Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay is a highly acclaimed author, humorist, and columnist based in Canada. He has written numerous books that span both fiction and non-fiction genres, and is best known for his thrilling standalone novels. Barclay was born in the United States but moved to Canada when he was just four years old. He received his English literature degree from Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, and has had the privilege of being mentored by esteemed authors such as Margaret Laurence and Kenneth Millar.

Barclay's writing career began at the Peterborough Examiner, a small Ontario daily, and he later joined the Toronto Star in 1981. During his time at the Star, he held various positions such as assistant city editor, chief copy editor, news editor, and Life section editor. However, it was his role as the paper's humour columnist from 1993 to 2008 that made him one of the paper's most popular columnists. In 2004, Barclay launched his mystery series featuring an anxiety-ridden, know-it-all, pain-in-the-butt father named Zack Walker. The series includes four books: Bad Move, Bad Guys, Lone Wolf, and Stone Rain.

Barclay's first standalone thriller, No Time for Goodbye, was published in 2007 and became an international bestseller. The book was a Richard and Judy Summer Read selection in the UK and topped the UK bestseller list for seven straight weeks. It has since been translated into nearly thirty languages and solidified Barclay's reputation as a master of thriller novels. He has since written several more standalone novels, including Trust Your Eyes, A Noise Downstairs, and Find You First. Barclay's books have been adapted for television and film, and he has written screenplays as well.

In addition to his work as a novelist, Barclay has also written two novels for children featuring a computer-enhanced dog named Chipper. Chase and Escape follow Chipper as he goes on the run from the evil organization that turned him into a super-pup. Barclay retired from his position as a humor columnist at the Toronto Star in 2008 to focus exclusively on his books. He is married and has two grown children.