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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I had trouble identifying with the main character Maya. Maybe it's because she was so tough and fearless, but many of the characters seemed shallowly drawn. Also, the action starts almost at the beginning of the book, so we really don't get the time to get into the rhythm of the story or get to know the characters.
There were lots of twists, and I did enjoy them. I just feel like this book will be easily forgotten.
There were lots of twists, and I did enjoy them. I just feel like this book will be easily forgotten.
A solid thriller with some clever twists and turns! I appreciated that protagonist Maya Stern, a veteran, was a real antihero. Maya made many mistakes and she was not a kind person, but the book still had me rooting for her. As with some other thrillers, I think the book had some pacing issues: It's a real slow burn and the middle was a bit of a drag before it raced to the finish. This is more proof that Harlan Coben understands the thriller formula.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maya’s husband, Joe, was murdered right in front of her in Central Park but as she tries to adjust to life as a single Mother she sees him on her nanny cam. How can this be? Now, unable to even believe her own eyes, she starts to question everything and the more she digs the worse the situation becomes.
This book was on my shelves, which means I must have read it at some point but I honestly don’t remember so after being approved for the sequel on NetGalley I decided to read this one again first.
I really enjoy Coben’s work. You always know what you’re going to get, there will be crime, intrigue, and twists and turns galore. I always find them to be quite quick reads too so I have flown through this. Maybe that’s why I don’t remember it. His writing just has a really nice flow and I often find myself promising “just one more chapter”.
I love Maya. She’s such a flawed character. She’s desperate to protect everyone around her, so much so that she pushes them away more often than not.
There’s quite a lot going on in this one but all centred around this central issue of Joe’s murder with threads weaving their way out from there.
Whist it’s not told in first person narrative the story is very much centred on Maya and her perspective so we do get a very one sided viewpoint and we learn things alongside Maya, which I enjoyed.
I don’t want to give too much away but whilst I had put together some parts of the story there were still some surprises for me.
I’m intrigued as to how this has been translated to the screen, particularly as Coben’s work tends to be moved to the U.K. for the adaptations and gun violence features fairly heavily in this one and ballistic evidence plays quite a pivotal role. I must get round to watching it at some point.
Overall, it’s exactly as you’d expect from a Coben book.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Haunting.
Harlan Coben has been on my to-read list for a while, and I've heard a lot about his books. Now that I've read Fool Me Once , I see why so many people like him. He writes the type of suspense books I enjoy: those that keep you guessing until the end. The suspense in this novel was never-ending; just as I was about to put it down, another twist kept me turning the pages for hours. I was curious what Maya might uncover next. I had the same idea as Maya: Could Joe be alive? . I questioned whether Joe faking his death since Maya saw him on the nanny cam.
I liked Maya right away. I liked her determination to find out what had happened. At the same time, I was concerned that she would get into trouble or get herself killed by asking the questions she shouldn’t be asking. Every discovery Maya made sparked new concerns about what was happening and who was involved. I enjoyed how the plot kept me wondering; just when I thought I knew who was responsible, another discovery proved me wrong. There was so much going on that while I wasn't reading, I was thinking about the story and wondering what would happen next.
The beginning was slow, and it took me a few chapters to get into the story. However, I didn't want to put the book down once the story picked up. I didn't see that end coming; I felt like I should have, but I didn't. I finished the book last night and am still thinking about the ending. After reading the novel, I'm excited to watch the Netflix series. I'm excited to see what happens with Detective Kierce in the next book, Nobody's Fool , and to check out the rest of Harlan Coben's works.
I've been reading Harlan Coben books for 15 years now and you'd think I would be able to guess the ending by now...
Another great suspense!! I couldn't put it down. I LOVED the last scene, it made me à little emotional for a second, but I enjoyed every second of reading this book!
Another great suspense!! I couldn't put it down. I LOVED the last scene, it made me à little emotional for a second, but I enjoyed every second of reading this book!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
DNF
Idk what was wrong with this book but it was just too boring. Maya was unlikeable and the whole plot fell flat. I skipped to the end to figure out what happened and it did not need to be 30 chapters long.
Idk what was wrong with this book but it was just too boring. Maya was unlikeable and the whole plot fell flat. I skipped to the end to figure out what happened and it did not need to be 30 chapters long.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Two stars only because I did get sucked into the story and wanted to know what happened. But the writing is atrocious and I hated the ending. I only read it because I saw a trailer for a movie based on the book, and thought I'd just read the book instead.