Rating: 
Summary: A New Coben Fan
Review: I have been so disappointed by the latest Grisham, Patterson and Clark novels. They have been churned out and lack substance. This is my first exposure to Coben. It won't be my last. The plot has been well thought out and it has enough red herrings to keep you guessing until the end. It has been a long time since I bought a paperback at full price. This book is definitely worth $7.99 in paperback.
Rating: 
Summary: You'll be Guessing Until the End
Review: Rare is it that a mystery has me guessing until the very end. Throw in tons of suspense and action and what you have is a fantastic thriller. Harlan Coben's "No 2nd Chance" is full of all this and more. This book is a thrilling ride that you will not be able to put down. I highly recommend this to all fans of mystery.
Rating:
Summary: A One Page Hooker
Review: This book had me hooked after one page. I love this author. I may have burned a thing or two while cooking dinner as I was so engrossed in this book while cooking dinner, my attention was on the word instead of the food. The ending was a little anti climactic compared to the rest of the book, but was a great fun page turner. Wish I had this on my last flight. It would have seemed like minutes. Give me more Harlan!
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining
Review: A very entertaining mystery/novel, where the narrator is shot
in the first sentence of the book, and he thereafter is occupied with only one thought, that of getting back his kidnapped child.
But the incident where he was shot also resulted in the death
of his wife, and the police, lacking other suspects, focuses on
the husband, a successful doctor, and the family and the police
have a difficult time working together to try to recover the
daughter.
Most worrisome is that no ransom demand is made right away, and
the daughter is not found or heard from. So there is considerable anguish and worry. Then when a ransom demand is finally made, it is made to the child's grandfather, and although he has money, he isn't very close to the husband, and
he definitely doesn't trust the police, either local or federal.
Unhappily, after the ransom of $2 million is paid, nothing more
is heard, and the daughter is gone. Time goes by, so it is
generally assumed the little girl has been killed, and life,
somehow, goes on for these people.
Then, after a year-and-a-half, another ransom demand is made,
and this time the father and grandfather are determined to make
sure they find out if the girl is alive, and, if so, to get her
back.
A lot of fascinating detail here, and this is generally a readable book, but there are some flaws in logic that will jar
some readers. There are a handful of places were any genuine
mystery reader will have to pause and ask: "Is that really what
that character would do?" "Would that really be the next step?"
The flaws and jumps in logic are distracting, and they prevent
this from being a "best" book in this category.
But, nonetheless, there is a surprising ending that is well done, and this is a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes You Do Get a Second Chance
Review: Reconstructive plastic surgeon Dr. Marc Seidman is in the middle of breakfast when the first bullet hits. He wakes in the hospital, recovering from multiple gunshot wounds and to his horror, he's told his wife has been shot dead and his six-month-old daughter Tara has been kidnapped. And despite his serious wounds, he's a suspect.Seidman's millionaire father-in-law receives a ransom demand with a promise that Tara will be returned if they follow instructions and deliver two million dollars. The note also says not to call the cops and that there will be no second chance. However both the local police and the FBI become involved, the deal gets botched and the kidnappers don't deliver Tara. Eighteen months later his father-in-law is presented with proof that Tara is still alive and receives another demand for two million dollars. It appears Marc is going to get a second chance, after all. In the meantime, he has again met his former and one true love, Rachel, who used to be an FBI agent. Marc and Rachel are going to try and get Tara back, without involving the law this time. This is a fast-packed, mind-numbing thriller that is as well plotted as they come. I got so involved in the story that when I finished, long after midnight as Friday turned to Saturday, I couldn't sleep. I just lay awake for hours, playing the book over and over again in my head. It was just excellent, simply elegant. A super story.
Rating:
Summary: A fast-paced cliff-hanger
Review: When Marc Seidman is shot, his wife murdered, and his infant daughter Tara abducted, his problems have only begun. The cops begin to suspect Marc as the perpetrator. The ransom demands begin. Marc discovers some disturbing facts about his late wife. He is involved in several harrowing but unsuccessful attempts to deliver the ransom and reclaim his daughter. The kidnappers will give him no second chance. It looks like Tara is lost forever. The story has a powerful beginning, as Marc regains consciousness in the hospital and describes his feelings about his daughter and about the violent events that have just taken place. The narrative then switches back and forth between several of the principal players in this fast-paced thriller. The reader is drawn deeper into the mystery with every chapter, as new details emerge about Marc's wife, ex-girlfriend, and the kidnappers. It is not until the very end that all the facts fall into place. There is a large cast of supporting characters, including the police detective, FBI agents, Marc's lawyer friend, the kidnappers, Marc's former classmates, his ex-girlfriend, his father-in-law, and assorted strangers who help out at crucial moments. Marc is well characterized, and as he voices his fears, doubts, and passions, the reader gets a good feel for what makes him tick. This is another winner from Coben. The story builds a lot of suspense, and it is unlikely that the reader will be able be ignore the red herrings and second-guess the twists that are revealed as the layers of the mystery are peeled back. The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because of the ending. As interesting as it is, the final twist is a bit too implausable for my tastes. Nevertheless, this is a very entertaining thriller that will keep the reader guessing right up until the end.
Rating:
Summary: A Desperate Thriller
Review: The book opens with an attention grabbing account by the protagonist, Dr Marc Seidman, describing his reaction to being almost fatally shot. From here we are soon thrust into emotional turmoil as Marc finds out that his wife is dead and 6 month old daughter is missing. With this set-up its all systems go for a fast paced thriller to unfold. When the ransom note is received from the kidnappers, he is warned not to notify the authorities and that he would be given "no second chance" if he didn't comply. Adding pressure to Marc is the realisation that the police may actually consider him a suspect in his wife's murder and daughter's abduction. I think the supporting characters are a strong point of the book, too. The introduction of former FBI agent / former girlfriend Rachel Mills injects real confusion into the story as she brings along a secret past and raises all sorts of suspicions. Then there are the kidnappers, an odd couple of the truly unhinged variety that make you wonder how they've stayed free for so long. But the most memorable of the supporting characters is Verne, the scene stealing, gun loving redneck, who is quite willing to tell it like it is and blow the consequences. Harlan Coben has once again stepped up and delivered an excellent thriller filled with an array of twists, poignant moments and cold, calculating killers. Although I'm desperately hanging out for another Myron Bolitar book, I'll still be satisfied to read more books like this.
Rating:
Summary: Bow to the master!
Review: Those of the previous reviewers that gave this novel less than five stars are just more of the same pontificating, highbrow book critic wannabe's that have to pick everything apart, analyse it to the nth degree, and suck all of the fun out of life.
This novel was gripping! It was masterfully plotted! It was fast paced, with a refreshing economy of language, and believable characters! What the hell else do you want in a book?
Go back to reading nonfiction, you twits!
Having read everything Harlon Coben has written may not qualify me for any prizes, but it does endow me with the right to say how very, very impressed I am with the guy. He is a master storyteller, something there are so few of these days.
Hey! My wife loved it too! You go, Harlan.
Rating:
Summary: Greatest book I ever read, first of his!
Review: This was AMAZING. A true thriller that keeps you up until 6am, with more twists and turns than the latest Six Flags rollercoaster. Great ending, great book, doesn't lose your interest for a second.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, not what we were hoping for...
Review: This book is good and if it didn't have to be compared to Tell No One and Gone for Good I might even say it was very good. However, Coben has raised his own bar and this just didn't make it in my book (no pun intended). It's worth reading, just not what I expected after the last two.
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