Rating: 
Summary: Don't bother me , I'm reading Harlan Coben's "GONE FOR GOOD"
Review: On the recommendation of a friend, I picked up a copy of Harlan Coben's, GONE FOR GOOD". Oh yeah, what a wonderful reading experience. The story was a twister, couldn't turn the pages fast enough and the ending, WOW! And the best part is that he writes with a sense of humor. Well, he is from Jersey, maybe Evanovich rubbed off on him a little!. Can't wait to read the rest of his books. A good, fast read. My copy is becoming shaggy from everyone borrowing it.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining Escape
Review: Here is a book filled with mystery and intrigue. We enter the story from the point of view of Will Klein, a man for who tragedy seems to be following. He has just lost his mother to cancer and has had to deal with the disappearance and probably death of his brother, Ken, after he was accused of murdering Will's ex-girlfriend. Harlan Coben sets the story up very nicely, passing Will's beliefs to us as if they were facts, which meant that every time Will was surprised by an unexpected turn of events, I was surprised right along with him. For entertainment value, I thought Gone For Good certainly delivered. It's a fast-paced story with your standard heartless killers as the bad guys, up against a nice-guy protagonist, who describes himself as a coward, working against the odds and his own self doubts to try to overcome them.
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Summary: Gone for Good is Great to the Last Page!
Review: I first became acquainted with the name Harlan Coben when I signed onto an Internet book list several years ago. At that time many of the readers were touting Coben's series, which featured Myron Bolitar, the feisty sports agent/private investigator. Although I never read any of these books, it was the premise of Coben's recent stand alone book, Tell No One, which interested me enough to read. Literally gulping down this book, I looked forward to either reading the first book in the Bolitar series or another stand alone by this author. And suddenly there was news of a new book, Gone for Good, which found me snatching it from the shelves the first day it appeared. Now, I consider Harlan Coben one of my favorite thriller/mystery author and I do look forward to making the acquaintance of Myrom Bolitar shortly. Gone for Good is set in and around Manhattan and the suburban community of Livingston, NJ. Life in Livingston is presumably idyllic where children grow up thinking the world is theirs. But this isn't the case for the ----------family. Eleven years ago the oldest son Ken was accused of brutally murdering Julie Rogers, a neighbor and his brother's one time girlfriend. Feeling from the scene and his family, and while there have been unconfirmed sightings of him in different countries the family chooses to believe he is dead. That is until Sunny, Ken' smother dying from cancer tells her son Will that Ken is still very much alive. With nothing more than these words and then a revealing photo and also realizing that Sunny was on heavy medication before her death, Will decides this might be just enough to find out in fact if his brother is till alive. And while the plot certainly takes off from here, it certainly escalates when Will's girlfriend leaves him a cryptic note and then disappears leaving reader's to wonder if there is any connection between Sheila and Ken. And now the twist and turns come so fast and furiously that as you rush through the pages, you need to pay serious attention to the plot to keep up. For all of the reasons I really enjoyed this book, not the least of them are Coben's wonderful characters. Beginning with Will and his family, we meet Ken's two old school buddies The Ghost and Phil McGuane, both violent men who will stop at nothing to protect themselves or their interests. We also meet Squares, a one time racist now turned Yoga guru who is more brother to Will than friend. From the seamier side of Manhattan, we meet Wanda, a transvestite who leads Will to Sheilah's former boss, Louis Castleman, an unsavory man who is now a quadriplegic and is care for by Wanda. And as we meet these characters We walk the mean streets of Manhattan and the tree lined streets of Livingston where Will and his father spend time reminiscing about Little League games, Ken and their family life. This book is a hair-raising roller coaster of a read, which never lets up or disappoints the reader. Imbued with family values the book also explores the themes of friendship, loyalty and betrayal.
The ending can best be described as both shocking and poignant. From the first page to the last, you will be riveted and when the book ends you'll wish you were starting it for the first time. Sorry I must hurry but I must get to the bookstore to pick up Deal Breaker, the first book in the Bolitar series. Writing this review has left me with a yearning to return to the books by Harlan Coben.
Rating:
Summary: A TASTY DISH OF CROW
Review: In my previous review, I was unfair to Mr. Coben, by not checking with him first about my concerns. He replied to my e-mail and "enlightened" me about my misconception. This is a great book, and I sincerely apologize to all those fans who felt I trashed it unjustly. To err is human, to forgive is divine. A little footnote, though: if you read the description of John's thoughts about Julie Miller, they still seem cold and harsh, which is what misled me. But all in all, it is a great book!
Rating: 
Summary: OH, HARLAN HOW COULD YOU?
Review: Harlan Coben is one of my favorite writers. His Myron Bolitar series is outstanding and his first non-Myron book, "Tell No One" was great. So, what's wrong with "Gone for Good?" First of all, it is a beautifully written and plotted thriller with many, many plot twists. It's fast paced and has characters you care about..BUT and this is a big BUT..THERE IS A MAJOR PLOT FLAW EARLY ON THAT NEGATES THE POWER OF THE BOOK. So as not to spoil this for those who haven't read it yet, I won't give away the plot. But, early on in the "Ghosts" reminiscing, there is an incredible story about how he relished his murder, and later on, we find out something quite contrary. I've e-mailed Harlan on this all too conspicuous mistake, and am awaiting his reply. So, read the book---it's very good...but I only gave two stars because of this big, big faux pas! If anyone else out there noticed it, e-mail us and we can chat about it...
Rating:
Summary: Can't Put it Down! It's Addictive!
Review: I'm not going into the story line, as plenty of others have already done that very well. All I'm saying is personnally I haven't read anything with the exception of Tell No One, as good as this book in months. I read this book in less than 24 hours and I yes I work and have a family; I sacrificed sleep and I didn't eat. It was that good. It's better than a suspenseful movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat with all the surprise plot twists. This book keeps throwing those twists at the end of every chapter. Wow. Do yourself a BIG favor. Buy this book and cherish every page.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspired or insipid?
Review: Coben's book could have gotten 5 stars; after all it is an inspiring page-turner of a mystery that is a roller-coaster of suspense. Mystery upon mystery unravels, as the story goes on, making an intriguing delight to the reader. So what brings the rating down a bit? The insipid - rather inspired - dialogue spoken between the cliched characters with names like "Squares" and "Ghost". In this day and age of mystery-thrillers can we do without the hero who's a bit too 'suave' for his own good? Can we have a tough-guy with a checkered past WITHOUT a heart of gold? Can we have an innocent suspect who at least, talks cordially to a cop? Can we have conversation between characters in place of tired, sarcastic one-liners? These flaws (slight as they may be to some) are what takes away from the originality of this book, and proves tiresome to the reader.
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Summary: My vacation book
Review: See storyline above. This is the book I took on vacation--knowing I wouldn't have time to read much, I just took one--and I was very thrilled. this is my first Coben novel and I must say that I intend to put some of his past novels on my reading list. A twisting, turning, didn't see that coming, type of novel that will surprise and entertain most thriller readers. Well written with a lot of depth. It also goes to show that a protagonist, both cowardly and weak, can somehow end up on top. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great read
Review: I read this book as soon as it was available because I really enjoyed 'Tell No One', Harlen Coben's previous novel. Despite the similarities in the story line this was a very compelling mystery with plot twists that had me surprised at times. I could not put it down and will be first on line to buy Coben's next book.
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Summary: Twists and Turns
Review: Harlan Coben's latest effort has a plot very reminiscent of his previous book, Tell No One, with shades of the popular Myron Bolitar series. Similar to Tell No One, Gone for Good's narrative focuses on a protagonist, Will Klein, who is under suspicion by law authorities in the disappearance and death of a loved one. Will,like Myron Bolitar, has a close friend (the rich and mysterious Squares) who assists him in his search for the truth and to clear himself of any wrongdoing. As in all of Coben's earlier works there are are peripheral characters from both sides of the law who complicate matters for the hero. One of the most interesting is Ghost, who appears to be a very dangerous killer, but who has some surprises up his sleeve. Ghost's relationship to Will Klein, Will's missing brother (an accused murderer), and Will's father is the hingepoint of the novel,and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat everytime he pops up in the plot. Although followers of the the Bolitar sereies may find the latest Coben novels, including Gone for Good, too dark for their taste, the more realistic complex characters and driving plot lines provides for a richer reading experience.
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