Find You First

Leaving aside the fact that Linwood Barclay is a terrifically-talented writer, I found the premise of this novel intriguing.

Tech billionaire Miles discovers he has a terminal illness. His subsequent re-evaluation of his life leads him to decide to track down his existing biological children to pass on both the good news of their inheritance and potential bad news about their future health.

Barclay explores the ethical implications inherent in this decision in a sensitive and balanced way. However, it soon becomes apparent that there is a killer already stalking his offspring, leading to a race against time, forcing Miles… show more.

Linwood Barclay is adept at dreaming up quirky characters. Find You First frequently switches between points of view, but there is no confusion because the characters are distinct and interesting.

On the face of it, this is a tale of two men with too much money. Tech billionaire Miles donated sperm as a student and wishes to trace his natural children. Meanwhile, sleazy Jeremy, a Jeffrey Epstein-style character, is trying to silence his victims. However, the real stars are two sparky young women, Chloe and Nicky. Chloe, suddenly confronted by the father she never knew, joins forces with Miles to… show more.

It’s hard to find a suspense novel with a unique twist and this one hits the mark. Nine children who are the product of a sperm donor end up in peril when the donor father seeks them out to leave his massive fortune after he faces a devastating diagnosis. Who wants to kill the children and why? There are so many twists and turns in this one. Like, a ton! I love to guess where an author is going with a story, and I thought I had this one fully figured out, but I was wrong–and I was happy that… show more.