Ratings50
Average rating3.8
This was the first Harlan Coben book I've read, though I have seen his various TV mini-series. It was very different than his TV work (and much less British). That said, I enjoyed it in its own right.
Things I liked:
The pace. It was a quick read, typical for a thriller, but the pace felt appropriate for the story.
The conclusion. It didn't rely too much on “the twist”, which drives me crazy in thrillers, and instead the whole story felt like a crumpled paper being ironed out.
The range of characters. Every character that entered the story was different than the others.
Things I didn't like:
The violence. It may be a matter of preference but there it is. I felt like I didn't need to read about it in so much detail, even for the sake of realism.
The lack of information at the start. The beginning felt like a lot of semi-related observations made by Dr. Beck, but as a reader you don't have much to go on until about half way.
Some of it felt a bit cliched. It wasn't too noticeable but it came to mind several times. The lesbians who don't have a perfect relationship. The compassionate wife with a heart of gold. Comments like, “I guess we all have our secrets.” It is what it is.
Overall I found it compelling, but possibly forgettable.