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Promise Falls #4
Parting Shot
A gripping thriller packed with scandal in a small town, from the master of the twist you never saw coming - international bestseller, Linwood Barclay.
When a young girl from Promise Falls is killed by a drunk driver, the community wants answers.
It doesn't matter that the accused is a kid himself: all they see is that he took a life and got an easy sentence. As pack mentality kicks in and social media outrage builds, vicious threats are made against the boy and his family.
When Cal Weaver is called in to investigate, he finds himself caught up in a cold-blooded revenge plot. Someone in the town is threatening to put right some wrongs...
And in Cal's experience, it's only ever a matter of time before threats turn into action.
When a young girl from Promise Falls is killed by a drunk driver, the community wants answers.
It doesn't matter that the accused is a kid himself: all they see is that he took a life and got an easy sentence. As pack mentality kicks in and social media outrage builds, vicious threats are made against the boy and his family.
When Cal Weaver is called in to investigate, he finds himself caught up in a cold-blooded revenge plot. Someone in the town is threatening to put right some wrongs...
And in Cal's experience, it's only ever a matter of time before threats turn into action.
464 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2017
498 people are currently reading
3764 people want to read
About the author
Linwood Barclay
79 books7,075 followersLinwood Barclay is the #1 internationally bestselling author of seventeen novels for adults, including No Time for Goodbye, Trust Your Eyes and, most recently, A Noise Downstairs. He has also written two novels for children and screenplays.
Three of those seventeen novels comprise the epic Promise Falls trilogy: Broken Promise, Far From True, and The Twenty-Three. His two novels for children – Chase and Escape – star a computer-enhanced dog named Chipper who’s on the run from the evil organization that turned him into a super-pup.
Barclay’s 2011 thriller, The Accident, has been turned into the six-part television series L’Accident in France, and he adapted his novel Never Saw it Coming for the movie, directed by Gail Harvey and starring Eric Roberts and Emily Hampshire. Several of his other books either have been, or still are, in development for TV and film.
After spending his formative years helping run a cottage resort and trailer park after his father died when he was 16, Barclay got his first newspaper job at the Peterborough Examiner, a small Ontario daily. In 1981, he joined the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest circulation newspaper.
He held such positions as assistant city editor, chief copy editor, news editor, and Life section editor, before becoming the paper’s humour columnist in 1993. He was one of the paper’s most popular columnists before retiring from the position in 2008 to work exclusively on books.
In 2004, he launched his mystery series about an anxiety-ridden, know-it-all, pain-in-the-butt father by the name of Zack Walker. Bad Move, the first book, was followed by three more Zack Walker thrillers: Bad Guys, Lone Wolf, and Stone Rain. (The last two were published in the UK under the titles Bad Luck and Bad News.)
His first standalone thriller, No Time for Goodbye, was published in 2007 to critical acclaim and great international success. The following year, it was a Richard and Judy Summer Read selection in the UK, and did seven straight weeks at #1 on the UK bestseller list, and finished 2008 as the top selling novel of the year there. The book has since been sold around the world and been translated into nearly thirty languages.
Barclay was born in the United States but moved to Canada just before turning four years old when his father, a commercial artist whose illustrations of cars appeared in Life, Look and Saturday Evening Post (before photography took over), accepted a position with an advertising agency north of the border. Barclay, who graduated with an English literature degree from Trent University, in Peterborough, Ontario, was fortunate to have some very fine mentors; in particular, the celebrated Canadian author Margaret Laurence, whom Linwood first met when she served as writer-in-residence at Trent, and Kenneth Millar, who, under the name Ross Macdonald, wrote the acclaimed series of mystery novels featuring detective Lew Archer. It was at Trent that he met Neetha, the woman who would become his wife. They have two grown children, Spencer and Paige.
Three of those seventeen novels comprise the epic Promise Falls trilogy: Broken Promise, Far From True, and The Twenty-Three. His two novels for children – Chase and Escape – star a computer-enhanced dog named Chipper who’s on the run from the evil organization that turned him into a super-pup.
Barclay’s 2011 thriller, The Accident, has been turned into the six-part television series L’Accident in France, and he adapted his novel Never Saw it Coming for the movie, directed by Gail Harvey and starring Eric Roberts and Emily Hampshire. Several of his other books either have been, or still are, in development for TV and film.
After spending his formative years helping run a cottage resort and trailer park after his father died when he was 16, Barclay got his first newspaper job at the Peterborough Examiner, a small Ontario daily. In 1981, he joined the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest circulation newspaper.
He held such positions as assistant city editor, chief copy editor, news editor, and Life section editor, before becoming the paper’s humour columnist in 1993. He was one of the paper’s most popular columnists before retiring from the position in 2008 to work exclusively on books.
In 2004, he launched his mystery series about an anxiety-ridden, know-it-all, pain-in-the-butt father by the name of Zack Walker. Bad Move, the first book, was followed by three more Zack Walker thrillers: Bad Guys, Lone Wolf, and Stone Rain. (The last two were published in the UK under the titles Bad Luck and Bad News.)
His first standalone thriller, No Time for Goodbye, was published in 2007 to critical acclaim and great international success. The following year, it was a Richard and Judy Summer Read selection in the UK, and did seven straight weeks at #1 on the UK bestseller list, and finished 2008 as the top selling novel of the year there. The book has since been sold around the world and been translated into nearly thirty languages.
Barclay was born in the United States but moved to Canada just before turning four years old when his father, a commercial artist whose illustrations of cars appeared in Life, Look and Saturday Evening Post (before photography took over), accepted a position with an advertising agency north of the border. Barclay, who graduated with an English literature degree from Trent University, in Peterborough, Ontario, was fortunate to have some very fine mentors; in particular, the celebrated Canadian author Margaret Laurence, whom Linwood first met when she served as writer-in-residence at Trent, and Kenneth Millar, who, under the name Ross Macdonald, wrote the acclaimed series of mystery novels featuring detective Lew Archer. It was at Trent that he met Neetha, the woman who would become his wife. They have two grown children, Spencer and Paige.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 680 reviews
October 9, 2017
Linwood Barclay adds to his already popular Promise Falls series with this latest novel, a mystery that takes readers on an interesting ride into the world of revenge. When Cal Weaver is hired to protect Jeremy Pilford, who was accused of backing over his girlfriend when extremely intoxicated, he cannot predict the degree of difficulty this assignment brings. Seen as having been coddled by his over-protective family, Jeremy earned the nickname ‘Big Baby’ and has been the victim of significant online mockery. The barbs that have sailed around through social media are beginning to take shape in real life, with rocks tossed through windows and death threats showing up in various forms. Weaver decides to help shield Jeremy by taking him into protective custody, at least until things settle down. Meanwhile, Detective Barry Duckworth is sent to investigate an assault that has everyone very confused. Brian Gaffney has been found wandering around Promise Falls, unable to remember what’s happened to him for the past few days. What’s even more concerning is the vulgar phrase that has been tattooed to his back; something apparently related to a dog he killed years ago. As Duckworth begins poking around, he discovers that Gaffney was last seen in a dive bar, though video surveillance sheds some interesting new light on the entire investigation. Nothing seem to make sense, but Duckworth will not give up, even as he seems to be stepping on some familial toes by pressing hard to solve this latest case. When a body is discovered in an abandoned car, things take a significant turn and Duckworth notices an anomaly that might explain the Gaffney assault. While Cal Weaver hides away with Jeremy, they revisit some of the key aspects to the case and something does not seem right. When Duckworth and Weaver are eventually able to compare notes, everything gets a little clearer, only to go opaque once again. Is there something going on in Promise Falls that will halt both Duckworth and Weaver from solving their respective cases? In a style all his own, Barclay pulls the reader into the middle of this wonderful story and will not let go until the very end, where a cliffhanger awaits. Promise Falls series fans will surely enjoy this one, which stands outside the professed ‘trilogy’, but still has close tie-ins throughout the narrative.
I have long been a Linwood Barclay fan, especially his Promise Falls work. The psychological aspects keep me wondering and the slow development is done in such a methodical manner than I cannot help but want more, even when the final chapter is complete. The varied cast in the novels is effectively used, with a strong focus on the Duckworth and Weaver characters. Both men have made their marks in the aforementioned series trilogy, but this novel allows them some additional growth. Barclay surrounds them with a number of repeat minor characters, as well as some new faces to keep the story fresh. Backstories and present-day development is thorough and highly useful to the attentive reader. The story itself, two mysteries that soon find common ground, is quite intriguing, especially with the other branch-off plots that thicken the overall delivery. Barclay is able to keep the different narratives running in parallel without confusing the reader too much. Add to that, things flow so effortlessly that the reader cannot help but want to forge onwards just to see how it will all play out. Wonderfully presented and filled with a number of poignant references to past Promise Falls events, Barclay has surely kept his fans appeased with this novel and is sure to find many new readers rushing to find his books in their various forms.
Kudos, Mr. Barclay, for keeping me hooked from the get-go. I hope you have not ended this trip to upstate New York, as I have become quite fond of Promise Falls.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I have long been a Linwood Barclay fan, especially his Promise Falls work. The psychological aspects keep me wondering and the slow development is done in such a methodical manner than I cannot help but want more, even when the final chapter is complete. The varied cast in the novels is effectively used, with a strong focus on the Duckworth and Weaver characters. Both men have made their marks in the aforementioned series trilogy, but this novel allows them some additional growth. Barclay surrounds them with a number of repeat minor characters, as well as some new faces to keep the story fresh. Backstories and present-day development is thorough and highly useful to the attentive reader. The story itself, two mysteries that soon find common ground, is quite intriguing, especially with the other branch-off plots that thicken the overall delivery. Barclay is able to keep the different narratives running in parallel without confusing the reader too much. Add to that, things flow so effortlessly that the reader cannot help but want to forge onwards just to see how it will all play out. Wonderfully presented and filled with a number of poignant references to past Promise Falls events, Barclay has surely kept his fans appeased with this novel and is sure to find many new readers rushing to find his books in their various forms.
Kudos, Mr. Barclay, for keeping me hooked from the get-go. I hope you have not ended this trip to upstate New York, as I have become quite fond of Promise Falls.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
September 3, 2017
Parting Shot is a companion novel to the Paradise Falls trilogy by Linwood Barclay, and like those novels, I marvel at Barclay's brilliance.
Two characters return from the trilogy, the detective and the investigator. Written in third person for the detective and first person for the investigator, I appreciated and had no troubles following this stylistic change.
As I mentioned in several updates, one aspect that makes Barclay's writing particularly fabulous is his command over dialogue. He uses it to make the story come alive, bringing in plot and setting and character development with such ease, I can't help but admire it. Readers don't get a lot of internal thoughts from the characters. Instead, Barclay lets the scenes unfold.
There are many secondary characters, so readers must pay attention.
It's almost dizzying how many twists and turns are in this novel. Like many fans of suspense/mystery/thrillers, I made my predictions. In the end, I was blown away. Barclay keeps the intensity up until almost the very last page.
When a novel is this good, it's difficult to put it down. Life got in the way, so it took me longer to read than I would have liked. But the moment I delved back into the story, the intensity returned.
Another aspect that I loved about this novel and the trilogy is how Barclay took ordinary people, people who could be any of our neighbors, and put them into the most remarkable circumstances. There was nothing stereotypically about it.
This is an easy, fast-paced, exciting read. I highly recommend the entire series!!
Two characters return from the trilogy, the detective and the investigator. Written in third person for the detective and first person for the investigator, I appreciated and had no troubles following this stylistic change.
As I mentioned in several updates, one aspect that makes Barclay's writing particularly fabulous is his command over dialogue. He uses it to make the story come alive, bringing in plot and setting and character development with such ease, I can't help but admire it. Readers don't get a lot of internal thoughts from the characters. Instead, Barclay lets the scenes unfold.
There are many secondary characters, so readers must pay attention.
It's almost dizzying how many twists and turns are in this novel. Like many fans of suspense/mystery/thrillers, I made my predictions. In the end, I was blown away. Barclay keeps the intensity up until almost the very last page.
When a novel is this good, it's difficult to put it down. Life got in the way, so it took me longer to read than I would have liked. But the moment I delved back into the story, the intensity returned.
Another aspect that I loved about this novel and the trilogy is how Barclay took ordinary people, people who could be any of our neighbors, and put them into the most remarkable circumstances. There was nothing stereotypically about it.
This is an easy, fast-paced, exciting read. I highly recommend the entire series!!
June 28, 2020
"Dat nagelbijtende gevoel en de drang om door te lezen ontbraken bij mij in grote mate."
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
December 2, 2017
Lies are very destructive, and this book shows just how bad it can get. Liars get caught in their lies, some people are complicit, vigilantes believe they know the truth, and innocent people get hurt.
I liked Detective Barry Duckworth and PI Cal Weaver from previous Promise Falls books and that continues in this book. They start out dealing with separate issues which eventually merge. I liked the interaction between father and son in Duckworth's case, and between Cal and the young man he was protecting. Some things were left open. They were not the main murders, as awful as that sounds, but maybe I’m to assume they were solved or maybe they’re fodder for a future book.
One thing I would ask the author concerns a website that was used by vengeance seekers. Why did you intentionally misspell the domain name “Just Deserts”? I have to admit it drove me nuts.
I liked Detective Barry Duckworth and PI Cal Weaver from previous Promise Falls books and that continues in this book. They start out dealing with separate issues which eventually merge. I liked the interaction between father and son in Duckworth's case, and between Cal and the young man he was protecting. Some things were left open. They were not the main murders, as awful as that sounds, but maybe I’m to assume they were solved or maybe they’re fodder for a future book.
One thing I would ask the author concerns a website that was used by vengeance seekers. Why did you intentionally misspell the domain name “Just Deserts”? I have to admit it drove me nuts.
August 30, 2023
Promise Falls is definitely not idyllic small town USA!
Detective Barry Duckworth, recovering from his recent heroic efforts saving Promise Falls from a domestic terrorist attack on their water supply, is now dealing with another bizarre crime. A young man has been attacked, rendered senseless, and left in an alley. When the victim comes to, he discovers that his back has been marred by a crude, vulgar and puzzling tattoo! At the same time, private investigator Cal Weaver is hired to act as a bodyguard for a teenager rescued from a lengthy stay in prison on a vehicular homicide rap by his wealthy family, his privilege, and a crafty, very slimy defense lawyer. The young man, who killed a young girl driving drunk, is now threatened by local, violent vigilantes who are outraged at this clear miscarriage of justice.
Lovers of the suspense and police procedural genre might be forgiven for rolling their eyes at this plot set-up using the time-worn thriller chestnut of introducing two plot lines that seem widely separated. From the very first, readers familiar with this oft-used ploy will be suspecting that the plot lines will somehow converge and become a single story. PARTING SHOT does not disappoint readers’ expectations in this regard but the whys and the wherefores ensure that the excitement is unflagging. Barclay’s control of the plot is masterful and, above and beyond that, Duckworth, Weaver, and the two victims are brilliant character studies that are sure to keep readers coming back for more.
So here’s hoping that we haven’t seen the last of Promise Falls (and the ambiguity in the final scene seems to leave the door wide open for that possibility). Definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
Detective Barry Duckworth, recovering from his recent heroic efforts saving Promise Falls from a domestic terrorist attack on their water supply, is now dealing with another bizarre crime. A young man has been attacked, rendered senseless, and left in an alley. When the victim comes to, he discovers that his back has been marred by a crude, vulgar and puzzling tattoo! At the same time, private investigator Cal Weaver is hired to act as a bodyguard for a teenager rescued from a lengthy stay in prison on a vehicular homicide rap by his wealthy family, his privilege, and a crafty, very slimy defense lawyer. The young man, who killed a young girl driving drunk, is now threatened by local, violent vigilantes who are outraged at this clear miscarriage of justice.
Lovers of the suspense and police procedural genre might be forgiven for rolling their eyes at this plot set-up using the time-worn thriller chestnut of introducing two plot lines that seem widely separated. From the very first, readers familiar with this oft-used ploy will be suspecting that the plot lines will somehow converge and become a single story. PARTING SHOT does not disappoint readers’ expectations in this regard but the whys and the wherefores ensure that the excitement is unflagging. Barclay’s control of the plot is masterful and, above and beyond that, Duckworth, Weaver, and the two victims are brilliant character studies that are sure to keep readers coming back for more.
So here’s hoping that we haven’t seen the last of Promise Falls (and the ambiguity in the final scene seems to leave the door wide open for that possibility). Definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
May 27, 2019
After the disastrous events of the previous year, and almost being killed Detective Barry Duckworth had recently returned to the job. His heart didn’t seem to be in it as it had been, but he guessed that was to be understood. When a disoriented man entered the station, with two days missing from his memory, it was the beginning of an investigation like no other he’d been involved in. The internet site of “Just deserts” was heavily involved – Barry felt the confusion and tangled leads right in front of him. But could he figure it out?
Cal Weaver had left the police force of Promise Falls and was a private investigator. The call to take care of a young man who’d just been acquitted of the death of a young woman, and was copping vicious threats and social media outrage, was an unusual one for Cal. But he decided to go along for the ride. With his ex-cop persona, his investigative nature was a natural. Things weren’t adding up. But in the meantime, he had to keep Jeremy safe…
Wow!! Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay is loosely linked to book 3, The Twenty-Three, in the Promise Falls series, and it was brilliant! Incredible twists, with two stories running parallel – Cal Weaver and his investigation; Barry Duckworth and his – and the inevitable collision as the two came together. Over 400 pages and I flew through them. I hope there are more stories from this talented author about Promise Falls 😊 Highly recommended.
Cal Weaver had left the police force of Promise Falls and was a private investigator. The call to take care of a young man who’d just been acquitted of the death of a young woman, and was copping vicious threats and social media outrage, was an unusual one for Cal. But he decided to go along for the ride. With his ex-cop persona, his investigative nature was a natural. Things weren’t adding up. But in the meantime, he had to keep Jeremy safe…
Wow!! Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay is loosely linked to book 3, The Twenty-Three, in the Promise Falls series, and it was brilliant! Incredible twists, with two stories running parallel – Cal Weaver and his investigation; Barry Duckworth and his – and the inevitable collision as the two came together. Over 400 pages and I flew through them. I hope there are more stories from this talented author about Promise Falls 😊 Highly recommended.
June 29, 2017
In theory this was a stand alone novel, it really it carried on with two of the characters from the Promise Falls trilogy and is set once again in Promise falls . It was great being familiar with the characters and their families. It could be read as standalone but would sort of spoil the trilogy of you went back to them. Love how the ending left it totally open for another ! Not going to go into the plot as others have but enough to say ran two plots at the same time and then tied together at the end... absolutly loved it
April 14, 2024
4.5 Stars
Two povs of two detectives. I haven't read this series in order, but there's no need to.
I love both of these characters.
Working separately, they are investigating cases that could be related.
Jeremy is accused of a hit and run, and Gregg wakes up two days later with a horrible tattoo. He doesn't remember how it got there.
Cal Weaver, being a private detective, is hired as Jeremys bodyguard. Duckworth is trying to make sense of the other possible case.
This is told in two story lines with very imaginative writing.
If you love detective thrillers, Linwood Barclay is excellent at writing them.
Very much like Harlan Coben, LBs novels are just as good.
I'm binging his books and loving them all.
Two povs of two detectives. I haven't read this series in order, but there's no need to.
I love both of these characters.
Working separately, they are investigating cases that could be related.
Jeremy is accused of a hit and run, and Gregg wakes up two days later with a horrible tattoo. He doesn't remember how it got there.
Cal Weaver, being a private detective, is hired as Jeremys bodyguard. Duckworth is trying to make sense of the other possible case.
This is told in two story lines with very imaginative writing.
If you love detective thrillers, Linwood Barclay is excellent at writing them.
Very much like Harlan Coben, LBs novels are just as good.
I'm binging his books and loving them all.
June 24, 2020
I liked the Promise Falls trilogy a lot, but I don't remember the details very much. But that made no difference to my enjoyment of this book. Personally, I think this should be the start of a new series (I hope, since it ended a bit abruptly). It should be like Stephen King, with many of his books taking place in the same town or area (ie, Castle Rock), but are not related.
Anyway, I enjoyed this book a lot. And the scariest thing about it is that it's pretty feasible that something like this could happen, with the way things pop up on the internet. In this story, an internet site called Just Desserts (not related to my favorite Bay Area bakery) encourages vigilantes to get back at people that they think got away with a crime. The usual crazies that you see on any internet site like this encourage certain people to try to outdo everyone else to gain notoriety, and this reinforces their desires to punish, to the point where it's OK to hurt others along the way to their goals. They find ways to justify their crimes in the name of the greater good.
One such loser gets very carried away, and commits extreme, unspeakable acts against people. It's pretty scary how carried away he becomes, trying to become famous.
As the story progressed, I could barely stop reading. Unfortunately, it stopped suddenly, and there was a lot of unfinished business that might have been interesting to see what happens. Perhaps there will be a follow-up book.
Anyway, I enjoyed this book a lot. And the scariest thing about it is that it's pretty feasible that something like this could happen, with the way things pop up on the internet. In this story, an internet site called Just Desserts (not related to my favorite Bay Area bakery) encourages vigilantes to get back at people that they think got away with a crime. The usual crazies that you see on any internet site like this encourage certain people to try to outdo everyone else to gain notoriety, and this reinforces their desires to punish, to the point where it's OK to hurt others along the way to their goals. They find ways to justify their crimes in the name of the greater good.
One such loser gets very carried away, and commits extreme, unspeakable acts against people. It's pretty scary how carried away he becomes, trying to become famous.
As the story progressed, I could barely stop reading. Unfortunately, it stopped suddenly, and there was a lot of unfinished business that might have been interesting to see what happens. Perhaps there will be a follow-up book.
December 20, 2017
Top 30 Best Books of 2017
Linwood Barclay returns with his riveting series, Promise Falls following The Twenty Three #3 (2016) with his best yet, in the twisty PARTING SHOT (#4) — a fitting title for his latest riveting thriller.
Packed with a severe savage punch, and more twists than the Pacific Hwy., we revisit the small fictional town of Promise Falls in upstate New York, outside of Albany.
A small town filled with scandal and secrets and an overwhelming need for revenge and some evil vigilante justice!
However, often we find the revenge directed at the wrong person which causes some major problems for everyone involved. (sorry, killed the wrong person-collateral damage).
Read My Reviews:
Broken Promise #1
Final Assignment #1.5
Far From True #2
The Twenty-Three #3
PARTING SHOT almost slipped by me. Thank goodness, the minute I received the newsletter from the author, I was on Amazon clicking away to purchase this one.
Having read every book in this engrossing series, PARTING SHOT was my favorite. I stayed up until 5 am two mornings in a row to finish. It was worth every minute.
Again, keep your scorecard handy and hang on for a roller coaster wild ride!
This time around, we revisit with characters PI Cal Weaver and Detective Barry Duckworth (two of my favorites) from Promise Falls. Even though the two guys are familiar with one another, neither of the two realize the other is working separate cases which will ultimately connect.
I for one, am hoping these two go into business together for future books. A huge fan of the series.
There is a common interest that bridges the two cases. Just Deserts.
A vigilante. A website for those who want Justice. Even though not in the legal sense. People all over the planet inspired to exact vengeance on people who've got it coming, hoping like crazy that what they do is nasty enough to be honored on the website.
Of course, Promise Falls is well-known in this department. Getting even.
Duckworth almost died in the last book and is now a hero. He loves his donuts; however, his wife wants him around a little longer and has changed his diet. He is now down to 233 (loss of 47 pounds). However, he is still tempted.
Could he be getting too old for the job? Maybe a career change is in order?
His is married to Maureen and has a son named Trevor (now twenty-five living back at home). Duckworth's current case takes him to a bar, Knights and when he looks at the surveillance video; his son is lip locking in a corner with some gal, named Carol. Unemployed, but out drinking and evidently up to something secretive.
What do they have to do with the abduction?
A guy, Brian Gaffney was abducted from the bar, and he does not remember anything. However, he has tattooed on his back, “I’m the sick F*** who killed Sean. He has no clue what this means? He seeks Duckworth’s help.
There was also an older case of a younger guy, Craig Pierce (known sex offender) who molested a mentally disabled girl and someone had taken matters into their own hands, months ago- since the law did not make him pay.
Someone abducted him and had a dog to disfigure him. Half his face is missing, plus some manly private parts (ouch). The guy is barely alive. However, he is out to find the person who did this to him.
Could it be the same person after Jeremy this time?
However, did what happened to Brian have anything to do with the other cases, or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Cal Weaver has suffered much loss from the previous books. His wife and son are gone. He is moving on and out on his own with a PI business.
His assignment takes him to twenty-something, Jeremy’s family. The wealthy grand-aunt, alcoholic mother-Gloria, her boyfriend, Bob, attorney, Grant Finch and prominent businessman, rich Galen Broadhurst – the guy who owned the Porch.
Jeremy, was supposedly drunk driving one of his father’s friends' 9ll Porch and ran over and killed a young innocent girl. The attorney and mother helped him get off (so he did not have to do prison time), and there are many which are unhappy.
They dubbed him as The Big Baby. He also has a friend Charlene. (many red herring here). The website followers are all over this case. They want to make him pay since the legal system did not.
Was there something else at play here they overlooked in the original investigation? Was Jeremy guilty? You can be sure Cal will find it.
Now throw in the mix, Jeremy and Brian look similar. Also to complicate matters, Brian was seeing a married woman Jessica (which he was unaware of her status). Also, Brian’s neighbors have issues (this gets quite comical with the dad).
Why would someone tattoo something permanently etched into someone’s skin? A hidden message?
In the social media world and real life, they are making Jeremy and his family miserable. They are in danger. They call in Cal to be his so-called bodyguard while investigating. However, Cal digs a little deeper into Jeremy’s past problems and gets too close to the truth putting them in more danger.
Cal is on the run with Jeremy to keep the wolves away and get him out of town; however, someone is tracking them. However, it may be more than one person after them with different motives.
Wow, PARTING SHOT was unputdownable! As always, in addition to the main cases, there are also always some entertaining secondary characters which always bring more exciting drama. Leave it up to Barclay to bring in another shocker added twist at the 98% mark.
Supercharged, from social media attacks and those who want to make their mark no matter how far they have to go to achieve their status.
One of my favorite authors, (have read all his books), Barclay delivers a non-stop action crime thriller, in this town of wacky and dysfunction. An influential writer, Barclay keeps the dry humor, domestic suspense, surprises, and plot twists coming full throttle from upstate New York to Cape Cod— there is never a dull moment.
If you have not experienced Linwood Barclay, highly suggest you get started. For fans of Michael Robotham and Harlan Coben as well as those readers who enjoy intelligent dark thrillers with loads of twists.
Can’t wait to see what’s next! It is high time for a movie. What an imagination and a fantastic storyteller.
JDCMustReadBooks
Linwood Barclay returns with his riveting series, Promise Falls following The Twenty Three #3 (2016) with his best yet, in the twisty PARTING SHOT (#4) — a fitting title for his latest riveting thriller.
Packed with a severe savage punch, and more twists than the Pacific Hwy., we revisit the small fictional town of Promise Falls in upstate New York, outside of Albany.
A small town filled with scandal and secrets and an overwhelming need for revenge and some evil vigilante justice!
However, often we find the revenge directed at the wrong person which causes some major problems for everyone involved. (sorry, killed the wrong person-collateral damage).
Read My Reviews:
Broken Promise #1
Final Assignment #1.5
Far From True #2
The Twenty-Three #3
PARTING SHOT almost slipped by me. Thank goodness, the minute I received the newsletter from the author, I was on Amazon clicking away to purchase this one.
Having read every book in this engrossing series, PARTING SHOT was my favorite. I stayed up until 5 am two mornings in a row to finish. It was worth every minute.
Again, keep your scorecard handy and hang on for a roller coaster wild ride!
This time around, we revisit with characters PI Cal Weaver and Detective Barry Duckworth (two of my favorites) from Promise Falls. Even though the two guys are familiar with one another, neither of the two realize the other is working separate cases which will ultimately connect.
I for one, am hoping these two go into business together for future books. A huge fan of the series.
There is a common interest that bridges the two cases. Just Deserts.
A vigilante. A website for those who want Justice. Even though not in the legal sense. People all over the planet inspired to exact vengeance on people who've got it coming, hoping like crazy that what they do is nasty enough to be honored on the website.
Of course, Promise Falls is well-known in this department. Getting even.
Duckworth almost died in the last book and is now a hero. He loves his donuts; however, his wife wants him around a little longer and has changed his diet. He is now down to 233 (loss of 47 pounds). However, he is still tempted.
Could he be getting too old for the job? Maybe a career change is in order?
His is married to Maureen and has a son named Trevor (now twenty-five living back at home). Duckworth's current case takes him to a bar, Knights and when he looks at the surveillance video; his son is lip locking in a corner with some gal, named Carol. Unemployed, but out drinking and evidently up to something secretive.
What do they have to do with the abduction?
A guy, Brian Gaffney was abducted from the bar, and he does not remember anything. However, he has tattooed on his back, “I’m the sick F*** who killed Sean. He has no clue what this means? He seeks Duckworth’s help.
There was also an older case of a younger guy, Craig Pierce (known sex offender) who molested a mentally disabled girl and someone had taken matters into their own hands, months ago- since the law did not make him pay.
Someone abducted him and had a dog to disfigure him. Half his face is missing, plus some manly private parts (ouch). The guy is barely alive. However, he is out to find the person who did this to him.
Could it be the same person after Jeremy this time?
However, did what happened to Brian have anything to do with the other cases, or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Cal Weaver has suffered much loss from the previous books. His wife and son are gone. He is moving on and out on his own with a PI business.
His assignment takes him to twenty-something, Jeremy’s family. The wealthy grand-aunt, alcoholic mother-Gloria, her boyfriend, Bob, attorney, Grant Finch and prominent businessman, rich Galen Broadhurst – the guy who owned the Porch.
Jeremy, was supposedly drunk driving one of his father’s friends' 9ll Porch and ran over and killed a young innocent girl. The attorney and mother helped him get off (so he did not have to do prison time), and there are many which are unhappy.
They dubbed him as The Big Baby. He also has a friend Charlene. (many red herring here). The website followers are all over this case. They want to make him pay since the legal system did not.
Was there something else at play here they overlooked in the original investigation? Was Jeremy guilty? You can be sure Cal will find it.
Now throw in the mix, Jeremy and Brian look similar. Also to complicate matters, Brian was seeing a married woman Jessica (which he was unaware of her status). Also, Brian’s neighbors have issues (this gets quite comical with the dad).
Why would someone tattoo something permanently etched into someone’s skin? A hidden message?
In the social media world and real life, they are making Jeremy and his family miserable. They are in danger. They call in Cal to be his so-called bodyguard while investigating. However, Cal digs a little deeper into Jeremy’s past problems and gets too close to the truth putting them in more danger.
Cal is on the run with Jeremy to keep the wolves away and get him out of town; however, someone is tracking them. However, it may be more than one person after them with different motives.
Wow, PARTING SHOT was unputdownable! As always, in addition to the main cases, there are also always some entertaining secondary characters which always bring more exciting drama. Leave it up to Barclay to bring in another shocker added twist at the 98% mark.
Supercharged, from social media attacks and those who want to make their mark no matter how far they have to go to achieve their status.
One of my favorite authors, (have read all his books), Barclay delivers a non-stop action crime thriller, in this town of wacky and dysfunction. An influential writer, Barclay keeps the dry humor, domestic suspense, surprises, and plot twists coming full throttle from upstate New York to Cape Cod— there is never a dull moment.
If you have not experienced Linwood Barclay, highly suggest you get started. For fans of Michael Robotham and Harlan Coben as well as those readers who enjoy intelligent dark thrillers with loads of twists.
Can’t wait to see what’s next! It is high time for a movie. What an imagination and a fantastic storyteller.
JDCMustReadBooks
May 29, 2017
Wow, I started this on the 7th of this month? Normally I devour a Linwood Barclay book with gusto but I just wasn't feeling this particular one. I adored the Promise Falls trilogy, so I was so excited when I knew that this book was also going to be set in Promise Falls but sadly, my excitement was short lived. Whilst Linwood Barclay's books are always such a comfortable and familiar read, this particular book lacked the excitement that normally flows from the pages of his books. It's worth a read, but don't expect fireworks.
March 12, 2019
It’s always a delight to read the latest novel by Linwood Barclay, particularly those set the fictional upper New York state town of Promise Falls, of which this is the fourth installment.
The story alternates by chapter between the latest jobs of Police Detective Barry Duckworth and private investigator Cal Weaver. Whilst Cal is hired to act as protector to a young man who received a lenient sentence for a manslaughter charge, Barry investigates the case of another young man who claims to have been abducted and had an obscene message tattooed on his back. Is it possible that the two cases are connected; both to each other and to an earlier case of an acquitted rapist who was subsequently savaged by a pit-bull?
The storyline manages to integrate classic suspense thriller devices, such as a fugitive road-trip and mistaken identity; all told in the author’s easy-going style with frequent flashes of his trademark sense of humour. The final chapters are a veritable roller-coaster of exciting sequences and shocking revelations. The whole novel is an example of a master storyteller at the peak of his game.
The story alternates by chapter between the latest jobs of Police Detective Barry Duckworth and private investigator Cal Weaver. Whilst Cal is hired to act as protector to a young man who received a lenient sentence for a manslaughter charge, Barry investigates the case of another young man who claims to have been abducted and had an obscene message tattooed on his back. Is it possible that the two cases are connected; both to each other and to an earlier case of an acquitted rapist who was subsequently savaged by a pit-bull?
The storyline manages to integrate classic suspense thriller devices, such as a fugitive road-trip and mistaken identity; all told in the author’s easy-going style with frequent flashes of his trademark sense of humour. The final chapters are a veritable roller-coaster of exciting sequences and shocking revelations. The whole novel is an example of a master storyteller at the peak of his game.
February 17, 2025
The last installment (or is it) of this series. PI Weaver and Det. Duckworth are back at it again working to solve multiple murders that at one time seem to have no connection to each other, but as the story goes on, learn that various family members and other residents of Promise Falls become intertwined and I had to stop a number of times to figure out who was who in this complicated story.
The many story lines were well thought out and the dialogues between everyone was brilliantly written. As with any murder mystery clues to who did what to whom were everywhere, but I read to many chapters at once to catch them.
As mentioned above, some characters ran afoul of both Weaver and Duckworth and as both went to locate those they were looking for, kept coming up in their respective investigations and constant communication was important.
Lots of surprises and shocking turns throughout.
TW: Gory details of what happens to one of the characters
Oh, my note about this book may be the last of the series; the last couple pages seem to indicate this is not so.
Recommend for murder mystery thriller fans
The many story lines were well thought out and the dialogues between everyone was brilliantly written. As with any murder mystery clues to who did what to whom were everywhere, but I read to many chapters at once to catch them.
As mentioned above, some characters ran afoul of both Weaver and Duckworth and as both went to locate those they were looking for, kept coming up in their respective investigations and constant communication was important.
Lots of surprises and shocking turns throughout.
TW: Gory details of what happens to one of the characters
Oh, my note about this book may be the last of the series; the last couple pages seem to indicate this is not so.
Recommend for murder mystery thriller fans
April 29, 2017
If you have any fond memories of the Promise Falls trilogy then be prepared to leave them firmly at the door before turning the first page of Parting Shot, which is a woefully poor effort for an author of Barclay's calibre. Easily the weakest novel to capture life in the unfortunate conurbation in upstate New York, it might have been better for Barclay to move to pastures new, because this town is well and truly dead in the water and it pains me to say so.. As an admirer of this trilogy with a soap-opera cast of characters who left a distinctive impression over the course of three previous instalments, the lacklustre opening did not bode well and sadly Parting Shot never really captured the pizazz of a firecracker thriller. There is no role for David Harwood nor many of the much depleted cast that made it through to the end of The Twenty-Three, leaving Detective Barry Duckworth and private investigator, Cal Weaver, to run the show.
The two interlinking plots featuring Detective Duckworth of the Promise Falls Police and Cal Weaver, a private investigator, are both prosaic affairs which failed to capture my imagination in what is essentially a run of the mill vigilante crusade. It certainly didn't prove too taxing to latch onto the story Barclay was running with, and I felt one step ahead of a plot which limped along at a snail's pace. Nearly a year on from the dark days when the Promise Falls water supply was contaminated, the town still bears the scars. Locals might manage a day or two of going without mentioning the events, but the out-of-towners who flock to the 'retribution capital' for a photo opportunity beside the "Welcome to Promise Falls" sign won't go away. Career cop Barry Duckworth nearly lost his life in that debacle and his perspective has shifted along with some forty-pounds of excess weight but he now has a new label as the hero cop who saved the day. Ever approachable and sincere Duckworth is plagued by paperwork when he is presented with a clearly spooked man in his early-twenties by the name of Brian Gaffney. Whilst Gaffney is not the sharpest tool in the box, his tale of alien abduction and experimentation is not too far from the reality when Duckworth sees the crudely etched tattoo on his back. It doesn't take Duckworth too long to discover that Gaffney was the unintended victim of a malicious group of vigilantes advocating violent retribution and their own self-styled form of justice. Another of the victims of the group is emasculated predator, Craig Pierce, a man charged with assaulting a mentally handicapped girl, only to then be cleared and make his culpability known. Vengeful Pierce is eaten up with bitterness and makes clear to Duckworth that he believes the Just Deserts website and their social media entourage and behind the scars he now bears. But with the lawyers mired in a legislative battle to close the website down, Duckworth knows he has limited time to make a difference and intervene before it is too late. Along the way he finds no shortage of moralising citizens all set on capitalising on the towns renown and with their own axe to grind. His troubled relationship with son Trevor is also tested to the limit when a surveillance camera leaves Trevor and new girlfriend, Carol Beakman, with their own questions to answer about involvement in the investigation.. but not before the suspicious disappearance of Carol and some collateral damage in the form of a homicide.
Private investigator Cal Weaver's jobs are anything but easy money and sadly young Crystal who he grew so fond of in the trilogy finale is nowhere to be seen, having moved to live with her father in San Francisco after her mother's death. A call from the former publisher of the now out of print Promise Falls Standard, the local town newspaper sees Weaver introduced to Madeline Plimpton's niece, Gloria and her niece's son, Jeremy. Plimpton mentions a "traffic mishap" which has left Jeremy and his mother plagued by harassment, late night phone calls and threats to their safety in their Albany home, and sent them into hiding. Demanding to know the details, Weaver discovers that his charge is Jeremy Pilford, aka "The Big Baby" who killed a girl will driving under the influence. A bizarre defence strategy that saw his solicitor citing Pilford's inability to make decisions, understand the consequences of his actions after a life of mollycoddling and micro-managing by mother Gloria saw him avoid prison much to the wrath of the general public. Weaver has the toughest plot strand to make something out of and I am not sure that anyone could have made a plodding protection job anymore exciting, but after his exploits in the trilogy this is disappointing fare. Weaver's part in the story basically entails taking Jeremy Pilford on a road trip, where he learns quite plenty about the boy and comes to suspect that maybe Jeremy himself is covering someone else's backside. As the separate Weaver and Duckworth lines of inquiry collide, an underwhelming finale fails to save the say, despite some slightly suprise making for a into the close. In short, for readers who have not read the trilogy that commences with Broken Promise and climaxes with The Twenty-Three, there is no reason to read this novel and for fans of the series, Parting Shot will only taint the good memories. I believe that this is Linwood Barclay done with Promise Falls and for that I am thankful because I am well and truly outta here!
Note to fans: Crystal first gets a mention just shy of two-hundred pages, Mayor Randy Finley is also notable in his background role, instead we get more of Duckworth's son and two pretty unsympathetic characters who have done wrong and wallow in their new status as victims. It is hard to find any fondness for Jeremy, but his mother, Gloria, is completely devoid of common sense, attached to her mobile phone and vehemently engaged in his trial by social media. Likewise, Craig Pierce is an utterly loathsome character with zero redeeming features.
The two interlinking plots featuring Detective Duckworth of the Promise Falls Police and Cal Weaver, a private investigator, are both prosaic affairs which failed to capture my imagination in what is essentially a run of the mill vigilante crusade. It certainly didn't prove too taxing to latch onto the story Barclay was running with, and I felt one step ahead of a plot which limped along at a snail's pace. Nearly a year on from the dark days when the Promise Falls water supply was contaminated, the town still bears the scars. Locals might manage a day or two of going without mentioning the events, but the out-of-towners who flock to the 'retribution capital' for a photo opportunity beside the "Welcome to Promise Falls" sign won't go away. Career cop Barry Duckworth nearly lost his life in that debacle and his perspective has shifted along with some forty-pounds of excess weight but he now has a new label as the hero cop who saved the day. Ever approachable and sincere Duckworth is plagued by paperwork when he is presented with a clearly spooked man in his early-twenties by the name of Brian Gaffney. Whilst Gaffney is not the sharpest tool in the box, his tale of alien abduction and experimentation is not too far from the reality when Duckworth sees the crudely etched tattoo on his back. It doesn't take Duckworth too long to discover that Gaffney was the unintended victim of a malicious group of vigilantes advocating violent retribution and their own self-styled form of justice. Another of the victims of the group is emasculated predator, Craig Pierce, a man charged with assaulting a mentally handicapped girl, only to then be cleared and make his culpability known. Vengeful Pierce is eaten up with bitterness and makes clear to Duckworth that he believes the Just Deserts website and their social media entourage and behind the scars he now bears. But with the lawyers mired in a legislative battle to close the website down, Duckworth knows he has limited time to make a difference and intervene before it is too late. Along the way he finds no shortage of moralising citizens all set on capitalising on the towns renown and with their own axe to grind. His troubled relationship with son Trevor is also tested to the limit when a surveillance camera leaves Trevor and new girlfriend, Carol Beakman, with their own questions to answer about involvement in the investigation.. but not before the suspicious disappearance of Carol and some collateral damage in the form of a homicide.
Private investigator Cal Weaver's jobs are anything but easy money and sadly young Crystal who he grew so fond of in the trilogy finale is nowhere to be seen, having moved to live with her father in San Francisco after her mother's death. A call from the former publisher of the now out of print Promise Falls Standard, the local town newspaper sees Weaver introduced to Madeline Plimpton's niece, Gloria and her niece's son, Jeremy. Plimpton mentions a "traffic mishap" which has left Jeremy and his mother plagued by harassment, late night phone calls and threats to their safety in their Albany home, and sent them into hiding. Demanding to know the details, Weaver discovers that his charge is Jeremy Pilford, aka "The Big Baby" who killed a girl will driving under the influence. A bizarre defence strategy that saw his solicitor citing Pilford's inability to make decisions, understand the consequences of his actions after a life of mollycoddling and micro-managing by mother Gloria saw him avoid prison much to the wrath of the general public. Weaver has the toughest plot strand to make something out of and I am not sure that anyone could have made a plodding protection job anymore exciting, but after his exploits in the trilogy this is disappointing fare. Weaver's part in the story basically entails taking Jeremy Pilford on a road trip, where he learns quite plenty about the boy and comes to suspect that maybe Jeremy himself is covering someone else's backside. As the separate Weaver and Duckworth lines of inquiry collide, an underwhelming finale fails to save the say, despite some slightly suprise making for a into the close. In short, for readers who have not read the trilogy that commences with Broken Promise and climaxes with The Twenty-Three, there is no reason to read this novel and for fans of the series, Parting Shot will only taint the good memories. I believe that this is Linwood Barclay done with Promise Falls and for that I am thankful because I am well and truly outta here!
Note to fans: Crystal first gets a mention just shy of two-hundred pages, Mayor Randy Finley is also notable in his background role, instead we get more of Duckworth's son and two pretty unsympathetic characters who have done wrong and wallow in their new status as victims. It is hard to find any fondness for Jeremy, but his mother, Gloria, is completely devoid of common sense, attached to her mobile phone and vehemently engaged in his trial by social media. Likewise, Craig Pierce is an utterly loathsome character with zero redeeming features.
January 16, 2018
I won this book thanks to GoodReads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
I hadn't read any books by this author before. It seems to me that I lacked some elements to understand the characters and Promise Falls’ back-story tragedy. But these missing details were not sufficient to prevent me from enjoying this novel.
There are two different plots in this story and several subplots that collide in the end: Police Detective Barry Duckworth and PI Cal Weaver find themselves on parallel tracks while investigating on the targets of two local young men by vigilantes who participate in a website called Just Deserts that promotes the punishment of alleged wrongdoers who have escaped prosecution by posting their whereabouts and other personal information about them.
Duckworth is investigating the kidnapping of 20-something Brian Gaffney, who, after disappearing for two days that he can't account for (he believes he was abducted by aliens!), was found with a murder confession tattooed on his back. Weaver has been hired to protect 18-year-old Jeremy Pilford, mocked nationwide as "The Big Baby" for dodging a vehicular homicide conviction based on the defence that he was so pampered from birth he couldn't be held responsible for his actions. The plot is driven by secrets Duckworth's own 25-year-old son, Trevor, is keeping about the company Jeremy's "old stock" great-aunt has been keeping.
I think it was pretty obvious what happened in the abduction case, and I suspect readers will get there before Barry. But enough was happening for the novel to still keep me interested.
In addition to these main intrigues, that are concluded well before the novel’s ending, there are interesting secondary elements, such as the fact that Trevor, Duckworth's son, is becoming more and more a real character, who may be exploited in a subsequent novel. And I was drawn to the story of Duckworth’s home life, and the obvious love and affection he and his wife Maureen share. And Cal Weaver shows also glimpses of vulnerability, illustrated wonderfully by his telling to Jeremy of the loss of his wife and son.
Some reviewers mentioned that this series, which was supposed to be a trilogy (“Parting Shot” is the fourth book), and the whole Promise Falls setting and/or plots had become stale. That observation won't impact people like me who read this as a stand-alone story. However, this is pretty much a run-of-the-mill whodunit, nothing is really new here. This is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. But maybe I had been better to start with book 1 to get the full flavour of the narrative.
Anyway, from my point of view, this story is interesting enough that I want to go back and read the first novels of the series.
I hadn't read any books by this author before. It seems to me that I lacked some elements to understand the characters and Promise Falls’ back-story tragedy. But these missing details were not sufficient to prevent me from enjoying this novel.
There are two different plots in this story and several subplots that collide in the end: Police Detective Barry Duckworth and PI Cal Weaver find themselves on parallel tracks while investigating on the targets of two local young men by vigilantes who participate in a website called Just Deserts that promotes the punishment of alleged wrongdoers who have escaped prosecution by posting their whereabouts and other personal information about them.
Duckworth is investigating the kidnapping of 20-something Brian Gaffney, who, after disappearing for two days that he can't account for (he believes he was abducted by aliens!), was found with a murder confession tattooed on his back. Weaver has been hired to protect 18-year-old Jeremy Pilford, mocked nationwide as "The Big Baby" for dodging a vehicular homicide conviction based on the defence that he was so pampered from birth he couldn't be held responsible for his actions. The plot is driven by secrets Duckworth's own 25-year-old son, Trevor, is keeping about the company Jeremy's "old stock" great-aunt has been keeping.
I think it was pretty obvious what happened in the abduction case, and I suspect readers will get there before Barry. But enough was happening for the novel to still keep me interested.
In addition to these main intrigues, that are concluded well before the novel’s ending, there are interesting secondary elements, such as the fact that Trevor, Duckworth's son, is becoming more and more a real character, who may be exploited in a subsequent novel. And I was drawn to the story of Duckworth’s home life, and the obvious love and affection he and his wife Maureen share. And Cal Weaver shows also glimpses of vulnerability, illustrated wonderfully by his telling to Jeremy of the loss of his wife and son.
Some reviewers mentioned that this series, which was supposed to be a trilogy (“Parting Shot” is the fourth book), and the whole Promise Falls setting and/or plots had become stale. That observation won't impact people like me who read this as a stand-alone story. However, this is pretty much a run-of-the-mill whodunit, nothing is really new here. This is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. But maybe I had been better to start with book 1 to get the full flavour of the narrative.
Anyway, from my point of view, this story is interesting enough that I want to go back and read the first novels of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2017
As per usual, Linwood Barclay impresses. Full of twists (just wait for those last few paragraphs..!), intriguing characters and mysteries. In Parting Shot, Barclay uses both first and third person (likely to appeal to a wider audience, as I know some people detest first-person narrators..) and his writing is clear and to the point, which is exactly what I like. Started off a little slow for me, hence 4 stars not 5, but I'd recommend all books by Barclay to anyone who loves mystery/thrillers.
May 12, 2017
It has been a year since the water tragedy and Promise Falls is just beginning to get back to normal.
A young girl has been killed by a drunk driver. The accused driver is just a kid himself. The community want answers. As far as the community is concerned, the kid got off lightly with an easy sentence. Then vicious threats are made against the family so Cal Weaver is called in to investigate.
Meanwhile Detective Duckworth is investigating another case where a young boy thinks he has been abducted and he has mo memory of the past two days. He also has a message crudely tattooed on his back. Duck worth thinks this might be connected to the Just Deserts website.
There's a lot going on in this book. There is a lot of twist and turns in this 4th book in the Promise Falls series. I liked the plot lines and I loved to hate a few of the characters. There are parts that are a bit obvious but that does not make this a bad read. I liked it.
A young girl has been killed by a drunk driver. The accused driver is just a kid himself. The community want answers. As far as the community is concerned, the kid got off lightly with an easy sentence. Then vicious threats are made against the family so Cal Weaver is called in to investigate.
Meanwhile Detective Duckworth is investigating another case where a young boy thinks he has been abducted and he has mo memory of the past two days. He also has a message crudely tattooed on his back. Duck worth thinks this might be connected to the Just Deserts website.
There's a lot going on in this book. There is a lot of twist and turns in this 4th book in the Promise Falls series. I liked the plot lines and I loved to hate a few of the characters. There are parts that are a bit obvious but that does not make this a bad read. I liked it.
April 29, 2017
First off, I don't write reviews but in this instance I felt compelled to. I read lots of books in the crime/thriller genre and Linwood Barclay is one of a handful of authors on my must-read list.
It was a huge and pleasant surprise to see this on the shelf of my local bookstore as I wasn't expecting anything until much later in the year.
Parting Shot was another easy five stars from me. Great characterisation, superb plot and the usual twists and turns we've come to expect from this great author.
Thanks Mr Barclay for another thoroughly entertaining read.
It was a huge and pleasant surprise to see this on the shelf of my local bookstore as I wasn't expecting anything until much later in the year.
Parting Shot was another easy five stars from me. Great characterisation, superb plot and the usual twists and turns we've come to expect from this great author.
Thanks Mr Barclay for another thoroughly entertaining read.
June 30, 2017
4.5 stars.
Here we go again: I read a Linwood Barclay novel, loved it, finished it waaaaaaaay quicker than I thought I would, and screamed 'IT CAN'T END LIKE THAT' as I closed the book. This pattern has become very, very familiar to me over the last couple of years, but I'm not complaining. I love Linwood Barclay so much. Every single one of his books is SO GOOD. He never disappoints and he always delivers a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I love reading these books because they remind me of everything I love about reading. They carry a thrill and provide plenty of excitement, but they're also clever and complex stories which you replay in your mind over and over again once you've finished them. I'll never get bored of books like these because they offer me so much.
Parting Shot is a kind of extension of Barclay's Promise Falls Trilogy. Contrary to what its Goodreads page suggests, it's not part of the trilogy itself. Although it follows some of the same characters - notably Cal Weaver and Barry Duckworth - the storyline it follows is completely different. I wouldn't recommend reading this if you haven't read The Twenty-Three because there are a lot of spoilers in here as the town and the characters recover from what happened in that book, but no new information about the storylines which pervaded the trilogy are given in here. If you read Parting Shot looking for answers that you didn't get from The Twenty-Three, you may be disappointed. David Harwood is only mentioned once, for example, even though the mention he does get is quite a significant one. The best way to approach Parting Shot, in my opinion, is to treat it as something separate from the Promise Falls Trilogy. That way, you're free to enjoy the familiarity and recurrences without expecting too much from them. That technique certainly worked for me.
Parting Shot stands out amongst the Barclay canon because, looking back at it, the perpetrator of the central crime is quite easy to work out. This isn't like The Twenty-Three where I was clueless until the final chapter as to who did it (still not over that tbh); all the clues point in one clear and ultimately correct direction. The mystery of this book comes from everything else. Rather than making you work out what you don't know, Barclay makes you question what you do. That's fascinating, and a lot more difficult to predict. Then, when you eventually do have everything worked out, Barclay throws in another complication or twist and the cycle starts again! This is such thrilling, unputdownable crime which follows such a carefully laid out chain of events. I have such admiration for Barclay. His memory for small details and method of planting them into significant parts of the story is extraordinary. Even though the set-up is a little different, the follow-through in this book is just as incredible as in all his other books.
Another thing that makes Parting Shot stand out is the personal aspects of it. Although it's Cal who has the first-person narration in this book, I would argue that the central character is Barry Duckworth. Ahh, Barry Duckworth. I love him so. He really is like an old friend at this point, but this is the first time that we reallyget to see his home life. Duckworth's wife, Maureen, and son, Trevor, both feature prominently in this book, which was really lovely. There were several beautiful moments between Barry and Trevor in particular. On top of that, I think that Barclay gave us a real insight into Barry's mindset in here. Up until now, he's been the pretty much ever-successful detective who unravels the secrets of every Promise Falls crime, but, after The Twenty-Three, that all changed. Here, you can see the doubt creeping in. Duckworth considers a career change, questions whether he's doing the right thing, and is even dieting (who'd have thought it!). As a picture of a beloved character, Parting Shot is absolutely wonderful. All the Duckworth fans out there (of which I'm sure there are many) are going to love this. Damn, I'm going to miss Barry.
The less said about the ending, the better, but it is AMAZING. Pretty much every single one of Barclay's endings absolutely kills me and leaves me screaming internally, but this one more so than others. I never saw this one coming in a million years and I'm still in shock. I think I'll be recovering from this one for a while.
Parting Shot wasn't my favourite Barclay book, or even my favourite Promise Falls (trilogy and otherwise) book. I'm struggling to pinpoint exactly what it was about this one that prevented me from absolutely loving it. Perhaps it was the predictability of the main plot, although, as I suggested above, I think that was intentional because it led to other, more complicated mysteries? I don't know. Something is making me hesitate before pressing the 5 star button, but, whatever it is, it's a small thing. For the most part, I loved this book. When I was reading it, I didn't want to stop, and there's no better sign of a good book than that. Although Parting Shot did (as usual with Barclay) leave a couple of unanswered questions, I think it brought the Promise Falls chapter of Barclay's career to a thoroughly satisfactory close. I'm sad to say goodbye to Cal Weaver and Barry Duckworth and the others, but this is a good place to leave it. I, as always, can't wait to see what Linwood Barclay does next. If his next book is anywhere near as good as his last four have been, then we're all in for a treat.
Here we go again: I read a Linwood Barclay novel, loved it, finished it waaaaaaaay quicker than I thought I would, and screamed 'IT CAN'T END LIKE THAT' as I closed the book. This pattern has become very, very familiar to me over the last couple of years, but I'm not complaining. I love Linwood Barclay so much. Every single one of his books is SO GOOD. He never disappoints and he always delivers a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I love reading these books because they remind me of everything I love about reading. They carry a thrill and provide plenty of excitement, but they're also clever and complex stories which you replay in your mind over and over again once you've finished them. I'll never get bored of books like these because they offer me so much.
Parting Shot is a kind of extension of Barclay's Promise Falls Trilogy. Contrary to what its Goodreads page suggests, it's not part of the trilogy itself. Although it follows some of the same characters - notably Cal Weaver and Barry Duckworth - the storyline it follows is completely different. I wouldn't recommend reading this if you haven't read The Twenty-Three because there are a lot of spoilers in here as the town and the characters recover from what happened in that book, but no new information about the storylines which pervaded the trilogy are given in here. If you read Parting Shot looking for answers that you didn't get from The Twenty-Three, you may be disappointed. David Harwood is only mentioned once, for example, even though the mention he does get is quite a significant one. The best way to approach Parting Shot, in my opinion, is to treat it as something separate from the Promise Falls Trilogy. That way, you're free to enjoy the familiarity and recurrences without expecting too much from them. That technique certainly worked for me.
Parting Shot stands out amongst the Barclay canon because, looking back at it, the perpetrator of the central crime is quite easy to work out. This isn't like The Twenty-Three where I was clueless until the final chapter as to who did it (still not over that tbh); all the clues point in one clear and ultimately correct direction. The mystery of this book comes from everything else. Rather than making you work out what you don't know, Barclay makes you question what you do. That's fascinating, and a lot more difficult to predict. Then, when you eventually do have everything worked out, Barclay throws in another complication or twist and the cycle starts again! This is such thrilling, unputdownable crime which follows such a carefully laid out chain of events. I have such admiration for Barclay. His memory for small details and method of planting them into significant parts of the story is extraordinary. Even though the set-up is a little different, the follow-through in this book is just as incredible as in all his other books.
Another thing that makes Parting Shot stand out is the personal aspects of it. Although it's Cal who has the first-person narration in this book, I would argue that the central character is Barry Duckworth. Ahh, Barry Duckworth. I love him so. He really is like an old friend at this point, but this is the first time that we reallyget to see his home life. Duckworth's wife, Maureen, and son, Trevor, both feature prominently in this book, which was really lovely. There were several beautiful moments between Barry and Trevor in particular. On top of that, I think that Barclay gave us a real insight into Barry's mindset in here. Up until now, he's been the pretty much ever-successful detective who unravels the secrets of every Promise Falls crime, but, after The Twenty-Three, that all changed. Here, you can see the doubt creeping in. Duckworth considers a career change, questions whether he's doing the right thing, and is even dieting (who'd have thought it!). As a picture of a beloved character, Parting Shot is absolutely wonderful. All the Duckworth fans out there (of which I'm sure there are many) are going to love this. Damn, I'm going to miss Barry.
The less said about the ending, the better, but it is AMAZING. Pretty much every single one of Barclay's endings absolutely kills me and leaves me screaming internally, but this one more so than others. I never saw this one coming in a million years and I'm still in shock. I think I'll be recovering from this one for a while.
Parting Shot wasn't my favourite Barclay book, or even my favourite Promise Falls (trilogy and otherwise) book. I'm struggling to pinpoint exactly what it was about this one that prevented me from absolutely loving it. Perhaps it was the predictability of the main plot, although, as I suggested above, I think that was intentional because it led to other, more complicated mysteries? I don't know. Something is making me hesitate before pressing the 5 star button, but, whatever it is, it's a small thing. For the most part, I loved this book. When I was reading it, I didn't want to stop, and there's no better sign of a good book than that. Although Parting Shot did (as usual with Barclay) leave a couple of unanswered questions, I think it brought the Promise Falls chapter of Barclay's career to a thoroughly satisfactory close. I'm sad to say goodbye to Cal Weaver and Barry Duckworth and the others, but this is a good place to leave it. I, as always, can't wait to see what Linwood Barclay does next. If his next book is anywhere near as good as his last four have been, then we're all in for a treat.
April 28, 2020
I’m going to be honest and say I’ve had mixed feelings about the Promise Falls series. I’m a big Linwood Barclay fan, but the series failed to wow me in the way some of the author’s other work has. In fact, Parting Shot is the only book in the series to earn a four-star rating – and even then, it was a rounded-up rating.
Parting Shot works to close off the series, but it does not do so in the way I’d anticipated. In fact, many of the questions I wanted answering were done so through telling rather than showing. It was nice to get answers, but I expected a bit more from the way the answers would be delivered.
Although I was a wee bit disappointed in that sense, I did enjoy the way the mystery of this one played out. Sure, I worked out some of the details. However, I enjoyed watching as everything came together. It had me hooked, and I happily devoured this one.
All in all, Parting Shot was my favourite in the Promise Falls series.
Parting Shot works to close off the series, but it does not do so in the way I’d anticipated. In fact, many of the questions I wanted answering were done so through telling rather than showing. It was nice to get answers, but I expected a bit more from the way the answers would be delivered.
Although I was a wee bit disappointed in that sense, I did enjoy the way the mystery of this one played out. Sure, I worked out some of the details. However, I enjoyed watching as everything came together. It had me hooked, and I happily devoured this one.
All in all, Parting Shot was my favourite in the Promise Falls series.
June 21, 2017
Promise Falls is the USA's answer to the UK's Midsomer. So much has happened in this little town over the course of four books. In Parting Shot the surviving folks are still coming to terms with the mass poisoning of their town last year. When a young girl is killed by a drunk driver, the town is outraged that the driver is let off. Private Investigator Cal Weaver is asked to serve as a body guard to the accused kid, and it soon becomes apparent that someone is out to teach the boy a lesson. Meanwhile Detective Barry Duckworth is investigating the seemingly random attack on a young man who is drugged and then tattooed across his back.
Full of red herrings and wonderful twists that I didn't see coming, this was a very satisfying read.
Full of red herrings and wonderful twists that I didn't see coming, this was a very satisfying read.
June 19, 2018
I said I was done with Promise Falls after the last book, but Linwood Barclay drew me in again with this one. And darned if he didn't finish it with a monster cliff hanger or two. So when Promise Falls #5 comes out, count me in.
February 14, 2022
3.5 stars. Easy reading. Enjoyable.
June 21, 2018
Previously I have read and enjoyed the Promise Falls Trilogy and when that was concluded the feeling is that that completes the story but then Parting Shot arrives, and Detective Barry Duckworth and Private Investigator Cal Weaver turn up again. A story of fiction in but one that highlights social media, electronic listening and tracking devices that are now synonymous of modern living, for better or worse, as well as the issue of revenge. Barry and Cal set out along their own paths until events, formed around tragedy, come violently together.
The style of this novel has the individual chapters following the main characters becoming more intermingled as the story reaches a climax that may not be as you would expect. A fast pace, involved but simple to follow plot lines. Great read.
The style of this novel has the individual chapters following the main characters becoming more intermingled as the story reaches a climax that may not be as you would expect. A fast pace, involved but simple to follow plot lines. Great read.
April 27, 2017
5 stars?? More like twenty!!
Another brilliant thriller by the master Linwood Barclay. This author is the only one who has never, ever disappointed me so far, not in a single novel.
I have to say, after the Promise Falls trilogy ending in the masterpiece that is The Twenty-Three I was not expecting the final installment to be even better but it was. This is probably Barclay's best, more filled with action, humor, excellent pace and suspense work. Even with
Another brilliant thriller by the master Linwood Barclay. This author is the only one who has never, ever disappointed me so far, not in a single novel.
I have to say, after the Promise Falls trilogy ending in the masterpiece that is The Twenty-Three I was not expecting the final installment to be even better but it was. This is probably Barclay's best, more filled with action, humor, excellent pace and suspense work. Even with
July 16, 2019
Detective Barry Duckworth of the Promise Falls police department listens to the story of a man who thinks he has been abducted by aliens for some secret experiment because he can't remember the last 2 days. Duckworth knows aliens didn't tattoo that big message on his back.
Private investigator Cal Weaver takes on a case of providing security for a young man deemed the Big Baby. Jeremy ran over his friend while driving drunk. His attorney got him off by saying he was too pampered and irresponsible to realize what he did was wrong. Sounds like the lawyer who got a teenager off a few years ago by saying he had "affluenza". People are hounding Jeremy and his family and Cal takes off with the young man to keep him safe.
This book was published in 2017 but my library just got this copy. I was interested in the story but not fully immersed in the first half. I disliked Jeremy, his mother Gloria, and Craig Pierce. Halfway through the book, the connections in cases became clearer. The second half was much better to me and definitely raised my rating. Changed a few of my opinions too. I really shouldn't have questioned a Linwood Barclay book.
I liked seeing the relationship develop between Cal and Jeremy. Cal definitely has that fatherly instinct. There are many twists in this story, including the last page. Not sure what happened to a couple of the characters. Also, I don't think Duckworth's work situation is resolved so I'm wondering if the next book will open in this way.
Private investigator Cal Weaver takes on a case of providing security for a young man deemed the Big Baby. Jeremy ran over his friend while driving drunk. His attorney got him off by saying he was too pampered and irresponsible to realize what he did was wrong. Sounds like the lawyer who got a teenager off a few years ago by saying he had "affluenza". People are hounding Jeremy and his family and Cal takes off with the young man to keep him safe.
This book was published in 2017 but my library just got this copy. I was interested in the story but not fully immersed in the first half. I disliked Jeremy, his mother Gloria, and Craig Pierce. Halfway through the book, the connections in cases became clearer. The second half was much better to me and definitely raised my rating. Changed a few of my opinions too. I really shouldn't have questioned a Linwood Barclay book.
I liked seeing the relationship develop between Cal and Jeremy. Cal definitely has that fatherly instinct. There are many twists in this story, including the last page. Not sure what happened to a couple of the characters. Also, I don't think Duckworth's work situation is resolved so I'm wondering if the next book will open in this way.
March 26, 2018
What a great addition to the Promise Falls series. Although only a few characters from the series return, the book is filled with edge of your seat excitement. As usual for Mr Barclay, the book is loaded with twists to the plot. This book is about lies, deceit, greed, and revenge, all of which can destroy an innocent human being. The ending was a powerful shock. No doubt, we will be hearing more from Promise Falls.
August 7, 2020
Linwood Barclay is an excellent writer I enjoyed reading another book about Promise falls. The characters are back,Barry Duckworth police detective,, Ray Finlay the mayor and Cal Weaver private eye are all present. He creates different stories within the book going from a vigilante who pursues the pervert and extends his type of Justice.To a molested man who is drugged and kidnapped, to a body found in the trunk of a missing womans car. To a young man who is accused tried, and found not guilty of taking a car and running down a young girl. All the stories comes together in the end.
I thought the ending could have been a little less Hollywood.
I thought the ending could have been a little less Hollywood.
January 22, 2018
More drama from the small American town where the murder rate keeps mounting. This one isn't as gory as the first 3 in the Promise Falls series but it has its moments. I love how Linwood Barclay takes all the strands and weaves them together to produce a satisfying conclusion - with more than a few stings in the tail.
May 22, 2017
Fans of Linwood Barclay may remember his recent trilogy, set in Promise Falls. I loved the first instalment (Broken Promise) struggled just a little with the second (Far From True), but enjoyed the third (The Twenty-Three) more.
It did however, end with a cliffhanger.
Well, the (ahem) trilogy did end. Officially. Until this – featuring some of the characters we came to know and love – was released… in some circles as a standalone, but also billed as Promise Falls #4!
I’ll add a little more blurb here as the back cover / official blurb kinda misses one element / stream of the plot. And it may be because (#spoiler if you haven’t read the end of The Twenty Three), Detective Barry Duckworth survives. Readers were thrown into turmoil as the book (and series) ended implying he might have died.
Parting Shot picks up a year later and Barry’s back at work. So, along with Cal (from the Promise Falls series) we’ve again got Barry, who’s lost some weight and attempting to recover from almost losing his life. There are a few references to the climax of the trilogy, which was good as I’d forgotten the detail, but not enough backstory required that you couldn’t read this as a standalone.
So, as well as Cal protecting Jeremy, there’s a separate thread with Barry being presented with a victim who claims to have been kidnapped by aliens. He thinks. He talks of being tied to a bed and injected with needles and has ‘lost’ two days. As it happens his story isn’t as farcical as it sounds and Barry’s soon on the trail of a new kind of criminal… though one Promise Falls knows well – one who’s out for retribution.
I think it’s pretty obvious what’s happened in the abduction case, and I suspect readers will get there before Barry. We also learn two-thirds of the way through, who is responsible. I usually hate it when we know ‘whodunnit’ and I don’t have to tax my little grey cells guessing, but Barclay offers us several mysteries in one here, so there’s plenty to think about.
I obviously enjoyed the time spent with Barry and Cal. Barclay is able to engage us in the characters’ stories and lives and they’re realistic… fallible and far from the never-failing, inordinately lucky, almost superhuman hero we’re often offered.
It seems these Promise Falls-themed loosely linked books will continue and I’m glad of that. There’s brief reference to a few of the players from the trilogy so I suspect they’ll be back in a new outing. So that’s something to look forward to.
Read the full review on my site: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
It did however, end with a cliffhanger.
Well, the (ahem) trilogy did end. Officially. Until this – featuring some of the characters we came to know and love – was released… in some circles as a standalone, but also billed as Promise Falls #4!
I’ll add a little more blurb here as the back cover / official blurb kinda misses one element / stream of the plot. And it may be because (#spoiler if you haven’t read the end of The Twenty Three), Detective Barry Duckworth survives. Readers were thrown into turmoil as the book (and series) ended implying he might have died.
Parting Shot picks up a year later and Barry’s back at work. So, along with Cal (from the Promise Falls series) we’ve again got Barry, who’s lost some weight and attempting to recover from almost losing his life. There are a few references to the climax of the trilogy, which was good as I’d forgotten the detail, but not enough backstory required that you couldn’t read this as a standalone.
So, as well as Cal protecting Jeremy, there’s a separate thread with Barry being presented with a victim who claims to have been kidnapped by aliens. He thinks. He talks of being tied to a bed and injected with needles and has ‘lost’ two days. As it happens his story isn’t as farcical as it sounds and Barry’s soon on the trail of a new kind of criminal… though one Promise Falls knows well – one who’s out for retribution.
I think it’s pretty obvious what’s happened in the abduction case, and I suspect readers will get there before Barry. We also learn two-thirds of the way through, who is responsible. I usually hate it when we know ‘whodunnit’ and I don’t have to tax my little grey cells guessing, but Barclay offers us several mysteries in one here, so there’s plenty to think about.
I obviously enjoyed the time spent with Barry and Cal. Barclay is able to engage us in the characters’ stories and lives and they’re realistic… fallible and far from the never-failing, inordinately lucky, almost superhuman hero we’re often offered.
It seems these Promise Falls-themed loosely linked books will continue and I’m glad of that. There’s brief reference to a few of the players from the trilogy so I suspect they’ll be back in a new outing. So that’s something to look forward to.
Read the full review on my site: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
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