I Will Find You

It is often said that truth is stranger than fiction. That’s because truth is truth. If two or four or eight highly unlikely things happen, one has to believe. In fiction, the boundaries are much tighter if an odd event is part of the plot (as it usually is). That’s because too many very unusual events which are necessary links in solving a murder read like artifice. Coben cruises along the edge of artifice in this novel of suspense.The writing is very good, sometimes inspiring. David Burroughs is a well-crafted character. Rachel is well done, too. I thought Pixie and Hayden, the joint antagonists, were C-list heavies. The book moved along well, a genuine page-turner, despite a hard to believe plot. When a good writer like Harlan Coben gets to 30+ books, it’s got to be a little hard to find a clever plot that hasn’t been done, perhaps by the writer himself.So about the stranger than fiction issue: for the plot to succeed, we need the boy Matthew/Theo to have a red hemangioma (rare, but not incredibly so), which becomes the inciting incident of the story. Then David must recognize a person with a white forelock to make the next link in the chain work. There’s never a description of how mutilated the real victim is, but it’s enough that the body is unrecognizable. Yet, no DNA test. Coben tries to pass that off through David’s thoughts (“Perhaps, I surmise, the brutality had been to cover up the victim’s—yes, good, think of him as a victim, not Matthew—identity. The victim was male, of course. He was Matthew’s size and general shape and skin tone. But they hadn’t run a DNA test or anything like that. Why would they?”) Well, David, if they couldn’t positively identify the victim, they’d run DNA, at least if the story played out in the last decade, which it did (post-Covid). One or two stranger than fiction events are okay. Three is too much … BUT the writing’s good, and the pages practically turn themselves.

Harlan Coben has been highly recommended to me more than once – so when I learned he had a new book coming out, just around the time I needed something new to read, I jumped at the chance. I wasn’t disappointed!The plot? A guy is in prison for murdering his young son. He’s been there for five years. He doesn’t think he’s guilty, but that doesn’t matter: all the evidence says that he is. That’s until someone shows up with something that convinces him he’s not. In fact – his son might not even be dead at all.Coben writes in a very straight forward way and I love that. It’s not that it isn’t exciting and gripping, it’s more that he doesn’t put anything in between. There’s a sense of getting exactly what you’ve asked for, and that’s never not appreciated in my book.The plot is exciting. Straight off the first page you’re pulled into a mystery that won’t let you go, and it seems impossible that our protagonist is going to find a way to figure it all out. Every step of the way you catch yourself thinking, “well, that’s it, it’s over now,” but then somehow it manages to carry on rolling. Coben is very good at that.I enjoy trying to figure out books, especially mystery thrillers like this, and I did perhaps feel a tiny bit disappointed in the ending. I wanted there to be something more, something I hadn’t understood, but there wasn’t. That doesn’t make it a bad book or bad ending, it just means I’m hard to please.As a first time Coben-reader, I’m sold. His writing reminds of Don Winslow or Lee Child, and I’m very glad for the recommendation. If you’re into mystery thrillers that will set your gears into motion, I’d happily pass the recommendation on.

When I saw that there was a new Harlan Coben book out, I ordered it immediately. I have read all of his books and have been missing him! The sad thing about this book is that it was so good I couldn't put it down and spent all night (no sleep!) reading. Now I have to wait for him to publish a new book again!David Burroughs is jailed for murdering his 3 year old son, Matthew, though he insists he's innocent. After five years in prison (during which time his wife divorces him, marries again, and is pregnant) David is visited by his sister-in-law who has shocking news for him--she's convinced that she has seen Matthew at a fair, and she even has a photo. David needs to break out of prison to try and find his son...and prove his innocence. Fortunately the warden of the prison just happens to be David's godfather and helps him escape. From there the action -- finding important people, learning about Matthew's birth, almost getting caught by the police many times -- the action just goes on and on and on and it's impossible to shut the book and go to sleep.As with all Coben books, there is an unexpected twist at the end Read this book. It's another wonderful Harlan Coben story.

This novel is full of twists and turns not knowing the outcome until the end. The story is intriguing with so many people able to betray the main character and yet don’t. You just know he is going to run out of luck, except he doesn’t. There is not a lot of sex which I find refreshing. There are not a lot of curse words except where you would expect them to be. A compelling and exciting read to the end.

I am still reading this book; and it is such a delight to read. I can't wait to find out the end. It is very relaxing to read. I don't want to put it down. There are several plots going on; and somehow, I think they are all going to be tied together. This book is very intriguing. Totally enjoying it. This is the first time I have read books by this author.

Enjoyed. How this is written, when a new character is introduced he tell a little about them and then goes into the story I found that it was hard to put down the first 80% then still good but the ending took a while to explain, one of his best writtings. Enjoy get this book you don't regret it.

This book was a quick paced read. The plot is absolutely, over the top outlandish. I was also very annoyed with a few comments made about infertility (it was extremely clear this was a male author). Despite all of that, it was a fast paced book with some fun twists. He is a good writer.

No es lo mejor, pero es entretenido.

L'un des meilleurs écrivains de ce genre qui continue à écrire d'excellents thrillers quand tant d'autres peinent à y parvenir.

Harlan Coben is one of those authors who never lets you down. You can always count on him to deliver a page-turner of a book. ‘I Will Find You‘ is no different. It’s the perfect escapism and I absolutely tore through this.True to form, Coben delivers another tale of an ordinary person finding themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Five years ago, David’s son was found murdered in his bed, beaten to a pulp with a baseball bat. Every shred of evidence of this brutal murder points to David, and he is put behind bars. But now, his former sister-in-law, Rachel, visits him and shows him a photograph with a boy in the background who looks remarkably like David’s son. Is Matthew still alive? The only way David can find out the truth is to escape prison, so he can save his son and clear his name. However, there are some who would prefer the truth about that devastating night remains hidden.But are Rachel’s motives what they seem to be? She too has lost a lot. Once a promising investigative reporter, she went a few steps too far and ruined her career in the process. Is she using this moment as an opportunity to revive her career, or does she genuinely believe Matthew is still out there somewhere?Far-fetched? Somewhat. Over the top? Maybe. Requires suspension of disbelief? Totally. Did I care? Not one jot! I often do mind, but Harlan Coben is one of very few authors who can get away with all of that. Maybe that’s because his characters are always so complex and multi-layered. But also, in a lot of cases, entirely relatable. It’s remarkably easy to imagine being in David’s position, stuck behind bars for something he knows he didn’t do. Yet not finding a morsel of fighting spirit because nothing will change the fact that his son is dead, and without his little boy life doesn’t matter anymore. That little sliver of hope in the shape of the photograph he is shown fires him up entirely, just like with any other parent.On the other side of the spectrum are those with money. Lots of money. Too much money? You know, the ones who barely know what to do with it. The ones who seem to think having money means you can get away with anything. The ones who use money to cover up things they shouldn’t be covering up. Uh huh, yeah, those ones.Obviously, as the reader, you’re rooting for David all the way. ‘I Will Find You‘ is so action-packed it almost feels as if you’re right there with David, in the thick of things, fighting for justice. There didn’t seem to be any moment where you could just catch your breath for a minute. It’s all systems go from start to finish and I loved every minute of it. A thrilling and twisty rollercoaster ride, massively addictive and I might even go as far as to say I think this might just be Harlan Coben’s best book to date. I can’t wait for his next one!

As usual Harlan Coben has written an outstanding thriller. Dont hesitate to buy. It was just so OMG. Read it in a single day holding my breath.

Como siempre, maravilloso!