Harlan
Coben is one of the guilty pleasures I have in my reading life. I think of him
as a guilty pleasure because I tend to stick to darker, more noirish stories
that are published by small presses because their books don’t cater to the
masses. Books that end up on the bestseller lists often seem clichéd and
formulaic. However, when Coben publishes a new book, I grab a copy and give
myself a few days to enjoy the new world he has created.
Fool Me Once is typical Coben fare.
Tightly plotted, well-developed characters, and enough plot twists to keep you
on your toes. Themes tend to run strong
in Coben novels and the theme of family and family secrets are evident
throughout this book.
Maya,
a former military pilot, is a witness to her husband’s murder. As police look
for answers in his death, Maya is forced to relive painful parts of her own
past and begins to question her own recollection of events and ultimately her
own sanity. As she races against the
clock to find answers, she must determine who is an ally, who is an enemy, and
if she may be mistaken people who are close to her for one when they are really
the other.
Coben’s
strengths as a writer is the manner in which he buries clues, juggles multiple
plot lines, and ties everything up with a dénouement that both leaves you
breathless and leaves you replaying the clues you found throughout the book to
ensure they all fit. True to Coben’s nature, they all fit in this one and as
you piece them all together, you recognize the genius that is Coben.
This
book is a blast to read and lets all Coben fans know he is still at the top of
his game. While most readers of this site would agree that dark noir is king of
the genres, everyone should be able to find enjoyment in this one.
Highly
Recommended.
Reviewed
by Derrick Horodyski.
