Hold Tight
by Harlan Coben
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Book Reviews of Hold Tight
Book Review: Difficult Exam Questions
Summary: 5 Stars
I noted that the author has 4 children and I am sure he is spending a great deal of time thinking about the issues involved in raising them in suburbia. Although the book is a mystery it really reminded me of a difficult hypothetical question where the development of the fact makes the issues more difficult.
The first story involves Mike and Tia, both successful professionals who are trying to deal with their son Adam who has become more distant. They decide to use spy work on his computer and then the story unwinds. It is not easy to determine if they helped Adam or not.
The second story shows the impact of a bad mistake by a teacher on a young child. Again it was as if a stone was cast on the waters and the effect was unexpected and in many ways worse than the original event.
Third involved the moral issues involved is transplants. This in my view was the weakest subplot. The issue was interesting but it detracted from the flow of the narrative.
These plots and subplots unwind and rather than having a point of view Mr. Coban presents the all sides in a story that grabs your interest. In fact, in my case, it was only after I finished the book did I have time to think about the questions. While reading I only wanted to find out what happened next.
My only criticisms were some of the characters such as Mo and Anthony were interesting but they really were not relevant or developed. Maybe we will meet them in a later book. I hope so. Second as in many other Coban books that I have read the ending was forced. As with contemplating the questions above I only realized this after I was done. The rest of the time I was completely enthralled.
Book Review: Fasten The Seatbelt On Your Favorite Reading Chair And Get Ready For A Roller Coaster Of A Read!
Summary: 5 Stars
Hold Tight is definitely one of Harlan Coben's top three books -- and it may be his best yet! It is a book that grabs your attention from page one and never lets go until the last word on the last page. Hold Tight is largely plot-driven, although Coben's characters are mostly interesting and ones that people, and particularly parents, will be able to relate to. They are not characters, however, whose visual profiles came strongly to life for me. Further, if you have read Coben's Myron Bolitar series, I think you'll consider the characters of Mike Baye and his friend Mo to be pretty reminiscent of his characters, Myron Bolitar and his friend, Win. As I said, the strength of this book is its plot, not its character development. But what a plot it is! Basically, the book revolves around two story lines: (1) Mike Baye and his wife trying to deal with the increasing withdrawal of their 16-year-old son after a friend's suicide, and (2) a pair of brutal, seemingly unrelated killings, which serve to highlight the domestic troubles that ensue and draw the Baye family, their friends and neighbors in a sea of tragedy. In addition to Hold Tight's exciting plot, Coben wraps the story around the following highly relevant ethical questions that most parents have to wrestle with: How do you weigh a child's privacy against a parent's right to know? How do you differentiate normal teenage rebelliousness from out-of-control behavior? When and how do you intervene if suicidal signs appear? Be prepared to put off whatever you were planning to do once you start Hold Tight, as you won't want to put this book down. I highly recommend Hold Tight to all readers of exciting, suspenseful plot-driven thrillers.
Book Review: Nice Change of Pace for Coben
Summary: 4 Stars
I've read most of Harlan Coben's work, and I consider myself a big fan of his talent. In recent years, however, his work has lapsed into repeating the same formula, one that almost always involves a thirtyish guy in the New Jersey suburbs discovering a shocking secret involving his family past. Coben's more recent books (like THE WOODS) are still fun, but they lack the creative spark of his earlier works like TELL NO ONE.
HOLD TIGHT is a bit of a departure from Coben's forumla, because it involves a large cast of characters instead of a single protagonist. Another reviewer described the plot as something of a jigsaw, and that's an appropriate description. In this book, you have a plethora of separate plot threads that eventually unite in the end. To his credit, Coben makes almost all these separate subplots original and interesting.
I primarily enjoyed HOLD TIGHT for this reason, because Coben had the guts to try something original and different. I suspect, however, that some of his readers won't like it. There are probably a few characters too many in this story, which makes it difficult to keep track of what's going on. I also found Coben's last-minute attempt to connect all the separate subplots to be somewhat contrived and unbelievable.
Still, Coben is an intelligent, thoughtful writer, and his storylines have an irresistable momentum that I rarely find in the work of other authors. HOLD TIGHT is no exception, and I recommend it highly to people who enjoy well written suspense. This book isn't perfect, but it's leagues ahead of your typical James Patterson or Mary Higgins Clark.
Book Review: Yet another Bestseller!
Summary: 4 Stars
Harlan Coben is one author who is on my 'Must Read" list. His latest - Hold Tight- does not disappoint!
Tia and Mike Baye decide to 'spy' on their 16 year old son after much deliberation. Adam's best friend Spencer committed suicide and Adam himself has been distant and non communicative. They are worried about him, but also worry that they have crossed a line by 'spying' on him. They install a program on his computer that catches all keystrokes including instant messages. They are stunned when they intercept one that reads
" Just stay quiet and all safe".
Mike is a doctor and he and his partner are searching for a match for a kidney transplant for the young son of Mike's next door neighbour. All is not as it seems on the surface at this house either.
The mother of Spencer cannot accept his suicide and is constantly searching for answers as to why he killed himself. What she finds opens up the whole tragedy again.
Adam disappears - has he run away or has been abducted by the sender of the 'all safe' message? Mike tries to track him and is attacked by unknown assailants.
The local police are also dealing with the unsolved murders of two local women.
All these seemingly disparate stories come together in a way you can't imagine. Although the ending gets wrapped up a little too neatly, its still a good read.
Coben is one of the best selling thriller writers today. If you enjoy James Siegel, James Grippando, Jonathan Kellerman, or John Sandford (new one in the Prey series coming soon!) you will enjoy Coben.
Book Review: OVERKILL!
Summary: 1 Stars
Maui H.S.Overkill! There was overkill in the book and in the drama. This is the third Harlan Coben book on my read shelf. I didn't care for the first two, but I doubt I will ever read another Coben novel.
The drama was too intense, too bloody, too gory, to extreme, too many characters, too many subplots.
Yes, it is brought together in the end like the rest of his books, but this was definitely overkill! A teen suicide, drug gothics, A rape victim killing a rapist, a drug club in New York, a teen disappearance, a suburban doctor nearly beaten to death, prescription pads appearing as DEA evidence, a troubled suburb mother flailing between career and motherhood, a divorced wife tortured and murdered, a loving mother tortured and murdered, a latvian survivor turned killer partner, a psycho killer, a girl with facial hair harassed by peers, a girl that takes a gun and kills a psycho murderer, A druggie mama leader, gothic killers and drug dealers, a suburban kid with a kidney disease, psycho catching a loving mommy and a daddy, a teacher with issues,a dectective on the trail of the murderer, ending with a wedding! Yeah, OVERKILL! I couldn't take anymore and fast forwarded to the end. You can keep your books Mr. Coben. No more for me.
The three books have too much in common. Suburb insanity, ex jock, troubled teens, psychotic murderer. I get bored with writers that have the same theme over and over again. The authors bore me! I'll go on to find another.