‘Parting Shot’ will have readers turning pages

“Parting Shot’’ (Doubleday Canada), by Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay’s “Parting Shot’’ showcases the devastated town of Promise Falls a year after the horrific events that almost destroyed the community.

Det. Barry Duckworth thinks he’s seen it all when a young man walks into the station claiming to have no memory of the past two days. He firmly believes he was abducted by aliens, but when Duckworth looks at the man’s back, he’s horrified to see a message tattooed there that claims responsibility for a murder.

Private detective Cal Weaver is asked to investigate another young man who also has an issue with memory loss. Evidence shows that he got drunk, hopped into a car, and ran over a girl, killing her. He wants answers, even if it means he’s guilty. Weaver reluctantly takes the case.

The two cases will collide in unexpected ways and watching over the entire town is someone bent on retribution and revenge.

Barclay knows how to keep readers turning the page and this standalone novel set in the same town with the same characters after the events of his Promise Falls trilogy will have fans excited.

Newcomers might want to start at the beginning to get the full flavour of the narrative. One also has to wonder if another story set in the town is forthcoming due to the story’s ambiguous ending. While the community might not be the ideal place to live, the stories there do provide wonderful reading entertainment.