, in which Barclay set up his story, is more description than action. I found it pretty boring. No great writing here either. So many readers have commented on the mounting suspense in this book. I found none of that. I felt none of the shock or sense of dread that I usually get when I read a mystery/thriller. Two thirds into the book, I didn't care what actually happ
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(5 people liked it)
Mar 01, 2009
Maggie
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Very unexpected, at times very humorous, this book offered something essential: the need to keep reading until I knew what had happened. The characters, especially the daughter, were very well-defined and I cared about what happened to them
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(4 people liked it)
Feb 01, 2008
Jen
rated it: 
I don't normally read thrillers, but for some reason this caught my eye, perhaps it was because the plot line wasn't your typical mystery/thriller fare. Basically a girl wakes up in the morning and her family is gone...vanished...no sign of struggle and no clue to where they are or why the disappeared. Twenty five years later she is living the typical American life when the incident all comes to the forefront again.
The plot and pace of the story give it 4 starts, possibly almost 5, More...
The plot and pace of the story give it 4 starts, possibly almost 5, More...
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Jul 27, 2011
Read this yesterday, sorta inbetween other books and I liked it.
The first half was much more thrilling than the second but that's usually the case with me and thrillers. I don't like the part, where the whole mystery starts to be revealed.
I liked the whole idea of the story (SPOILER ALERT!):
A girl has a big fight with her parents because she is 14 and drunk. She goes to bed, more or less passes out for the night and when she wakes up the following morning, her parents and her brother are gone More...
The first half was much more thrilling than the second but that's usually the case with me and thrillers. I don't like the part, where the whole mystery starts to be revealed.
I liked the whole idea of the story (SPOILER ALERT!):
A girl has a big fight with her parents because she is 14 and drunk. She goes to bed, more or less passes out for the night and when she wakes up the following morning, her parents and her brother are gone More...
Feb 22, 2011
Michele
rated it:
Looking for a thriller that you don't want to put down? Then you need to read No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. [return][return]This book is definitely a page turner! Cynthia's paranoia - is it in her head? Something she's doing - maybe a split personality? What happened to her family? Are they really dead? I cannot imagine for even a second that my family would just disappear. It's not even in my ability to imagine. Knowing that, I can imagine how if that were to happen, how messed up I w
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Oct 25, 2010
Jess
rated it:
“No Time for Goodbye” was an exciting thriller revolving around the disappearance of Cynthia Bigge’s family. 25 years later, Cynthia and her husband Terry decides to appear on a television show in hopes to find hints or clues that can lead to Cynthia’s family. This was the beginning of uncovering the truth, as well as leading a very significant part in Cynthia and Terry’s life.
This story was written in the perspective of Cynthia’s husband, Terry Archer. It was interesting because More...
This story was written in the perspective of Cynthia’s husband, Terry Archer. It was interesting because More...
Oct 21, 2010
Pamela
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Oct 21, 2010
Chelsea
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“What if…” – we, as human beings, fear this phrase. What if you woke up one morning to an oddly silent home? What if you walked into a normally bustling kitchen to find that it is totally still? What if your entire family disappeared overnight? What if – it’s a scary phrase, eh?
No Time for Goodbye, written by Canadian author Linwood Barclay, is a thriller that will keep you hanging on the edge from the first word until the final statement. I have never been a big fan of suspense novels, a More...
No Time for Goodbye, written by Canadian author Linwood Barclay, is a thriller that will keep you hanging on the edge from the first word until the final statement. I have never been a big fan of suspense novels, a More...
Sep 06, 2010
Tony
rated it:
Linwood Barclay- No Time for Goodbye (Bantam Books 2008) 4 Stars
After a fight with her parents late one night, Cynthia Bigge wakes up to find that her whole family has just disappeared. She was fourteen at the time and after twenty-five years there are still no clues as to what could have happened. Now she has a family of her own, but she is still haunted by the memories of what happened and the many unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of the vanishing act. Suddenly it More...
After a fight with her parents late one night, Cynthia Bigge wakes up to find that her whole family has just disappeared. She was fourteen at the time and after twenty-five years there are still no clues as to what could have happened. Now she has a family of her own, but she is still haunted by the memories of what happened and the many unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of the vanishing act. Suddenly it More...
Jun 09, 2010
Denise
rated it:
4.0 out of 5 stars A thriller without the grisly details, July 19, 2008
THIS IS MY FAVORITE BARCLAY
This review is from: No Time for Goodbye (Hardcover)
Lately I've been really disappointed in fiction books that attempt to be thrillers but really are just recitations of murders and torture, each more grisly than the last. I think I've read about all the possible ways to kill, maim, torture and otherwise visit horror on other human beings by everything from psycho ki More...
THIS IS MY FAVORITE BARCLAY
This review is from: No Time for Goodbye (Hardcover)
Lately I've been really disappointed in fiction books that attempt to be thrillers but really are just recitations of murders and torture, each more grisly than the last. I think I've read about all the possible ways to kill, maim, torture and otherwise visit horror on other human beings by everything from psycho ki More...
Mar 09, 2010
Brittney
rated it:
Murder mysteries and thrillers are often the only types of novels I read. I have come across many, both weak and strong and even corny, but this is most definitely my favourite yet. For those of you who enjoy a strong story that can turn around in an instant or one with curious and appealing characters, I think you will agree.
And somehow Barclay does just that, distributes to you both. He mixes an assortment of writing styles and focuses deeply on many key ideas leading to capture a wide More...
And somehow Barclay does just that, distributes to you both. He mixes an assortment of writing styles and focuses deeply on many key ideas leading to capture a wide More...
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Feb 16, 2010
Rachel
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Oct 03, 2009
Louise
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Whoa...what a blow-me-away, one seat, page-turner!!! Linwood Barclay just keeps out doing himself. It's a mystery, a thriller, back to a mystery, revs up to a harder, heart-pounding thriller to an unbelievable volcano spewing and flawless ending! Wow...what a story! WHERE, WHERE, WHERE is his next one? Gotta go get it...NOW!!
From back cover:
"Fourteen-year-old Cynthia Bigge woke one morning to discover that her entire family-mother, father, older brother-had vanished. More...
From back cover:
"Fourteen-year-old Cynthia Bigge woke one morning to discover that her entire family-mother, father, older brother-had vanished. More...
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Sep 07, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
I was recommended this book by friend who told me she couldn't put it down.
I agree that this book does have some page turning quality, but any hint of excitement at the mystery unfolding was completely overshadowed by the terribly poorly executed and unbelievable narrative.
The story is told by the husband, and he is quite possibly the most uninteresting character I have come across for quite some time. Dry, drab and monotone in his dialogue where any hint of feeling is ex More...
I agree that this book does have some page turning quality, but any hint of excitement at the mystery unfolding was completely overshadowed by the terribly poorly executed and unbelievable narrative.
The story is told by the husband, and he is quite possibly the most uninteresting character I have come across for quite some time. Dry, drab and monotone in his dialogue where any hint of feeling is ex More...
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Aug 18, 2009
Stephen
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In 1993 Thomas H. Cook published a book called Mortal Memory, in which a young man comes home from school to find his mother and sister murdered, and his father gone. He assumed his father had waited for him to come home to kill him, too. Mortal Memory was a very good book.
No Time for Goodbye was published in 2007, and the premise is a fourteen year old girl goes to bed drunk, wakes up to find her entire family missing. Nothing is out of place, they are simply gone.
More...
No Time for Goodbye was published in 2007, and the premise is a fourteen year old girl goes to bed drunk, wakes up to find her entire family missing. Nothing is out of place, they are simply gone.
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(1 person liked it)
Sep 09, 2009
Shona
rated it:
This is the first book I have read by Barclay and so I was not sure what to expect from it and thankfully I was given a real treat of a read.
Could you imagine being 14 and waking up one morning to find that your family had disappeared? Well try and imagine that and the fact that 25 years on you are still no closer to working out what happened and where they are?
Well this is exactly what happened to Cynthia who woke up to find her mum, dad and brother to have vanished. 25 More...
Could you imagine being 14 and waking up one morning to find that your family had disappeared? Well try and imagine that and the fact that 25 years on you are still no closer to working out what happened and where they are?
Well this is exactly what happened to Cynthia who woke up to find her mum, dad and brother to have vanished. 25 More...
Jul 19, 2011
Jamie
rated it:
This has to be one of my favourite books of all time. I love the crime and mystery in the book and feel that it is very well paced out.
The story follows Cynthia Archer who wakes up as a teenager one day to find that her family (Dad,Mum and younger Brother) are missing and there is no note left.
The story follows Cynthia Archer trying to find her family while she has a family of her own and she takes part in a TV documentary in which she feels will be able to help her to find her fam More...
The story follows Cynthia Archer who wakes up as a teenager one day to find that her family (Dad,Mum and younger Brother) are missing and there is no note left.
The story follows Cynthia Archer trying to find her family while she has a family of her own and she takes part in a TV documentary in which she feels will be able to help her to find her fam More...
Jun 11, 2011
Dominiek
rated it:
Linwood Barclay. De auteur was mij onbekend, maar dit werd met zijn "Zonder een Woord" meer dan goed gemaakt.
Op 15-jarige leeftijd wordt Cynthia Archer wakker en het huis blijkt leeg: haar beide ouders en broer waren verdwenen. 25 jaar later weet Cynthia nog steeds niet wat er toen gebeurd is, daarom neemt ze deel aan een TV-programma waarin deze Cold Case wordt opgerakeld. Waarna er steeds meer tekenen opduiken dat de zaak nog helemaal niet afgesloten is...
Zonder e More...
Op 15-jarige leeftijd wordt Cynthia Archer wakker en het huis blijkt leeg: haar beide ouders en broer waren verdwenen. 25 jaar later weet Cynthia nog steeds niet wat er toen gebeurd is, daarom neemt ze deel aan een TV-programma waarin deze Cold Case wordt opgerakeld. Waarna er steeds meer tekenen opduiken dat de zaak nog helemaal niet afgesloten is...
Zonder e More...
Apr 30, 2010
Patty
rated it:
This was a fun read. I was a little leery because sometimes books labeled "thriller" are a bit too much for me - too much action, too much violence, too much murky storyline.
None of that was in this book. When 14 year old Cynthia had a fight with her parents over boys, booze and curfew it doesn't seem like much more than a typical rebel teenager vs. strict parents. But the next morning when Cynthia wakes up the house is empty and her father, mother and brother are missin More...
None of that was in this book. When 14 year old Cynthia had a fight with her parents over boys, booze and curfew it doesn't seem like much more than a typical rebel teenager vs. strict parents. But the next morning when Cynthia wakes up the house is empty and her father, mother and brother are missin More...
Sep 04, 2009
Carol
rated it:
Grabbed this book on a whim as I was dashing out the door to the airport. It ended up being an entertaining read for the plane ride to Panama. After a night of teen drinking, Cynthia Archer wakes to find her family missing. This plot has been explored in many ways by different authors. Barclay's take on what happened to the family is not extraoridnary but neither is it boring. I was able to figure out who did what before the end of the book but that was not a bad thing. What made the read for me
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May 09, 2010
Shelley
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Aug 29, 2010
Misha
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I don't read thrillers that much. Mainly this is because most of them seem to provide just senseless excitement and lack actual plotline.
No Time for goodbye not only raises the bar for thrillers, its also an intelligently written book. Its not just about momentary adrenaline rush, its very well-written too. The robotic quality that so many thrillers have is lacking here, its very human.
The novel is gripping and intriguing. It proceeds at breakneck speed. When I had started reading it More...
No Time for goodbye not only raises the bar for thrillers, its also an intelligently written book. Its not just about momentary adrenaline rush, its very well-written too. The robotic quality that so many thrillers have is lacking here, its very human.
The novel is gripping and intriguing. It proceeds at breakneck speed. When I had started reading it More...
Jan 23, 2012
Natalie
rated it:
Cynthia Bigge was 14 yrs old when she found that she was alone in her house. But she didnt think other-wise of it. She went about her day with no mom, no big brother, and no dad. Her mother usuallyn left a note telling her what to expect for the day. She has no note from her mom, and worst when she goes to school no one has seen her brother-Todd-.That part of Cynthia's life would have been a day she never wanted to have happened to her. She didnt want to find that her entire family disappeared.
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