Harlan Coben

Watch Your Back!

Annalissa Powner 

Talk about an ending that leaves you shocked in a good way! I love Harlan Cobens books because the ends aren't happy, but that's because closure rarely is and he plays to that aspect so so well. Tell No One was one of those books where you think you know what's happening, who did what and why, but you're wrong and somehow that's so much better. I'm a reader who loaves point of view changes, I hate them to no end, except when Harlan Coben does them, he makes you feel like without them here is no way you could truly enjoy or understand the story and with them you feel like you have the people right in front of you retelling the whole intense story. Th

David Beck has just received an email from his dead wife... The thriller which made SUNDAY TIMES No.1 bestselling author Harlan Coben a household name. Eight years ago David Beck was knocked unconscious and left for dead, and his wife Elizabeth was kidnapped and murdered. Dr Beck re-lived the horror of what happened that day every day of his life. Then one afternoon, he receives an anonymous email telling him to log on to a certain website. The screen opens on to a web cam - and it is Elizabeth's image he sees. As Beck tries to find out if Elizabeth is truly alive, and what really happened the night she disappeared, the FBI are trying to pin Elizabeth's murder on him. And everyone he turns to seems to end up dead...

Tell No One

Sue Schilling

Victoria

Okay, I must confess. I almost put this book down for good at about 88.76% into it. I thought I knew what was going on because 80% into it, I took a guess and when the reveal came, I was like "okay, there it is and I was right wtf". 

Of course, I only thought that that was the reveal; that that was it. So I felt betrayed and disappointed. 

When it comes to suspense/thrillers, I hate it when I'm able to guess what's going on or what went on or if the reveal is too boring and I'm left like "fuck that's it???" And I thought the same of this. I thought I knew what happened. I thought I was right. I thought I got it all fucking right and that the last few pages will be a damn bore because I already knew what's happening. 

But damn, I was wrong. 

The last 30 or so pages are the most important ones! Just when you thought that you have it all figured out, Coben bursts your bubble and you're like "damn that's fucked" then you read some more and you're like "fuck wait what???? No shit?????"

So I must say. I'm pretty impressed. 

I only gave this 4 stars, though, because the whole thing was a drag. You would think that I'd love the multiple plot twists and cliffhangers but ugh, too much, man. There's such as thing as too fucking much. 

But the story itself, like I said, I'm pretty impressed.

Eight years ago David Beck was knocked unconscious and left for dead, and his wife Elizabeth was kidnapped and murdered. Dr Beck re-lived the horror of what happened that day every day of his life. Then one afternoon, he receives an anonymous email telling him to log on to a certain website. The screen opens on to a web cam - and it is Elizabeth's image he sees. As Beck tries to find out if Elizabeth is truly alive, and what really happened the night she disappeared, the FBI are trying to pin Elizabeth's murder on him. And everyone he turns to seems to end up dead...

Natasha Musa

Consistently fast paced. Great twist at the end. A definite read for those who love a great thriller and mystery.

Tara Ward

Coben's name has been tossed around as a top thriller/mystery writer for a while, so on a recent vacation to the mountains I grabbed a few of his books to finally check out the hype. I wasn't looking for a masterpiece, but the plot, characters, and dialogue just all seemed so ridiculous and contrived. I finished it, but it didn't leave me eager to read the other book I have of his on my shelf. I don't mind an easy "beach read" that may never top the charts as classic literature, but this book really fell flat for me.

Kristina B

Fun & twisty! Really enjoyed the characters and light writing style

Sian Wadey

Tell No One by Harlan Coben

The last couple of Coben books I've read weren't very impressive, this one however was the reason why I started reading Coben in the first place. It was exciting, dramatic, full of twists and turns and unexpected reveals. My only complaint is that it was a little too complicated at the end. I like Coben because his books are easy to read and page turners. I had to reread some parts to make sure I understood what was going on. If that hadn't been the case, this book would have easily been five stars, Coben's best book.

Every year, the Doctor David Beck and his young wife, Elizabeth, meet at the same deserted lake to rediscover their love for each other, and inscribe one more year into 'their' tree. But that year was the last. Elizabeth was kidnapped and Beck knocked unconscious. By the time he woke up, his wife had been discovered dead, and horribly mutilated. For eight years he grieves. Then one afternoon, he receives an anonymous e-mail telling him to log on to a certain web-site at a certain time, using a code that only the two of them knew. The screen opens onto a web cam and it is her face he sees. This starts an inexorable chain of events as Beck tries to find out if Elizabeth is truly alive and what really happened that summer night. Soon he's a wanted man, as the FBI try to pin Elizabeth's murder on him, and everyone he turns to seems to end up dead...

Fraser Simons

3.5 rounded up

The plot was pretty clever. I’m not sure I’ve read a mystery thriller that put that much thought into plot beats after the details of the mystery are revealed. In a way, the mystery reveal is the buttressing for a satisfying finale. 

Bit of a gamble though, because there’s so many components that it feels really contrived until the information is sorted multiple times; the first time being actually a bit of an annoying info dump. For me, because the reveal is too predictable and contrived, driving beyond that, almost every mile beyond it, actually became more interesting to me. 

I notice that I tend to rarely care about characters in this genre. And this was true here. The way my brain works, with these stories I’m constantly speculating about what’s happened. Character comes into play in so far as who seems like they’d do it or not. I’ve just consumed so much of this genre in book and media form, I automatically look at it like a writers room approach. This gelled well with the story because it’s mostly plot acting on the character, loss of agency goes hand in hand with these titles. I didn’t get attached to anybody. 

For instance, as soon as we’re through the events of the blurb, you pretty much know whatever the character is feeling and thinking is a misdirect. How can you feel like a character is three dimensional and real when you know, especially in first person perspective, their every thought and limited perspective is designed to pivot the reader in the wrong direction. I just have a weird mind, I guess. 

I wonder if this is overrated for people big on character, or the development worked for them? I could see it going either way. One day I’ll be able to suspend my disbelief in this genre. Maybe when I pick up something that isn’t billed as such.

Camila Eduarda Vilela Lobianco

This book was a little bit too much, and I didn't like the last plot twist, but the book is actually nice and I pretend to read some other ones of this author

Georgia Carr

I found myself just not caring about halfway in. Finished it regardless but the characters feel a bit flat for me, and the story was dragged out waaaay too much.

From New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben comes an unforgettable duet of classic novels—two top-notch thrillers filled with the author’s signature storytelling genius. TELL NO ONE For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night his wife was taken. The last night he saw her alive. Everyone tells him it’s time to move on, to forget the past once and for all. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. A message has appeared on his computer, a phrase only he and his dead wife know. Suddenly Beck is taunted with the impossible—that somewhere, somehow, his wife is alive…and he’s been warned to tell no one. “A COMPELLING AND ORIGINAL SUSPENSE THRILLER.” —Los Angeles Times GONE FOR GOOD As a boy, Will Klein had a hero: his older brother, Ken. Then, on a warm suburban night in the Kleins’ affluent New Jersey neighborhood, a young woman—a girl Will had once loved—was found brutally murdered in her family’s basement. The prime suspect: Ken Klein. With the evidence against him overwhelming, Ken simply vanished. And when his shattered family never heard from Ken again, they were sure he was gone for good. Now eleven years have passed. Will has found proof that Ken is alive. And this is just the first in a series of stunning revelations as Will is forced to confront startling truths about his brother, and even himself. “RIVETING…HAS MORE TWISTS AND TURNS THAN AN AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE.” —USA Today

Two Novels in One Volume

Tell No One/Gone for Good

Intan Puspitasari

Wonko the Sane

Tell no one

Elise Clark

Alecx Motus

Eight years after his beloved wife, Elizabeth, was supposedly murdered by a serial killer, Beck receives information that suggests she may still be alive, but his search for the truth could mean setting himself up as the prime suspect in a number of crimes.

Watch Your Back!

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