Mark arrives at his old school with a bomb strapped to his chest. Teacher Richard Boyle will try to avert many deaths. This is the first stressful situation for Richard to cope with. Next he is to be blackmailed and accused of child abuse. Fast moving novel that will bring together a number of people and incidents that will bring danger to Richard and his family.

Very well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Very good characters and storyline that has many threads. A bomber, drug dealers, blackmailer, child abuse and other things. Good book and well worth a listen/read.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen to this book

what a book it was... its a thriller of a ride...

when richard boyle watches someone approach the school, he is immediately suspicious the fact that he was also carrying a back pack and something in his hand...something he had a tight grip on gave he a pre warning that all was not well....

as he rushes out of the class room he shouts to his class to barricade themselves in and call 999

richard is hoping that the door is secure and that the person cant enter the school alas that isnt so and the young man enters.... its a tense time for all....

what follows next will grab your attention to the many red herrings galore and the merry chase that happens with a great twist at the end... wow didnt really see that one coming

cant wait for the next book from this amazing author

Richard Boyle is a dedicated teacher and during one of his classes he glances out the window and sees a young man dressed in camo gear with sticks of dynamite attached walking towards the school buildings. He also is holding a detonator in his hand with his thumb on the trigger. Richard gets his class to lie low and ring 911, then he makes sure the school knows there is an active shooter on the grounds. He heads out to talk to the young man and recognises him as a former student Mark. Mark is upset about something that happened to him while he was at school. Richard talks him into heading away from the school and maybe getting someone to help disarm him when Mark trips over a loose shoelace and falls, taking his thumb off the detonator. Although Mark dies, Richard is hailed a hero but that doesn’t stop Marks grieving family from filing a lawsuit against Richard and the school. To make matters worse after the incident appears on the local news Richard is then blackmailed by another former student, Billy Finster, who accuses Richard of sexually abusing him. Richard of course is innocent but Billy isn’t going to back down. He has been selling drugs and a drug deal has gone wrong, he needs the money to fix things.
It’s a breakneck book with lots of twists but what spoiled it for me was the narrator. This is the first of Linwood’s books that I have had on audio and as much as I have enjoyed his other books, and I think I have read them all, I didn’t like the audio version. The narrators tone and reading of the story just didn’t gell with me. It was like listening to Happy Days Richie Cunningham. Was the narrator trying to be funny? I don’t know but because of him the enjoyment level was a lot less. My advice, read this book don’t listen to it.

#IWillRuinYou. #NetGalley

This is my first book by Linwood Barclay and it won’t be my last. I was very excited to be bow to review this book as I have heard lots of good things about Linwood’s book. I most definitely wasn’t disappointed!

The storyline starts off with Richard, a high school teacher who commandeers an ex-student Mark Ledrew from bombing the school after coming in covered in explosives. This obviously brings a lot of attention especially on Richard as the saviour of the school. It also brings in unwanted attention when one day Richard is accused of child abuse and blackmailed by a former student Billy.

Richard knows this isn’t true and thinks it’s a case of mistaken identity- can he find out who it could be? He also feels like he can’t tell anyone, especially his family but with no choice he eventually tells a close friend and colleague. There is other events happening, drug deals, parents trying to ban a book from the curriculum and road rage all whilst Richard tries to scrape together 10,000 to keep his blackmailer quiet. .

I was a wasn’t sure how the other events would link in with the story and whether they were red herrings but was impressed how everything came to a conclusion later on. Linwood definitely had my stumped on who could be the abuser and there wasn’t any clues for me to make a guess, it really made me want to keep going so I could find out who.

I really listened to the audiobook version of this booked and really enjoyed listening to the narrators.

English teacher Richard Boyle does one good deed that turns his life upside down.
He stops a school bombing, but unfortunately for him the bomber dies and he’s life unravels. He’s sued by the parents of the bomber and is dragged into a blackmailing scandal that could ruin him.
It’s the most bizarre time of his life and he needs to find a way out of his precarious situation, but with roadblocks in his way, can he save himself from disaster or will this turn out to be the worst example of a good deed gone wrong?
I have to say Linwood Barclay has excelled himself with this book. I’ve read all his work and this sits right at the top of the pile.
It’s funny, tense and has an ending that you never see coming. Also the characters are brilliant, this really is a fantastic story and one I’d highly recommend.
This story is read by two excellent narrators, both George Newburn and Jonathan McClain. Both are excellent at portraying the author’s characters and bringing them to life. I highly enjoyed listening to this book and want to thank HarperCollins UK Audio for the opportunity to do so.

Linwood Barclay is one of my favourite thriller authors and is definitely an auto-read for me. Sadly, this one is far from his best although still an enjoyable read - his usual brilliance has set the bar incredibly high!

The opening chapters were gripping. Teacher Richard Boyle encounters an old student who has come into the school wearing a suicide bomb. In talking him down, Richard is hailed a hero, but when another old student sees him on the TV, he begins a blackmail campaign against him, which is further fuelled by a jealous colleagues efforts to encourage disgruntled parental complaints against him.

After the initial drama, the plot became messy and contrived, and I struggled to stay engaged.

The audiobook was excellent and definitely helped bring the characters to life a little more.

2.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Linwood Barclay and HQ for an ARC in return for an honest review.

As Mark a previous student of the school arrives with a bomb vest on the English teacher Boyle proceeds to intervene in order to try and save others by talking him out of entering the building when the suspect Le Drew falls and blows himself up Boyle as viewed as the hero however this is only the beginning of what would be a tragic event for all, Richard Boyle is about to find himself in a precarious position.

An old student, Billy Finister, begins to blackmail Boyle, stating he abused him, to which, as survival, Boyles' response is to pay his old student due to concerns of wrongful accusation like this could cause. He goes down a path of looking at why this has even been said, believing someone else may have harmed Billy.

In the midst of all this parents are questioning reading material at the school which Boyle advised one parent well speak to others and take this to the board of course this spirals out of what seemed like an initial query of 1 book. Boyle is pushed to his limits with family dynamics, a lawsuit, and trying to protect his family at all costs from thugs who are connected to Billy.

This book is filled with a lot going on, and at times, I did find myself a little lost. However, this could have been my own mindset at the time of listening to this one. As a general, I have enjoyed many of Linwood Barclays' previous books, so it definitely wasn't a deterent.

This was well narrated for the most part, and the story itself is very compelling of a world we currently live in where all events sadly are not only plausible but happening all around us.

With thanks to Netgalley & Harper Collins UK Audio for this ARC.

I did not finish this book. I got to 50%, and it just wasn't the kind of story that interested me, and I wasn't bothered by how it would end. Thank you for the opportunity, but I won't be sharing a review.

The opening scene is tense and attention grabbing. School teacher Richard Boyle spots an ex-student approaching the school in a manner that strongly suggests he intends to do harm. He’s got to act quickly and decisively, or this could end catastrophically. A scene plays out that is both dramatic and sad, and which throws suspicion on at least one member of the school staff for historic deeds, which most likely prompted this act.

In the aftermath of this event, Richard returns to the school to what might be described as a mixed reception. In the background, one teacher in particular seems to be plotting against him. But then Richard is faced by a second major challenge as he is confronted – out of school – by a former student who accuses him of historic misdeeds. This scenario, too, has potential for things to end disastrously for both him and his family.

A group of bad actors involved in drug dealing and Richard’s sister-in-law, a cop, are now added to the pot. What follows is a complex series of events, in which Richard makes a series of poor decisions. In addition, to make the story work and to keep the reader guessing, the author asks us to accept quite a number of unlikely co-incidences and swallow a series of misdirections. In truth, I found this all to be pretty unconvincing and highly contrived. Added to this, I was pretty sure from very early on that I knew who would turn out to be the mysterious baddy lurking in the background (I was proven to be right).

So, for me, this was a story that started brightly but then deteriorated into an elaborately conceived but improbable jumble that really made little sense. It just didn’t feel real. On the upside, the audio version I listened to was very well narrated, and the pace of the story, as well as a constant sense of threat and urgency, was well maintained throughout. On this basis it’s a three star rating from me (which might just be a little on the generous side).

The book is suspenseful and riveting. This is a great page turner and it will keep you guessing till the end. The Author has masterfully crafted the story filled with unthinkable happenings, true horror, suspense and multifaceted characters. There were jaw dropping twists and the revelations at the end will shock you. If you are looking for a suspenseful thriller, look no further. The Narrators did a great job.


Plot: 5/5
Narration: 4/5
Overall Book: 4.5/ 5

Thanks to the Author, Publisher and Narrators.

Linwood Barclay is one on my favourite authors and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up one of his books before even reading the blurb. His newest thriller certainly didn’t disappoint. I absolutely loved it from the first page to the last. I really liked both narrators. It had a great bunch of characters and so many twists and turns. Absolutely brilliant book

Fans of Linwood Barclay have yet another fantastic story to add to their ‘MUST READ’ list.

A brilliant and criminally intertwined tale that unravels at a rapid pace yet keeping you guessing until the explosive finale.

A barrage of intersecting characters and twisted intentions, brilliantly crafted and beautifully executed by clear narration in the audio version.

Highly recommended.

Richard Boyle is hailed a hero for stopping an old pupil from blowing up the school, form there it spirals down (for the reader up). Accusations, drugs and murder. Plenty of plot twists to make your head spin. Linwood doesn't disappoint. The narrators do an excellent job of bringing this book to life. Thanks to HarperCollins UK audio and Netgalley for this review copy.

Another amazing book from Linwood Barclay, it doesn't disappoint lots of twists and turns and full of characters you can love or hate. Definitely a must for anyone reading list.
I enjoyed the plot and the characters.

Another gripping, action-packed thriller from one of the genre’s finest!

It’s been a while since I last read a Linwood Barclay novel, which is a bit of crime in itself. This is also the first that I’ve listened to on audio and man! I’m so glad that I did. I was immediately reminded of how brilliant Barclay’s books are, but listening on audio made this feel incredibly cinematic. The tension was palpable and the plot moved at lightening speed. From the explosive opening, right through to the riveting conclusion, I was on the edge of my seat. The narration really brought the characters and the situations to life in an expressive and immersive way. There’s a large cast amongst these pages, but I never struggled to follow who was who. The narration by George Newburn and Jonathan McClain is excellent. I sometimes find male narrators struggle with realistic female voices, which can take you out of the story, but I didn’t feel like that with both of these narrators. I was completely submerged in this world and really didn’t want to put my headphones down! I thought the narration really reflected the pace well too, bringing all the urgency to the action sequences that left me feeling like I was listening to an action blockbuster movie.

I really enjoyed the themes that Barclay explores here too. The most prominent driving force of the narrative is around cancel culture and accusations of historical impropriety. There is a very balanced view of this, but Barclay doesn’t shy away from the complexity of victims being automatically believed and the devastating impact that can have on somebody falsely accused. It’s really interesting how the narrative highlights the impact of false accusations and the power manipulative and disruptive people can hold over others by making them. In no way does this book suggest that victims shouldn’t be believed though, as it also explores the far-reaching, destructive impact abuse has on those who have suffered it. Barclay also tackles pressing, current issues in the U.S. including the rise of right-wing views and the banning of books, the continued drug problem, and the divide between the poor and wealthy. All of these things frame a truly gripping narrative with multiple storylines, well executed twists, and characters to despise and root for.

A very enjoyable book, well narrated. Good story and the variety of characters kept me engrossed. There were some twists I didn’t see coming that added to the overall enjoyment of the book. I would thoroughly recommend a read/listen.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy and thanks to the author for the creation of the book.

"I Will Ruin You" by Linwood Barclay is a fun and easy read. The flow is seamless, the plot is captivating, and the characters are compelling.

I initially leaned towards a solid 4 out of 5, but the brilliant narration convinced me to give it a 5.

Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a Review Copy

3.5 stars

It's so difficult to rate this because the beginning and the ending were an edge of my seat 5 stars but everything in-between was very run of the mill. I find Linwood Barclay to be a little hit or miss. More hits than misses, in my experience. But on balance, I think this falls on the miss side. It's like he came up with a stellar premise but couldn't figure out how to flesh it out into a full book, so we ended with a lot of unsatisfying subplots to bulk it out.

The audiobook was as high quality as I've come to expect from HarperCollins UK Audio, although I found the two narrators to have very similar voices and I couldn't always distinguish them. It seems like a strange choice to have two male narrators in a book with so many female characters. That said, Barclay's writing made it clear who was speaking at all times, so it never affected my understanding of the story.

Another brilliant thriller by Linwood Barclay sees mild-mannered teacher Richard hailed as a hero for averting a school tragedy, then facing a predicament as former pupil Billy tries to blackmail him for alleged past events. Richard knows he's innocent, but he also knows mud sticks. and so he begins a cat and mouse game with his blackmailer. Separate threads in the plot show Billy getting deeper into the criminal world, while Richard's sister-in-law, a policewoman, tries to track down the fentanyl dealers who are inflicting misery on the town.
As the threads draw together, the story becomes ever more dark and thrilling, keeping you guessing right up to the end. There are enough shades of light and dark in all the characters to have you questioning whether or not all the narrators are 100 per cent reliable. Trying to work things out myself added to my enjoyment of the book.
This story works so well as an audiobook, the different characters brought to life by the two narrators, in a variety of accents carrying bewilderment, fear, menace and danger in equal measure.
The narrative is quick paced, with short chapters, clearly marked, that made it easy to go back and forward in the book if you occasionally lost your way.
On a moral level, this story offered plenty to think about, too. While you rage at Richard for being so gullible as to comply with his blackmailer, you're also asking yourself if, in a similar situation, you might do the same.
I finished this over two nights. A great listen and a great story.

I do love a book by this author I can really escape into it and it works really well. An even better combination is when there is a great narrator who really adds to the story. There are so many twists with this book and it is really an edge of the seat type listen.