I just finished reading an ARC of this book (that I did receive free from Delacourte Press, through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program). It is not due out until March 16 (Amazon says March 2), but I definitely recommend it for your "To Be Read" list..
The book starts off with what seems like an innocent trip to the amusement park -- although why anyone would want to take a four-year-old to an amusement park is beyond my comprehension. When Jan and
The book sucked me right in, from the first chapter. I received this Friday afternoon, and finished it in less than 24 hours. There are several things that I really liked about it. First, it appears to be a "stand-alone" novel, not one of a series. While I like series thrillers (Michael Connelly's Bosch books are a good example), I always feel like I have to read the books in order. With stand-alones, I can jump right into an author's newest book, and then look forward to going back to the previous ones if I like this one. I will definitely go back and look up Barclay's newer books!
Second, the point of view shifts throughout the book. Normally, I don't like this, but Barclay is very good at handling the alternating first-person chapters, narrated by David, with the other sections told from the points-of-view of David's wife, the investigating police officer, and other characters as needed. The transitions were not jarring at all; I was never confused or thrown out of the story.
Lastly, I really liked the font used in this book. Isn't that weird? It isn't something I normally think about, the size and layout of the print seemed really easy to read, even in the low light of the bedroom, or while I was sitting in the brightly lit living room.