I really enjoyed this book, the author is very skilled in creating an engrossing story with interesting characters. A few times I thought I had figured out whodunnit but no…. I was then led in another direction!
A book and an author I have no hesitation I. recommending.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the advance read.

A novel with an interesting premise - a woman who disappeared several years ago and believed murdered by her husband, suddenly reappears - is she the same person, or is somebody playing a trick. With scenes from present day and others from the time of the disappearance, it is well plotted and provides plenty of theories and clues. One of the flashback scenes refers to vaccine hesitancy, so a bit of an editing faux pas occurred somewhere along the line. Okay, but not completely engaging.

This is the first book I have read by Linwood Barclay and I thoroughly enjoyed it. When Andys missing wife Brie seems to appear from out of nowhere after going missing years ago there is a guessing game of is it/is it not her. A mystery with some twists on the way this had me guessing until near the very end. It is well written and constructed and it only took me a couple of days to read it as I wanted to find out how it would end. This is always the indicator of a good book for me.

I have read most of Linwood Barclays books and enjoyed them. This was not my favouite though still a good read. By half way through I felt the story was only developing but I already had an inkling of where the story was heading. I felt there were a few clumsey moments in the story - the hand for one. I would still recommend this book as an entertaining read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

I have read all earlier books from this author and enjoyed them all but I am sorry to say this one didn't live up to my expectations. I found there were too many characters and just couldn't get into the story line.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Publishers for allowing me to read this book.

Wow this was a book that really "took my breath away"... The first book I've read by Linwood Barclay, but will definitely be reading more. Where have I been all these years not to have noticed this author before? The great thing is he's written quite a lot, so there's loads to catch up on and will definitely looking out for future books by Linwood.

I was drawn in from the very first page and love when you start something and think now this sounds really good, - great premise, great style, great characters and great story. So many twists and turns. Just when you think you've got it all worked out, you find you haven't and its great when a book can capture your imagination like that.

Six years ago Andrew Mason's wife Brie disappeared without a trace. Most people thought he killed her, but it could never be proved.

Now, he's managed to pull his life back from the brink and made a fresh start with a his new partner Jayne and everything is great again. However a woman resembling his wife has reappeared in town. Is it is wife? If so why is she back and what happened to her? The Police are back to turn his life upside down again. Is Brie really alive and can Andrew work out the truth and come to terms with what's happened all over again.
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A big thank you to HQ and Netgalley for sending me the e-book for an honest opinion and for the opportunity to read such a well written and exciting book.

Andrew is devastated when his wife Brie goes missing when he is on a weekend trip with his friend. He is investigated by the police and although they have no evidence he is suspected of getting rid of his wife.
Six years later Andrew has made a new life for himself and is happily living with is new girlfriend. When a woman turns up at their old house who bears a resemblance to Brie he has to find out if it was her and where has she been for all this time.
A thriller with some twists and turns that keeps you guessing.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is Barclay at his superb best. I’ve read all of his books and he has never failed to impress. Take you breath away certainly does that, it literally takes your breath away. The story is based around the mysterious disappearance of Andy Masons wife Brie six years ago. Brie’s sister Isabelle and the police officer investigating the case all believe its Andy but can’t provide any proof. Andy has moved to a different place, changed his surname and has a new partner. His life is going fairly well when a woman resembling Brie turns up at their old street and has a panic attack on finding their old home has been pulled down and a new one built in its place. Events escalate from there. There are a couple of subplots which merge nicely at the conclusion of the story.
The book has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Barclay has made characters you can hear speak from the pages, the character development is excellent, the story simply enhances them. I was engaged with the story from the beginning, Barclay knows how to write brilliant books, I highly recommend reading this one. Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

How is this my first Linwood Barclay book? I loved it. What a completly fascinating and complex story. So mant twists and turns. Brilliant can't wait to read more x

There's so much going on in this book that the author must have needed mind-maps and coloured charts to keep track of it all when plotting the story! Despite that, the finished book worked amazingly well and did not confuse the reader with its weaving sub-plots. There were many deliberate mis-directions and suspicions thrown along the way, and as intended, I became suspicious of almost everyone at some point. The ending had quite a few surprises and they kept on coming right up to the last few sentences.

The story centres around Andrew Mason, whose wife Brie disappeared one night when he was away on a fishing trip with his friend and business partner. The police are naturally suspicious of Andrew - he was only a couple of hours away - but they have insufficient evidence, no motive and no body. Six years later, Andrew is resettled and has a new partner, but Brie starts showing up; at her old house, waving through windows, in local shops. Is it her? If not, who is impersonating her and why?

This book is a murder mystery but is also great entertainment from beginning to end - hence my 5 stars.

Andrew Mason has got away with murder!!! Or has he??? He left his wife at home when he went on a fishing trip on his return Brie had vanished, leaving no trace, with not enough evidence against him the case collapsed. Its now 6 years later he has had to rebuild his life as the whispers against him were to strong to ignore his business suffered. He changed his name and moved house and managed to get his life back on track with a new partner who knows nothing about his past. However Brie is sighted and old questions rear their ugly head again.....did he or didn't he???? Could Brie still be alive after all this time and if so where has she been. I couldn't wait to find out what had happened, it kept me up a night trying to get to the end.....and what an ending!!!! I didn't see that coming! Another great story from Linwood Barclay thrilling to the end.

An ok read but I never really engaged with any of the characters.. Andrew came home to an empty house and, although the police could find no evidence, he was assumed to have murdered his wife of course. He changes name, moves and settles down with a new partner, her son and a baby on the way. Then a woman turns up at the site of his old house and who could be the wife. Things spiral downhill for him from there on - the police remain convinced he's guilty of something, his awful siblings are just that and vindictive, his mother dying in hospital. The mysterious woman appears to her and to the siblings but never for long enough to talk to them. Plenty of twists and turns before we find out what is going on although a certain amount was predictable. Not up to the author's usual standard I'm afraid. Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Brie and Andrew Mason live in Connecticut with Andrew being a self employed building contractor.
Andrew and Brie moved from one run down house to another just renovating and selling as they go. Andrew worked with his partner Greg who was his best friend since college.

Andrew and Greg decided to go away for the weekend ,just the two of them ,fishing. When Andrew returned home ,Brie his wife was missing, her car was in the drive and purse and phone left in house. This started a a wide search for her ,but to no avail . The local police though Andrew had murdered his wife , but could never prove it.

Six years after Brie's disappearance a strange occurrence happened when there was a sighting of what appeared to be Brie ,confused returning to where their old house used to be but now had been demolished and rebuilt after Andrew had sold it. This sparked off a series of unintended circumstances which led to a murder. But who is this new woman ,is it Brie back to haunt Andrew?

Typical Linwood Barclay twisting thriller that has your pulse racing with not wanting to put the book down. Enjoyed every page , disappointed to have finished the book, I just wanted more.

I have read and enjoyed many of Linwood Barclay's books but this one was a disappointment. I didn't warm to any of the characters - and there were many, There were too many subplots and twists and turns for me and it occasionally verged on the ridiculous,
Sorry, Linwood, but I will be reading your next book, hoping that this one was a one-off.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot (plenty of reviews like that out there if that's what you're looking for!)

I've read several books by Linwood Barclay, and couldn't wait to read this one! As usual, I was not disappointed...

An excellent plot, well written and realistic characters, and that special Linwood Barclay twisty-turny magic that keeps you turning the pages into the small hours!

I didn't expect this to end as it did, which was an added bonus - that final twist set the seal on a great read.

Looking forward to reading more by this excellent author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

A classic 'whodunnit'. with a twist. In this case, the twist is that the apparently dead wife is seen around town, causing everybody, from police to family, to take another look at her husband, and main suspect in her disappearance. Like all good murder-mysteries, it's not easy to work it out and you are unlikely to do so until the author allows - and then very satisfactorily indeed.

The title of Linwood Barclay's latest novel is particularly apt as, with all his books, he is able to take your breath away. His tales are consistently brilliant; there is drama, intrigue, mystery as well as plot twists and the odd dash of necessary violence. Six years ago Andrew's wife Brie disappeared and he was the obvious culprit; now, after a tough few years he has rebuilt his life until....! The very definition of a page-turner.

I reviewed Take Your Breath Away for LoveReading.co.uk. My full review can be seen on the site and is attached. It has been chosen as a Liz Robinson Pick of the Month.

A fairly slow start that gradually builds throughout the story and as with most Linwood Barclay books turns into a page turning climax. As usual great characterisation of all the individuals involved with all of them would be suspects resulting in a very good read.

What a fantastic story, I was on tenterhooks the whole way through. It was an action packed, fast paced thriller that will not disappoint. I loved the how the plot line really got under my skin, I wanted to know if it was Brie who was still alive and if so what happened back then? There were so many questions I had going round my head when reading this book, Linwood does a great job of leaving the reader wanting more after a chapter has finished, I just kept on reading until the early hours of the morning. I tried to guess what would happen but I couldn't, the twists made it harder to work out. The ending was perfect and I felt bereft that the story had ended.