I Will Ruin You is a 2024 book release from Linwood Barclay, a New York Times bestselling author with twenty novels to his credit. Barclay spent three decades in newspapers before turning full time to writing thrillers. His books have been translated into more than two dozen languages and sold millions of copies. Many of his books have also been optioned for film and TV. He lives near Toronto with his wife.
When high school English teacher Richard Boyle averts former student Mark LeDrew from self-detonating a bomb on school grounds, he is hailed as a local hero. Unfortunately, Mark accidentally dies when he accidentally sets off the bomb on his retreat and Richard suffers post-traumatic stress from the incident.
Richard’s brief moment in the spotlight put him in the sights of a deranged former student blackmailer who has a score to settle. The situation rapidly spirals out of control and Richard is suddenly accused of obscene acts and life-altering secrets.
As Richard tries to uncover the truth, he discovers that there’s something deeply sinister going on in town that ties together Mark, the blackmailer, and a gang of ruthless drug dealers, and Richard has gotten himself right in the thick of it. He then realizes that everyone in his life is hiding something, and trusting the wrong person could cost him everything he loves. Taking matters into his own hands is the only possible way out!
This is an intense and fast-paced domestic crime thriller full of lies and deadly secrets that will keep readers fully engaged throughout. The opening chapters are very gripping as teacher Richard Boyle rushes out of his classroom and averts a school tragedy by talking down a former student wearing a suicide bomb. There are several triggers that listeners should be prepared for in this novel, including school violence, gun violence, blackmail, sexual abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The book includes a large number of characters, and the story is told from multiple perspectives, with Richard at the centre of it all. Fortunately, the chapters are quite short, making it easy to keep track of all the characters and subplots.Richard is a very likeable character who makes reckless decisions. His poor decision-making often propels the story forward in unpredictable directions, making for an interesting and entertaining book.
Narrators George Newbern and Johnathan McClain are no strangers to Barclay’s work. They’ve both delivered riveting performances in Barclay’s previous novels and do the same here. Newborn’s portrayal of Richard is well paced, filled with unnerving tension, and very captivating. McClain’s complimentary narration definitely gives the feel of a full-cast audiobook as he delivers a multitude of different character voices and the necessary intensity during key scenes to bring the suspense to life.
For any fans of Harlan Coben out there, Linwood Barclay is a must-read author. In summary, this book’s storyline is unpredictable and will require the audience to suspend disbelief at times, but it’s one that will keep readers interested from start to finish. If you’re looking for your next fast-paced, multi-layered thriller with compelling characters, look no further than this one. With such excellent performances by the narrators, the audiobook is the recommended format for enjoying this book!
