The Match by Harlan Coben

When I spotted that there was a bargain book by Harlan Coben on offer, I knew I had to read it. It actually turns out that this is the second book by Coben to feature his character Wilde, however this does not stop you from enjoying this book. (It just means that I have to make sure I read ‘The Boy from the Woods’ too – which I am sure I will).

As I am starting to realise, Coben knows how to write a page-turner, because that was exactly what this was. As always, I try to keep my reviews spoiler free, which may make reviewing this book a little difficult, but I will give it a good go. Wilde is searching for his past, which he knows nothing about, and comes across some matches on a DNA website. This draws him into more than one mystery: not just the mystery of where he came from, but also the mystery of the disappearing reality star – who he may or may not be related to. This leads Wilde on quite the adventure as he gets more entangled in a web of lies and secrets, that go far deeper than he can ever have realised.

This was a cleverly constructed mystery, that was not just about working out who the villain was but also what connects all the individual stories of characters together. Wilde is an interesting character, as he is a man of mystery, creating his own chosen family from those who have helped him throughout his life but still having a desire to know exactly where his roots are. Even though this leads him into something darker than he could have imagined.

I am certainly now a fan of Harlan Coben and his books, and I am sure I will be picking up more of his titles – but there is the usual problem of so many books and so little time.

Tell No One by Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben is an author (as usual) I suspect I should have started reading a long time ago. In fact, my ‘100 Books Bucket List’ prompted me to pick up ‘Tell No One’, as I thought it would probably be something that I would enjoy – after all, I have watched the various Netflix adaptations of Coben’s work.

I found ‘Tell No One’ an absolute (cliche, I know) page-turner. There was so much going on in this thriller and it was cleverly constructed. Harlan Coben sends you down one road, feeling as though you know what is afoot, only for things to never be quite as they seem. Characters who seem insignificant suddenly become incredibly significant, and those that you have written off as surely not being involved are suddenly more involved than you could ever imagine.

As a thriller, I can not give too much away in my post. But very briefly, David Beck’s wife, Elizabeth, was murdered, and her murderer has been convicted. However, eight years later, the events of that tragic night are thrown into doubt and David’s life is turned upside down as he seems to be in the spotlight for her murder. What did happen that night eight years ago? And why is it all coming back to haunt David and his family?

This was as thrilling as I expected it to be, and I honestly found myself not being able to put the book down – even reading it until the very last minute that I stepped off the train on my commute each day. I can see why this book is on the poster of 100 books that are worth a read, and I will definitely be seeking out more of Harlan Coben’s books, especially when I am seeking out a clever thriller.