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.

This is a gripping tale about a man haunted by a past incident. Back in his early twenties, during a romantic escapade in Spain, he woke up to find a dead girl beside him. Choosing to keep the incident a secret, his past comes rushing back when he unexpectedly spots the girl, very much alive, while teaching a night class. Recognizing her immediately reignites a complex web of emotions and mysteries.

Harlan Coben masterfully weaves together various storylines, creating a deeply engaging narrative. The characters are well-developed, and the plot twists are both surprising and satisfying. "Nobody's Fool" has proven to be one of the best books I've read in 2025, thanks to its creativity and the compelling way Coben stitches together the different elements of the story.

I love Harlan Coben! He is one of my must buy/favorite authors and his books never disappoint…EVER! Nobody’s Fool is his latest, and once again Coben hit it out of the park with his latest mystery.

What appealed to you the most in this story?

I loved Coben’s latest mystery! I'm gonna keep things kinda vague for my review, because it's best to go in blind for the most part. However, I will say that from the very beginning of this book, I was reeled in with multiple mysteries that I knew would somehow come together in the end, and boy were the twists pure genius! By the end of each of his books I’m always left wondering: how in the world does Coben come up with these plots and twists?

The characters have actual personalities - believable ones. No one is perfect, and that is what makes them believable and pulls you into their world. Some of the characters do good things for good reasons with bad results…sort of. Does that give you an idea of what this book is like? It’s about well meaning, fallible people. There are bad people too. One thing is for certain…Coben always understands human nature and uses it to create a compelling, interesting, at times humorous and educational story.

What to expect:

Mystery
Complex Characters
Suspense
Action
Twists

How was the audiobook?

Vikas Adam did a superb job narrating this story. He’s honestly the reason I got in at least a 7 mile walk when I first started listening to the book! His voice and inflection pull you right into the emotions of the story, and I never wanted to stop listening.

How was the pace?

Fast! Anytime I pick up one of Coban's books, I know I need to clear my schedule so I can binge the whole thing, and sure enough, I finished this book in less than 24 hours!

Do you recommend this book?

Do you love criminal thrillers with a twist??? If so, you really need to read or listen to the audio version of Harlan Coben’s latest book…or just any of his books if you have not read this amazing author yet!

Thank you, Hatchett Audio, and Grand Central for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

This one was just…..okay.

I actually contemplating dnfing a few times - mostly from boredom. I normally fly through Coben’s work but for this one I didn’t really find myself invested in the story, causing it to drag for me.

Overall I was underwhelmed, and when I got to the end I was satisfied with how it was tied up but also like wow, this is how I spent my time? Just felt disappointed by this one.

The narrator honestly was a huge detracting factor for me also - I hated how he did the female voices. I actually turned the audio off numerous times and read my pdf ARC copy instead because of the voices.

Three stars because it was tidily written and wrapped up, and I’m sure there are fans who will eat it up. Just wasn’t for me.

I like Harlan Coben's books--fast paced, emotional, tense. So when I saw this available on NetGalley, I grabbed it and immediately started to listen.

This is the second in the Sami Kierce series--I have not read the first. Sami is a great character--deeply flawed, but trying to be his best. I love that he literally debates with himself about being impulsive--it's funny and entirely relatable. Nobody's Fool makes Sami confront a long ago trauma--and his response to it--from when he first graduated college, The story has many twists, turns, and laugh out loud moments. It also serves up plenty of tension, sadness, and the pain of love and loss.

Too long--the pace overall is fast, but the end could have been tightened up for more impact and enjoyment.

I will pick up #1, this is a character series that is very promising...

This one was confusing to me for most the book! I didn’t see the twist coming so that was a good surprise. Overall just ok for me. 3.5 ⭐️

This was the second book in this detective Sami Kierce series. I did not read the first book, but I sure as heck am going to go back and do so. Harlan Coben always writes a great book, this was my first audiobook of his and I really enjoyed it. The narrator did a wonderful job and it was enjoyable to listen to.

Sami Kierce is still trying to find his footing after having lost his job as a policeman, he is teaching a criminology class to armchair detectives and doing a little private detective work on the side. Sami sees a ghost from his past in one of his classes. When Sami was young, he went to Spain with a group of friends and fell in love with the beautiful Anna, but when he woke up, holding a knife covered her blood, he fled for home now that woman has just walked through his classroom door.

Sami is desperate to find this woman and find out it really is her. As Sami tries to get to the bottom things there are so many twists and turns. The investigation will rock everything that Sami knows and the ending will leave you in shock.

This was so good to listen to, it was a great road trip. Listen. Both Hubby and I really enjoyed it. There were a lot of quirky moments and funny bits, the main character. Sami is quite an interesting person. I hope there are many more books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, the audio house, the narrator and the author for an opportunity to listen to an ARC copy of this audiobook in return for a review, based upon my honest opinion.

It may be hard to believe, since I read so much, but Nobody’s Fool is only my second book by Harlan Coben. Given that he’s written SO many books, it truly surprised me. Anyway… Nobody’s Fool was a very engaging mystery and I’m glad I read/listened to it!

Sami Kierce is the main character, a former NYPD detective who was forced out of the department due to problematic behavior in a couple of cases. So he’s scrambling to make a living for himself, his wife and baby son, by taking on various low-level private investigations, such as surveilling cheating husbands. He also teaches a sort of adult education detective class on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. That class is filled with a wide variety of “interesting” people. I loved that Sami referred to them mostly by nicknames, such as Gary The Golfer, Leisure Suit Lenny, and a few women he calls the Pink Panthers. (It actually helped me remember who was who, as opposed to just a list of names.) I really enjoyed Sami; he has a good sense of humor and it was a nice change of pace to read a main character who grew up in New Jersey of Pakistani heritage.

The book opens with some scenes from 20-odd years earlier, when he was backpacking in Europe with some of his college buddies (whom he refers to as the “lax bros”, i.e. lacrosse players), before starting med school. In Spain he meets and has a brief affair with a young woman named Anna. The publisher’s blurb gives this away, so it isn’t a spoiler: he wakes up next to Anna, who is dead and he’s holding a bloody knife! He runs, basically. And he never goes to med school; instead he becomes a police officer.

Fast forward those 20-odd years and a woman shows up at his class and he just knows it’s Anna, older of course. When she turns and runs instead of talking to him, he follows her. Most of the book involves figuring out how Anna could still be alive. I enjoyed how some of his more promising students helped him in this effort. Another thread is the release from prison of a man he helped convict, a man he believes killed his then-fiancee. Because of his checkered past, his lawyer has gotten that guy out of prison.

I mostly listened to the audiobook version, beautifully narrated by Vikas Adam. I sped through this book, not wanting to stop listening.

If you enjoy a fast-paced thriller with some good twists and great local atmosphere, check out Nobody’s Fool.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Well I like @harlancoben and the book did not disappoint! Filled with chasing the truth and twists. The narration by @vikasadam may have something to do with me adoring the main character. Thanks to @hachetteaudio for my advanced copy :)

Harlan Coben’s Nobody’s Fool is another triumph! With his characteristic twists and turns, Coben had me repeatedly second guessing myself. Just when I thought I understood what was happening, the story unfolded in unexpected ways.

The novel finds Sami perplexed as his past and present collide 25 years after an unforgettable summer vacation to Spain. A unique and quirky cast of characters helps Sami solve the mystery. My favorite character is Molly, Sami’s wife, an amazing and understanding woman who could only exist in fiction.

Vikas Adam narrates the audiobook, bringing depth to Sami’s character. While Sami’s voice is his best, Adam does a solid job with the others.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for providing an advanced review copy of the audio version of this title for an honest review.

4.5 stars! This was one of my first Harlan Coben books (so yes it can be totally a stand alone). But after reading this, I am going to read the first one because I enjoyed this one so much! There were many different characters that played an important role in the story so that was a bit challenging to follow at times. AND THE ENDING? SIGH. I hope this means there is book #3? Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio/ Grand Central Publishing for this advanced listeners copy!

Set a year after Fool Me Once, we see former detective Sami Kierce teaching a class to detective wannabes. A woman comes to the door and Sami swears it's a woman that was murdered 25 years ago. This sets up a chain of events that sees secrets come out, investigations cross over and people die.

My favourite part of this was his students; young and old, efficient and proficient, willing to help out no matter what. They made a good team. I also really liked his wife. A strong, confident, loving woman that balances his life perfectly. They all gave him the grounding he needed to do his job and get to the bottom of things.

The mystery had plenty of twistiness and lots of side characters to keep us guessing. The epilogue ending could lead to another book too.

I listened to this on audio (thank you Netgalley and Hachette) and the narrator, Vikas Adam, did a superb job. I particularly loved the wife, Molly's voice. It was husky yet still feminine. Definitely added to the overall feel of the book.

I received this audiobook through NetGalley, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to discover new authors and share my thoughts.

This was my first Harlan Coben book, and I was immediately drawn into the story. I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series, but I never felt lost or like I was missing key information. The storytelling was crafted in a way that allowed me to jump right in without needing to read the first book—though I may go back and check it out!

The twists in Nobody’s Fool were real and absolutely crazy all the way to the end. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story took another unexpected turn, keeping me engaged throughout. The narration was excellent, making the listening experience even more immersive.

Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. I look forward to reading more from Harlan Coben!

First of all, I don't think you need to read Fool Me Once before reading this one. Kierce is such a minor character in that one you won't be missing anything. Nobody's Fool is a better book anyway. The mystery is complex yet somehow believable and the side characters are unforgettable. Since this is a series, I hope we get more involving the students in his little criminology class. I would love to know more of their back stories.

This is my third Harlan Coben novel and the second one where someone says, "Himmler likes tuna steaks." I can't tell if this is a cultural reference I'm not picking up on or some sort of Easter egg Coben wrote in. There were a couple of other objects or descriptions that were reused which gave me an odd sort of deja-vu while reading. Again, not sure if that was intentional or if Coben unintentionally reuses descriptions. It probably isn't noticeable unless you read his books in rapid succession, like I plan to continue doing.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Cobin
Narrated by Vikas Adams
Provided by NetGalley

Although the second story in a series (the first being Fool Me Once), it works well as a standalone if you haven’t (or don’t want to) read the first.

It starts as multiple stories before have, when our protagonist wakes up one morning, to find his partner covered in blood and a knife in his own hand. But what follows is somewhat unexpected.

Another page turning twisty tale from Harlan Coben. While not as meticulously plotted as some of his other stories, there’s enough here to keep us well entertained. Just when I thought I had it nailed, another curve threw me in the air again. And that is what I love about Coben—the sheer unpredictability.

Vikas Adams performed the story to perfection. His character portrayal was bested only by the emotion he managed to inject into those characters to bring them to life. Coben and Adams make a great team.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow!!!! Coben returns with another heart-pounding thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This action-packed, twisty, and highly entertaining mystery showcases his signature humor! Nobody's Fool is the second book in the Detective Sami Kierce series, but will work very well as a stand-alone.
A man's past rears it's ugly head; a woman once thought dead suddenly appears in his class, when he gives chase, she disappears behind a heavily fortified mansion. Not to mention the man he put away for his late fiancée murder has been released on a technicality due to a botched case. Are they connected? Only time will tell.
(Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC

Great book and an easy read. Full of twists and turns. I loved the main character he was witty and sarcastic. As usual Harlan Coben gives us another good one.

Another home run by Harlan Coben, this time made even better as an audiobook with an amazing narrator. I found myself looking for opportunities to pop my AirPods in so I could listen to another chapter or two. I was a little confused at times when a statement would be made as if it had been previously addressed only to have it fully revealed a few chapters later (notably when Sami went to the police station in Spain). But the genuineness of the main protagonist, Sami Kierce, was refreshing. His role as a teacher to his class of true crime misfits was also endearing.

3.5⭐️ Twenty years ago, detective Sami Kierce was a college grad backpacking through Europe when he met and fell in love with a young woman named Anna. Days later, he woke up with a knife in his hand, Anna dead in bed beside him. Now a disgraced detective teaching at the local community college, Sami is shocked when one fateful night, Anna appears at the back of his classroom.

I honestly am not entirely sure why I didn’t love this book, but for some reason, it fell kind of flat. Could it be because I enjoyed “Fool Me Once” so much, and therefore went in with very high expectations? Quite possibly. Could it be that audio alone made for a confusing format when so many different characters and backstories were introduced? Also possible. Whatever the cause, it was a slog to see this one to the end.

Let me start by saying, as it turns out, even according to Harlan Coben himself, this is not actually a series. Yes, the same detective is in both; however, you do not need to have read the previous book in order to fully appreciate or understand this one. That’s a benefit, and something I wish I myself had known.

While the plot line itself sounds absolutely fantastic for this one, I think my major issue with this book is the pacing. It started off with such a bang. We are presented with several interesting mysteries/cases that may or may not intertwine with a ton of potential for a very engaging story.

But then, something happened…and the pacing seemed to slow wayyyy down. I began to feel pulled in a bunch of different directions (and not in that fun thriller-y way) and I started to lose the threads. By the time we reach the third act, however, the pacing picks up again, and with a fun conclusion (although I might still be a little confused about one aspect of it).

Another element that kept me from fully loving this book is the main character himself. I struggled to connect with him throughout the entire book. At times, his inner monologue felt immature and cringy. I never felt his emotions come through, even when he was experiencing some of the worst moments of his life. He felt very two-dimensional in nature.

🎧 While the narrator himself was good, I think this type of story is best either in print or as an immersive read. While I was able to follow “Fool Me Once” entirely on audio alone, the same cannot be said with “Nobody’s Fool”.

Read if you like:
▪️psychological thrillers
▪️detective series
▪️police procedurals
▪️missing person storylines

Thank you Hachette Audio for the advanced copy.

I have read many of Harlan Coben's book, dating back to his first few. Living in/near New Jersey, I always appreciated the local references to places with which I'm familiar.

That said, Coben's storylines are hit or miss for me. Nobody's Fool didn't grab me like Fool Me Once, but it ended up pretty good. The story line was interesting, it was well written, and the characters were multi-dimensional. It was twisty, but you have to suspend realism a bit in the end.

The narration was very well done and added to the story.