YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW ANYBODY. NOT EVEN THE ONES YOU LOVE...
When Leonard Franks and his wife Ellie leave the clamor of London for a dream retirement on the seclusion of Dartmoor, everything seems perfect. But then the dream shatters. Late on a January afternoon, only two years into their new life, Leonard leaves the house to fetch firewood - and never returns. Nine months later, he's still missing.
With the police investigation dead in the water, Ellie and her family turn to David Raker. Raker tracks down missing people for a living. He knows how they think. But nothing can prepare him for what he's about to find.
Because, behind Leonard Franks's disappearance, lies a deadly secret, buried so deep it was never meant to be found. And, by the time Raker starts to uncover the truth, it's not just him in danger - it's everyone he's ever cared about...
Wow. This book has left me reeling and in a state of shock. I write reviews straight after finishing a book when my thoughts are fresh. To say I was excited for this book would be somewhat of an understatement, it was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint! It is Tim Weaver's best book yet. It is also my Book of the Month for August (and it's only the 10th as I write this) and after reading 120+ books this year it is in my top three. At almost 600 pages I would usually pass on a book but Tim doesn't waste a single page. This man could write a 1000 page book and I'd pick it up. It really was that good and I just wish I could put into words just how much I loved it. I'll give it a go...
Where to even start? I guess with David Raker himself, our main character. An author has done their job when you actually care for a fictional character. When you feel like you know them as I do with Raker. If ever someone I loved was missing I would want someone like Raker looking for them. His job is all he lives for yet the events of the previous book to this (Never Look Back) have left him reevaluating that, won't say why for new readers but it's certainly adding an interesting dynamic to the story. Raker is so good at what he does. Leaving no stone unturned he looks at things from every possible angle and asks questions I wouldn't even think of asking.
The atmosphere created by Weaver in these novels is just second to none. Better than any film at times it was like I was living it for myself. I read this book at night and the smallest sound made me jump. It's a book you read with your heart in your mouth. I especially like that a chunk of the action took place in London but the scenes outside the city were just brilliant. Scary and dangerous situations you would hate to find yourself in but you can't turn the pages quick enough.
As for the plot, well it would absolutely ruin the reading experience to talk about it further than what the blurb tells us. Leonard Franks has been missing for nine months, his family have exhausted all their options and turn to Raker. Raker begins to investigate whether Franks left of his own accord or whether something more sinister happened. Whether or not he's even still alive. Weaver's books are a favourite of mine because they are bursting with secrets and shocks, well we get our first shock quite early on in the book when Raker first takes on the case.. Agh! Saying no more. As the book progresses the shocks keep on coming. I just had no idea where this story was going or which characters I could trust. I basically just read these novels trusting Raker and nobody else. The story here is one of the finest I've ever read, a true mystery that really gets your brain ticking. I don't think I got a single plot twist in this book, not because I'm stupid but because Tim somehow managed to keep every single one under wraps until revealing them in dramatic fashion. Consider my mind blown.
Tim has surpassed himself with this book. His previous books have been fantastic, each one an improvement on the last but this is in a league of its own. The plot twists and shocks in this book do not stop coming, I just left my jaw hanging for the last few chapters as I knew it would just keep dropping, right up until the book's thrilling and dramatic finale, ending on an absolute shocker of a cliffhanger and us Weaver fans are in for one hell of a torturous wait for the next book. It's not often a book can be described as a masterpiece, but this one can. Absolutely faultless. This book has reminded me why I read, and should be used as an example to people that don't. Why wouldn't you want to read when there's books like this in the world? Amazing.
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