A heroic act brings unwanted attention for a high school teacher!

3.5.

When a former student, Mark LeDrew, enters Lodge High where Richard Boyle works, wearing explosives, Richard manages to talk him down. But while retreating Mark accidentally removes his finger from the trigger, detonating the bomb, killing only himself in the blast. Richard is unwittingly a hero – praised by his family, school and community for his actions and bravery.

But his moment in the spotlight brings enemies out of the woodwork, all of whom hold grievances against Richard. To protect his reputation, Richard attempts to resolve the matters himself. It's his first of many mistakes, because Richard has much more to lose than just his reputation.

I Will Ruin You (love the title) was an exhilarating, fast-moving, exciting, quick read. Honestly, Linwood Barclay has always reminded me of Harlan Coben, and vice versa – not enough for me to mix up the two authors – but their writing styles and types of plots share commonalities. There were some rollercoaster chapters cliffhangers, but unfortunately the final reveal was kind of obvious. Also, there were several sub-plots that were either resolved too easily or fizzled out which made me wonder if they were only included to distract from the perpetrator and add more suspects. Which didn’t work on me. Even though drug-dealing isn’t my preferred plot in a domestic thriller there were some great twists in that storyline.

Edited: 8 October 2024. After reading the e-book, I was fortunate enough to be approved for the audiobook. Having now sampled several chapters I have no hesitation in recommending this performance. Narrators George Newburn and Johnathan McClain elevated the source material to a whole new level. Applause!

All in all, an above average read which kept me entertained and glued to its pages.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Harper Collins UK Audio, and Linwood Barclay for the e-ARC.

The audiobook is available now!

In I Will Ruin You, Linwood Barclay gives a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. The story follows teacher Richard Boyle, who becomes a hero after stopping a school bombing, only to be tangled in a dangerous web of blackmail and accusations from former students.

While the pacing is slow at first, the tension ramps up as multiple storylines involving secrets, drug deals, and personal vendettas converge. Barclay adeptly intertwines these elements, creating an exciting and often unpredictable plot that kept me hooked. Richard is a relatable protagonist caught in extraordinary circumstances, and the twists—though not always shocking—made for a gripping and entertaining read.

Though it may not outshine his best works, I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay is a solid thriller that fans of his suspense-driven storytelling will enjoy.

High school English teacher Richard Boyle comes face-to-face with an ex-student determined to commit an atrocity. Thanks to his quick thinking, Richard averts a major tragedy and is hailed as a hero, with his face splashed across the media. But not all the attention is good. Richard is drawn into a fraught web of salacious accusations and deadly secrets. As he tries to uncover the truth, he discovers that there’s something deeply wrong in his town— and that he has landed smack in the middle of it.

Not gonna lie, it took me a while to get into the story at the start. Richard’s storyline was immediately gripping and it kept my interest, but I wasn’t sure where Billy’s and Martha’s would merge in so I just wanted to skip their chapters.

However, when everything finally converged, it was a complete page-turner! I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know what’d happen next. The last 10% of the book was amazing. My heart was racing, and I was completely hooked. All in all, another high-adrenaline, high-drama popcorn thriller from Linwood Barclay.

An enjoyable and easy listen audio book with two narrators, the second doing different voices for the various characters. Teacher Richard Boyle is hailed a hero when he saves his students from a terror attack. But this is only the start of his problems. A truly gripping and expertly crafted thriller.

I can always rely on Barclay’s work to be a good, solid thriller. Twisty, fast paced + full of suspense, this was jam packed with so many secrets and lies we have no idea who to trust and plenty of twists + turns.

Packing a punch from the very first action-filled paragraph, the tension never really lets up, making for an unpredictable + entertaining read. From school attacks to drug deals to domestic drama, I really enjoyed the multiple storylines + trying to work out how they linked together.

George Newburn + Johnathan McClain narrated the story brilliantly and really bought the characters to life. Our main character Richard was a compelling lead and the two “bad guys” gave me real vibes of Hazel & Cha Cha from the first season of Umbrella Academy 🥲

This was a compelling + entertaining audio read that I’d recommend! I do think I read my favourite of Barclay’s first (ELEVATOR PITCH) so I feel like I’m always comparing his later books to this.. definitely read EP if you haven’t already!

I have read a few of Linwood Barclay's novels before and have enjoyed them for what they are ... suspense and action filled stories that entertain and I Will Ruin You is no exception.

Richard's day starts off like any other day but soon turns into a nightmare and it doesn't get any better. A student threatening to blow up the school, accusations about inappropriate behaviour with students, drug dealers, another teacher stirring the pot, murder and so much more.

The action and suspense start from the beginning and doesn't let up until the end; yes you have to suspend reality whilst listening but this was easy to do and I just enjoyed the ride and the twists as they came along. The narrators were excellent and really brought the characters and story to life.

Definitely recommended for people who love this author's work and enjoy an action-packed thriller that's full of suspense and twists that you can lose yourself within its pages for a few hours.

Many thanks to the author, HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen and share my thoughts of this suspenseful book.

Richard Boyle thinks its just an ordinary day. That is until an ex student appears onsite with a bomb. He becomes a local hero as he tries to talk the lad out of his actions. Ultimately the lad ends up dead but no others are killed.
During the investigation more things come to light. There are lots of players in this story and at times it got a little confusing. Being an audiobook it wasn't so easy to go back over bits and recap.
In my opinion this isn't one of Linwood Barclays best books. Of who I am a big fan. But to anyone who hasn't read his other books this is still a good read

There aren't any unguessable twists in this fast paced thriller but it's nevertheless enjoyable and keeps you engaged.

Really great listen.. it took a while for me to get into the story. The narrators did a really good job on the different characters and as the twists and turns developed it really held my attention. It was very different to what I was expecting but a great listen nonetheless. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early release of this audio book.

I absolutely loved the narration in this audio. The storytelling, especially the interactions between teachers and students, was captivating and engaging. The audio quality was excellent, enhancing the immersive experience. Whether it's the dynamic classroom moments or the intriguing personal stories, every aspect was delivered with great finesse. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys well-crafted, compelling audio narratives.

Thank you to #netgalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. I’ve heard of this author before which is why I applied to listen to this.

This is a very American thriller with two narrators to play all characters. The first narrator I found very monotone and wasn’t really easy to engage with him. The second voice was much better in tone and he did different voices for the characters. The thick American accents were appropriate for the story as it’s a story set there but it didn’t really appeal to me. There were a few twists but it’s a very slow building story so very easy to stop then pick up again at a later time.

Teacher, Richard Boyle, becomes a hero when he manages to talk down a former student who tries to blow up the school, avoiding a major tragedy. This brief moment of fame attracts a blackmailer who is out for revenge and Richard quickly finds himself caught up in a dangerous web of lies.

I listened to the audiobook of this story and I enjoyed it, but it didn't grip my attention as much as Linwood Barclay's previous books have.

The storyline was good and the characters well written, as always, it just wasn't one of my favourites.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars
Wowza! Sometimes a heroic decision starts off a series of events that results in chaos and tragedy. I Will Ruin You hits the ground running and never slows down. I enjoyed the fast pace and it kept my interest the whole way! I knocked it down half a point because one of the narrators was better (George Newbern) than the other for me so the listening experience wasn’t always the best.
*Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the audiobook copy

I Will Ruin You is a great read/listen. I sat and listened to it in one sitting. A teacher saves the school from an attempted suicide bomber, but he has secrets. People end up dead and drugs are involved.

I listened to this audiobook and the narrators was really good and easy to
listen to, they were clearly spoken and brought the book to life. They prompted chapters and well and easy to follow all the characters. Great thriller that’s an easy read/listen. A 4 star read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The story was good, there was a lot going on but it was neat and it all tied up at the end.
I liked the premise of the story, the different bad life choices mixed in with terrible actions of a teacher. Would the male characters who were ex students be in a bad place if it wasn't for the abuse they suffered?
I felt sad for them but the story was told well.
The narrator was good. Easy to listen to with good accents and tones.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant.
Richard is an English teacher and sees a suspicious character looking to enter the school - he has a grudge. Richard talks him down, he’s a former student, but he trips as he walks away and one stick of dynamite explodes, killing him. Some of what he said doesn’t make sense to Richard. Next thing, Richard is subject to a blackmail attempt for something he knows nothing about.
Richard and his wife are trying to figure out what is going on. Richard’s sister-in-law is a cop, investigating a suspicious death. Is everything random or related.
Fantastic twists and turns, right to the end.
I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc. I really didn’t like this book at all I didn’t really understand what the book was about and what was meant to be happing at all cause they was loads of different storylines going off 1st was the bombing 2 was staking 3 was murder it all didn’t add up for me. The characters were so annoying and so boring and so needy and the main characters did my head in as I could barely get through the book because of them. I so wish I had t read this book at all. The ending of the book wasn’t very good and didn’t end the book that well at. Xx

This is a fast paced and engaging story about a teacher named Richard Boyle who steps up to do something heroic - namely prevent a student from destinating a bomb on the school premises - only to find that this puts him in the crosshairs of a blackmailer.

The family of the student concerned, Mark LeDrew, aggressively defends him by going after the teacher. And Boyle simultaneously becomes the target of fictitious allegations of abuse by a former student named Billy Finster.

As he tries to navigate his way through this complicated situation, Boyle discovers that everyone around him seems to have some kind of hidden agenda. So, who can he trust?

Barclay does an excellent job of maintaining a high level of suspense throughout, delivering a gripping story. Worth checking out. It gets 3.5 stars.

I always look forward to a new book by Linwood Barclay, and this seductively twisty thriller had me in a spin from start to finish. With its irresistible premise, intricate, multilayered plot, and sympathetic protagonist, it was an absolute blinder of a read, the whole experience elevated on audio thanks to the brilliant narration by George Newbern and Jonathan McClain.

When a former student turns up at school wearing a vest packed with explosives, English teacher Richard Boyle becomes a reluctant hero. But the attention is not all favourable, and he suddenly finds himself the target of a deranged blackmailer. As he seeks to clear his name, events quickly spiral out of control, sucking him into a tangled web of secrets, betrayal and revenge.

One of Barclay’s great strengths as a writer is the way he takes ordinary people and places them into extraordinary but believable situations. And here, I immediately warmed to the character of Richard as, still reeling from the trauma of the bomber incident, he tries to comprehend the events that follow. His panic and distress are palpable, the tension and pace racking up with every chapter, as his frantic search for the truth places his own life in danger.

As of this weren’t enough, Barclay masterfully weaves in a raft of gripping subplots. These each take on an intrigue of their own and send you spinning off at tangents, even as you try to figure out how they’re going to come together.

In typical Barclay fashion, the chapters jump between storylines, each ending on a gasp-inducing cliffhanger that compels you to keep on turning the pages.

When the pieces do come together, they do so in an explosive, heart-stopping finale; no holes, no dangling threads, just a deliciously satisfying ending to a very good book.

🎧Audiobook review 🎧

I Will Ruin You
by Linwood Barclay
Narrated by George Newburn; Johnathan McClain

"I Will Ruin You" by Linwood Barclay is a gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Richard Boyle, a dedicated teacher, heroically stops a former student, Mark LeDrew, from bombing the school. However, this act of bravery thrusts him into a whirlwind of chaos. Mark's family sues Richard, and another former student, Billy Finster, blackmails him with false accusations of abuse.
The story masterfully intertwines multiple plotlines, including drug deals and school controversies, all while Richard desperately tries to clear his name. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by George Newburn and Jonathan McClain, who brought the characters to life with their excellent performances. Barclay’s storytelling, combined with the narrators’ skills, made this a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Very grateful to the publisher for my ALC, opinions are my own