Find You First

Find You First

  • Downloads:5089
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-04-26 12:51:16
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Linwood Barclay
  • ISBN:0063060418
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

The New York Times bestselling author of Elevator Pitch and master of psychological suspense returns with a riveting thriller in which the possible heirs of a dying tech millionaire are mysteriously being eliminated, one by one。

Find You First starts with a bang and ends with an even bigger one。 。 。 。 It’s the best book of his career。” —Stephen King


Tech millionaire Miles Cookson has more money than he can ever spend, and everything he could dream of—except time。 He has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and there is a fifty percent chance that it can be passed on to the next generation。 For Miles, this means taking a long hard look at his past 。 。 。

Two decades ago, a young, struggling Miles was a sperm donor。 Somewhere out there, he has kids—nine of them。 And they might be about to inherit both the good and the bad from him—maybe his fortune, or maybe something much worse。

As Miles begins to search for the children he’s never known, aspiring film documentarian Chloe Swanson embarks on a quest to find her biological father, armed with the knowledge that twenty-two years ago, her mother used a New York sperm bank to become pregnant。

When Miles and Chloe eventually connect, their excitement at finding each other is overshadowed by a series of mysterious and terrifying events。 One by one, Miles’s other potential heirs are vanishing—every trace of them wiped, like they never existed at all。

Who is the vicious killer—another heir methodically erasing rivals? Or is something even more sinister going on?

It’s a deadly race against time 。 。 。

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Reviews

Amanda Martin

I read this book in two days!!! I just couldn't put it down, it was amazing! So many twists and turns which kept me engrossed and the ending perfectly wrapped up the sentiment I believe Linwood was trying to convey throughout。 Would 10000% recommend! I read this book in two days!!! I just couldn't put it down, it was amazing! So many twists and turns which kept me engrossed and the ending perfectly wrapped up the sentiment I believe Linwood was trying to convey throughout。 Would 10000% recommend! 。。。more

Sarah

This is a fast moving, intriguing mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what would happen next and who was responsible。 There were several red herrings that kept you wondering until nearly the end。 With a cast of excellent, well developed and likeable characters I found myself cheering them on and holding my breath as things came crashing down on them。 I have only read a couple of this authors books but I will have to start reading them all if they are as fast paced an This is a fast moving, intriguing mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what would happen next and who was responsible。 There were several red herrings that kept you wondering until nearly the end。 With a cast of excellent, well developed and likeable characters I found myself cheering them on and holding my breath as things came crashing down on them。 I have only read a couple of this authors books but I will have to start reading them all if they are as fast paced and as intricately woven as this story was。 Every chapter of this book had something exciting happening and it was a roller coaster of emotions with Chloe and Miles。 A must read novel if you want to get your blood pumping and your mind working on over drive。 Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC。 。。。more

Rachel

Barclay does it again! Very entertaining, it even made my middle of the night baby feedings tolerable because I could read while baby girl ate。

Tina

Loved the fast pace! Full review soon!

Janet

I was lucky to receive a giveaways copy of this book。 Find you First was such an action packed thriller。 Definitely recommend this book。 Thank you!

Mary Sue

I received this advanced copy thanks to Harper Collins & NetGalley。 This was a fast paced thriller with multiple twists and turns。 Each time I thought I had it figured out, I was hit with something that sent me in a totally different direction。 It had me guessing until the end。 I will definitely be checking out more of Barclay’s work!

Liz Mannegren

The premise of this book had me hooked from the start! And I thought this was a fun spin on the usual inheritance-themed mysteries。 Nine potential heirs, all being picked off one by one? Who has motive? Who has opportunity?The interaction between Miles and Chloe is also really strong。 There's sass and humor and the awkwardness of trying to get to know a family member you've never met before。 Chloe's dialogue in particular was entertaining and her character was fun。 While I thought that the stren The premise of this book had me hooked from the start! And I thought this was a fun spin on the usual inheritance-themed mysteries。 Nine potential heirs, all being picked off one by one? Who has motive? Who has opportunity?The interaction between Miles and Chloe is also really strong。 There's sass and humor and the awkwardness of trying to get to know a family member you've never met before。 Chloe's dialogue in particular was entertaining and her character was fun。 While I thought that the strength of the friendship between Miles and Chloe developed overly quickly, it did make sense given the plot。Fast-paced and action packed, this was a very thrilling read and I had a difficult time putting it down! 。。。more

Mathea Mae

Favorite thriller of the year! Refreshing dynamics between the characters, couldn't put it down! Favorite thriller of the year! Refreshing dynamics between the characters, couldn't put it down! 。。。more

Marcia

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 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。 。。。more

Sarah

Once again Linwood Barclay has done it again。 I was hooked from page one and just kept reading!!! So many twists and turns。

Loretta

An ARC copy of this novel was made available upon request to all members of the Killer Crime Club (FB) courtesy of Harper Collins Canada and Net Gallery。As I hadn’t read anything by Linwood Barclay before I decided to give it a try。 I’m glad I did。 The prologue hooked my interest immediately and kept me engaged to the end。 I will definitely be reading more by this author。

Marie Barr

Got a advanced copy from net galley。 Great thriller。 This is about a millionaire who donated to a sperm bank 20 years ago, finds out he’s dying, and seeks out all his offspring to leave his fortune to。 Has great twists and turns。 Great ending。 Fast paced thriller that I read through very fast to see what happens in the end。 Another good book from Barclay。

Max

If you're looking to read something that feels cinematic (especially at its climax), then Find You First perfectly fills that requirement。 We've been lacking some good action-thriller movies this year, so this book felt like a trip back to the theatre in some ways。 You get lots of crazy sequences and lots of characters with a pack of dynamite ready to explode at the end。 We very often see the inheritance trope in mystery fiction, and Find You First adds really interesting elements to this classi If you're looking to read something that feels cinematic (especially at its climax), then Find You First perfectly fills that requirement。 We've been lacking some good action-thriller movies this year, so this book felt like a trip back to the theatre in some ways。 You get lots of crazy sequences and lots of characters with a pack of dynamite ready to explode at the end。 We very often see the inheritance trope in mystery fiction, and Find You First adds really interesting elements to this classic set up。 The family of this story don't actually know each other, because they're all the children of billionaire Miles Cookson who did a sperm donation decades ago。 And right when he's looking to reconnect with and inform them with the news of a fatal disease in their bloodline, they end up getting killed off one by one。 Barclay is great at making his writing as tense as possible, the only thing I might've been lacking was a little bit more suspense。 Another layer of mystery could have made a twist that much more powerful。 There is something too fun about reading a bunch of billionaires plotting to kill each other, expect pure entertainment! Thanks Netgalley and William Morrow。 。。。more

Jenessa

Find you First tells the story, first, of Chloe, a young woman who wants to find her biological father, despite the hesitation of her mother。 Her mother had gotten pregnant from a sperm donor, and had never wanted Chloe to ask or talk about her biological father。 Chloe, like most people, wanted to find out where her roots are, and connected to a half brother on a DNA service。 She meets the brother, and although they are very different, they forge a bond in a short time。Enter Miles, a rich app de Find you First tells the story, first, of Chloe, a young woman who wants to find her biological father, despite the hesitation of her mother。 Her mother had gotten pregnant from a sperm donor, and had never wanted Chloe to ask or talk about her biological father。 Chloe, like most people, wanted to find out where her roots are, and connected to a half brother on a DNA service。 She meets the brother, and although they are very different, they forge a bond in a short time。Enter Miles, a rich app designer, who finds out he is sick。 Really sick。 He has been diagnosed with Huntington's disease, and although he is concerned for himself, he is also concerned with the potential off spring that he created, in the year that he donated to the sperm bank to help his financial situation when he was starting out。 His offspring has a 50% chance of also having the disease, so Miles wants to find them, let them know their risk, and provide for them financially after he dies of the disease。Chloe and Miles meet, and begin a cautious father/daughter relationship。 They end up going to meet the half brother that Chloe already met, but find his trailer cleaned out。 He is missing, and not answering his phone or text。 Chloe is worried, and knows that something is not right。The rest of the story is fast paced, and told from multiple view points。 Because of the pace, the story was engaging and kept me wanting to read more and more。 I really enjoyed the concept of the story, and thought that it was told very well。 I felt like the characters were easy to like (or not like, in come cases) and overall this was an entertaining thriller! Because of the DNA and science aspect of this, it was different from most thriller books, and stood out (in a good way!) compared to the recent books I have read in the same genre。I would recommend this book to those who like thrillers, but maybe want to see a different twist on these books。 It was fast paced and kept my interest。 It also was easy to get into, without many lulls, or slow parts to the story。 Thank you to Linwood Barclay, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an early copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review! 。。。more

Joan Lew

Another great book by this author! Keeps you in suspense and wanting more。

Lorie

This was one of the best books I have read lately。 Miles is looking for his children from a sperm donation but they are being killed/erased。 It seems they are being killed so there are less to share his millions and then a new twist comes out in reading more。

Donna Shaw

Miles is single and extremely wealthy and has just learned that he has an incurable disease。 He looks back on his life while getting his affairs in order。 Twenty years ago to make money while attending college, he donated sperm to a fertility clinic。 Running a tech company, he knows ways to learn things and wants to contact all offspring so he can compensate them with money and warn them of the possibility of them inheriting the disease。 As he searches for these people, they are disappearing bef Miles is single and extremely wealthy and has just learned that he has an incurable disease。 He looks back on his life while getting his affairs in order。 Twenty years ago to make money while attending college, he donated sperm to a fertility clinic。 Running a tech company, he knows ways to learn things and wants to contact all offspring so he can compensate them with money and warn them of the possibility of them inheriting the disease。 As he searches for these people, they are disappearing before he can get to them。 Who is making this happen and why puts the reader on a roller coaster ride with twists that are often very exciting。 。。。more

Deanna

This is the first book I've read by Linwood Barclay and it won't be the last。When Miles Cookson receives news of his terminal illness, and the probability of passing it on, he sets out to find his children。 That would be the biological children he fathered via donations to a fertility clinic, as he has never been a father in the traditional sense。However, it seems someone else is out to find them as well and as Miles begins his search the children are disappearing one by one。 This sends him on a This is the first book I've read by Linwood Barclay and it won't be the last。When Miles Cookson receives news of his terminal illness, and the probability of passing it on, he sets out to find his children。 That would be the biological children he fathered via donations to a fertility clinic, as he has never been a father in the traditional sense。However, it seems someone else is out to find them as well and as Miles begins his search the children are disappearing one by one。 This sends him on a chase to track down the children and find out who else is after them。 This book moved at a fairly brisk pace。 There is a fair bit of jumping around between characters that can get confusing at first, but eventually settles down。 There were a few main characters and I found most of them to be fairly realistic and believable。 However, parts of the story were extremely unrealistic。 This didn't necessarily take away from the story, or make me lose interest, but it did leave me shaking my head。 Especially near the end。Because we knew what was happening in the story I didn't find it much of a thriller, but it had enough suspense to keep it moving。 It was about half way through when I put most of it together, but I was still invested enough, and interested enough to see how it played out。 All in all, a good read that left me wanting to read more of Linwood Barclay's work。Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Eva

4。5 starsAlways too busy with work to develop a meaningful relationship and have his own children, Miles Cookson makes donations to a sperm bank instead。 Now twenty years later and discovering he has an illness that has a genetic basis to it, Miles sets out to find his progeny。 Near the start of this adventure he finds out that one by one the now young adults he fathered are disappearing as if they never existed。 How and why is this happening? You’ll have to read the book to find out!The prologu 4。5 starsAlways too busy with work to develop a meaningful relationship and have his own children, Miles Cookson makes donations to a sperm bank instead。 Now twenty years later and discovering he has an illness that has a genetic basis to it, Miles sets out to find his progeny。 Near the start of this adventure he finds out that one by one the now young adults he fathered are disappearing as if they never existed。 How and why is this happening? You’ll have to read the book to find out!The prologue in Find You First just sucked me right into the story and I was completely hooked。 I picked this book up in every spare moment right up until the end。 It was fast-paced and exciting and mysterious and full of great characters。 Like a good thriller, I didn’t know who to trust and more than once when I was sure a character was a plant or working for the bad guy so to speak, I found myself wrong。This book also raises some great points for discussion which I look forward to chatting about in my buddy read group for this book soon。 The only part that lost a few minor points for me was the ending。 If you can totally suspend belief and enjoy the type of action endings in many films then you will likely love this one but it was just a bit far-fetched for me。 It won’t stop me from recommending it though and looking up other books in @linwoodbarclay’s backlist。 Thanks to the author and @harpercollinsca for the physical arc and to @netgalley for the digital arc in exchange for my honest opinions。 Find You First publishes May 4, 2021 in Canada。 。。。more

Jen Ryland

Despite the high ratings, this one was just not for me。 Too many characters, too many plotlines。 Just didn't care about any of it。Read more of my reviews on JenRyland。com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram! Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review! Despite the high ratings, this one was just not for me。 Too many characters, too many plotlines。 Just didn't care about any of it。Read more of my reviews on JenRyland。com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram! Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review! 。。。more

Jenn Veenstra

Very good!! I won this in a Goodreads giveaway! He was one of my favorite authors to begin with and then lucked out in winning his new book before it came out! I had been going through a bit of a reading slump leading up to this win so was super excited when I did! And it did not fail me kept me on the edge of my seat! I could not put it down! I found myself reading and cooking at the same time!! I highly recommend this!! I don't want to ruin it so just have to say sit down and enjoy! Very good!! I won this in a Goodreads giveaway! He was one of my favorite authors to begin with and then lucked out in winning his new book before it came out! I had been going through a bit of a reading slump leading up to this win so was super excited when I did! And it did not fail me kept me on the edge of my seat! I could not put it down! I found myself reading and cooking at the same time!! I highly recommend this!! I don't want to ruin it so just have to say sit down and enjoy! 。。。more

Wanda

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy。 The book opens with a slam-bang first chapter。 The suspense continues throughout the many twists and turns right to the conclusion。 A young man is desperate to upgrade his computer。 To help raise the money for it, he goes to a fertility clinic to donate sperm。 Twenty years later, he is a tech millionaire with more money than he can possibly spend。 He finds out that he is dying from Huntington’s Disease and he may have passed this gene down to each of his Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy。 The book opens with a slam-bang first chapter。 The suspense continues throughout the many twists and turns right to the conclusion。 A young man is desperate to upgrade his computer。 To help raise the money for it, he goes to a fertility clinic to donate sperm。 Twenty years later, he is a tech millionaire with more money than he can possibly spend。 He finds out that he is dying from Huntington’s Disease and he may have passed this gene down to each of his offspring。 He is now desperate to find the children that were produced from his sperm donation to warn them and possibly help them out financially。 Complications arise, as one by one, his offspring seem to be disappearing before he can get to them。 The chapters flow back and forth through different story lines but each chapter is short and the action is fast paced。 You will recognize one of the story lines right out of recent headlines。 For sure, this is an entertaining read。 I am a huge fan of Linwood Barclay but was disappointed in his last book, “Elevator Pitch。” This book proves that he is right back up there at the top of his game。 。。。more

Cindy

I was offered an ARC of this book through The Killer Crime Club (Harper Collins), and I jumped at the opportunity as Linwood Barclay has never let me down。 Find You First was no exception。 In his usual style, Linwood captured my attention from the first page, and it was very hard to put this one down。 I find his writing style easy to read yet full of interesting characters and little twists and turns in the plot that keep me 100% engaged throughout。 I also like how he tries to lead my mind in on I was offered an ARC of this book through The Killer Crime Club (Harper Collins), and I jumped at the opportunity as Linwood Barclay has never let me down。 Find You First was no exception。 In his usual style, Linwood captured my attention from the first page, and it was very hard to put this one down。 I find his writing style easy to read yet full of interesting characters and little twists and turns in the plot that keep me 100% engaged throughout。 I also like how he tries to lead my mind in one direction, making me think I have it all figured out, and then it ends up being something totally different。 I don't like to talk much about the plot or characters in my reviews, but I will say that I found the theme of "what really makes a parent" very thought provoking in the midst of the main mystery。 True rating - 4。5 stars。 。。。more

Chris Dorn

What a wild ride! I really enjoyed every minute and couldn't seem to put it down。 Totally had me guessing about what was going to happen next。 Would make a blockbuster movie! There's action and mystery large enough to fill the big screen。 Well done Linwood Barclay! What a wild ride! I really enjoyed every minute and couldn't seem to put it down。 Totally had me guessing about what was going to happen next。 Would make a blockbuster movie! There's action and mystery large enough to fill the big screen。 Well done Linwood Barclay! 。。。more

Katie B

Yay, I finally read a book by this author! He had been on my tbr list for a long time。 I was definitely into the story and even with 400+ pages it still managed to be a quick read。 I’m conflicted about how everything was wrapped up in the end though。 I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed but I don’t feel satisfied either。 Full review coming soon。

Erin Mendoza

Very twisty

Deborah

The plot of this book is original。 This was something I had never really thought of before in this age where anyone can get a DNA test and possibly find their relatives, even those who may not want to be found。 I liked Miles and Chloe and seeing them bond as father and daughter was great。 It took me a while to figure out why the murders were occurring and why everything from their homes was being destroyed。I received an advance reader's edition of this book in exchange for an honest review。 I ha The plot of this book is original。 This was something I had never really thought of before in this age where anyone can get a DNA test and possibly find their relatives, even those who may not want to be found。 I liked Miles and Chloe and seeing them bond as father and daughter was great。 It took me a while to figure out why the murders were occurring and why everything from their homes was being destroyed。I received an advance reader's edition of this book in exchange for an honest review。 I had only read one or two other books by this author but will definitely be looking for more books by him。 。。。more

Lynn

I am a long time and devoted Linwood Barclay fan。 Find you First is the best book I have read of his to date。 The premise of a multi-millionaire tech entrepreneur chasing down his sperm clinic donation recipients is too on the nose for 2021 but in the best way possible。 A long the way we meet some horrible people that the reader will recognize from today's headlines。Find you First has more twists and turns than a Promise Falls roller coaster。 It has the signature Linwood Barclay moments of humou I am a long time and devoted Linwood Barclay fan。 Find you First is the best book I have read of his to date。 The premise of a multi-millionaire tech entrepreneur chasing down his sperm clinic donation recipients is too on the nose for 2021 but in the best way possible。 A long the way we meet some horrible people that the reader will recognize from today's headlines。Find you First has more twists and turns than a Promise Falls roller coaster。 It has the signature Linwood Barclay moments of humour plus a small homage to fellow writer Stephen King。I received an advanced copy from Net Galley in exchange for this honest review。 。。。more

Jaclyn

What a ride! Find You First is a high-octane, multi-faceted, full-throttle chase: a tech millionaire wants to track down his biological children to give them important health news and part of his fortune, but someone else wants to find them first, kill them, and make any physical trace of them disappear completely。 Barclay keeps probably a dozen narrative balls up in the air the entire time。 There was so much going on, and so many potential ways the story could go, and the entire time, you just What a ride! Find You First is a high-octane, multi-faceted, full-throttle chase: a tech millionaire wants to track down his biological children to give them important health news and part of his fortune, but someone else wants to find them first, kill them, and make any physical trace of them disappear completely。 Barclay keeps probably a dozen narrative balls up in the air the entire time。 There was so much going on, and so many potential ways the story could go, and the entire time, you just knew it was all going to come together spectacularly in the end。Barclay did a good job at keeping me off-balance when it came to the mystery。 For most of the book, I was sure I knew who the bad guy was, and I was confident that I had a handle on their motivation。 The suspect I had in mind wasn't the obvious baddie, and while their methods were horrible, the motivation I thought they had made them actually kinda sympathetic。 I was wrong。 (My suspect turned out to be shady in other ways, so I'm still pretty proud of myself for sussing that out, but they were not behind the killings。) It took me a long time to even begin to suspect the actual bad guy, and their motivation turned out to be messed up far beyond what I ever expected。 Some of the events in the final few scenes did stretch credulity。 I can imagine they'd be pretty awesome to watch onscreen, but on the page, they did require quite a bit of suspending disbelief。 Still, by that point, I didn't care how unrealistic some of the logistical details were; I was fully hooked。 I started this book sympathetic to Miles (the tech millionaire) and mildly curious about what was going to happen, but by the final 25% or so, I was speed-reading through the e-galley, and felt almost breathless by the time I was done。 It's such a fun, entertaining read, and the moments between Miles and Chloe, the first child he tracks down, are both funny and heartwarming。+Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Kelly Young

Wow! This book is phenomenal! It's different elements weave together so intricately, it left me feeling like I'd been on the edge of my seat for hours。It is a fast paced, well written tale that keeps you guessing right to the very end。The characters are intriguing, complex and relatable, and the reader is invested in the outcomes for them all。I cannot recommend this book more enthusiastically。 You won't regret reading it。 Wow! This book is phenomenal! It's different elements weave together so intricately, it left me feeling like I'd been on the edge of my seat for hours。It is a fast paced, well written tale that keeps you guessing right to the very end。The characters are intriguing, complex and relatable, and the reader is invested in the outcomes for them all。I cannot recommend this book more enthusiastically。 You won't regret reading it。 。。。more