Always a huge fan of Linwood Barclay's books and this one did not disappoint. Great characters - some you love and others you hate, suspense, mystery, and fast-paced storyline.

It’s been a while since I’ve read Linwood Barclay, but he’s an author I’ve always enjoyed. This one was no exception. I actually found this one a little more interesting because it has some interesting subject matter not usually found in a suspense type of book. The main character was a sperm donor at one point in his life and finds out he has Huntington’s disease and wants to try to track down any children he might have fathered. Although those records are supposed to be sealed, don’t the offspring have a right to know because it can also effect any children they may have? Interesting to ponder. That’s just the beginning because then it gets more interesting as lives are at stake. This book is fast-paced and keeps you engaged.

The audiobook version of this was a fun one to listen to.

I really enjoyed this book. A few things left for interpretation that I would have liked clearly resolved, however, this does allow for the story to continue in your own mind.

As always, Linwood Barclay delivers an incredible story! This was my first audio book (thank you netgalley!) and I loved every second of it! George Newbern was a fantastic narrator and I was instantly pulled into this awesome story. 5 stars

I really enjoyed this fast- paced, entertaining thriller. Miles Cookson is a tech millionaire with a deadly genetic disease. When Miles gets the devastating news that his time is limited, he decides to locate the nine children he donated sperm for decades ago. Miles finds himself in another unexpected race against time, when his heirs start to mysteriously disappear without a trace.
Highly recommended.
#FindYouFirst
#Netgalley

I thought this was an original premise for a mystery. When the owner of a giant tech company discovers that he has Huntington’s disease, he decides that he should hunt down the children he fathered as a sperm donor. Through not exactly legal means, he learns the names of those nine offspring. His goal is to personally inform them that they, too, might be carrying the genes that lead to the disease. He meets one of those children. Together, they set out to find the others. As they do, those children seem to be disappearing.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel. Both the writing and the narration were wonderfully done. I was quickly drawn into the story, led by the amazing characters.

I did at times think things worked out just a little too conveniently, but it was fine by me. The book is filled with thrilling moments, humor, and hope, The good guys are good through and through; the bad guys are, well, bad. But to be honest, at least for me, that worked well for this story. It didn’t diminish the mystery or the surprises that developed as the story progressed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’ve been recommending it to friends and family. I’ll be on the lookout for other books by this author.

I received the book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had not effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

This audiobook had a believable plot and good suspense. The narrator is great and it is a story that will keep you interested from beginning to end.

Miles is a tech millionaire and is told he has Huntington’s disease which can be passed on to his children. Although he is not married, he has donated sperm decades ago and feels compelled to let his offspring know about the disease and to give his children an inheritance. He is determined to find 9 children. Chloe submitted her DNA through a service and hopes to find her father. Chloe is the first one he finds and he convinces her to help him find the others. Slowly those children begin dying and one is the brother Chloe has just met. This book is full of adventure with twists and turns that will keep you guessing. I loved getting to know Miles and Chloe and to join in their search to find answers. I loved all the Linwood Barclay books I have read, and this one is at the top of the list.

I was fortunate enough to have both the ARC and the audiobook of this novel. More on this later.

First off prepare yourself for a slew of characters, some of which you will only know for a short time. There is so much going on and from different viewpoints that it’s best to start this when you can read it for long periods of time.

Miles is a self made millionaire in his 40’s who has just found out that he has Huntington’s which is a genetic disease. He has never married BUT he did visit a sperm bank when he was young and struggling. He becomes determined to track down any biological children he has. He has decided to leave his fortune to them when he dies, completely cutting out his only sibling, his brother Gilbert.

But wait just a minute, suddenly there are others who are beginning to track down these same 9 children that are related to Miles. One by one they are disappearing before Miles can reach them.

There was a lot going on in this book and truthfully it was frustrating for the first part of the book keeping track of everyone and what was going on. Once things get going there is never a slow moment.

My favorite character was definitely Chloe, a young woman who was in the midst of making a documentary about her family tree. Miles identifies her as one of his “children” and they form a quick bond.She plays a huge role in this novel. She is kind, caring and clever.

My least favorite of the bunch was definitely Jeremy, another millionaire, but he cares only for himself and his very sick and twisted desire for very young women. I could have done without this pedophile and wish the author had given him faults that weren’t as disgusting as this. A lot of what Jeremy does is pretty hard to believe but I suppose being a millionaire can make things go your way!

So this is a twisty, up and down, race to the finish thriller which I ended up enjoying.

If you decide this one's for you I would personally recommend the audiobook. The narration was great and definitely added to my enjoyment of the book.

I received the ARC and audiobook from the publisher, through NetGalley and Harper Audio.

Never read a Linwood Barclay book before (how?!). Thanks to NetGalley & Wm Morrow for providing a digital audio in exchange for an honest review - this was a really good audiobook!

First off, the prologue draws you right in. It's really well-written, great dialogue, and it just makes you want to know MORE. George Newbern has great delivery (and he should do a lot more thriller narration, if he doesn't do much already), and has wonderful inflection too. Does he really excel at female voices? Not really, but he's so all around great otherwise, you might not care.

Our protagonist is Miles Cookson, who has just learned he has a terrible disease that is going to kill him ... eventually. After the typical human reactions of denial, grief, etc. etc., it occurs to Miles that this news leaves him in a conundrum: he donated sperm back in his youth, when he needed some fast cash to upgrade his computer. Flash forward to now, when Miles is basically Steve Jobs, only nice. Since Miles is basically one of the *considerate* millionaires (this is how you know it's fiction), he feels like he owes it to his bio kids to get in touch and potentially warn them they have a significant chance of inheriting this illness, and maybe Miles can help them financially, too.

But someone else has got wind of this news, and for some mysterious reason, that person wants to eliminate the 9 bio kids that Miles has sired. While Miles is tracking down his children, hired killers are ahead of him, until he joins forces with his daughter, Chloe, and they set about solving the mystery in the hopes of saving the rest of the bio kids. But will they be too late?

Ripped from the headlines this book has everything: action, ethical questions and warm fuzzy family feelings.
Well-written and paced perfectly. A truly enjoyable read!

A millionaire who used to supplement his income by being a sperm donor is diagnosed with an illness that could be hereditary and so begins a search for his biological children...only someone is killing them off. What?! Yes, an interesting plot to be sure. Lots of twists and turns here, so if you are listening to the audio of this book, don't zone out or you might miss something important! Overall, an excellent thriller with lots of suspense. The narrator did a fine job, but I would recommend reading this one rather than listening to it.

I absolutely loved this title! I’ve already put it on order for my library. I’ve listened to George Newbern many, many times and every time he does a fantastic job! Lynnwood Barclay is a fantastic writer. His stories are always page-turners! His characters well-developed. Plot lines that keep the reader/listener engaged, and guessing until the end. This particular story had a lot of heartwarming moments that surprised me. I’m not used to that with this author. But I was drawn to Myles and Chloe right off the bat. As a person who has personally experienced using a DNA service to try to track down an unknown father, but instead finding a little brother! Barclay did a wonderful job with Chloe’s character, her emotions, her drive to the “have to!” need regardless of what her mother thinks. It was all very authentic feeling. I will be reviewing this on my city’s facebook page in a few weeks. It is defiantly one of my favorite reads so far this year.

This was a really enjoyable thriller! I have never read Barclay before but am definitely a fan and will not only go back and read some of his previous titles but look for new ones. The story was intriguing and unpredictable. If you like authors such as Harlan Coben, David Baldacci, John Sandford, Lee Child, you'll enjoy Barclay!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advanced audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Miles Cookson is a wealthy tech executive who finds out that he is dying from a hereditary disease. 20 plus years ago he was a sperm donor. While tracking down his offspring he finds out that several of them have gone missing. There is another story line going on also that all comes together.

My first Linwood Barclay book and I enjoyed it.

Narrator did an excellent job.

All the money in the world can’t save you from the fate that awaits all of us – death. Tech millionaire, Miles Cookson has a terminal illness and the knowledge that his defective gene could very easily be passed on to any offspring he had. Back when Miles was struggling to get buy, he sold his sperm to a sperm bank, and now knows that he has “fathered” nine children. They could potentially have his faulty gene, and Miles sets out to track them down, both to inform them of their potential to inherit both his disease…and his money. At the same time, Chloe is looking for the truth about her biological father, knowing only that her mother used a sperm back in New York. So when the two of them find each other, it should be a happy time for father and daughter, but when Miles’s biological children begin to disappear, it’s clear something sinister is happening. Barclay continues to shock and surprise readers even after all these years. This one is unique and very creepy