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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
2 1/2 stars. definitely not this author’s strongest work, imo. i didn’t really love the main character - something about his tone was annoying. and there was way too much tell instead of show. the m.c. made tons of assumptions (to keep the story moving forward), but they never really seemed to be born out by confirmable facts, just wild hunches. i understand the use of red herrings and keeping the m.c. it the dark in whodunnits, but this book felt more clumsily executed than others.
I'd mark it 2 1/2 stars if I could. Coben's books have become increasingly formulaic, but the stories and the writing kept me enjoying the books and turning the pages. The formula may have run its course. The twists are starting to show worse than the bad seams on a cheap suit. I hope Coben tries something new next time around.
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loved this mystery. Had you guessing from the beginning, and I never guessed any of the twists. I found that I was confused and didn’t know what was going on for about 80% of the book… but in a good way- I felt as befuddled as to what was going on as the main character did. That was the magic of the book, it really connected you to the main character and his state of mind, how he felt and what he was thinking. Not many books can do that and still keep the reader engaged.
Eh. I have read better Coben. I only liked that he referenced various items from the Bolitor series. Other than that...this is not his best work.
You'll be questioning your sanity the entire time
Jake stalks a woman he hasn't seen in 6 years. Regardless of how it ended, he is in desperate need of a thorough psychiatrist workup.
I'm still questioning his sanity.
Oy vey.
Jake stalks a woman he hasn't seen in 6 years. Regardless of how it ended, he is in desperate need of a thorough psychiatrist workup.
I'm still questioning his sanity.
Oy vey.
Quick read, but rather forgettable. Nothing much else to say, sadly.
I had a day to myself, and this was a quick read . As always, I am happy with my Harlan Coben choice.
His characters are flawed and human. Stories interesting and always have a great twist or two. I appreciate being kept guessing.
His characters are flawed and human. Stories interesting and always have a great twist or two. I appreciate being kept guessing.
I read this book because my dear friend gifted it to me - we’re both fans of the Netflix adaptations of Coben‘s books. It was the first novel I read by him, and I was utterly surprised by how bad the writing was. Many things about the story make no sense at all, which is in large part due to how badly the characters are written. They do and say unlikely and implausible things to a degree that makes you question whether they have any personality at all. It also bothered me that the language including turns of phrases were often so repetitive. Books like this put everything into perspective again lol.
Overall an entertaining, fast read that is action packed! At times the main character’s self dialogue got a little old. The relationship between the main character and his secretary or admin assistant does not read or play out well in a post me too environment. Also as someone who lives in Vermont, using cell phones in these wooded very rural areas is pretty unbelievable. And that was done throughout the novel. However if you were looking for a good quick read that is suspenseful and keeps you guessing this is a good choice.
This is not the authors best work. I was somewhat disappointed.