Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Trigger warnings for school violence and drug abuse.

I've read a handful of books by Barclay (the best is Elevator Pitch). This latest title felt uneven to me. It started with a brutal act of school violence and then snowballed into many other stories. I found most of the characters grating; who wants to read about losers who are selling drugs and ignoring their wives? I will say the book picked up near the end and I flew through it. I had correctly predicted who the real abuser was. This could have used better editing for awkward sentences.

English teacher Richard Boyle becomes an instant hero when he talks a former student from blowing himself up inside the school. But as the student goes back outside he trips and blows himself up anyway. Soon Richard is no longer a hero, but instead the subject of a lawsuit from the parents and a secret extortion demand for alleged abuse from another former student and it’s hard to tell friends from foes.

English teacher Richard Boyle becomes an instant hero when he talks a former student from blowing himself up inside the school. But as the student goes back outside he trips and blows himself up anyway. Soon Richard is no longer a hero, but instead the subject of a lawsuit from the parents and a secret extortion demand for alleged abuse from another former student and it’s hard to tell friends from foes.

Barclay is one of my favorite authors! He plots so many twists and turns that make the book hard to put down. I did guess one of the bad guys, but he still had me going till the last page.

Also definitely appreciated his chapter on a teacher talking to parents about book banning 😊 that tied into the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This reviewer has been a fan of Linwood Barclay's books for many years and was pleased to receive an advance copy of I Will Ruin You for review. Like millions of other readers, I discovered Barclay's novels in 2007 with No Time For Goodbye, one of the best thrillers I've ever read (and have re-read at least three times). I've read several of his books since then and enjoyed them all. Barclay's novels are always compelling and entertaining, and his new release is no exception.

Richard Boyle, the protagonist of I Will Ruin You, is an everyman. He's a good husband, father, and high school teacher who becomes a hero after thwarting a killer at the school. And that's when his troubles begin. His hero status makes him the target of some very dangerous people. The subtext of Richard's story is clearly, "No good deed goes unpunished."

I found it refreshing to read a thriller about a good man who is likeable and relatable, and who always tries to do the right thing, even when his decisions seem questionable. But right or wrong, Richard's heart is always in the right place, and this reviewer enjoyed following his perilous journey to reclaim his everyday life. There are twists and turns, and few big surprises along the way, making this book an absorbing, enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

I Will Ruin You is another page turner from Linwood Barclay! I enjoyed this book and the twists and turns found within! It is an engrossing storyline which I finished in less than 24 hours and will keep the reader guessing until the very end! Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Thanks to Wm. Morrow & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Linwood Barclay is one of my faves and I recommend him all the time. This story strains the boundaries of credulity a little, but hey, these are escapist thrillers. I will forgive Linwood most anything as long as the story is good.

As usual, our hero is a middle aged regular guy: Richard, a high school teacher. His star turn as the guy who saves the day when a troubled former student tries to blow himself up at the school sets in motion a cascade of terrible events that endanger his life and the lives of his wife and daughter. This plot has all the things: drugs, sexual abuse, book banning, impostors, double-crossing - it's a cornucopia of crazy plot points.

Although I figured out the twist well before the end of the book, I can't be mad at Linwood; I think I've read enough of these that I know what to expect, but these are not really formulaic (I think I just got lucky). While my very favorite is the Promise Falls series, his standalones are always very entertaining.

4 very solid stars

Linwood Barclay sets the adrenaline level on high from page one and keeps ramping it up until the very end! There are a lot of characters and twists in turns in this book that will keep you turning the page faster than the plots unfold. GREAT psychological thriller with an end that will not disappoint. Thanks for the advance copy!

There is a lot going on in this novel about a high school teacher, his wife who is a principal at another school and her sister who is a police officer. The story has a fantastic beginning with a former student coming to the school with dynamite strapped to his body. There are too many sub plots which tend to detract from the basic story line - a lawsuit brought by parents, the teaching of inappropriate books for students, drug dealers and users, a murder of a student’s mother, a pervert at the school who preys on children, family tensions and dynamics, gun violence etc.
The book is interesting and Mr. Barclay certainly has a way with words that are unique and memorable - “…..they’ll stick your dick into a pencil sharpener.” I thank NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.

Wow great read right from the start. I was totally enthralled up until the last page. It’s sad that there are so many school shootings, etc. If anyone is bothered by school violence they might want to skip
this one. Richard clearly was a hero in my mind. Once again Linwood kept me engaged 😊.

Note: grammatical errors chapter 3, 25, and 42.

I always enjoy Linwood Barclay’s books. They are reliably good and I count on spending time with each new one ASAP so I was happy to receive a copy of I Will Ruin You from Willia)m Morrow and NetGalley in exchange for this review.

The protagonist, Richard Boyle, is a high school English teacher. (Right away, being retired teachers, I knew my husband and I would both like this one!). One day, Richard is talking to his class about a Cormac McCarthey book (that is definitely not part of the approved curriculum) when he looks out the window and sees a former student coming toward the school with what looks like dynamite strapped to his chest. Well, it is a bomb, and Richard reacts instantly, becoming sort of a reluctant hero.

It’s not all great. Richard’s marriage is rocky, he has less than great relationships with some colleagues, and he is soon being blackmailed and threatened with…well, it’s complicated. Trust me. It’s a good plot, nice and twisty, and the characters are memorable.For example, a sort of lowlife loser named Billy is one of those guys who mostly spends time in his garage tinkering on a non-functioning muscle car: “A thousand years from now, after the polar ice caps had melted and much of the world was sitting underwater, that f%^&*ng car would still be up on blocks waiting to be fixed.” (Admit it, you know that guy!)

Once again, a reliably entertaining read from Barclay, who continues to be one of my favorite authors when I want to forget about the news for a day or two. Five stars.

Another fantastic book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. A true page turner! Five Stars! This should be everyone’s best book of the year!

One of my favorite authors, he is always an auto request. Richard is the star of the book! Every 2 to 3 chapters is his POV. Richard is a teacher, one of has past students shows up at his school with a bomb strapped to his chest. Richard is so quick on his feet and because of this, it does not turn into a major tragedy. The next thing that happens is another past student tries to blackmail him.

Is the student with the bomb and the blackmailer part of a gang?

Deadly Secrets, Dangerous Scenes, and Page Turning! 3.5 stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book is set to release 5/7/24.

The gripped me from the start. I couldn’t put it down and ignored all my other responsibilities. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I Will Ruin You, by Linwood Barclay, is another outstanding read from an author who never disappoints. In this one, Richard Boyle, a high school English teacher, becomes a very reluctant hero after helping avert a school bombing. But that horrific event is only the beginning of his problems. First he learns the parents of the bomber want to sue him. Then a former student shows up and tries to blackmail him. His marriage becomes strained when he offers to sell the family’s boat to a neighbor in order to raise cash. When the blackmailer is mudered, Richard could be a suspect once the police learn of the blackmail attempt. The resolution, most loose ends tied up, is definitely satisfying. My only criticism is that it may be just a tiny bit too clever/complicated for its own good. I’m thinking especially of the identity of the blackmailer. A small gripe about a largely very entertaining and enjoyable read.