Stay Close.

GoodReads Synopsis:  Megan is a suburban soccer mom who once upon a time walked on the wild side. Now she’s got two kids, a perfect husband, a picket fence, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction. Ray used to be a talented documentary photographer, but at age forty he finds himself in a dead-end job posing as a paparazzo pandering to celebrity-obsessed rich kids. Jack is a detective who can’t let go of a cold case—a local husband and father disappeared seventeen years ago, and Jack spends the anniversary every year visiting a house frozen in time, the missing man’s family still waiting, his slippers left by the recliner as if he might show up any moment to step into them. Three people living lives they never wanted, hiding secrets that even those closest to them would never suspect, will find that the past doesn’t recede. Even as the terrible consequences of long-ago events crash together in the present and threaten to ruin lives, they will come to the startling realization that they may not want to forget the past at all. And as each confronts the dark side of the American Dream—the boredom of a nice suburban life, the excitement of temptation, the desperation and hunger that can lurk behind even the prettiest facades—they will discover the hard truth that the line between one kind of life and another can be as whisper-thin as a heartbeat.

My Thoughts: In the last two years, I've read every single one of Harlan Coben's books except one.  The was the next to last one I had to finish to finally catch up with his current publishing schedule.  He's easily one of my favorite writers.  But this was not my favorite of his books.  Perhaps it was because I've read so many recently that I was slightly burned out on them.  Or perhaps it genuinely was not as good as the others.  Who knows.  

It's a perfectly fine thriller, don't get me wrong.  The story was gripping, and there were plot twists that I did not anticipate.  But I guessed who the killer was early on and was proven right.  The journey to the end was entertaining and fun, just not up to Coben's usual standard.  Three stars.

(If you want to read some of his best work, go with Gone for Good, Tell No One, or the Myron Bolitar series.)

The Stranger.

GoodReads Synopsis-- The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world. Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream: a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life. Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corinne, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corinne’s deception, and realizes that if he doesn’t make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he’s stumbled into will not only ruin lives—it will end them.

My Thoughts-- I love Harlan Coben, but this book was rather disappointing.  Of course, it was suspenseful and intriguing and kept my attention for hours on end.  But there was just something thin about the story.  Or maybe it was too complex.  Or maybe my expectations were just too high for this one.  If you're looking for a great suspenseful thriller by HC, I'd recommend you read Gone for Good or Tell No One first to see how amazing Harlan Coben can be.

Six Years.

GoodReads Synopsis-- Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of hiding a broken heart by throwing himself into his career as a college professor. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd. But six years haven’t come close to extinguishing his feelings, and when Jake comes across Todd’s obituary, he can’t keep himself away from the funeral. There he gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife he’s hoping for . . . but she is not Natalie. Whoever the mourning widow is, she’s been married to Todd for more than a decade, and with that fact everything Jake thought he knew about the best time of his life—a time he has never gotten over—is turned completely inside out. As Jake searches for the truth, his picture-perfect memories of Natalie begin to unravel. Mutual friends of the couple either can’t be found or don’t remember Jake. No one has seen Natalie in years. Jake’s search for the woman who broke his heart—and who lied to him—soon puts his very life at risk as it dawns on him that the man he has become may be based on carefully constructed fiction.

My Thoughts-- Another twisty/turn-y thriller from Harlan Coben.  I was glad to see him deviate from the unhappy suburbanite parent theme of some of his books preceding this one.  Six Years was a true mystery with the classic Harlan Coben wit I love.  Four stars.

No Second Chance.

GoodReads Synopsis-- Dr. Marc Seidman awakens to find himself in an ICU, hooked up to an IV, his head swathed in bandages. Twelve days earlier, he had an enviable life as a successful surgeon, living in a peaceful suburban neighborhood with his beautiful wife and a baby he adored. Now he lies in a hospital bed, shot by an unseen assailant. His wife has been killed, and his six-month-old daughter, Tara, has vanished. But just when his world seems forever shattered, something arrives to give Marc new hope: a ransom note. The note is chilling, but Marc sees only one thing-he has the chance to save his daughter. He can't talk to the police or the FBI. He doesn't know who he can trust. And now the authorities are closing in on a new suspect: Marc himself. Mired in a deepening quicksand of violence and deadly secrets-about his wife, about an old love he's never forgotten, and about his own past-he clings to one, unwavering vow: to bring Tara home, at any cost.

My Thoughts-- Another great Harlan Coben book.  I sounds like a broken record at this point, but he's just so great at writing twisty, turn-y thrillers, and this one was no different.  Four stars.

Gone for Good.

GoodReads Synopsis-- As a boy, Will Klein had a hero: his older brother, Ken. Then, on a warm suburban night in the Kleins' affluent New Jersey neighborhood, a young woman -- a girl Will had once loved -- was found brutally murdered in her family's basement. The prime suspect: Ken Klein. With the evidence against him overwhelming, Ken simply vanished. And when his shattered family never heard from Ken again, they were sure he was gone for good. Now eleven years have passed. Will has found proof that Ken is alive. And this is just the first in a series of stunning revelations as Will is forced to confront startling truths about his brother, and even himself. As a violent mystery unwinds around him, Will knows he must press his search all the way to the end. Because the most powerful surprises are yet to come.

My Thoughts-- Gone for Good is easily my favorite stand-alone Harlan Coben book.  So many twists and turns.  Just when you think you've figured it out, the ground shifts again.  But yet, it's not at all outrageous.  Harlan Coben walks that line expertly.  Five stars.

Play Dead.

GoodReads Synopsis: No sooner had supermodel Laura Ayers and Celtics star David Baskin said "I do" than tragedy struck. While honeymooning on Australia's Great Barrier Reed, David went out for a swim-and never returned. Now widowed and grieving, Laura's search for the truth will draw her into a web of lies and deception that stretches back thirty years...

My Thoughts: This was Harlan Coben's first-ever novel.  He states at the beginning that if this is your first novel of his to attempt to read, to put it down and get another one.  I would agree with that advice.  It's not his best book, but I was able to appreciate it a bit more, I think, because I already love his writing.  This one was long and windy, and I saw the two big twists at the end coming.  That said, it was a great suspenseful story, always left you wondering who you could trust and who was really the bad guy.

Tell No One.

GoodReads Synopsis:  For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night his wife was taken. The last night he saw her alive. Everyone tells him it's time to move on, to forget the past once and for all. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. A message has appeared on his computer, a phrase only he and his dead wife know. Suddenly Beck is taunted with the impossible- that somewhere, somehow, Elizabeth is alive. Beck has been warned to tell no one. And he doesn't. Instead, he runs from the people he trusts the most, plunging headlong into a search for the shadowy figure whose messages hold out a desperate hope. But already Beck is being hunted down. He's headed straight into the heart of a dark and deadly secret- and someone intends to stop him before he gets there.

My Thoughts: I could not put this book down!  I started it one night after dinner and stayed up until 1am to finish it.  It was that good.  Great suspenseful story with twists and turns that you don't see coming.  I highly recommend it! 

Found.

GoodReads Synopsis:  It’s been eight months since Mickey Bolitar witnessed the tragic death of his father. Eight months of lies, dark secrets and unanswered questions. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Mickey’s sophomore year of high school brings on a whole new set of troubles. Spoon is in hospital, Rachel won’t tell him where he stands, his basketball team-mates hate him... and then there’s Ema’s surprise announcement: she has an online boyfriend and he’s vanished. Whilst searching for Ema’s missing boyfriend (who may not even exist!), Mickey gets roped into helping his nemesis, Troy Taylor, with a big problem. All the while, Mickey and his friends are pulled deeper into the mysteries surrounding the Abeona Shelter – until the shocking climax, where Mickey finally comes face-to-face with the truth about his father.

My Thoughts:  This was a great end to the trilogy.  I'm kind of sad it's over because I love reading more about the Bolitars.  The sub-plots were great, and there was a lot of growth in the characters.  And the ending was fantastic.

Just One Look.

GoodReads Synopsis-- An ordinary snapshot causes a mother’s world to unravel in an instant. After picking up her two young children from school, Grace Lawson looks through a newly developed set of photographs. She finds an odd one in the pack: a mysterious picture from perhaps twenty years ago, showing four strangers she can’t identify. But there is one face she recognizes—that of her husband, from before she knew him. When her husband sees the photo that night, he leaves their home and drives off without explanation. She doesn’t know where he’s going, or why he’s leaving. Or if he’s ever coming back. Nor does she realize how dangerous the search for him will be. Because there are others interested in both her husband’s past and that photo, including Eric Wu: a fierce, silent killer who will not be stopped from finding his quarry, no matter who or what stands in his way.  Her world turned upside down, filled with doubts about her herself and marriage, Grace must confront the dark corners of her own tragic past she struggles to learn the truth, find her husband, and save her family.

My Thoughts-- Another great Harlan Coben book!  It was incredibly suspenseful and intriguing.  I read it within a day, so it definitely was interesting enough to keep me reading, and it had a great twist at the end that I did NOT see coming. 

Miracle Cure.

GoodReads Synopsis--They’re one of the country’s most telegenic couples: beloved TV journalist Sara Lowell and New York’s hottest basketball star, Michael Silverman. Their family and social connections tie them to the highest echelons of the political, medical, and sports worlds—threads that will tangle them up in one of the most controversial and deadly issues of our time. In a clinic on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, a doctor has dedicated his life to eradicating a divisive and devastating disease. One by one, his patients are getting well. One by one, they’re being targeted by a serial killer. And now Michael has been diagnosed with the disease. There’s only one cure, but many ways to die...

My Thoughts-- This book was fascinating on several levels.  First of all, it's Harlan Coben, so of course it's twisty and mysterious and unpredictable.  But also, it's a book about an AIDS clinic from 1991 (Coben's first book ever written).  So it's kind of surreal to read about how AIDS was treated and misunderstood and feared not that many years ago.  Definitely an interesting read, but not my favorite Coben novel.  Don't let this be the first one of his you pick up.

Seconds Away.

GoodReads Synopsis-- When tragedy strikes close to home, Mickey and his loyal new friends—sharp-witted Ema and the adorkably charming Spoon—find themselves at the center of a terrifying mystery involving the shooting of their classmate Rachel. Now, not only does Mickey need to keep himself and his friends safe from the Butcher of Lodz, but he needs to figure out who shot Rachel—no matter what it takes. Mickey Bolitar is as quick-witted and clever as his uncle Myron, but with danger just seconds away, it is going to take all of his determination and help from his friends to protect the people he loves, even if he does not know who—or what—he is protecting them from.

My Thoughts-- Second in the Mickey Coben series, this is a great follow up to Shelter.  Same great characters, same great suspenseful storyline.  I can't wait to get my hands on #3!

Shelter.

GoodReads Synopsis-- Mickey Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch high schools. Fortunately, he's met a great girl, Ashley, and it seems like things might finally be improving. But then Ashley vanishes. Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that Ashley isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father. Soon Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew.

My Thoughts-- This is the first YA book by Harlan Coben, and it's also first in a series that follows Mickey Bolitar (nephew to my fave Coben character, Myron Bolitar).  The characters were loveable despite their annoying teenager-ness, and it was full of the trademark Harlan Coben suspense.  I loved it!