Believe it or not, Nobody's Fool is the first Harlan Coben book I've read — and it certainly won't be my last. I've absolutely loved this: it's a fast-paced, easy-to-read thriller centring around ex-detective Sami Kierce. The book delves into Sami's personal life, but it's primarily about a very strange mystery. You see, 20 years ago, Sami met a girl on holiday in Spain. He woke up to find her dead in the bed next to him — but 20 years later, he sees her. Just what is going on?

What unfolds over the 420-or-so pages is a thrilling mystery involving kidnapping, missing girls, family secrets and more, and I lapped up every morsel of it. Told from a first-person perspective, Sami's narrative is very easy to follow and despite him seeing like a bit of a Jack-the-lad at times, he's a very likeable character who I warmed to quickly. I've partially listened to the book on audio and the excellent narration helped cement Sami's character for me. It's a wonderful book to listen to, with the pacing and intonation always spot-on.

There are, of course, twists here, and I didn't see the ending coming (do I ever?!). It didn't come out of nowhere, though, and was excellently signposted without being obvious. Some of the narrative strands didn't feel entirely relevant but nothing was off-putting, and it was nice to get a wider sense of who Sami is outside of the mystery he's embroiled in.

This is technically the second book in a series, but you don't need to have read Fool Me Once to enjoy this. Maybe you'll know a little more about Sami's past but it's not necessary: I've loved this as a standalone. It leaves it open for a sequel, though, which I'll (obviously) be very excited to dive into.

Pick this up if you like easy-to-digest thrillers. It's a real rollercoaster, and I've loved every moment of it.

Harlan Coben’s Nobody's Fool delivers an entertaining and tightly woven tale that captivates readers from beginning to end. True to Coben’s signature style, the story artfully blends sharp dialogue, unexpected twists, and a cast of relatable yet flawed characters into a narrative that is as gripping as it is satisfying. The plot unfolds with precision, drawing you into a web of secrets and surprises. It is a well-crafted thriller that balances tension with moments of wit.

For audiobook enthusiasts, the experience is enhanced by Vikas Adam’s outstanding narration. His dynamic delivery brings each character to life with distinct voices and impeccable pacing, amplifying the story’s intensity and emotional impact. Adam’s performance perfectly complements Coben’s prose, boosting the entertainment value and making it difficult to pause.

This was my first Sami Kierce book but even though it was second in the series I still felt completely connected to the characters & I can say that it stands alone for sure.

This book was packed with action, twists, wild turns, & so many emotions.

There were several things going on but I never felt overwhelmed by the info or the amount of characters.

If you're into crime thrillers-- this one is for you!

Thank you so much NetGalley & Hachette Audio for this book in exchange for an honest review!

I am a huge Harlan Coben fan and I jumped at the chance to get his new book. I did actually read the first book in this series back in 2016, but I didn't remember that character. That's fine because it works as a standalone as well. Coben is seriously the MASTER of twists you don't see coming. I never could have guessed what happened to Anna and why she was possibly back. Another great thriller, highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

An enjoyable thriller with good character development.

I've read a few of Coben's books, and I think this is my least favorite. I appreciate the attention to detail and the complexity of the story line, but I think I would like more by way of character development. You might argue that the book is more plot driven than character driven, and I suppose that is true, but I didn't connect with the characters because I didn't know them. The premise, however, was unique, and I rooted for the main character the entire time. The narrator did a good job.

My first Harlan Coben book although i have watched quite a few of the series based off his books and it did not disappoint.
Nobody's fool follows Sami Kierce who we last met in Fool me once. This time he is no longer a Detective with the police but rather an off book P.I and part-time criminology teacher.
This story is personal to Sami because it involves an extremely traumatic incident which happened to him as a teenager which derailed the trajectory of his life. As is usual for Harlen Coben we get several other cases/stories that weave their way into each other. The case of Sami's murdered fiancé and the case of the missing millionaire's daughter.
The characters were extremely well written, complex with detailed backstories and multiple layers to them. Dare I say in some cases there were some 'scenes' which perhaps were unnecessary to the plot but provided an extra dimension as it were.
With 3 different lines of investigation simultaneously happening, these weave in and out of each other expertly, providing the reader with many 'ah' moments.
A great entertaining book with a brilliant audio which felt a times was being voiced by multiple people but it wasn't!
Many thanks to Hachette Audio who provided me with an audio copy of this book via NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Is it a Harlan Coben book if there are less than 2 twists that will pull some strong reaction from you? I can hear your answers already. Yeah, I had to say no you didn't several times in the story.

Sami thought that this girl she met during his backpacking tour died because of him. He couldn't get over that 20 years later still. When she saw the same girl in his little community class, he chased her to see if that was really her or he was hallucinating. His little run after her opened Pandora's box of trouble for Sami. Those 5 days in Spain were not what it seemed.

I read this book without reading the first installment and in my opinion it did not take away anything from the story. It was fast paced page turner that kept me on my toes. It was what you expected from a Harlan Coben book.

This was my first audio book by Harlan Coben and I loved it. Kept me entertained and on the edge wondering all the way until the end.

Great novel !! Highly recommend.

This was a gripping thriller full of twists that kept me on the edge of my seat!

The narration was fantastic! It really helped build the tension and set the tone for this book. I could feel all the emotions of the characters.

I've watched a lot of the Netflix limited series that have been based on Coben’s books, but this was my first time reading one. It definitely won't be my last!

You can always count on Harlan Coben to deliver a fast paced thriller that you can not put down!! This was the second in the series but can definitely stand on its own. Ex-detective Sam Kierce gets a shock when he looks up and sees a woman from his past that he thought was dead. Sam has always been haunted by the women he met in Spain when he was backpacking through Europe with his friends. That trip changed the course of his life forever when he met Anna in a disco and started a brief affair that ended up with him in bed covered in blood next to her lifeless body. It has been 22 years but Sam knows that this woman is the Anna he knew in Spain. He is forced to confront the past in order to move on. He faces new secrets and danger as he tries to find out about what happened to her.

I was hooked from the first page and devoured this book. The story was compelling and moved at a fast pace. The characters were great—I loved his eclectic group of students and loved his relationship with his wife. the audiobook was narrated very well—I was transported.

4. 5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced book in exchange for an honest review.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben was such a thrilling ride! I was hooked from the very beginning, but what really impressed me was how the story kept me guessing right up until 90%, and I was completely off the mark. The twists were clever and kept me on edge the entire time.

Sami Kierce, once a promising college graduate, found his life derailed after a harrowing incident during a backpacking trip in Spain. Now, over two decades later, he's working as a private investigator and teaching night classes in New York City. When a woman bearing a striking resemblance to his past love appears in his classroom, Sami is thrust back into a mystery that has haunted him for years. His determination to uncover the truth, coupled with the emotional complexities of his journey, makes him a compelling and relatable protagonist.

I also appreciated how his wife’s quiet strength and support added another emotional layer to the story. Their relationship felt real and gave me even more reason to root for Sami.

Bonus points for the narration! The audiobook was fantastic ... 5/5 for capturing the tension and emotions perfectly.

Quick note: This is the second book in the series after Fool Me Once, so I’d definitely recommend reading that one first to get the full impact of the story.

If you’re looking for a thriller full of surprises that keeps you guessing until the end, this one is a must-read! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben
Detective Sami Kierce series #2. Mystery, thriller, police procedural. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Former detective Sami Kierce is an unlicensed private investigator now. One evening as he’s teaching his night school class, there is a visitor at the back watching him. Though he hasn’t seen her in more than twenty years, he recognizes his girlfriend Anna. A woman that was dead the morning he woke up with a knife in his hand. She runs as soon as she realizes he recognizes her and Sami chases after her. He still has nightmares from those days and he needs to know what really happened.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The performance by Vikas Adam is superb. The tension comes through clearly during the story as does his love for his wife. The mystery is easy to follow on the audio but there are a lot of characters to keep straight. Often an ebook is easier to go back and search for a name which is why I like to read both formats at the same time. There are some timeline changes via memories but those are easy to discern. I did listen to this between. 1.5 and 1.7 to more closely match my reading and conversation speed.

Twists and brutal subject topics.
Riveting and engrossing. Always a good storyteller.

I was gifted a copy of this from NetGalley and Hachette Audio

Harlan Coben is known for his thrillers and this one is no different. What happens when decades later, a girl you once loved shows up out of no where? Especially when you last saw her she was very much dead. Yup, sounds like the work of Harlan Coben. I definitely enjoyed it, even though it felt a little anticlimactic by the end.

I LOVED this one! Coben has always been reliable, but this one rises to the top of his books! I loved the way the plot unfolded, and I was totally invested in what was happening from start to finish. The character development was top notch, and I loved how Coben made us empathize with some of the less savory decisions some of the characters make. I would not change one things about this book!

Constant Intrigue and a perfect thriller!
There are so many twists and turns it keeps you captivated for the entire read!
The book starts with Sami waking with blood on him from his girlfriend Anna in a foreign country and he runs!
And Sami can’t ignore it when Anna walks into his classroom 25 years later.
Absolutely amazing storyline with a fantastic fulfilling ending!!!
Nobody’s Fool is definitely a 5 star read!!!

I listen to the audiobook of this title and the narrator was fabulous. He really kept my interest throughout.

I enjoyed this mystery and it kept me guessing until the very last page. I enjoyed the way that the main character Sami’s amateur “detective” class helped him solve the mystery and the backstory on several of the characters and how it all came together at the end. Lots of juicy family secrets !

Nobody's Fool is my first Harlan Coben novel, and wow - color me impressed! This is the second book in the series led by main character Sami Kierce, and I'm going back to read the origin story that left him off the police force as soon as possible, which is where he finds himself at the beginning of this novel.

Speaking of origin stories, in a way, this novel is really the exploration of Sami's. After college, he had a fling with a beautiful woman in Spain, and was ready to give up everything for her, until he woke up beside her bloody body, knife in his hand. He fled, and it was the series of events set off by this experience that led him to becoming a cop in the first place. Now, he sees a woman he knows is her, alive and well and here, and it changes everything.

Not only is this case from Sami's past coming back to haunt him, but the murderer of his former fiance is being released early from prison, and he's determined to get justice from that case, too. He has a new baby, and a wife he loves, and though he's no longer officially a cop, he teaches a criminal justice class that fulfills him. In short, a lot to lose.

What a skillfully written novel! This one had me questioning everything, fully engaged and wondering where the heck it was going to lead next. There are so many moving pieces and so many corners for spooky things to jump out from behind, it was entertaining as hell. If this is the level of mystery and suspense I can expect from Harlan Coben, I'm adding his entire backlist to my TBR! What more can you ask for from a thriller? That feeling is what you search for in this genre, and Nobody's Fool absolutely delivers!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is the first audiobook from Harlan Corben that I have listened to. The narration was good although I was not a fan of the long pauses between chapters. I had to check multiple times that it was still playing.

The story itself is decent. Not the typical intense thriller I am used to from the author. This story follows disgraced NYPD Detective Sami Kierce as he tries to figure out how someone her thought had died 20 years prior managed to walk into his classroom. With the help of his friends, students, former colleagues and wife, he is able to get to the bottom of the mystery that has haunted him all this time.

First I want to say how much I loved the narrator for this audiobook. He brought it alive in a way that I’ve never experienced before with an audiobook. The author created an extremely suspenseful story that kept me asking myself, where can he possibly be going with this. I loved the character of Sami Kierce; rough, rugged, loyal. His wife was an interesting secondary character, and his crew of students added a hilarious, yet interesting touch to the story. The plot was intriguing and clever and the ending was a mouth hanging open moment.

This review is entirely voluntary and reflects my personal opinions.