Contrary to the way I usually feel about the works of Harlan Coben, in this case I was ready to "let go," by the end of this book. It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't the unputdownable quality that i am used to from this author. I actually felt like it was a mixture of too many different themes to fit into one modestly sized novel. I was reading the Hardy boys and Mission impossible at the same time with perhaps a bit of New Jersey PD crime drama tossed in for good measure. I'm still not sure what to think.

In typical Coben fashion, this main character is quirky and at times will makes you laugh outright, but there was a bit too much convenience in the plot twists for my liking and in places I thought the story just fell flat. By the end, when everything wrapped up, I didn't really care all that much what happened to everyone--not the way I want to feel about a book I just spent several hours reading.

I love this author's work most of the time, but to be honest, this one just wasn't my favourite.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

A great stand out book from the one and only Harlan Coben,. I have read a few of his books previously and enjoyed them all. This one follows with a great story that keeps the reader turning the pages pretty rapidly. The character of Napoleon “Nap” Dumas is extremely well written and most believable. If you are a fan of Mr Coben you won’t be disappointed and if your not then I’d still suggest having a read, Highly recommended.

I must say that while this contained the twists and surprises that you can expect with a Harlan Coben novel, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I have enjoyed his previous titles.

This story is told from Detective Napoleon "Nap" Dumas's point of view. Nap is still grieving the death of his twin brother from fifteen years earlier, and he is on a mission to expose the conspiracy around how his brother died.

It's a small town. Everybody knows everybody. A small circle of friends have formed a club known as the Conspiracy Club. Two of the members venture onto what is a secret military base in disguise and get killed.

One of them is Nap's twin brother, Leo. The other is Leo's girlfriend, Diana.

But their bodies are found miles away alongside railroad tracks, their deaths ruled a tragic accident.

Diana's father is Nap's mentor, Captain Augie Styles. They share a grieving bond rooted in mystery.

Or is it such a mystery after all? Maybe some of the people involved know facts they're not willing to admit to just yet.

This was a fast read with several twists and surprise connections that I enjoyed. But like I said, something was missing for me, and I think it was action. Maybe this one was more psychological and less action-based.

Regardless, it's still a good read, and you could certainly do a lot worse.

Liked:
- Surprise connections/relationships I didn't see coming.
- Fast paced (despite feeling sluggish at times).
- My ability to connect with Nap (anyone who has lost someone they love without warning will be able to connect).
- The overall plot premise.

Disliked:
- Less action than Coben's previous novels, which at times made the going feel slow.

Special thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this title.

Detective Napoleon (Nap) Dumas is brought into a case involving a murdered cop in another state when prints found at the scene match those he’d entered in the system years ago. They belong to his former girlfriend, Maura, who disappeared 15 years ago, the same night when his twin brother, Leo, and his girlfriend, Diana, died in a train accident. His search for answers sets him on a strange and sometimes dangerous path that he just can’t let go.

Nap is no saint as he’s got his own unorthodox sense of justice but the more he investigates, the more he’s convinced that everything he’s believed about his brother’s death might be wrong. It’s an unusual narrative, one I liked as Nap discusses the case and revisits the past through conversations with the deceased Leo. We learn a lot about their past and the people important to their lives, past and present. And, one wonderful surprise is a special cameo appearance of one of my favorite Coben characters! I’ll leave that for you to discover.

I loved the pace and complexity of this story. While I had a strong sense of who was involved, I hadn’t a clue as to the particulars, including the why so I just settled in for the always good storytelling. And, I loved Steven Weber’s narration, especially as he seemed to get underneath Nap’s skin and became this character, capturing all of his nuances. It was a perfect fit.

Friends know that Harlan Coben is one of my favorite auto read authors, even if the story just turns out okay because it’s still a standout. However, this was a gem of a read and I finished it in two days. Loved everything about it!

Entertaining read from one of my favorite authors. Loved the cameo by Myron Bolitar. This did a great job of keeping you guessing until the end. I did have a little trouble getting into the story.

I was a little worried about halfway through Don’t Let Go. It seemed so fractured so many pieces everywhere – I was really kind of lost and slightly irritated. Like having a conversation with someone who has had too much coffee and needs to figure out God, politics, and aliens all at that moment.

I liked Nap a lot though (he’s a very flawed, very lost man doing his best to stay good), so I stuck with it.

Let’s just say the over-caffeinated feeling was resolved and everything started to come together long before the book was finished, and it was well worth sticking through to the end. I don’t mean the mystery was solved early (that’s a lot of twists) or that the suspense died down — just that the seeming bridges to nowhere started to connect with unseen land.

It all worked beautifully.

I’ve been a big fan of Coben’s for quite awhile. Although New Jersey has never been my home, my husband grew up there, in a town very like the ones in Coben’s books. Quiet, affluent without being ostentatious, a nice place to raise kids. I feel like I know his settings intimately.

Coben does the smart jock all grown up thing well, too. Like Nap Dumas. He’s a good guy, trying to do the right thing (although he’s caught in the past for reasons that have nothing to do with his past athletic victories). He’s a smart cop with good instincts, sometimes doing the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Quick aside: From my experience, his smart jocks are more common then the dumb jocks of jokes. Most of the best ‘jocks’ are not and never were dumb — they’re are smart, quick thinking, and have good instincts. Most that I know and have known grow up to have good jobs and do well for their communities.

Coben has a bit of a formula (smart jock often in some sort of investigative job, something painful from his past comes back to haunt him, he must confront it to solve the mystery and save those he loves), but he varies it well enough that his books are not formulaic.

I guess you could say Coben’s books are like a roller coaster — you know it’s going to be climbs and falls, maybe a few twists and turns, possibly you’ll roll upside down for a few seconds — but you pretty much know what you’re getting from a roller coaster. This doesn’t mean you don’t take the ride. It’s thrilling and exciting and tons of fun despite the familiarity.

This roller coaster-familiar makes him fun to read . Fast paced and interesting, with questions not easily answered. Don’t Let Go won’t challenge you as a reader, and that’s okay. It will take you on a really great ride.

Detective Napolean "Nap" Dumas has no family and few friends. His life has been this way since his senior year of high school when his twin brother and friend were found dead on the town's railroad tracks. Immediately after, Nap's girlfriend disappeared without logical explanation. For fifteen years, Nap has been searching for the woman he considers the love of his life and also the truth behind his twin brother's death. When familiar fingerprints turn up at a murder scene, Nap is forced to investigate the abandoned military base near where he grew up and also look into a secret conspiracy club.

Few things are certain. One is that author Harlan Coben will deliver a bestselling thriller that I will no doubt cancel plans in order to read the page-turning novel nonstop. It will be full of suspense. It will raise my eyebrows and get the sleuth in me going. It will introduce a new, or familiar, character that is well-developed. The story will occupy my mind for hours on end and most likely be one of my top reads of the current year. New fiction release, Don't Let Go, is no exception.

Nap Dumas is probably one of the most emotional characters belonging to Harlan Coben. Through careful dialogue and narration, I was able to pick up on Nap's thought process and feelings. I felt Nap's frustration when he hit a roadblock that didn't mesh with his theory. I smirked at his smart ass remarks when talking to a character that didn't understand his dry humor. I related to his quest for answers and need to pry open doors from the past. And though I am not a person who loves the idea of ghosts, I did not mind Nap talking to his dead brother throughout the whole book. And oh, fans will be delighted to read a cameo of Myron Bolitar within its pages. Reading Don't Let Go allowed me to escape the real world for a day to get lost in a story based on a legend.

Happy Pub Day, Harlan Coben! Don't Let Go is now available.

LiteraryMarie

I usually *love* Harlan's books, but this one, well...not so much. What bothered me the most was Nap's constant talking to his dead brother. Not even cameo appearances from Harlan regulars were enough for me. The whole thing felt rushed and was much too formulaic.

I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben so I was beyond excited to see his new book on netgalley! Harlan is a sure thing for me for an amazing thriller that will have me glued to my kindle and sitting on the edge of my seat! Don't Let Go was just what I expected! The plot was so complex and kept me guessing until the very end. The characters were mind blowing! The detail that Harlan puts into his books is amazing and the right amount.

If you are looking for a gripping thriller that will consume you then go one click Don't Let Go!

A Teenage Couple Died Too Young

Fifteen years ago, Leo and Diana were struck by a train. Were they playing chicken, was it bad luck, or something more sinister. Detective Napoleon, Nap, Dumas wants to know why his brother, Leo died. The same night, Nap’s girlfriend, Maura disappeared. Now her finger prints have appeared in another murder scene. Nap wants to know what happened to his brother, and particularly why Maura disappeared.

This is a great mystery. I didn’t figure out all the connections until the very end. Nap is a great character. You can’t help liking him and rooting for him to solve the old mystery even if the final solution is much darker than he wants.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. Nap is at his best. He’s a good cop, but to solve murders, he is capable of bending the rules. In this A Teenage Couple Died Too Young

Fifteen years ago, Leo and Diana were struck by a train. Were they playing chicken with the locomotive; was it bad luck; or something more sinister. Detective Napoleon, Nap, Dumas wants to know why his twin brother, Leo, died. The same night, Nap’s girlfriend, Maura disappeared. Now her finger prints have appeared in another murder scene and the victim is another classmate. Nap wants to know what happened to his brother, and particularly why Maura disappeared.

This is a great mystery. I didn’t figure out all the connections until the very end. Nap is a good character. You can’t help liking him and rooting for him to solve the old mystery even if the final solution is much darker than he wants.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. Coban is at his best. Nap is a good cop, but to solve murders, he is capable of bending the rules. In this case when Rex Canton dies, he can’t help but see the connection to his brother’s death, since Canton was a classmate. When other former classmates, feel threatened, Nap believes that he is on the track of what caused his brother’s death.

If you like thrillers with great characters and a plot that’s hard to unravel until the end, this is a very good one. The pace is fast. I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend it.

I received this book from Dutton for this review. case when Rex Canton dies, he can’t help but see the connection to his brother’s death, since Canton was a classmate. When other former classmates, feel threatened, Nap believes that he is on the track of what caused his brother’s death.

If you like thrillers with great characters and a plot that’s hard to unravel until the end, this is a very good one. I highly recommend it.

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

This is a stand alone Harlan Coben book. At first I didn't know what to think, in the first few pages I wondered is this the villain or the hero? The book is narrated by Nap and he addresses the whole story as if he is speaking with his dead twin brother. It took me a little while to get used to that. But soon I got lost in the story. Years ago in their senior year Nap's twin brother Leo died along with Leo's girlfriend and on the same night the Nap's girlfriend disappeared. Nap has never gotten over it and has become a police detective and is a bit of a loner. No woman has ever replaced the love of his life Maura. Things become complicated when Maura's fingerprints are found a crime scene of the murder of a high school classmate. Nap is determined to find her and then things start adding up to a conspiracy theory that maybe his brother didn't die from an accident maybe he was actually murdered. It all goes back to high school and his brother's conspiracy club. Why are members starting to die, and why have others disappeared? Nap is determined to find out with the help of Augie his boss and also the father of Leo's dead girlfriend. Thing aren't as they seem, there is a mystery government compound, long abandoned that might bring some answers. After I got used to story being told in the first person, I really enjoyed it and as the story progressed I see why Coben used that voice to tell the story. As usual there are many surprises and the story never seems to go the way you expect it to, which is why I enjoy Coben's books so much. I like the unpredictability, uncovering the clues along with Nap and finding out what really happened all those years ago and how it ties to the present day.

The subtitle for Harlan Coben’s Don’t Let Go could be: “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” Set in a suburban New Jersey familiar to fans of Coben’s Myron Bolitar series, the tragic events from a night 15 years in the past come back to haunt the present.

In the waning days of a long-ago senior year, Napoleon “Nap” Dumas spends the night with his hockey team on an away game. That same night, his twin, Leo Dumas, and Leo's girlfriend, cheerleader Diana Styles, mysteriously die on the railroad tracks. Nap’s girlfriend, Maura Wells, disappears as well. When the bodies start to pile up in the present day, it becomes clear that the deaths have some link to the Conspiracy Club created in high school by Leo, Diana, and some of their paranoid friends in response to mysterious happenings they see in the woods that make them think about things like Area 51 and CIA black sites. Three members of the club are dead or disappeared, and now, a fourth member is murdered execution style and a fifth disappears. Someone is definitely out to get the remaining member of the high school club.

In the intervening years, Nap, who now lives alone in the family home, has decided to skip college and become a cop—all the while having conversations with his dead twin and pining for Maura. Nap is the glue holding the story together. A reader empathizes with him; we all have a high school memory we would like to revisit or forget altogether. Like a butterfly trapped in amber, Nap—who seems caught in a kind of high school purgatory, one that runs on a constant loop through his head—seeks answers to the many questions about the events of that night, answers that turn out to be darker and far more sinister than Nap ever dared imagine.

That deadly night starts to reveal its secrets—like the hot kiss at the end of a wet fist—with the discovery of Maura’s fingerprints in a car driven by the murderer of Pennsylvania cop, Sgt. Rex Canton, who attended high school with the dead teens.

Nap, never a part of the club, goes to the town historian, Dr. Kaufman, for information about the site that seems to tie in with the deaths. Apparently, there was once a Nike Missile base where the Conspiracy Club spent some nights investigating. Dr. Kaufman explains:

“The Nike missile bases were constructed in the mid-fifties throughout northern New Jersey. This was during the height of the Cold War. Back then we would run school drills where kids would duck under their desks in case of nuclear attack, if you can believe it.” [I do believe it because we had those same drills in NYC].

Nap asks, “And what were the Nike missiles used for exactly?”

Dr, Kaufman explains, “They were surface to air. Put simply, the missiles were an air defense designed to shoot down Soviet attacking aircrafts. ... The missile batteries were in approximately a dozen sites in northern New Jersey. But that changed in the early sixties when the Nike Hercules missiles were armed with W31 nuclear warheads. At that point, the sites were secreted behind barbed wire and electrified fencing.”

It all amounts to a Hitchcock-like McGuffin, a plot device that is the premise for the mystery and something for Nap to investigate as he peels back the many layers of deceptions of his high school pals. In addition to the McGuffin, there are red herrings aplenty, and a reader would do well to trust no one.

The novel is fast-paced, and though the dénouement does not live up to its promise, the bumpy ride is fun to traverse.

Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben's latest novel. Coben knows how to write a thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed Don't Let Go.

Don't Let Go is a roller coaster ride of twist and turns. I loved getting into the story of Detective Nap Dumas's past. I was fascinated with how he talked to his dead twin all the time. I have sons who are identical twins and I know how close they are so it was interesting to see how the story would develop.

It had a hard time putting Don't Let Go down as it was filled new revelations and twists as the story moved along. I didn't see some of them coming at all.

Highly recommend Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben.

Ok, Harlen Coben. Since you insist I don't let go... I won't... but seriously I am able to let this one go. Coben tells the story of Napoleon (Nap) Dumas, who works as a detective for the New Jersey PD. He definitely is a rule-breaker but also has a soft spot.

Nap carries with him the weight of the death of his twin brother Leo. It's been 15 plus years but he can't seem to let go. I understand this weight... and the guilt that comes along with this burden. Leo was days shy of graduating from high school and really beginning his life. To make matters worse, the pain and struggle of losing Leo, and his suspicious death, comes barreling down on Nap when a recent assassination suggests that Leo's high school friends are being killed off, one by one, and the return of his high school love, Maura and her involvement in that crime...

A lot is going on. I'm used to there being a lot going on. Nap narrates the story so we only know what he knows yet and must rely on his hazy memory of the past. Often times, Nap interrupts his narratives to talk with the twin brother he lost. I like these moments as they bring a sentimental nature to an otherwise gruesome story of government cover-ups, teen suicidal (maybe) or murder (maybe).

Honestly, Don't Let Go was all over the place for me. It sits comfortably at a 2-star rating for me because it was simply "ok". Nap and his vigilantism, Maura and her running from stranger-danger, Nap's future with the NJPD... just didn't mesh well together for me in the end. Maybe the ending was too abrupt. That's my issue. Don't Let Go just simply let's go.

Please don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben but lately I feel that his novels have been hit or miss. Maybe it's because he's released like 3 in the last year or so... my small brain is longing for the Coben I fell in love with. For fans of his work, Don't Let Go is still a worthwhile read. It's fast moving, littered with plot twists, and an interesting cast of characters. But overall, Don't Let Go is not one of my favorite Coben reads. Yet, I won't let go of looking forward to getting my hands on whatever he writes next.

Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley

Coben is an auto buy author for me, I’ve read every single one of his books and have never been disappointed by any of them. I LOVE his Myron Bolitar series but his standalones work well for me too and this one was no exception. There’s a brief cameo from Myron at one point when he crosses paths with Nap which was such an unexpected treat! The main character, Nap reminded me of a combination of Myron and Win so my craving for them was partially satiated. This was twisty and full of deceit and long buried betrayals, classic Coben doing what he does extremely well.

Nap was the kind of standard character fans know and love in Coben’s books, he has that trademark dry humor and wit, he’s smart, sharp and the type of cop that’s not afraid to skirt the boundaries of the law and he’s loyal to a fault. I immediately connected with him, his story is heartbreaking, he lost his twin brother and his girlfriend within a short period of time and has never quite been the same since. All he wants are answers and he may finally be getting them, but it’s all much more than he ever expected, the lies are stacking up and nothing makes sense, how much of the past was fact and what was fiction?

I can’t say much more about the plot, but this was excellent, Coben is a master and this was a strong reminder for me as to why he’s one of my all time favorite authors. He’s simply one of the best and if you haven’t read one of his books before they all come highly recommended by me.

Master storyteller, Harlan Coben returns following (2016) Fool Me Once and Home (Myron Bolitar #11) –both 5 stars; with his latest . . . Drumroll . . . His 31st novel! DON’T LET GO. Fans keep coming back for more; and the author consistently delivers, every time with another twisty explosive suspense thriller.

Vigilante justice . . .

Note: — Have no clue how this author cranks out so many books and TV shows I suspect he may have a few clones. They definitely possess his fine talent for signature twists and suspense (oh and did I mention “emotional” as well).

DON’T LET GO, most definitely will "not let you go" until this mystery is solved. Missing persons have always been intriguing. What led them to go missing? The circumstances. Where have they been? Dead or alive?

Coben excels with dramas surrounding this topic. His crime thrillers are more than just murders. Rich in character. Not just action. Motives, thoughts, fears, desperation. From the victims to the family members. They are desperate for answers. For any clues to provide answers.

Meet New Jersey detective Napoleon "Nap" Dumas. Is there more to this character than meets the eye.? An unreliable narrator? Dark and mysterious with a dual role.

He is haunted by events of the past some fifteen years earlier. He is still mourning his twin brother, Leo, and Leo's girlfriend, Diana (cheerleader). They were found dead on the town's railroad tracks one night during their senior year. Accidental or suicide?

Soon after, Nap's own girlfriend, Maura Wells, disappeared. Was this a coincidence? Why did she choose this night to disappear? Were the events connected? It was nearing the last few weeks of high school in the suburban Westbridge when the events occurred. Booze, sex, drugs?

Now Nap’s past connects with the present when Maura’s fingerprints are discovered in a car driven by a murdered Pennsylvania cop. Rex Canton was shot.

To further complicate matters. Leo, Diana, Maura, and Rex were all members of Westbrook High’s Conspiracy Club (a secret society for goofballs and like-minded nerds).

Then, Hank, another member of the club is murdered. Leo, Diana, Rex, Hank and where is Beth?

Nap is obsessed with connecting the dots. He soon learns Beth Lashley (the last of the surviving members of the former club), is missing.

An old abandoned military base in town the club members were investigating. The Conspiracy Club (all geek geniuses) wanted to find out what happened after it closed.

Someone is killing off the old Conspiracy Club members. They have been killed before their thirty-fifth birthday.

After meeting with Augie, (Diane’s father) a police captain and mentor, he soon suspects none of these incidents were accidental. The denial. He lost a beautiful vibrant seventeen-year-old daughter. She had been his life.

What secrets could the Conspiracy Club have discovered? What did they see? Who is out to get the club members? What did (do) they know?

Rumors were: a secret lab, experiments, Nazi scientist, mind control, LSD, UFOs, nuclear weapons? A government conspiracy, a teen prank gone wrong, or something more sadistic? The big question . . . Why would they wait fifteen years to kill the remainder?

Wow, this was once again a gripping page-turner. Coben is a master at churning up the past. The past does not stay buried. Regretable actions. If only we could get a do-over.

I enjoy how Coben always gives readers an inside view of the inspiration behind his novels. (legend -a Nike missile control center with nuclear capabilities near a school)

In addition to his award-winning books (if this is not enough), Netflix subscribers can now stream Coben’s first TV drama, "The Five." A 10-part series starring a group of friends who made a tragic mistake in 1995. A five-year-old Jesse gets in the way. Twenty years later at a crime scene and his DNA shows up. The dark secrets are unraveled. Read More

Subscribed: currently binge-watching while multi-tasking: INTRIGUING! Something else to keep us in suspense and to look forward to: "Safe" his next project due next year.

A very special thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

JDCMustReadBooks

Don’t Let Go is the newest release from the successful and prolific mystery writer Harlan Coben. This is a standalone mystery, though there is a cameo appearance by series staple Myron Bolitar that revealed that I have missed a Bolitar novel and need to add it to by towering TBR pile. Napoleon Dumas is a New Jersey cop whose twin brother died fifteen years ago in a tragic “accident” that also killed his girlfriend. Adding to the heartbreak, his girlfriend Maura disappeared that night which has made Nap resist the official explanations.

When a cop is murdered in Pennsylvania, fingerprints on the scene reveal that Maura was there and draw Nap into the investigation. It leads him back to the past and his brother’s death. While investigating, he discovers that his brother belonged to a club, The Conspiracy Club, and that the other members of that group have disappeared. Perhaps his brother’s death had something to do with the club? His mentor, Augie, the police captain whose daughter died with his brother, thinks that’s a bit paranoiac and favors the more likely explanation of teenage stupidity with drugs, alcohol, and the teen sense of immortality.

Well, with a Conspiracy Club, it makes sense that this story heads into conspiracy-land with federal agencies and cover-ups. Though, sometimes the cover-up itself becomes the crime.



Don’t Let Go was absorbing and suspenseful. I liked the character, Nap Dumas. He is complex and if he were not a vigilante, I would like to see more of him in future books. The seeming approval of vigilantism led me to rate this three instead of four stars. I like complex characters, but when the good guys are promoting ideas that damage society, I draw the line.

Coben crosses ethical boundaries and also spreads false information, telling us that torture works. It’s possible he believes it is true. The CIA lied to the public and to Congress and claimed torture revealed important information. Writers interview law enforcement and intelligence professionals and sometimes they lie. The Senate Select Committee investigation into the CIA claims proved the CIA was lying. The science is that torture does not work. So is the history. Only the liars are promoting that lie – the vigilantes who are okay with torture because they are torturing Muslims.

If that is Coben’s belief, he is wrong. However, he puts the lie into the mouth of an evil man who is using the lie to justify his evil. But then his character Nap is a vigilante. We meet him when he is beating a man who beats women. That above the law attitude is what leads to torture so I can see him accepting the lie. This book runs the risk of justifying and defending vigilantism and torture, but in the end, vigilantism is the monster in the story, the monster that killed his brother. So, it depends on where Nap goes from here. If he does not learn from his brother’s death that vigilantism is evil, then I don’t want to see him again.

Don’t Let Go will be released September 26th. I received an advance e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

Don’t Let Go at Penguin Random House
Harlan Coben author site

Napoleon "Nap" Dumas is a detective on a serious mission. He's been unable to make peace with the death of his twin brother Leo and Leo's girlfriend Diana and the subsequent disappearance of his first love Maura. To say he's been obsessed for 15 years is an understatement as the man has basically put his entire life on hold trying to figure out what happened to his brother and why Maura disappeared. What he slowly starts to discover is a web of tragedies, conspiracies, betrayals and lies that may or may not lead Nap to getting the answers he seeks.

So, that's a taste of the plot and here's a breakdown of what worked and didn't work for me....

What Worked...

Lightning fast dialogue. Harlan Coben can seriously write realistic dialogue and there's a ton of it in this story which I really enjoyed
Fast paced plot. With lots of dialogue and a continuously moving plot, this was a super fast read. The pages flew by!
A fairly difficult mystery to unravel. I wasn't able to figure out what happened or why which is always a plus for me  
Nap's character. I liked that Nap was a flawed character who's heart was always in the right place even when he was taking justice into his own hands. He was a good guy which made it easy to root for him
What Didn't Work...

Not enough substance or suspense. The writing (example being the first line of the book) often came across as "cheesy" and trying too hard to be funny, witty, sarcastic, etc
Most everything about the military base plot line. I found myself uninterested in this plotline which was very central to the story. The author gave quite a bit of background detail about the abandoned military base and I found myself skimming quite a bit when this came up
Nap's 15 year obsession with Maura who he hadn't really dated that long. I just had a hard time buying his complete obsession and inability to move on for so many years
An overall lack of connection. While I liked Nap, I wasn't overly connected with him or the outcome of the story to consider myself fully invested and have that 'I can't stop reading' feeling
It's quite possible that I just wasn't in the mood for this story at this time or maybe my reading tastes for this type of story are changing because five years ago I think I would've liked this more. That being said, I encourage you to try this for yourself, especially if you like mysteries with dynamic dialogue.

Prolific readers know what I'm talking about: That "afterglow" that happens when you've finished a knock-your-socks-off book and hate to spoil by starting another one. Such was the case with this book, which followed close on the heels of one of the best I've read in a while. But this time, I really wasn't worried; the author has long been on my list of favorites. And from page one, yet again, he didn't disappoint. It's an easy-to-read, super-engrossing story that moves along quickly with plenty of intriguing twists and turns along the way.

So let's get to the nitty-gritty. Napoleon Dumas, a cop in suburban New Jersey, got a double whammy right before high-school graduation; his twin brother Leo and Leo's girlfriend Diana were killed by a train. As if that weren't bad enough, his girlfriend - with whom he expected to spend the rest of his life - that same night dumped him and ran off, never to be seen again. Needless to say, "Nap" - who narrates the story - has been despondent to a degree ever since as well as determined that someday, some way, he'll find out what really happened back then. His only comfort over the years is his friend and mentor, Augie; the about-to-retire local police chief encouraged Nap to join the force and serves as a sort of surrogate father.

As the story unfolds, Nap learns that another cop who was part of the high-school crowd has been murdered - apparently a shoot-and-run during a routine traffic stop. But then comes a surprising revelation: Maura's fingerprints are found in the rental car believed to have been driven by the killer, who has not been identified. That gets Nap's attention big-time, prompting him to set out with renewed vigor to find his old love. It turns out to be a complex journey that circles around a clandestine club and a long-since-closed missile base and puts him squarely in the crosshairs of some very nasty people who will go to just about any lengths to make sure their secrets stay that way.

Anything else that happens I will keep secret as well, lest I spoil things for others. But I'll shout one thing from the rooftops: This book is not to be missed. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Don't let go is a prime example of why Harlan Coben is a bestselling author. This book grabs you from the first page and never stops pulling the reading along and a very fast paced and interesting mystery. Nap's character development is top notch. The reader quickly learns what kind of a man he is, honestly he is the kind of man in our hearts we would all like to be. The kind of man, who when he feels the system has failed an innocent, he just goes and takes care of it himself. But in the real world if we all acted like Nap, it would be chaos. The back story behind Nap's brother's death and his missing girlfriend is very interesting. I loved that is was based on a little bit of real history with the missile bases that were in use during the cold war. This book's pacing was perfect. I just really enjoyed this book and know that it will be another bestseller for Coben.