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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is the first audiobook from Harlan Corben that I have listened to. The narration was good although I was not a fan of the long pauses between chapters. I had to check multiple times that it was still playing.
The story itself is decent. Not the typical intense thriller I am used to from the author. This story follows disgraced NYPD Detective Sami Kierce as he tries to figure out how someone her thought had died 20 years prior managed to walk into his classroom. With the help of his friends, students, former colleagues and wife, he is able to get to the bottom of the mystery that has haunted him all this time.
The story itself is decent. Not the typical intense thriller I am used to from the author. This story follows disgraced NYPD Detective Sami Kierce as he tries to figure out how someone her thought had died 20 years prior managed to walk into his classroom. With the help of his friends, students, former colleagues and wife, he is able to get to the bottom of the mystery that has haunted him all this time.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book follows disgraced former detective Sami Kierce as he works to solve several cold cases that seem to be following him. When he was just out of college, his girlfriend was brutally murdered and her body disappeared. But now, Sami thinks he’s seen her and follows her to a fancy, secure estate in the middle of nowhere, which leads him to believe she may be Victoria Belmond, an heiress who was kidnapped 25 years ago but then returned a decade later. If all that wasn’t enough, Sami also has to deal with the man who murdered his fiancée being released from prison on a technicality. This book is surprisingly fast-paced and twisty, and it made me want to read more by Harlan Coben (I’ve seen some of his Netflix shows but never actually read one of his books). I also really liked Sami and his cast of supporting characters who helped him solve the crimes. If you like more procedural crime novels, you’ll enjoy this!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my copy! ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Harlan Coben book, and even though it was the second in a series, it was absolutely phenomenal!
Sami Kierce, a former police detective, is doing whatever it takes to support his loving wife and young son. On top of his private investigation work, he also teaches night classes. But during one of his classes, Sami is stunned to see a woman he once loved while backpacking in Spain. Someone Sami believed was dead and he was the one responsible. Now, faced with the shocking reality that she is alive and well, he's determined to uncover the truth behind her survival, no matter the cost.
This book had such an intriguing premise and kept me hooked from start to finish. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was proven completely wrong. I truly sympathized with Sami as he fought to do what was right, all while grappling with the difficult realization that doing the right thing isn’t always in everyone’s best interest.
*Thank you to Harlan Coben, Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.
I had the opportunity to read "Nobody's Fool" by Harlan Coben, a gripping tale about a man haunted by a past incident. Back in his early twenties, during a romantic escapade in Spain, he woke up to find a dead girl beside him. Choosing to keep the incident a secret, his past comes rushing back when he unexpectedly spots the girl, very much alive, while teaching a night class. Recognizing her immediately reignites a complex web of emotions and mysteries.
Harlan Coben masterfully weaves together various storylines, creating a deeply engaging narrative. The characters are well-developed, and the plot twists are both surprising and satisfying. "Nobody's Fool" has proven to be one of the best books I've read in 2025, thanks to its creativity and the compelling way Coben stitches together the different elements of the story.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
His usual masterful storytelling. A very quick read. Read it in two sittings. Lots of twists and a likeable main character. I’m waiting for the tv series.