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THINK TWICE

by Harlan Coben ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2024

A great premise leads through all the twists you’d expect to a thoroughly muddy final movement.

Sports agent Myron Bolitar meets the Setup Serial Killer, who’s found a highly effective way to keep anyone from connecting the dots.

There’s no arguing with DNA evidence, the ultimate forensic clincher. So when basketball player Greg Downing’s DNA is found on the scene where retired model Cecelia Callister and her son, Clay, were killed, the FBI comes calling on Myron to ask where they can find Greg. Myron’s a reasonable person to ask because Greg was his schoolmate and former client, the man who wooed and won Myron’s girlfriend away from him and made her Emily Downing. Try as he might, though, Myron can’t help much beyond repeating the obvious: Greg died three years ago, and his body was cremated. Since the Feds aren’t about to give up their search, Myron and his partner, financial advisor Win Lockwood, decide they’d better see if they can get ahead of this story by confirming or contradicting the story of Greg’s death. Meantime, a series of interleaved episodes show the killer eliminating a series of primary targets and framing secondary targets so convincingly for the murders, with special thanks to planted DNA, that it never occurs to the police to connect crimes that were so readily solved on their own. Complications arise when Myron’s thrown together with Jeremy Downing, the son he fathered in a pre-wedding tryst with Emily and then passed off as Greg’s, and when the allies of mob boss Joseph “Joey the Toe” Turant, who was locked up four years ago after his DNA-fueled conviction for the murder of Jordan Kravat, decide to lean on Myron to get him to reveal where Greg is.

Pub Date: May 14, 2024

ISBN: 9781538756317

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024

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BOOK REVIEW

by Harlan Coben

THE BLUE HOUR

by Paula Hawkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 29, 2024

This propulsive thriller twists into the dark and bloody underbelly of the world of fine art.

The discovery that a revered artist’s sculpture contains a human bone sets off scandal and violence.

Art historian James Becker has what seems like a sweet deal. He’s the curator of the collection of the Fairburn Foundation, housed at a stately home owned by the Lennox family: Sebastian, Becker’s best friend, and his bitter mother, Lady Emmeline. Becker’s wife, Helena, was Sebastian’s fiancee first, but they’re all very civilized about it and happily awaiting the birth of her baby. The centerpiece of the Fairburn collection is works by the late Vanessa Chapman, an artist about whom Becker wrote his thesis, and with whom he is somewhat obsessed. Partly, it’s because of her great talent, but she was also a glamorous figure, a beauty who, as she became successful, sequestered herself on an isolated Scottish tidal island called Eris. She had a dark side—lots of stormy relationships, plus a philandering mooch of a husband who vanished without a trace a few decades ago. Her reputation, though, has risen after her death—so much so that the Fairburn has loaned some of her works to the Tate Modern. That’s where a forensic anthropologist sees one of her sculptures, made of found objects that include what’s described as an animal bone. The scientist is sure the bone is human, and soon Becker finds himself scrambling to prevent scandal. Vanessa willed her works and papers to the foundation, but some of them are still on Eris, guarded by her longtime friend Grace Haswell. A retired doctor, Grace lived with Vanessa off and on over the years and nursed her through her fatal cancer. It was a surprise when Vanessa left her estate not to Grace but to Douglas Lennox, Emmeline’s husband and Sebastian’s father. Douglas was Vanessa’s gallerist and lover, but the two had a nasty falling-out. Sebastian is so frustrated by Grace’s refusal to turn over all of the bequest that he’s ready to sue her, but Becker believes he can negotiate, so off to the the island he goes. He finds far more treachery and shocking secrets than he expected, past and present alike. Hawkins keeps her cast tight, her wild setting ominous, and her plot moving fast.

Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2024

ISBN: 9780063396524

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Mariner Books

Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024

LITERARY FICTION | SUSPENSE | PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

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by Paula Hawkins

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‘The Blue Hour’ Is New ‘GMA’ Book Club Pick

SEEN & HEARD

IDENTITY UNKNOWN

by Patricia Cornwell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 8, 2024

Expert, but unsurprising.

The death of an old friend who was more than a friend sends Dr. Kay Scarpetta down her latest rabbit hole.

If every body tells a story, the corpse of 7-year-old Luna Briley sings the blues. On top of the many signs of ongoing physical abuse, there’s the fatal gunshot wound to her head. Ryder and Piper Briley, the wealthy and powerful parents who didn’t call the police until after their daughter died, insist that Luna’s death was an accident, or maybe a suicide. Scarpetta doesn’t think so, and her refusal to release the body to the Brileys’ hand-picked mortician moves them to legal action against her as Virginia’s chief medical examiner. You’d think it would be a relief to put this case aside for another when Scarpetta’s niece, Secret Service agent Lucy Farinelli, calls her and ferries her by helicopter to an abandoned Oz theme park owned by Ryder Briley, but this one’s even more heartbreaking. Scarpetta is there to examine the body of astrophysicist Sal Giordano, her close friend and former lover, who was evidently kidnapped, held in captivity for several hours, and tossed out of an unidentified aircraft. The leading suspects are the Brileys; Carrie Grethen, Lucy’s sociopathic ex-lover, with whom Scarpetta has repeatedly tangled in the past; and the UFO that dumped Giordano’s body without leaving the usual traces for air-traffic technologies to pick up. The multiple rounds of physical examinations Scarpetta conducts on both victims are every bit as meticulous and gripping as fans would expect; the killer’s identity is neither surprising nor interesting, but Cornwell juggles her trademark forensics, and the paranormal hints she’s become increasingly invested in, more dexterously than usual.

Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024

ISBN: 9781538770382

Page Count: 400

Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024

SUSPENSE | THRILLER | TECHNICAL & MEDICAL THRILLER

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BEST BOOKS OF 2024

Review: Think Twice by Harlan Coben (2024)

Published by

Simon McDonald

Eight years after his last appearance in “Home,” Harlan Coben’s long-running series character Myron Bolitar makes his twelfth appearance in “Think Twice.” And while this one winded up feeling a little overwrought, particularly in its final act, when Coben starts detonating the bombshell twists and revelations he’s made his trademark, make no mistake—no other thriller writer is as capable of sucking readers into their vortex. As Coben connoisseurs know: you don’t ever begin a Harlan Coben novel if you have to go to work the next day.

Coben is the master of the killer hook, the movie poster tagline that explains exactly what you’re in for. In the case of “Think Twice,” it’s deceptively simple: how can a dead man be wanted for murder? The man in question is Greg Downing. To call Myron’s relationship with Downing complicated would be one of the greatest understatements of all time. Suffice to say, their connection runs deep, and is, shall we say, tempestuous.

The FBI comes knocking on Myron’s door demanding Downing’s location. Myron honestly doesn’t have it, but assuming the Feds are correct, and he is alive, Myron feels compelled to find Downing first and get to the bottom of this mystery—with longstanding Win Lockwood in tow.

Meanwhile, in a series of second-person episodes, we witness the movements of an ingenious, methodical serial killer, who efficiently kills their prey without leaving a shred of their own forensic evidence behind, but leaves indisputable evidence framing secondary targets. And naturally Myron is on their radar.

“Think Twice” is packed with so many twists, its narrative is shaped like a pretzel. The payoff didn’t quite wow me as most of Coben’s work usually does, but I can’t deny, I loved the journey; like a rollercoaster whose final drop doesn’t quite meet the calibre of the hammerhead turns and loops that preceded it. The ending just feels a little clumsily constructed; an odd perspective-shift that reads too manufactured and authorial.

Honestly, I derived the most pleasure simply from to Myron’s world. These characters have existed for almost 30 years, and I always delight in seeing how authors handle (or don’t handle) the ageing of their heroes.

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Read Between the Spines

Think twice.

Harlan Coben

Quick synopsis.

A man presumed dead is suddenly wanted for murder in this thriller of secrets, lies, and dangerous conspiracies that threaten to cover up the truth.

Publisher’s Synopsis

Three years ago, sports agent Myron Bolitar gave a eulogy at the funeral of his client, renowned basketball coach Greg Downing. Myron and Greg had history: initially as deeply personal rivals, and later as unexpected business associates. Myron made peace and moved on – until now, when twofederal agents walked into his office, demanding to know where Greg Downing is. According to the agents, Greg is still alive—and has been placed at the scene of a double homicide, making him their main suspect. Shocked, Myron needs answers. Myron and Win, longtime friends and colleagues, set out to find the truth, but the more they discover about Greg, the more dangerous their world becomes. Secrets, lies, and a murderous conspiracy that stretches back into the past churn at the heart of Harlan Coben’s blistering new novel.

Book Review

If you have read my reviews for awhile, you know that Harlan Coben is one of my go-to authors. I especially pick up his novels when I am having a difficult time getting interested in any books. Coben’s fast-paced plots usually draw me in immediately and urge me to finish the book in one sitting.

Think Twice is the first novel I have read from Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series, which happens to be novel number 12. I was hoping that I could pick up this new release without needing to read the eleven prior books. After all, I have had a brief introduction to the two main characters in Win (2021).

Think Twice begins at a brisk pace with Myron approached by the FBI who demands he tell them where his former friend and client, Greg, is hiding. Greg’s DNA has been found at a high-profile murder scene. The only problem is Greg has been dead for 3 years. Myron and his bestie, Win, set off to get answers and stumble upon a serial killer.

Think Twice is the first Harlan Coben novel that I have been truly disappointed by. Perhaps if I read the entire series, I would have been more enamored with this new title. (It seems everyone on Goodreads is.) However, Think Twice lacked the elements that I love about Coben’s books: well-developed characters; a fast, steady pace; and solid writing that does not scream, “I am man.”

Although Think Twice has Coben’s signature twist and turns that keep you guessing, the plot itself is difficult to buy into and drags in the middle. Apparently, no one cares that it is wildly inappropriate for a sports agent and a trust funder to jet around the country trying to solve a murder. The FBI and local police departments just shrug off the serious interference and obstructions of justice. Instead, the odd pair – Bolitar and Win – solve a slew of serial murders complicated enough to require four chapters of explanation but without motivation.

Coben is one of the few male authors that I read. Often times, particularly in crime or thriller books, male authors write in a way that exudes testosterone and cluelessness about the other sex. This has never been a problem for me with Coben’s novels. However, Think Twice is led by Bolitar who speaks in a way I would call characteristically male and “boomer cringey.” (I promise that no one needs to read “bitching view” multiple times in the first few chapters.) For me, the writing is atypical of Coben and worse for it.

I realize that Think Twice is a an entry in a long-standing series; however, I think it is a reasonable expectation for writers to expect readers to pick up any novel as a standalone. Yet, it is taken for granted that readers know the characters. Or at least, there is little introduction to the characters, their backgrounds, and their personalities. In addition, the novel lacks the interactions between main characters that are a hallmark and strength of the series.

Overall, Think Twice is unevenly paced and far-fetched. From reading this novel alone, I would argue the Myron Bolitar series is past its prime and should be retired. I only recommend Think Twice to avid fans of the series who are devoted to its characters.

Overall Rating

Character Development

Think Twice (Myron Bolitar, #12)

NOT RECOMMENDED

Genre Mystery/Thriller

Publication Date May 14, 2024

Publisher Grand Central

Storygraph Rating 4.22 stars

Goodreads Rating 4.48 stars

Note: I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from its publisher, Grand Central Publishing. Regardless, I always provide a fair and honest review.