Member Reviews
This was an enjoyable book. It was fast paced with a few good twists and turns. However, the storyline became rather repetitive and rather unbelievable. In, addition, the interaction between the two FBI against took away from the storyline rather than adding to it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this wonderful Harlan Coben book. Like all of his previous books he tackles a story and carries the reader on a heart stopping ride. Also in true Harlan Coben form he injects just enough humor into his stories to keep the reader entertained. Max and Sarah are two FBI agents who play off each other and finish each other's sentences. They offer comic relief in an otherwise powerful story.
It's a wonderful story about righting a wrong. The story revolves around David who has been incarcerated for 5 years after being found guilty of killing his 3-year-old son Matthew. The body of the boy is found in his bed and David protests his innocence but there is no other explanation. He has a rough time in prison and tries to keep to himself allowing no visitors. Then one day his sister-in-law Rachel shows up. She shows David a photo of a boy with exactly the same port wine stain that Matthew had. The photo was taken at an amusement park and the child appears in the background, but David knows that as improbable as it seems the boy is his son. After an assisted prison escape, he and Rachel are on a non-stop move to locate the child in the photo and find the truth about what happened the night everything went so wrong. The police and FBI are hot on their trail but with help from Hester Crimstein (a lawyer from previous Coben books) they manage to stay one step ahead of them. Once they put all the clues together, they find what they have been searching for. There are parts of the story that are quite emotional. David' unflinching love for for his son as well as for his beloved dying father brought me to tears. It is a book I would recommend to everyone from an author who never disappoints. This will surely be another #1 best seller once released. 5 stars for sure.
An interesting story full of twists, turns, fun characters and overall a book I would consider reading time and time again.
One thing to know about me: I will always read anything Harlan Coben writes 💘
So while this wasn’t my most favorite HC, it was still a fun, fast-paced, super twisty ride - and that’s okay!
I do once in a while enjoy a book that makes me suspend disbelief and embrace the unbelievable. However, this one was a lil too out there, and some characters felt like caricatures. Alas 🤷🏼♀️
Still, I promise you’ll fly through this one. And the bonus for me? The main characters are Rachel (me) and my husband and brothers’ names (Matthew and David) 😱
⭐️: 3.5/5
David is in prison for the brutal murder of his son five years before, a crime that he insists that he did not do, at least not in his right mind. One day, his sister-in-law brings him a picture that seems to show his son, presumed dead, but 5 years older and perfectly alive. In order to figure out the truth about what happened to his son and maybe clear his own name, David plans an escape to confront those who have kept the truth from him.
I have never read a Harlan Coben book before, which is a little surprising considering my affinity for thriller and suspense books. Some of his have been on my radar, but I’ve just never gotten around to it. I certainly enjoyed this book, and I thought the suspense and pacing was done really well and kept me invested and guessing (at least a little bit) until almost the end. However, I’m not sure that I’m going to rush to pick up another one of his books soon. I think I might be a little bit of a snob, because I definitely seem to prefer female authors a lot of the time, especially in this genre, because I think it’s often hard for male authors to portray female characters accurately and in a way that doesn’t make me feel a little uncomfortable at the portrayal. Add in that this book has a minor Me Too storyline that I’m not sure was handled in a way that made it worth the mention, and it was just kinda an off read for me. I’m also not the hugest fan of his writing style, which I think is striving for the feeling of familiarity and colloquialism, but comes off as a little bit immature and unpolished to me, regardless of how many books I know are in his bibliography. It’s a similar complaint to those I have against Colleen Hoover, now that I think about it. Overall, if you’re a fan of other Harlan Coben books, I’d recommend this, since the story is pretty good.
Thank you to @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
It’s been a long time since I sat down and tuned out the outside world for hours because I wanted, no, I NEEDED to finish reading Harlan Coben’s latest book, “I Will Find You”. The story centers around David Burroughs, a man serving time convicted for killing his own son. Being that the story is told as a first person narrative, the reader knows that we will be following David throughout the book. That is disconcerting because he's not a very likable person, but that gradually changes as the character development along with the twists and turns that Coben adeptly takes us through, has the reader firmly in the palm of his hand. Highly recommend this one for a great read. Just don't expect to be be putting it down before finishing it.
I was really looking forward to Harlan Coben's latest, but unfortunately I couldn't get into the writing or the plot.
This was a quick, entertaining read, with an interesting cast of characters. I appreciated that most of the characters made smart decisions, and as soon as I'd think, "what about ____?" it would be addressed in the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and the quick chapters kept me tearing through the book. Were parts unrealistic or unbelievable? Sure. But the concept was unique and the story was, overall, well done.
I think this is my favorite Harlan Coben book ever!! David Burroughs is in prison for the murder of his son when he finds out that his son may still be alive. During his fifth year in prison his sister in law, his first visitor ever, shows up with a photo she suspects is his son, Matthew. David has to break out of prison to find the evidence that his son is still alive. There are so many twists in this storyline! I couldn't put it down! Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
3+ stars
David Burroughs has been in jail for five years after being convicted of killing his three year old son. David always said he was innocent. After no contact with any family or friends, his sister in law visits with a picture showing that Matthew might be alive. David escapes and goes all over the northeast trying to find his son.
Not my favorite Harlan Coben. Too many coincidences for me but a quick read.
Wow! Powerful book; Harlan Coben at his best. If you’re a fan of his books, you’ll be delighted. If not, you’re in for a real treat with your new favorite author! This book held my interest and was a great one.
Loved it! This is my 12th-ish Harlan Coben book; I am a veritable fan.
This is exactly his style - page turner, suspenseful, compelling. While I made some connections regarding the plot points, he always packs in satisfying twists. The plausibility of even 80% of this happening is nil, but it is a great piece of mystery fiction, and I engulfed it in 48 hours. I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just say - if you’re a Coben fan, you will not be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Harlan Coben’s latest thriller “I Will Find You” is a surefire bestseller and deserving of another hit streaming series. Like his other books, this one is non-stop action and quite a carnival ride. At the center is David Burroughs who eventually becomes a very likable protagonist, yet this starts as David as a destitute father, imprisoned for the brutal murder of his three year old son. He declares that he is innocent, but he doesn’t care that he was convicted. His son was everything to him. That’s his visitor-free existence for five years after the trial (Was he drunk and sleepwalking? Didn’t a nosy neighbor see him bury the murder weapon?) when his ex-wife’s sister, Rachel, is his first visitor and suggests that Matthew, David’s son and her nephew, might still be alive. And in a nanosecond, David decides he needs to escape. From that point, you are caught in an engrossing 5 star high-stakes quest that doesn’t let up until the very end. Be prepared for some long reading sessions. Remember to eat and drink something.
Pursuing David is an odd couple FBI team (they have some irritating banter and have self-proclaimed themselves the “Lucy and Desi” of the FBI). Max and Sarah serve as the constant reminder that David could be caught and killed by law enforcement and they do help to add background/validation to what David is discovering (but, please, no spin-off for them; they really were annoying).
It’s a straightforward action thriller, which I worried went off the rails a couple of times. Later I realized those rabbit holes would make great episode cliff-hangers. Who’s the childhood guy and current mobster wannabe who looks like a skunk? What secret relationship did the sister-in-law have with a possible perpetrator? Why is she a disgraced journalist? What’s up with the incriminating ex-neighbor who disappeared after the trial? The only unanswered question that bothered me through the entire novel was “What little boy died that night if it wasn’t Matthew?” And I can say that that loose end was wrapped up as satisfactorily as possible.
Anyway, if you’re a loyal Coben fan, you’ll be delighted and if you’re new to this author, you’ll be hooked and start looking at his other novels. Again, 5 stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Lots of them! Both Davd’s ex-wife and her sister have green eyes as does Hayden.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO David was always in a rush after escaping and wasn’t expected to notice plants or flowers
This was a fast paced read, exactly what you would expect from a Harlan Coben book. Unfortunately, i had to suspend too much disbelief with this one.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Harlen Coben for the opportunity to read an advance copy of I WILL FIND YOU, to be published 14 March 2023. This author always delivers an exciting thriller and this is no exception! An imprisoned father, accused of killing his three year old son, is given a new lease on life, but not without some turns and twists. Excellent read and a great thriller. #NetGalley. #GrandCentralPublishing. #HarlenCoben. #IWillFindYou
Harlan Coben is an oldie but goodie for mysteries/thrillers. "I Will Find You' is typical Coben- but that's a good thing!
When you read Harlan Coben, you are in for a ride, and this latest is no exception.
In prison for the murder of his toddler son, David Burroughs has accepted his fate, until a visit from his sister in law changes everything.
This book is a stand alone with a tiny connection to Win, and is a wild ride. The action begins in the first chapter and does not let up. Like all Coben's books, there's plenty of wit and action and a great plot.
If this is your first Coben book, you will find a new favorite.
Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
David is serving life in prison for murdering his 3 year old son five years ago. He doesn't actually believe he is guilty but he was black out drunk that night and can't prove he didn't do it. Besides life isn't worth living without his son so he really doesn't care that he is in jail. But one day, when his sister in law visits, showing him a recent photo of a boy that has the same birthmark his son had, he believes his son is actually alive and now he has something to fight for.
This was a great read from Harlan Coben, full of action, and a total page turner. He is my favorite author so I expect greatness and I wasn't disappointed. Sure, it was over the top in some ways, but it didn't matter, I loved it. It held my attention and I was never bored for a minute. The only problem is now I have to wait a year for his next book.
I don't know what it is about Harlan Coben books, but it doesn't matter how ridiculous the plot or how wild the characters' behavior, I will devour them and be entertained the entire time. This book was no different. It was a wild ride and I couldn't read fast enough.