From New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay comes an explosive novel set in the peaceful small town of Promise Falls, where secrets can always be buried—but never forgotten… David believes his life is in free fall, and he can’t find a way to stop his descent.
Then he comes across a family secret of epic proportions. A year after a devastating miscarriage, David’s cousin Marla has continued to struggle. But when David’s mother asks him to check on her, he’s horrified to discover that she’s been secretly raising a child who is not her own—a baby she claims was a gift from an “angel” left on her porch.
When the baby’s real mother is found murdered, David can’t help wanting to piece together what happened—even if it means proving his own cousin’s guilt. But as he uncovers each piece of evidence, David realizes that Marla’s mysterious child is just the tip of the iceberg.
Other strange things are happening. Animals are found ritually slaughtered. An ominous abandoned Ferris wheel seems to stand as a warning that something dark has infected Promise Falls. And someone has decided that the entire town must pay for the sins of its past…in blood.
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One of the best books in an elite group of the best thrilers! Linwood Barclay strikes again!
Ending is a surprise
One of my favorite authors. I think I have read all his books.
A realistic thriller that kept me reading and enticed me to go even further into the Broken Promise series.
Likable characters, real problems to solve.
Not his best. Too predictable. I rounded it up from a 3.5 to a 4 because it was a quick read. Writing was amateurish. I’m really not certain he wrote this novel because it really was not all that well developed and could have been so much better. I don’t think I’ll read the other books in this series but Linwood Barclays will remain one of my favorites writers.
You can’t go wrong with a Linwood Barclay book.
I liked the whole series
I love Barclay’s books! Easy to read and there’s usually a surprising twist.
David Harwood is a former Boston Globe city editor and widower who returned home to Promise Falls so he could spend more quality time with his nine-year old son (better hours). He was to be a reporter for the local newspaper but it closed on his first day and now he’s living with his parents until he finds something new. When he stops by to check on his cousin, Marla, whose baby was stillborn some months ago and she’s still pretty fragile, David finds her with a baby boy she says was delivered to her by an “angel.” He knows something’s wrong and discovers information that leads him to an address where he finds a murdered woman he suspects is the baby’s real mother. This discovery is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
I opted to listen to this book and that was a great decision. The two narrators were so good and made the book even more interesting. I also chose not to read the synopsis and had no idea where the story would lead. That also served me well as this tale meanders into several directions that eventually connect, some loosely and others more concretely. David is one of the two narrators, Detective Barry Duckworth who’s investigating this case is the other. Their perspectives couldn’t be more diverse, which adds another element of interest. There’s a strange phenomena occurring at the town’s theme park and a crisis at the local college. And, the connections between David and his family with others in the town provide more murky situations.
There are a host of surprises, small and major, to keep everything moving at a satisfying pace. There are also a lot of characters to track, which isn’t an issue for me as I maintain lists for all the series I follow. But be forewarned that it will be important to remember them and the audio performers help in how they distinguish them. While I figured out early on the biggest mystery, there are still other open threads that weren’t completely resolved…no cliffhangers, just a continuing story arc that’s very compelling. I really enjoyed the story, am glad I chose audio and am anxious to continue.
(I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
I want to know what comes next with these characters. They are compelling and people I’d like to know. Great, escapist read.
This is a series of 3 books 1) Broken Promise 2) Far from True 3) The Twenty-Three. There is a previous book titled Never Look Back, although not part of this series, provides a tiny bit of backstory on the town of Promise Falls, however, it really isn’t necessary to follow this story. Previous reviews complain that Broken Promise ends with a cliffhanger, so don’t’ be left hanging, be sure to grab the next 2 books, you will NOT be disappointed! I’m obsessed with Linwood Barclay books, I’ve listened to all that are available on Audible, and I’m not so patiently standing-by for the next new book! Broken Promise is narrated by Quincy Dunn-Baker & Brian O’Neill , both are outstanding.