I love Coben's story telling. His twists are always interesting and this one was no exception. You absolutely don't need to have read the previous one to enjoy this.

Full of twists and turns that keep you engaged throughout the story. I liked the use of dual timelines and Coben does a good job of using humor and suspense in tandem to create a good thriller.

4.5 stars

Another great read from Harlan Coben. Little did I realize this was detective Sami Kierce's second book. I had read and watched the first book Fool Me Once and loved it. Nobody's Fool is full of suspense, witty banter, throwbacks and a little romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read!

AMAZING! This author never disappoints! This one kept me guessing, and that’s always a good thing! Highly recommend!

Coben’s talent lies in the way he weaves suspense into the everyday. The characters here are deeply human: messy, flawed, trying to do the right thing in a world stacked against them. And just when you think you know who to trust, he shatters the illusion with a reveal that makes you question everything.

This book isn’t just about a mystery—it’s about the choices people make when they think no one is watching, and how secrets ripple through families and communities. Sharp, propulsive, and brimming with heart-pounding tension, Nobody’s Fool is Coben at his finest.

A page-turner that balances humanity with high-stakes suspense, reminding us that nobody is as simple—or as innocent—as they seem.

This is a gripping, twist-packed thriller that will have you questioning everything you think you know—right up until the final page.

The story follows former detective Sami Kierce, a man haunted by a bloody mystery from his past: waking up in Spain next to his girlfriend's murdered body, with no memory of the night before. Two decades later, just as he’s settled into an unremarkable life as a P.I. and new father, his entire world is upended when he sees her—Anna—alive and well, sitting in the back of his classroom.

The tension builds masterfully as Kierce is pulled back into the unsolved nightmare of his youth, forcing him to confront buried secrets, unreliable memories, and a web of lies more tangled than he ever imagined. The author does a nice job of blending emotional stakes with a propulsive plot, and peppering in his sharp dialogue and gasp-worthy reveals.

This is a page-turner that explores guilt, redemption, and the cost of not knowing the truth. This is one you won’t want to put it down and will have you turning pages well into the night.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I begin many of my Harlan Coben reviews with full disclosure, stating that I'm a huge Coben fan. Coben always manages to grip my attention within the first few pages. "Nobody's Fool" was gripping from the first page to the last.

We meet a young, newly college grad, Sami Kierce, who's spending time backpacking through Spain when he meets a gorgeous woman, Anna, who ultimately ends up dead. Waking up to a knife in his hand and a dead body lying next to him. Kierce has no memory of killing Anna, but things become even more strange when she reappears in his life 20-plus years later.

Sami Kierce is no longer the naive college grad whose life changed direction after the traumatic experience in Spain. He went from hopes of being a doctor to a disgraced detective, that works as a private investigator. Kierce also teaches true crime enthusiasts who are more than excited to assist as he investigates a decades-old disappearance and how it relates to Anna.

Harlan Coben essentially does what he does best. He ropes in readers by hooking them onto an impossible mystery that refuses to relinquish it's hold until the last page. Nobody's Fool is classic Coben. Fans of his writing know that we will be provided a lead who is extremely sympathetic and easy to cheer on. The only issue is that most of the supporting cast are made up of paper-thin fillers.

Ultimately, I truly enjoyed reading Nobody's Fool. In between schoolwork, I still needed to see how the story would unfold. Fans of Coben's will have fun reading this title.

Copy provided by Grandy Central Publishing via Netgalley

Harlan Coben always writes very though provoking and intriguing books.

This is no different.

Another great book from an amazing author.

This is the second book in the Detective Sami Kierce series. I haven't read the first book, but I didn't feel like I was lacking any background information. I'm a huge fan of this author and really enjoy his Myron Bolitar series. Kierce's character is reminiscent of Myron, especially with his sarcastic humor. The writing is excellent, the cast of characters is fantastic, and there are surprising twists along with a thrilling conclusion. Now I have to go read the first book. Harlan Coben never lets us down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Harlan Coben for an ARC of "Nobody's Fool" in exchange of an honest review.

I did not read the first book, but I have read other books by this author and they are usually a solid suspense nove. I found this book to be a fast paced, riveting, and ingenious psychological thriller. It was hard to put down and the suspense kept me guessing until the very end. I think anyone who enjoys this genre will enjoy this book. Thanks to Net Galley for the ebook to review.

This is one of those books that starts out slow but then shocks you in the end. Twenty two years ago Sami Kierce had a one night drunken stand with a woman. When he woke up there was a lot of blood but no woman. He was afraid he had killed her. On to present day and Sami swears he sees that same. She walks into the class he is teaching, takes one look at him and runs out. So the story continues on with twists and turns. The plot thickens, so they say. It was a great read with that ending that leaves you speechless. Thanks to #netgalley, #grandcentralpublishing and @harlancoben for and ARC of this thriller. All opinions are my own.

If Harlan Coben writes it, I’m reading it...no questions asked. Nobody’s Fool delivers exactly what I expect from him: an intricate plot, sharp twists, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. Another solid win from one of my go-to authors. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my ARC!

The main mystery of this novel started strong, with the complexity of family ties being a compelling plot point for the events that unfold. However, I thought it was weaker than other of Coben's mysteries. It would perhaps have worked better as a shorter story. Much of the context and story around the main mystery felt superfluous. Enjoyable but nothing ground-breaking. The twist was twisty but felt like possibly too much of a stretch.

A fast-paced, entertaining read from Harlan Coben! I’ve only read a few of his books before, but that’s definitely about to change—because I’m officially hooked.

As of most of Coben's books, this was a solid, fun read for me. I enjoyed the storyline and the pace, but some of the writing felt a little cheesy in a way that didn't quite hit as normally does. That said, I still really enjoyed it and I look forward to reading what Coben writes next! I also alternated with the audiobook and the narrator's voice was ok. It wasn't really my favorite, but I liked having the option to rotate between the book and the audio because I did want to keep the story going when I could!

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Grand Central Publishing for my advanced ebook/audio in exchange for an honest review.

4 1/2 stars

This book gives us a great deal of insight into Sami Kierce's history. We met his character in Fool Me Once but he wasn't the main character. In this book, he is a main player and we dig deep into his past.

Sami is married and has a child and has lost his position as a police officer due to some poor decisions. When he sees someone from his past, it pulls him back into some bad memories and events he has been haunted by for years. She happens to look just like the young woman he had a fling with years ago when he was backpacking through Spain. The same young woman who he thought was dead.

The mystery in this book takes many twists and turns and is cleverly done. I enjoy this author's writing a great deal.

Thank you to NetGalley for this early copy.

Sami and Anna met in Spain and had a drug-fueled vacation fling that ended when he woke up next to her dead body with a bloodied knife in his hand. He tries to report it to the police but they find no body so there are no charges. He hightailed it back to the U.D. This event changed the trajectory of his life and has haunted him for 22 years.

Twenty-two years later Sami is now a disgraced ex-NYPD cop working as a PI.
He also teaches a class, No Shit, Sherlock, to armchair sleuths. One night he looks up and sees Anna. 22 years older but unmistakably her. She runs but he follows her to an exclusive estate. Could it be Anna?

The same day, Sami finds out his former fiancée’s murderer will be released on a technicality, professing his innocence, and asking for his help to prove it.

As Sami and his star students from his class, investigates these two cases to discover the truth, he finds himself going down rabbit holes he never could have imagined. The action and revelations never let up.

What makes this story especially compelling are the characters. I love Sami’s wit & snark, his supportive, wise wife, and his colorful students.

There was a lot going on but the author expertly tied all the threads together with several shocking revelations. Well-done! Why not 5 stars? There were a few things the author inserted that made me go hmmm…. Why? When it did nothing to move the plot forward but made the author look oh so progressive.

But as a whole, a very enjoyable read that my reading buddy and I enjoyed.

I did not read book #1, which was made into a movie, and this one works as a standalone. I can only hope this one makes it to the screen as well. If so, I can’t wait to see who they cast as his students.

I don't know how I had never read anything by this author before. but what I do know now is that there is quite a backlog for me to read.
gripping, twisty, intense. once you get started, the book won't let you go until you turn the last page.

Nobody's Fool by Harlen Coben

Sami Kierce is many things. He is a frightened college boy, a drunk, a former cop, a grifter, husband, father, crusader and a teacher. Some of these roles are simultaneous. Down on his already questionable luck, Sami gets an ice cold blast of a frighteningly frigid encounter from his past. Someone Sami loved and someone who is dead fuel the mystery of this thriller.

Coben, once again, runs multiple intriguing plots to tantalize, tease, and torture you until you can reach the climaxes. This book has a plethora of bit players who add depth and color to the story. The Pink Panthers, Golf Gary, the Three Dead Hots, Wacky Raymond and more bring a wealth of mutability which is entertaining.

The idea of closure, secrets, vengeance and the settling issues whiffs through book. Integrity and wealthy seek a balance through Sami’s work. This had an intricate plot with wonderful characters and I highly recommend it.

Former Detective Sami Kierce, has led quite a life so far. His graduation from college and a backpack trip through Europe, with a stop in Spain opens him up to murder and mayhem. He meets the girl of his dreams goes off with her, and then one morning, a week into their whirlwind romance, he wakes up to find himself covered in blood and Anna dead. It's been a boozy drug filled week so the facts are certainly not clear but Sami knows he needs to hightail it out of there and he does returning to the US. As the years go by, the memories haunt him, derail his medical school plans, and he begins to question all he has been through.

Years later, a disgraced former NYPD detective, he turns to be a Private Investigator and teaching a group of people how to be investigators, when one night a woman enters his class, and he recognizes her. Then the chase is on, that leads Sami to many dark alleys, danger, and very wealthy people. Coupled in the mix is a man who was in prison for killing Sami's former finance is released on a technicality.

This is one of those fast action, could not put the book down type stories that had me dragging my kindle along everywhere. Truly a masterpiece of intrigue, persistence, and freedom from a world of worrying and regret.