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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a fun ride! Harlan Coben's latest is a mystery guaranteed to keep you guessing until the the very end. Nobody's Fool sees the return of Sami Kierce, and this time the case he's following is near and dear to his heart. I loved the characters, the witty dialogue, and the can't-turn-the-page-fast-enough plot.
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Book/Story: ⭐️⭐⭐⭐
Book Cover: ⭐️⭐️⭐
Trigger Warning(s): Murder
Binge Drinking (mentioned)
Loss Of Spouse
Kidnapping
Loss Of Child
POV: First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone (Interconnected Series)
First In Series: No
Trope(s): None
Spice: None
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Burn: Fast
Safe or Dark: Safe
Release Date: March 25, 2025
I was beyond excited when I was able to get my hands on this ARC! I have to admit that I haven’t read many Harlan Coben books during my adult life, but members of my family have been fans for years. Needless to say, I was so ready to dive into this one!
I have not read this first book in the Detective Sami Kierce series, Fool Me Once, but have been told that this book reads more like a standalone, and you don’t need to have prior knowledge of events that occurred in the first story in order to enjoy this one, and I found that to be true.
I’m so upset that I haven’t bothered to check out more of Harlan Coben’s catalog in the past because just like the one or two other books I have read by him before, this one was an absolute home run!
You might want to take some Dramamine before getting into this story, because it is packed with twists and turns.
This is a fun, fast-paced, riveting plot. The prologue kicks things off, and we are pulled directly into our main character's life twenty years prior to when this book takes place. I was engaged from start to finish. In fact, I’m sure I would have finished this a lot quicker than I did if I didn’t have to worry about doing adult things, like having a healthy sleep schedule and going to work.
In true Coben fashion, there is a lot packed into this book. There are many different pieces of a puzzle going on at the same time. However, also in true Coben fashion, he makes it all work. Nothing gets confusing or jumbled together. Each storyline plays off one another nicely to form a bigger picture and move towards an explosive ending. I found myself becoming fully invested in both mysteries taking place here.
I adored our main character, disgraced detective Sami Kierce; it was so fun being inside his head. I loved the fact that Coben “broke the fourth wall” with this character, as many times Kierce was talking directly to the readers. I also really enjoyed meeting the “Pink Panthers “, and other members of his criminology class. We get a chance to peek at each of their fun personalities as well. Golfer Gary stole my heart and who could help falling in love with the quirky yet friendly Raymond? Getting to know Kierce’s friends, lovely wife Molly, and infant son, Henry, was wonderful as well. No matter how many mistakes he made or how royally he messed his life up, they all still loved and supported him. That was so refreshing!
I loved the idea of Sami’s criminology class in general. That’s definitely something I would have paid to attend. There was a lot of respect shared between teacher and pupils. You could tell they held Kierce in high regard. They were a loving bunch.
Kierce is easy to relate to since, like many of us, he is handed a string of bad luck (some a result of mistakes he’s made) and just tries his best to push on and be happy with the good things that happen in life. No matter how few and far between they are. He isn’t perfect and has many flaws. I think that is what makes him so likeable to us readers. He walks through life much like I do, with a smart mouth and humor that is used to cover up deep emotions and trauma. Also like myself, Kierce is headstrong and stubborn, never stopping until he finds out the truth of the case he's working on. He doesn't drop things quite as easily as he should.
The references to Hercule Poirot and Detective Columbo were amazing. I especially enjoyed them since Agatha Christie is one of my favorite mystery authors, and Columbo is my favorite, doofy television detective.
Fun fact: My dog’s middle name is Columbo. Why he has a middle name I couldn’t tell you, but my cute little Shih Tzu does.
The final plot twist and ending were phenomenal. I didn’t see them coming at all. Bravo, Mr. Coben. Those are going to be living rent-free in my head for months, and possibly years, to come. You, sir, get two thumbs up for that one.
However, I will never understand what I’ve done to deserve that cliffhanger regarding Sami Pierce’s personal story arc! THAT DAMN CLIFFHANGER!
Now, I’m forced to wait for the next book in the series to be published to see how that one plays out! It’s going to be torture!
I can see why Harlan Coben’s books have been a staple in many of my family members reading collections for many years. He really is in a class of his own when it comes to writing mysteries and thrillers.
I can’t wait to keep going through his catalog. Perhaps I will start doing that now.
TLDR : A FAST-PACED BOOK WITH PLENTY OF TWISTS AND TURNS! ENTERTAINING FROM START TO FINISH!
As always, please remember that reading is subjective, and that’s what makes it so great. 😊
I would like to thank Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
This is my voluntary, unbiased, and honest review.
Book Cover: ⭐️⭐️⭐
Trigger Warning(s): Murder
Binge Drinking (mentioned)
Loss Of Spouse
Kidnapping
Loss Of Child
POV: First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone (Interconnected Series)
First In Series: No
Trope(s): None
Spice: None
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Burn: Fast
Safe or Dark: Safe
Release Date: March 25, 2025
I was beyond excited when I was able to get my hands on this ARC! I have to admit that I haven’t read many Harlan Coben books during my adult life, but members of my family have been fans for years. Needless to say, I was so ready to dive into this one!
I have not read this first book in the Detective Sami Kierce series, Fool Me Once, but have been told that this book reads more like a standalone, and you don’t need to have prior knowledge of events that occurred in the first story in order to enjoy this one, and I found that to be true.
I’m so upset that I haven’t bothered to check out more of Harlan Coben’s catalog in the past because just like the one or two other books I have read by him before, this one was an absolute home run!
You might want to take some Dramamine before getting into this story, because it is packed with twists and turns.
This is a fun, fast-paced, riveting plot. The prologue kicks things off, and we are pulled directly into our main character's life twenty years prior to when this book takes place. I was engaged from start to finish. In fact, I’m sure I would have finished this a lot quicker than I did if I didn’t have to worry about doing adult things, like having a healthy sleep schedule and going to work.
In true Coben fashion, there is a lot packed into this book. There are many different pieces of a puzzle going on at the same time. However, also in true Coben fashion, he makes it all work. Nothing gets confusing or jumbled together. Each storyline plays off one another nicely to form a bigger picture and move towards an explosive ending. I found myself becoming fully invested in both mysteries taking place here.
I adored our main character, disgraced detective Sami Kierce; it was so fun being inside his head. I loved the fact that Coben “broke the fourth wall” with this character, as many times Kierce was talking directly to the readers. I also really enjoyed meeting the “Pink Panthers “, and other members of his criminology class. We get a chance to peek at each of their fun personalities as well. Golfer Gary stole my heart and who could help falling in love with the quirky yet friendly Raymond? Getting to know Kierce’s friends, lovely wife Molly, and infant son, Henry, was wonderful as well. No matter how many mistakes he made or how royally he messed his life up, they all still loved and supported him. That was so refreshing!
I loved the idea of Sami’s criminology class in general. That’s definitely something I would have paid to attend. There was a lot of respect shared between teacher and pupils. You could tell they held Kierce in high regard. They were a loving bunch.
Kierce is easy to relate to since, like many of us, he is handed a string of bad luck (some a result of mistakes he’s made) and just tries his best to push on and be happy with the good things that happen in life. No matter how few and far between they are. He isn’t perfect and has many flaws. I think that is what makes him so likeable to us readers. He walks through life much like I do, with a smart mouth and humor that is used to cover up deep emotions and trauma. Also like myself, Kierce is headstrong and stubborn, never stopping until he finds out the truth of the case he's working on. He doesn't drop things quite as easily as he should.
The references to Hercule Poirot and Detective Columbo were amazing. I especially enjoyed them since Agatha Christie is one of my favorite mystery authors, and Columbo is my favorite, doofy television detective.
Fun fact: My dog’s middle name is Columbo. Why he has a middle name I couldn’t tell you, but my cute little Shih Tzu does.
The final plot twist and ending were phenomenal. I didn’t see them coming at all. Bravo, Mr. Coben. Those are going to be living rent-free in my head for months, and possibly years, to come. You, sir, get two thumbs up for that one.
However, I will never understand what I’ve done to deserve that cliffhanger regarding Sami Pierce’s personal story arc! THAT DAMN CLIFFHANGER!
Now, I’m forced to wait for the next book in the series to be published to see how that one plays out! It’s going to be torture!
I can see why Harlan Coben’s books have been a staple in many of my family members reading collections for many years. He really is in a class of his own when it comes to writing mysteries and thrillers.
I can’t wait to keep going through his catalog. Perhaps I will start doing that now.
TLDR : A FAST-PACED BOOK WITH PLENTY OF TWISTS AND TURNS! ENTERTAINING FROM START TO FINISH!
As always, please remember that reading is subjective, and that’s what makes it so great. 😊
I would like to thank Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
This is my voluntary, unbiased, and honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
I don’t think I’ve read a book in under 24 hours since middle or high school, being off work today greatly helped, but I just could not put this down.
The constant tug of war with our main character, the need to find closure, the need to move on, the need to find answers, the fear of losing what he has—but this has already taken so much from him. Five days. Five days was all it took for years of prepping a future, destined for greatness, dreams and hopes, to just vanish. But it was so much more than that, that was taken away that day.
What we embark on is a journey, of how life has a funny way of showing you, “What goes around, comes around” and “What’s done in dark, will always find its way to light.”
From start to finish, I empathized with the narrator. You can feel every pain, every terror, every question that he was feeling. Never fully feeling closure, and as more was exposed about that night in Spain, every question turns an answer that opens several more to follow.
Deception, lies, money, and almost heartlessness is what lies inside the walls of the Belmond “castle”. With great money comes great problems, or so I’ve been told. And nothing could be any more true than for the Belmond household.
Uncanny character connections, some likely twists with some still gut wrenching turns, Coben has created what I am positive will be a sure fire hit. I’ve never been consumed in a book as I was this. I, unfortunately as a reader and a dabbling writer, suffer from aphantasia—but I’ve never been able to physically place myself in a book as I have this. I always am able to imagine myself as a fly on the wall, hearing what one has to say. But here? I was there. I was in Spain. I was at the crime scenes. I was at the press release. I was in the Powell residence. I was there for it all.
Bravo.
*Huge thank you to NetGalley for allowing this read, for an honest review*
The constant tug of war with our main character, the need to find closure, the need to move on, the need to find answers, the fear of losing what he has—but this has already taken so much from him. Five days. Five days was all it took for years of prepping a future, destined for greatness, dreams and hopes, to just vanish. But it was so much more than that, that was taken away that day.
What we embark on is a journey, of how life has a funny way of showing you, “What goes around, comes around” and “What’s done in dark, will always find its way to light.”
From start to finish, I empathized with the narrator. You can feel every pain, every terror, every question that he was feeling. Never fully feeling closure, and as more was exposed about that night in Spain, every question turns an answer that opens several more to follow.
Deception, lies, money, and almost heartlessness is what lies inside the walls of the Belmond “castle”. With great money comes great problems, or so I’ve been told. And nothing could be any more true than for the Belmond household.
Uncanny character connections, some likely twists with some still gut wrenching turns, Coben has created what I am positive will be a sure fire hit. I’ve never been consumed in a book as I was this. I, unfortunately as a reader and a dabbling writer, suffer from aphantasia—but I’ve never been able to physically place myself in a book as I have this. I always am able to imagine myself as a fly on the wall, hearing what one has to say. But here? I was there. I was in Spain. I was at the crime scenes. I was at the press release. I was in the Powell residence. I was there for it all.
Bravo.
*Huge thank you to NetGalley for allowing this read, for an honest review*
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Imagine living your best life on summer vacation in Spain. You meet a cutey at the club and yall become inseparable only for you to wake up one morning with a knife in your hand and the girl's dead body laying next to you.... This is exactly what happened to Sami Keirce.
Fast forward 25 years later, Keirce, no longer a NYPD detective, is teaching criminology night classes when the "dead" girl Anna walks into his class and he stops at nothing to find her and find out the truth.
WOW the storyline had me hooked and I felt like I was right there with Sami Kierce to find out what happened to his Anna. The more digging he did, the more he realized that everybody was lying but as the title says, Kierce is nobody's fool. My mouth dropped when things finally came together.
Read this ASAP!
Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for my advanced readers copy.
Fast forward 25 years later, Keirce, no longer a NYPD detective, is teaching criminology night classes when the "dead" girl Anna walks into his class and he stops at nothing to find her and find out the truth.
WOW the storyline had me hooked and I felt like I was right there with Sami Kierce to find out what happened to his Anna. The more digging he did, the more he realized that everybody was lying but as the title says, Kierce is nobody's fool. My mouth dropped when things finally came together.
Read this ASAP!
Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for my advanced readers copy.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Synopsis
In the year 2000, Sami Kierce, a young backpacker exploring Spain with his friends, wakes up one fateful morning to a shocking scene. He finds himself drenched in blood, a knife clutched in his hand, and beside him lies the lifeless body of a woman named Anna. Confused and terrified, he has no recollection of the events that led to this moment and begins to scream in horror. Fast forward 25 years, Kierce now resides in New York, where he is seen as a disgraced detective teaching evening classes. One day, he spots a face he thought he’d never see again—Anna. The resemblance is undeniable. But as soon as their eyes meet, she bolts. Kierce realizes he has no choice but to track her down and unravel the mystery that has tormented him for decades. His quest will force him to confront his past, revealing that some secrets are better left hidden.
My Thoughts
I have to admit, I didn’t realize this was the second book in the Detective Sami Kierce series before I decided to read it. Luckily, I checked and found out it could be enjoyed on its own, which was a relief. As for my take on Nobody's Fool, I thought it was pretty good! The beginning felt a bit slow, but things picked up as I got into it. The story weaves through two timelines, has a haunting backstory, and trust me, the ending has a major twist! I really liked how the characters developed, especially Sami, the main character. Overall, once it got going, the plot, and story really came together.
Thank You @Netgalley and @grandcentralpub for allowing me to review this ARC.
In the year 2000, Sami Kierce, a young backpacker exploring Spain with his friends, wakes up one fateful morning to a shocking scene. He finds himself drenched in blood, a knife clutched in his hand, and beside him lies the lifeless body of a woman named Anna. Confused and terrified, he has no recollection of the events that led to this moment and begins to scream in horror. Fast forward 25 years, Kierce now resides in New York, where he is seen as a disgraced detective teaching evening classes. One day, he spots a face he thought he’d never see again—Anna. The resemblance is undeniable. But as soon as their eyes meet, she bolts. Kierce realizes he has no choice but to track her down and unravel the mystery that has tormented him for decades. His quest will force him to confront his past, revealing that some secrets are better left hidden.
My Thoughts
I have to admit, I didn’t realize this was the second book in the Detective Sami Kierce series before I decided to read it. Luckily, I checked and found out it could be enjoyed on its own, which was a relief. As for my take on Nobody's Fool, I thought it was pretty good! The beginning felt a bit slow, but things picked up as I got into it. The story weaves through two timelines, has a haunting backstory, and trust me, the ending has a major twist! I really liked how the characters developed, especially Sami, the main character. Overall, once it got going, the plot, and story really came together.
Thank You @Netgalley and @grandcentralpub for allowing me to review this ARC.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
Look, I'll always read Harlan Coben's newest book, and I'll always recommend him to anyone who asks for recommendations. With that said, I only liked Nobody's Fool. I didn't love it. It has the same exceptional character development I expect from Coben. There were the same tense moments with laugh-out-loud dialogue weaved throughout. In Nobody's Fool, I found myself perseverating on a major plot hole. I can't describe it without spoiling the ending but one of the plot lines wasn't logical to me or explained fully. Maybe I'm dense, but I went back and re-read and can't see the path to a major plot line. I still love Coben and I he will always be my first recommendation to friends!