Book Review- Harlan Coben- Long Lost

Harlan Coben- Long Lost 3.75 Stars

When Myron Bolitar receives a strange phone call from a long lost fling asking him to go to Paris, he is reluctant to go considering his current relationship. When he finally does decide to go he finds himself thrown into the midst of something far scarier than he could have ever imagined. Even Win may not be able to help him. This cloak and dagger mystery will lead him to new places as he tries to help Terese find her daughter whom she though to be dead.

The book was a little slower to begin with, but it did pick up, albeit it took a bit. I may have preferred it to be faster-paced. When it did pick up it was quite interesting. I was happy to see this series changed up. It was the same basic plot, but we saw it spread out throughout the globe. It also went to a new depth that we have not seen in previous novels. The characters were once again very well done, and I enjoyed reading Myron and Win playing off each other so well. I did find that this novel was a little weaker overall than other books by this author, but it was still a good read.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Harlan Coben- Back Spin

Harlan Coben- Back Spin (Dell Books 2009) 3.75 Stars

When a young teenage boy disappears in Philadelphia during the U.S. Open championship, Myron Bolitar is asked by the mother to discreetly look into the matter. The mother, golf sensation Linda Coldren, has one stipulation; there must be no police involvement for fear of the repercussions of the kidnappers. Her husband is trying to win the championship and Myron can’t help but wonder if someone is attempting to sabotage his chances. Myron is forced to discover what it is like to be alone, and just how dangerous life can get.

I enjoyed this novel, even if it did not quite have the same flare that this series normally does. Again I got to chuckle at Myron’s witty sarcasm, but we did not get as much from Win this time, for reasons you will discover as you read the book. I loved how this novel was used to deepen Win’s character, show us more about his past and why he has become the man that he is. Coben has done another wonderful job of working his magic on the plot. There were certainly some interesting twists involved and they were used to increase the suspense, drawing in the reader’s attention. I do wonder why Coben writes so much about finding a missing person, he does a great job of it, but it would be nice to see something different once in a while. That being said, I would recommend this book to mystery fans.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Harlan Coben- Drop Shot

Harlan Coben- Drop Shot (Bantam Dell 2008) 3.75 Stars

When a prospective client is murdered at the tennis stadium, Myron Bolitar takes it upon himself to look into her murder and find out the truth. Along the way he discoveed that one of his other tennis clients may be involved and it might be all connected to a six-year-old murder of a senator’s son. Now he finds himself butting heads with a dirty U.S. senator, a group of mobsters, and a mother with something to hide. Everyone wants to put an end to his investigation, including the murderer.

Harlan Coben has certainly come up with better introductions, but it did not take long to pick up and draw my interest. I did find it interesting to see a tennis focus as it doesn’t usually get much attention in books. I once again enjoyed the sarcasm, as I usually do in the Bolitar series. I did find that the character development in this book wasn’t as good as it usually was, but was not bad. The plot was good, but not great. I had suspected the ending by a quarter of the way through, and figured it out by halfway through. That being said it was still interesting to see how Bolitar and Win would figure it out and how everything would unfold. Overall I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes sports and thrillers.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Harlan Coben- Deal Breaker

Harlan Coben- Deal Breaker (Dell Publishing 2007) 4 Stars

Myron Bolitar is a sports agent and is about to have one of his young rookies sign the contract of a lifetime. Now the young star is asking him to look into the disappearance of his fiancé a year and half after the fact. Triggered by the death of the girl’s father this case has the potential to be dangerous, just the way Bolitar and his friend Win like it. As he starts the investigation it becomes very clear that someone does not want him to succeed in his case. This becomes especially clear when another body turns up and Myron finds himself asking, just what exactly is going on?

I love the Myron Bolitar series and it was great to see where it all began for Myron. This book makes the others in this series make more sense and provides background for everything that has gone on. Again I love his sarcasm and how it always seems to land him into more trouble than if he had kept his mouth shut. Harlan Coben is a master at creating characters and using those characters throughout the series. I enjoyed the fast pace this book took on. One thing would happen and then before you could even think about that something else slaps you in the face and you are like, “What?” then as the scene plays out you get that, “oooohhhhh” moment. Coben is one the Kings of twists. I did not enjoy all the smut that this book was woven through, not outright smut, just talking about smut, hard to explain you really have to read it to understand. That of course was not enough to make me hate the book; in actuality I loved this book and highly recommend reading it and the series if you have not already started it.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Harlan Coben- Fade Away

Harlan Coben- Fade Away (Dell Publishing 1998) 4.75 Stars

The life of a famous basketball star should be wonderful, lots of money and a big home, but when Greg Downing disappears blood is discovered in his basement and it appears that his life may not have been so perfect after all. Myron Bolitar is a sports agent and former college ball player who competed against his rival Greg Downing and suspicions are out that Downing set up Myron’s career-ending injury, yet he has just been hired to locate the missing star. Now he must wade through the lies, deceit, and violent thugs involved in Downing’s life. Suppressed memories of the devastating injury are surfacing as he fights to solve this dangerous mystery. It turns out that solving it may cost him more than he had counted on, it may mean facing his past, and struggling through the present.

Another great read from an author I admire greatly. Harlan Coben knows how to weave a twisting tale of danger and intrigue. The introduction caught my attention and made me want to dig further into the mystery, but it did not stop there. I dug deeper and the pace did not slow down. It was a very interesting plot with really great work by the author to wind the tale in such a way to keep the reader guessing. I also love both Win and Myron as they make a great team. They work so well together and seem to connect on some odd level that helps them understand the other better than they understand themselves. I know I say this each time I read one of this series, but I love the sarcasm used by the author to relieve the tense situations, it makes me chuckle as I read, at times laughing out loud. I think my wife is beginning to wonder about my sanity. The setting was fairly well done, although could have been utilized a little better, not a big enough deal to lower my opinion of the book (pretty much just need to say something negative or it wouldn’t look balanced).

I highly recommend Fade Away or any other book in the Myron Bolitar series.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Harlan Coben- Darkest Fear

Harlan Coben- Darkest Fear (Dell Publishing 2001) 4 Stars

Myron Bolitar is shocked when an ex-girlfriend pays him a visit, only to announce that he is a father and has been for many years. Now his son is in need of a bone marrow transplant and the donor has suddenly disappeared. Is he really a father or is she just telling him that in the hopes that he will investigate and save her son? Either way he intends to find out the truth behind the donor’s disappearance. Suddenly he finds himself in the middle of a very dangerous mess. He seems to be worrying a wealthy family with secrets to hide, upsetting an FBI investigation, and digging up information about a ruthless kidnapper. Guess it’s time to bring in Win to help with his investigation.

I have to say that Darkest Fear started out a little bit slow, although I knew that with it being Harlan Coben, he would crank it up a few notches as I got deeper. It was Myron’s wonderfully amusing sarcasm that kept me interested. That and the fact that Coben seems to be able to create some of the most amazing characters that jump off of every page. Myron Bolitar’s witty sarcasm never fails to amuse and in this novel we get to see a different side of Myron, a side that I am not sure I liked, but it did make him seem just a little bit more human. Coben is always able to create plots that grip the reader and hold them in suspense for the majority of the thriller and he certainly did not fail to achieve this in Darkest Fear. The plot was weaving back and forth so much that the reader will be kept on their toes and it is strengthened by the amazingly intricate storyline of Myron’s past where we find out about a childhood rivalry and his not so smart decision to sleep with his rival’s fiancé. This indiscretion ultimately caused the ruin of his basketball career, something which he must face in this book.

I recommend Darkest Fear to Coben fans and those who love a good thriller.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Harlan Coben- One False Move

Harlan Coben- One False Move (Dell Publishing 1999) 4.75 Stars

Myron Bolitar, a sports agent, has agreed to protect Brenda slaughter, the daughter of a man he used to revere, even if she does not want his protection. Brenda’s mom abandoned her twenty years ago and now her father has disappeared as well. Deception seems to be around every corner and Myron must wade through the sea of lies to find the truth, even if someone may be willing to kill to keep it a secret.

I was very impressed with One False Move. It was an action-packed thriller/mystery that kept your mind working to figure out every angle of the case. My attention was gripped right away and I could not put the book down. I loved the character of Myron Bolitar. He is a very brilliant and extremely sarcastic man, and I love sarcasm in books. The humour was How I Met Your Mother meets Big Bang Theory, aka very funny, witty, and all around enjoyable. The plot was intense and very-well done, only letting you know details when Myron knows them, which helps keep your attention.

I recommend One False Move to thriller/mystery lovers, and Coben fans.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html