A great thrill mystery novelist that has earned my respect is Don’t Let Go by Harlan Coben. You will on the edge of your seat for most of the novel. See why you should add this novel to your to-read list!
Don’t Let Go: Summary
New Jersey Detective Napoleon or Nap Dumas’ past finds him in his home late one night. Two cops show up at his door and tell his that his ex’ girlfriend Maura who has been missing for the past 15 years resurfaced. Her fingerprints were found inside of a car that is associated with the death of a cop.
The disappearance of his girlfriend happened around the same time as Nap’s twin brother and his girlfriend were killed by a train. She was running away from something or someone and hasn’t been found since. Until now. The chase for Maura will lead Nap to the past and realize how much details he missed out on and how little he knew his twin brother Leo.
Commentary
As a fan of Coben, I have to say I enjoyed the novel. But at the same time, I ran into the Dan Brown effect. The Dan Brown effect (something I coined myself) is the effect of reading two or more novels from the same author and realizing they use the same plot twists and misdirection. In the first novel it works great because you don’t expect it. But when you see it again so soon, you are let down.
Besides that, there are a lot of plot holes. You’ll see them and wonder what happened to that part a lot. Coben makes the police completely useless which sucks considering the protagonist himself is a police officer. And don’t get me started on the small coincidences that can only happen in a thriller novel.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a good read, then this is definitely an option. You’ll feel like you grew up in the New Jersey suburbs. But don’t expect to solve what actually happened because it is the most unlikely and crazy option. You can figure out who the culprit is but only near the end. Not enough bread crumbs to make a guess.
I would give the novel three out of five stars but I will be sidelining Coben for a while. I have to forget his tricks and there are definitely better books out there to read.
Oh that is annoying if he uses the same things, and I hate plot holes. I just read the UK publishing sensation “The Thursday Murder Club” and there’s a bit in it NO ONE, even the whole Internet, can explain to me!
I’ve been hearing Harlan Coben’s name a lot lately, so have been curious. When I recognized that name on Netflix recently, I watched ‘Safe’ and was drawn into the story and enjoyed the show. A thriller, yes, but one where you get pretty wrapped up in the characters and like them. I appreciate the Dan Brown heads-up regarding the books, because I have been seriously considering picking up a title—and I still will, but knowing to expect this kind of formulaic repetition. (I still owe myself the experience of just one.)
I guess a lot of authors do it, figuring that most people won’t read all their books, perhaps? But it can be quite off-putting. I started reading a popular A–Z crime novel series last year but only made it through letter C before quitting due to completely predictable sequences. I might pick up again at letter D eventually, if the mood strikes.
Yea a lot of books do get formulaic and it depends on whether that’s a turn off for you or not. I enjoy unpredictably so I am not a fan but I’m sure a lot of people are and Coben’s popularity would attest to that statement
Good to know.
I wonder if I space reading his books far enough apart, if that will make the formula less apparent?
Thank you for this review.