It’s been a while since I read the last book in this series, but it didn’t matter as I fell straight into this one and was comfortably reading before I knew it. There are a few references to the past, but it could be read as a standalone, and you wouldn’t feel like you were missing out on anything.
David Raker is investigating the disappearance of Cate and Aiden Gascoigne. What appears to be an impossible task turns out to be a perilous journey for everyone Raker cares about. Raker is a very straightforward character, he’s extremely good at his job, and he includes us, the reader, in every aspect of the investigation. You really feel as if you are along for the ride with him. The focus throughout the book is what is happening and the case he is looking into. Time isn’t wasted on what Raker looks like, not too much on his personal life, and it is what makes the books so clinical, but in a good way. You aren’t distracted by irrelevant information; you are on the case and running for your life alongside Raker.
I loved how all the intricacies of the story started to weave themselves together for the big reveal. It was all cleverly done and made for fascinating reading. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what would be the outcome or what had happened to everyone, but I was gripped when it all was exposed.
A fantastic read, and I really must find time to go back to book one and read the first ten books in the series. I’ve only read the eleventh, and this the twelfth book, so there is still so much of this character to enjoy.

This is the 11th installment of the David Raker series and whilst you can read this as a standalone book, it is better to read them in order to understand the back story and characters who will be present in this book.

I am not sure where Weaver gets the inspiration for his stories but time and time again he comes up with the goods. The character of David Raker is one of the best in the business right now and this is my favourite series of books alongside Cara Hunter's Adam Fawley series.

In this novel, a couple go missing just minutes after crashing their car down a ravine. How could they escape the car after such a crash, how can there have been no trace for so long? All these questions will be answered but not before the story becomes very complex!

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK, Michael Joseph, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Blackbird is the 11th Book in the David Raker series by Tim Weaver, and he never seems to disappoint.
Couple Cate and Aiden are happily married when their car crashes down a ravine. But when the emergency services get there, there are no where to be found. 2 years later they still haven’t been found by the police. The family ask missing person investigator David Raker to take up the case.
In searching for the pair David Raker comes across an old cold case of thirty years ago where bodies of young women turn up in sand dunes on a beach. What is the connection between them and the couple that has disappeared? Raker soon finds out.
Thank you, Penguin Michael Joseph, for a copy of The Blackbird by Tim Weaver this is another fabulous episode in the series. Even though this is the 11th book in the series. The quality of the author’s writing hasn’t faltered. This is a typical intriguing storyline from the author with some parts going back and forward in time and with several sub plots which only comes clear right at the end of the book. I really enjoyed this book from the Tim Weaver including the cliff hanger at the end to entice you until the next book. 5 stars from me.

Tim Weaver and the David Raker series is guaranteed to have me reading late into the night. Another missing person's case that only Raker can solve and so much more. The back story which runs through all of this series has a revelation which will shock the reader I kid you not. This book, this series is so GOOD and makes me want to read the next book now PLEASE!!!!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Blackbird is the eleventh novel in this brilliant mystery crime series but can be read as a stand alone
A young couple have disappeared after a car crash from which no bodies were recovered from the burning wreckage. David Raker is asked by the family to investigate.
This is a fast moving, often tense plot, with so many twists and turns. A fantastic read .that you will not want to put down..
Tim Weaver always delivers

Without hesitation, this is a jaw droppingly good read. My first 5 stars of the year, I didn't want to put this down and I certainly didn't want it to end but end it did. Talking of endings ....fantastic. No one ties up a book like Tim Weaver.

The Blackbird is a complex read with so many sub plots, it'll keep everyone engrossed. From start to finish this is a classy read and in David Raker, who once again shines effortlessly, Weaver has a protagonist set to run and run.

The book is well written, the sub plots all thought out and despite the jumping around with timelines it all comes together and you sit back and think - of course! I'd shout it from the rooftops if I could - this is a fantastic edition to the Raker stables. I can't wait to see where this one goes next!! Hurry up Tim!!

Tim Weaver's books never disappoint. Dark and edgy and a gripping read. Will look forward to his future books. I think i am up-to-date now,

I’m a big fan of Tim Weaver’s David Raker books and was excited to receive “The Blackbird” as a review copy.
Raker investigates missing persons, normally taking on cases the police have given up on. In this book he is looking into the disappearance of Cate and Aiden two years after a car crash from which their bodies have never been recovered..
The case is complicated and it gradually appears that it is connected to a series of 30 year old murders in the North East of England. A number of flashbacks to earlier times definitely ramp up the tension as Raker tries to discover what has happened. Gradually things start to fall into place but by this stage Raker’s own life is thrown into turmoil as someone is trying to stop him finding out too much and will go to any lengths to prevent their exposure.
Whilst this is happening, Raker is also trying to keep on top of his relationship with Colm, an ex cop whom he has helped to vanish some years earlier. Stashed in North Wales, Colm has a few issues and believes he might have been traced, adding to Raker’s worry.
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller which was cleverly plotted with many strands which the author deftly brought together as the book progressed. In fact the last page was so unexpected it left me desperately waiting for the next instalment in David Raker’s career!
This is a great read and I would recommend it to both David Raker aficionados as well as mystery readers who enjoy a well plotted book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc.

Having not read any of the previous books in this series I was relieved to find this was not an obstacle to enjoying the tale. This book works as well as a stand alone as it does, I assume, as part of the series to which it belongs. There were parts where it was obvious I didn't have all the history between characters but that didn't harm the storytelling in any way.

I must confess that after starting it, i was hugely relieved I had done so at the begining of a long weekend! I just had to keep reading when ever I could and found it difficult to stop and do anything else without thinking about what was going on and what might have happened.

This book tells an interesting mystery, just where did they go? The twists and turns made sense after reading them but many were not easy to see coming and that is what kept me reading, I really needed to know what was going on and was very happy with the way the story went and the outcome although, I now feel the need to hunt down all the other books in this series to get another 'fix'

A mystery worthy of David Raker - well written and this book is the best I’ve read since ‘What Remains’ from Tim Weaver

I absolutely love Tim Weaver, his books always have me reading into the early hours and not wanting to stop turning the pages. And The Blackbird didn’t disappoint ! Good to have the input and support from Task and Healy ! David Raker is amazing and has had to make it through some difficult times. He is passionate and thorough. So looking forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the early read.

Whilst this book is part of a long running series I thoroughly enjoyed it as a stand alone novel. Raker takes on a mysterious missing persons case and uncovers more than he bargained for along the way. It’s a fiendish thriller full of surprises and I look forward to the next. I will be checking out previous books in the meantime in the hope they are as good as this which I suspect they will be.

Another chapter in the David Raker series of his searches for missing individuals. The story of a couple who vanished from a burning car wreck is the intriguing start to this investigation as Raker appointed by one of the victims parents questions the feasibility of an escape from the accident. The case leads to discoveries of bodies many years ago somehow linked. Details from the police murder investigation from that time are interspersed with the current tale. At times a bit confusing along with the story of Colm Healy from previous episodes and his hidden relationship with Raker it only becomes clear in the final third as all the best thrillers do. The final few lines give a shock conclusion so how will Raker explain all? To be continued……

Tim Weaver has done it again with this 5⭐️ Fascinating, riveting read. This is book 11 in the fabulous David Raker series and although it can absolutely be read as a stand alone, I’d recommend you read all so as not to miss out on understanding the characters, particularly that of Raker.

I found this to be darker than others in the series, but, it’s handled with compassion and sympathy and for those who enjoy a mystery / thriller, this is a fabulous one.

Cate and Aiden Gascoigne are a young, happily married couple, seen smiling on cctv moments before their car careers off a ravine. How can the vehicle be empty when the emergency services arrive?
David Raker finds missing people, it’s what he does, but, this mystery seems impossible to solve.

What follows is a dramatic thrill of a read, with a thread of sadness running through the action and mystery, that, for me only added to the suspense.

Congratulations to the author on another excellent addition to this gripping series and many thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph Penguin Random House for the opportunity to preview.
#netgalley
#DavidRaker

David Raker finds missing people - it’s his job and his passion. In this book, the 11th in a series, he is asked to find a young couple who vanished after a serious car accident that really should have killed them. The story is full of twists and turns, not all of which are wholly plausible. Nonetheless, there is more than enough action and suspense to keep the reader turning the pages and following the large cast of characters who populate the book in varying degrees of nastiness. Weaver manages to portray all the bad guys realistically, but also describes the innocent members of the cast with compassion and sensitivity. The settings are also vividly described and the book works well as a stand-alone in spite of being part of a series. The ending is less than totally convincing, but will serve to leave fans of the series holding their breath for more - a very clever device!

The Blackbird by Tim Weaver
Publishers: Michael Joseph Random House
Published on: 9 June 2022

NO SPOILERS

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m hooked on the David Raker Missing Persons series and this latest book did not disappoint. The plotting was ingenious and built to an amazing finale. Can’t wait for the next one which is beautifully set up in the ending of this one. One of my all time favourite authors.

Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Another missing persons case for David Raker. Always difficult to solve, this one seems impossible. Cate and Aiden Gascoigne are caught on CCTV happy and chatting, seconds before the car inexplicably plunges into a deep ravine. There are witnesses on the scene almost immediately who watch in horror as the car goes up in flames. The Fire Services have been called but when they get down to the wreck there are no bodies.
Cates parents hire Raker to find some answers. The story is amazing; so tense, so well written, so many side tracks, including one to a cold case. This is the eleventh book in the series and all have been equally good.: he really is a master storyteller. If you haven’t read any before I urge you to catch up on them as well. This is a terrific read and worth every star!
Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph & NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is the eleventh book in the David Raker series by author Tim Weaver.

I really enjoy this series that is a little bit different to many of the other crime novels. Author Tim Weaver somehow manages to keep this series fresh even though we are now into the eleventh book in the series.

Missing person investigator is hired to look into a very puzzling case. Cate and Aiden Gascoigne were recorded laughing on CCTV just before they crashed in their car. The vehicle plunged ninety feet into a ravine with the car turning into an inferno with the Gascoignes trapped inside. Mysteriously when the fire crews arrived the vehicle was empty, Cate and Aiden have vanished. Now David Raker is being hired by Cate’s family to find out what happened. Once Raker starts his investigations he discovers links to an unsolved thirty year old murder.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

#adprproduct Book Review ✨
The Blackbird by Tim Weaver 📖

🌟This. Is. Sensational!
🌟It's complex, clever, tense & pacy.
🌟An impossible missing persons case & the very welcome return of Raker = a page turner I couldn't put down.
🌟I got outsmarted by Weaver who once again blew my mind with the big reveal!
🌟After the clues at what's coming in the next one, I'm already eagerly awaiting it's release!!

💕A huge thanks to @mi for sending this my way.

🧐 Whilst I'm attempting to patiently wait till the next one which crime series should I be checking out?

Good book, with an intriguing start. Well written, and unpredictable. Well worth a read. I would recommend it.