“The night they killed our neighbors, we never heard a thing.”
In a quiet suburban neighborhood, in a house only one door away,... read full description
In a quiet suburban neighborhood, in a house only one door away,... read full description
reviews
Sep 29, 2011
dubh
rated it: 
Der Beginn ist packend – sofort ist man mit Derek in der Situation, auch wenn ich mich anfangs über die etwas pubertäre Art und Weise des Jungen geärgert habe (sie aber nicht sonderlich unrealistisch finde). Und so erlebt man quasi mit, welche Angst Derek im Keller der Nachbarn hat, als er die Geschehnisse über ihm wahrnimmt... Noch schlimmer: der Killer kommt sogar in den Keller, findet den Jungen aber glücklicherweise nicht. Und so kommt dieser anschließend angsterfüllt nach oben, sieht die Le
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May 27, 2011
Phlaemmle
rated it: 
Dem Tode verdammt nahe
dank durchlesener Nacht ;-). Schon lange hat mich kein Thriller dermaßen in den Bann gezogen. Zwar gibt es vorübergehende Durststrecken, diese geben einem jedoch eher die Möglichkeit Luft zu holen und das Buch für einige Minuten wegzulegen.
Lange hält man es nicht aus, da man bis kurz vor Schluss nur ein Gefühl hat, wer der Täter sein könnte und wie alles zusammenhängt. Schön sind die verschiedenen Erzählstränge, auch wenn diese nicht wirklich etwas mit dem Fa More...
dank durchlesener Nacht ;-). Schon lange hat mich kein Thriller dermaßen in den Bann gezogen. Zwar gibt es vorübergehende Durststrecken, diese geben einem jedoch eher die Möglichkeit Luft zu holen und das Buch für einige Minuten wegzulegen.
Lange hält man es nicht aus, da man bis kurz vor Schluss nur ein Gefühl hat, wer der Täter sein könnte und wie alles zusammenhängt. Schön sind die verschiedenen Erzählstränge, auch wenn diese nicht wirklich etwas mit dem Fa More...
Mar 10, 2011
sabisteb
rated it:
Irgendwie hat jeder Dreck am Stecken (S. 353) fasst dieses Buch eigentlich ganz gut zusammen. Man versinkt im amerikanischen Kleinstadtsumpf mit allen kleinen und großen Intrigen.
Das Buch ist spannend geschrieben, obwohl mir ab der Mitte eigentlich schon klar war, welche beiden Fälle verwoben sind und wie es ausgehen wird, aber der Weg ist das Ziel und der Autor schreibt angenehm flüssig und spannend.
Was ich selstsam fand, ist dass so ein Theater um eine Diskette gemacht wird. Hallo? More...
Das Buch ist spannend geschrieben, obwohl mir ab der Mitte eigentlich schon klar war, welche beiden Fälle verwoben sind und wie es ausgehen wird, aber der Weg ist das Ziel und der Autor schreibt angenehm flüssig und spannend.
Was ich selstsam fand, ist dass so ein Theater um eine Diskette gemacht wird. Hallo? More...
Feb 07, 2011
Stephen
rated it:
This novel is written in the first person, the character is Jim Cutter, who is Derek's father. Jim is a decent, average sort of guy who earns a living cutting people's lawns. Too Close to Home was written in 2008 and has 466 pages. This story is a crime thriller with an intensive plot and a haunting narrative.
What motive was there to kill all of the Langley family? You do not read about a motive but an aura of suspicion abounds. Jim Cutter is feeling lost in the mystery of the triple m More...
What motive was there to kill all of the Langley family? You do not read about a motive but an aura of suspicion abounds. Jim Cutter is feeling lost in the mystery of the triple m More...
Jan 01, 2010
Jason_W.
rated it:
This book is about a guy named Jim Cutter who had worked for the Mayor of their town until he got into trouble. Jim, his son, and his wife live next door to a family that was brutally murdered. In this small town a triple murder was rare and brought up contreversy. Jim starts questioning himself, that they could have been killed. As Jim uncovers the mystery they now find out the towns secrets, most of which that were never meant to be found. As he already knows things aren't always as they seem,
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Oct 12, 2009
Louise
rated it:
Another phenomenal, fast-paced, page-turner from Linwood Barclay. Barclay is a gifted "thriller/mystery" author who offers many twists, turns, and round-abouts in this novel that you'll constantly be second guessing yourself over, only to give up and once again begin to try to piece it all together again. The surprises, the constant pace, and the pounding in your chest just keeps going faster and faster, page after page after page!
From back cover:
"In a quie More...
From back cover:
"In a quie More...
Feb 08, 2010
Kelly
rated it: 
When the next door neighbours are murdered, the Cutter family are horrified, but then they start to wonder, did the killer go into the wrong house by mistake? Each of the Cutter family are hiding their own secrets, and it's about time they all came to light...
This was better than I was expecting it to be, I thought the ending was going to be a let down like it was with No Time For Goodbye, but it wasn't as bad as that luckily. The plot line was interesting enough, there were a few su More...
This was better than I was expecting it to be, I thought the ending was going to be a let down like it was with No Time For Goodbye, but it wasn't as bad as that luckily. The plot line was interesting enough, there were a few su More...
Aug 10, 2011
Naomi
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Aug 31, 2009
Michael
rated it:
Derek Cutter thinks he's got it made. His neighbors are going on vacation. He's going to hide in the house and when they're gone, this seventeen year old will have a place to party with his girlfirend, Penny,for a week.
Plans are made to be broken. The family returns home because the mother, Mrs. Langley has become ill. Derek is still in the basement when he hears another car pull up. Suddenly he hears gunshots as the newcomer kills Mr. and Mrs. Landley and their son, Adam.
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Plans are made to be broken. The family returns home because the mother, Mrs. Langley has become ill. Derek is still in the basement when he hears another car pull up. Suddenly he hears gunshots as the newcomer kills Mr. and Mrs. Landley and their son, Adam.
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Oct 31, 2011
Terri Lynn
rated it:
Wow, was this a page-turner! I loved this mystery. Jim and Ellen Cutter's son has what he thinks is a brilliant idea. Their neighbor Albert Langley, his horny wife, and their son Adam who is the teen friend of the Cutter's son Derek are going on a vacation. Derek pretends to leave to go home as they are about to go out the door only he goes to the basement and hides out in the crawl space. He thinks while they are gone he can have sex with girlfriend Penny all week long.
The Langleys More...
The Langleys More...
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Jan 04, 2009
Too Close to Home, by Linwood Barclay, B-plus, narrated by Christopher Lane, produced by Brilliance Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
The story begins innocently enough. Derek has the bright idea to use the basement of his best friend’s home, while they’re gone on vacation, as a love nest for himself and his girl friend, Penny. To that end, he sneaks into the basement instead of leaving the house. He hears the family leave. He wanders around the house for a while, calls his girl More...
The story begins innocently enough. Derek has the bright idea to use the basement of his best friend’s home, while they’re gone on vacation, as a love nest for himself and his girl friend, Penny. To that end, he sneaks into the basement instead of leaving the house. He hears the family leave. He wanders around the house for a while, calls his girl More...
Jan 20, 2010
Viccy
rated it:
Derek Cutter is looking forward to spending some alone time with his girlfriend in his best friend’s empty house while they are out of town on vacation. Unfortunately, his friend’s mom gets sick and they return home. While Derek listens from the basement in horror, the Langleys are murdered. There appears to be no motive for the crime and the police arrest 17-year-old Derek as their only suspect. Jim and Ellen Cutter, Derek’s parents, are horrified. Jim has dropped out of the corporate rat race
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Nov 15, 2011
Kolleen
rated it:
I got this book from the Bookswap (RIP!, just when I was getting to know you!). I don't typically read stories like this, I usually prefer dramatic novels, but I wanted to switch it up a bit.
Too Close to Home is about the Langley's, neighbors who were brutally murdered in their own home. From there on it, the story takes us in a million different directions and Whodunits. Could it be Derek, the pervy neighborhood teenager who witnessed the murders after he snuck into the basemen More...
Too Close to Home is about the Langley's, neighbors who were brutally murdered in their own home. From there on it, the story takes us in a million different directions and Whodunits. Could it be Derek, the pervy neighborhood teenager who witnessed the murders after he snuck into the basemen More...
Jun 19, 2011
Dominiek
rated it:
Ja hoor. Ik ben verslingerd aan Linwood Barclay. Opnieuw een bijzonder goede thriller in een setting die voor iedereen wel enigszins herkenbaar zal zijn, onder het motto "het kan ook jou overkomen!".
Een doordeweeks gezin. Hun buren keren vroegtijdig terug uit vakantie en worden koelbloedig afgeslacht. Toevallig zat de zoon van dat doordeweeks gezin wel in dat huis, terwijl hij daar eigenlijk niet mocht zijn. En bovendien blijkt het gezin eigenlijk toch niet zo doordeweeks, More...
Een doordeweeks gezin. Hun buren keren vroegtijdig terug uit vakantie en worden koelbloedig afgeslacht. Toevallig zat de zoon van dat doordeweeks gezin wel in dat huis, terwijl hij daar eigenlijk niet mocht zijn. En bovendien blijkt het gezin eigenlijk toch niet zo doordeweeks, More...
Sep 04, 2011
Bettie
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Feb 03, 2009
Laren
rated it:
A husband, wife and their teenage son are murdered and the next door neighbors (also a husband, wife and teenaged son) are left wondering why. Told from the point of view of the husband, this one has many secrets and twists, the first of which is unveiled in the first chapter when we learn his son was in the neighbor's house at the time of the murders. When he is arrested for the crime, our protagonist becomes more personally involved in finding out what really happened. Along the way, the pl
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Oct 12, 2011
Christie
rated it: 
Linwood Barclay has been compared to Harlan Coben. I’ve only read a couple Coben novels and they were okay. Too Close to Home is okay, too. But just okay.
Jim Cutter used to drive the mayor of Promise Falls around. The mayor’s a bit of an ass and Jim’s just not the kind of guy to put up with his shenanigans. Now he owns a lawn care company, but the book makes it clear that Jim’s way too smart for the job. His wife, Ellen, organizes a big literary festival for the local college, the pr More...
Jim Cutter used to drive the mayor of Promise Falls around. The mayor’s a bit of an ass and Jim’s just not the kind of guy to put up with his shenanigans. Now he owns a lawn care company, but the book makes it clear that Jim’s way too smart for the job. His wife, Ellen, organizes a big literary festival for the local college, the pr More...
May 15, 2010
Kate
rated it:
I debated between a 3 & 4 stars but ultimately decided it deserved 4 stars as it really did keep me engrossed & entertained.
I love the way it read, the language was so conversational. The 17 year old male character didn't seem forced but rather exactly how i'd expect a current day 17 yo guy to sound. (Not all authors can pull that off and sometimes you find yourself cringing a bit like when you see a parent trying to act hip in front of their kids friends to be cool and it is so comp More...
I love the way it read, the language was so conversational. The 17 year old male character didn't seem forced but rather exactly how i'd expect a current day 17 yo guy to sound. (Not all authors can pull that off and sometimes you find yourself cringing a bit like when you see a parent trying to act hip in front of their kids friends to be cool and it is so comp More...
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Feb 04, 2012
Kari
rated it:
This felt like reading a made for tv film. It was just a bit too over the top to be believable. Every character had a secret and most of them had multiple secrets that they all kept from their supposed loved ones! Not one character was open or honest. You also had the seemingly irrelevant actions with objects which would come in very handy later on, again like a tv film that points everything out to the viewer so they don't have to tax their brains at all. I was really disappointed as my colleag
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Nov 12, 2009
Shona
rated it:
A family are shocked by the murder of their neighbours only to discover that there may have been an awful mistake and that they were in fact the family who should have died leaves them vunerable to future attacks.
The past is dug up only to unearth more secrets which may have resulted in the present days events.
Who is out to kill the family and what secrets are they preventing being dicovered?
Interestinly set out to lure you into the story and to make your own More...
The past is dug up only to unearth more secrets which may have resulted in the present days events.
Who is out to kill the family and what secrets are they preventing being dicovered?
Interestinly set out to lure you into the story and to make your own More...
Mar 29, 2011
Kay
rated it:
I liked this one okay - although it featured a plot point that drives me bonkers. When a character withholds information from police/authorities because they're not sure if it is important, or they want to look into it themselves first and then they are surprised when things don't go so smoothly, I have zero sympathy. That one doesn't get me as riled up as the "I have something important to tell you. I -" "Oooh I have something to tell you too! Me first! [insert news here that
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Aug 08, 2011
Good. Story. Good Characters. It was "page turning". The only thing is that even though the characters were good, some of them weren't very creative. Like the dad for example, even though the way he acted and what he did was different he still had the same feel as the dad from FEAR THE WORST. I can say though that he wrote the son perfectly. The way he was before and after the tragedy changed. That would be exactly how it was in real life. I guess you could say there was a little twist
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Apr 21, 2011
Annette
rated it:
My initial impression of this book was not great in that there was so much bad language, it kind of put me off, and I was considering stopping. However, I'm not one to quit on a book.
The meat of the story was actually very good. A good mystery suspense thriller that keeps you guessing till the end. But although the characters are believable, they're not very likable. Even the main character Jim Cutter whose eyes through which we see the story is not a great all-american guy.
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The meat of the story was actually very good. A good mystery suspense thriller that keeps you guessing till the end. But although the characters are believable, they're not very likable. Even the main character Jim Cutter whose eyes through which we see the story is not a great all-american guy.
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Jan 03, 2011
Jaime
rated it:
My husband and I listened to this book on a long trip a couple of days ago. The narrators did an excellent job of portraying the characters. The story was good, catching you up in the realistic characters and the deepening mystery. The cast was great, without there being too many characters to keep up with. One warning: this is not a book to listen to with a child in the car ::CRINGE:: My 8-year old, who mostly had her headphones on, still commented: "There sure are a lot of grown-up words
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Sep 18, 2009
Carole
rated it:
When the Cutters' neighbours, Mr and Mrs Langley and their young son Adam, are brutally murdered in cold blood everyone is shocked and when the police discover that 17 year old Derek Cutter was hiding in their house at the time of the killings he then becomes the prime suspect. His friend Adam's computer is missing; what has that got to do with his mother's boss; and could a young man's suicide somehow be linked to the novel that was on the missing computer? Did the killers go to the wrong addre
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Nov 19, 2009
Bernadette
rated it:
Teenager Derek Cutter has a plan. He’ll hide in his next door neighbour and best friend Adam Langley’s house when Adam and his parents go on holidays. Then Derek will have a venue for hooking up with his girlfriend Penny. Things go awry when the Langley family returns home only an hour after leaving but while Derek is trying to work out how to sneak out without being discovered the entire Langley family is killed by intruders. The next morning Derek’s parents, Jim and Ellen, are shocked to learn
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Jun 12, 2010
Alan
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 04, 2009
Bunxena
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Apr 28, 2009
Laurie
rated it:
Too Close To Home was a blazing page-turner that I was unable to put down! Jim and Ellen Cutter are shocked when their neighbors, the Langleys, are murdered. These types of crimes just don't occur in the seemingly quiet town of Promise Falls. Even more shocking is the arrest of their son Derek, the prime suspect in the murders. Derek has had his share of teenage drama but nothing that would indicate he could be capable of murder. As the investigation progresses, a shocking tale of deception
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Oct 26, 2008
Diane
rated it:
When I learned Linwood Barclay had a new book out I couldn't wait to read it, as his last book, No Time for Goodbye, was excellent. His latest book, Too Close To Home, gives the reader one roller coaster of a ride.
In this book we are introduced to the Cutter family, whose next door neighbors, the Langleys, are gunned down in their own home one hot August night. A night when the Cutter's son Derek happened to be hiding in the Langley's basement, waiting for the family to leave for the More...
In this book we are introduced to the Cutter family, whose next door neighbors, the Langleys, are gunned down in their own home one hot August night. A night when the Cutter's son Derek happened to be hiding in the Langley's basement, waiting for the family to leave for the More...
