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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
I’m a big fan of Harlan Coben and for a very good reason. This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat – in my case the train seat
Four- minus. As a long-time Coben reader, who's been disappointed in some of his recent outings, this book seemed more a return to form: twisty plot, which takes you far away from your first take on what's happening here. From minor scam to international terrorism, in fact.
Part of what makes the book work is that the protagonist, Nap Dumas, is not as obnoxiously frat-boy as some of Coben's characters. There is the usual deadpan tone, but Coben keeps Dumas in check for the most part. Just enough to make him believable.
There are things not to like. Coben can't write a sex scene without sounding like a cross between a hardboiled noir writer and an overblown romance. And I'm not sure that the running interior dialogue with his dead brother is a good technique for exposition.
But overall, this book feels like a reason to keep reading Coben.
Part of what makes the book work is that the protagonist, Nap Dumas, is not as obnoxiously frat-boy as some of Coben's characters. There is the usual deadpan tone, but Coben keeps Dumas in check for the most part. Just enough to make him believable.
There are things not to like. Coben can't write a sex scene without sounding like a cross between a hardboiled noir writer and an overblown romance. And I'm not sure that the running interior dialogue with his dead brother is a good technique for exposition.
But overall, this book feels like a reason to keep reading Coben.
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
Wow, another great Coben novel. This one I couldn't put down. I had to know what happened next. Great characters and it kept me guessing till the end.
I am officially done with Harlan Coben. It makes me sad. This is his 3rd straight book that the protagonist was obsessed with a past girlfriend/ boyfriend from more than 10 years ago. And it is this obsession that drives the plot. I tried to ignore it because I WANT to love Coben but I simply can't anymore. There are elements to his writing that I like but enough with with lost love being the thing that drives everything. And enough with the not so surprising "twist" at the end... And the happy ever after, all loose ends tied up in the last 2 pages. Enough. Time for me to move on.
Super enjoyable! This was my first Harlan Coben book and I wasn't sure if it would be for me. It's a pretty typical cop/suspense formula but it had some pretty fun elements (top-secret military base, mysterious deaths and disappearances from the past, characters who you're not sure if you can trust.) The story was very engaging and I finished it really fast. I thought I had the mystery solved in my mind but there were elements of the ending that surprised me and I love that. I will definitely check out some more of his books.
Good New Jersey mystery novel from Harlan Coben, although not as good as his Mickey Bolitar investigator series. A mysterious murder involving a cop, an alleged traffic stop scam, and a beautiful woman used as a mark, brings back many memories and tragedy for police consultant Nap(oleon) Doumas (note that Coben's other character, Bolitar, makes a brief guest appearance). Memories that take Nap back to high school and a double tragedy that affected many lives. The book dragged a bit in the first-third, but then things really get moving, with solid characters. The biggest appeal for me is that I grew up in the nearby Morristown area, referenced in the book. The bulk of the action takes place in a fictional town that is clearly modeled on the Livingston and West Orange, NJ area. As pivotal to the plot, there really was an old Nike missile base in Livingston, NJ , that is now an art park.
