Hold Tight
by Harlan Coben
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Book Reviews of Hold Tight
Book Review: There's Something Rotten in the Town of Livingstone New Jersey
Summary: 3 Stars
Even though this is a stand alone book, it has many of the standard characters from the previous Paul "Cope" Copeland/Loren Muse book "The Woods". It's not a sequel as much as it's a continuation of them and their careers. But do not fear, even though Myron Bolitar's name is never mentioned, his shadow is ever present.
Almost all of the action occurs in Essex County New Jersey and around Myron home town of Livingstone. The wife of the main character is a lawyer who works for Hester Crimstein's law firm (Myron's so-called Aunt). The best friend of the main character is dating a woman who used to be a wrestler under the name of Pocohontas. Actually, it was Little Pocohontas (and Big Cindy), and in "real" life she is Esperanza Diaz a partner/lawyer in Myron's sports agent agency.
Now to the story. A few month's ago, a teenager committed suicide on the roof of the local high school. In a span of two days, two woman are murdered after being abducted from the area. Amazingly enough, these two seemingly random events will eventually become part of a larger story relating to pharm parties, drug dealing, homicidal maniacs, retribution and revenge, and the odd rape thrown in.
I found the ending a little hard to swallow, just too many coincidences.
Zeb Kantrowitz
Book Review: CONTROL IS AN ILLUSION
Summary: 4 Stars
Harlan Coben rewards his fans with yet another quality mystery, HOLD TIGHT written in typical Coben style: he writes about ordinary families with secrets that cause extraordinary problems, and he does this quite well.
The central family in this particular novel is Dr. Mike Baye, his wife Tia, their fifteen-year-old son Adam, and their eleven-year-old daughter Jill. Average family. The problem starts when Dr. Baye and his wife, who up until recently had the illusion that they were in control of their children, have enough reasonable motive to start spying on their son's internet activities and whereabouts. Like many of Harlan Coben's books, there are four or five sub-plots going on at the same time that seem to have no common denominator. Just when I started to grow a little weary of all the short stories within the story, they all started to tie together, then the illusions start to shatter and crumble like a house of cards.
What I like most about this book was that it brought up some viable situations concerning young people, technology, and parenting. Also, it was fun to have some old characters make an appearance here. However, HOLD TIGHT was not as thrilling as some of his other novels were and nowhere near as funny as his Myron Bolitar series.
Book Review: Coben produces another "tight" thriller!
Summary: 3 Stars
Harlan Coben knows how to write a thriller and always delivers the goods. He does this best by possessing the ability to keep the reader guessing (usually) right to the very end of his novels.
"Hold Tight" is a novel about modern suburbia and the horrors that can hit even the closest knit families. Coben employs several modern technological devices in this novel - cell phone GPS, E-Mail Spy Ware, etc. The horror comes in to play when even these modern luxuries prove unable to protect your loved ones. The bottom line with this book is the age-old proverb - kids just want to rebel against something!
If the novel only dealt with the story-lines involving spy technology and its failure to always insure protection of children it would have been totally original and unique. Unfortunately, Coben has so many different story lines going simultaneously that the only mystery is how they all tie together. SPOILER ALERT - they don't, really, all tie together and some of the ties are a bit of a reach.
Although the ending for me was a bit of a letdown (I was holding out for a master conspiracy that was behind all of the plot lines) it is still a taut thriller written by a master and enjoyable - but not his best by a long shot!
Book Review: Hold Tight and Sit Tight at the End!!
Summary: 5 Stars
What a page turner from the Master of Action and Suspense!!
This is a riveting can't-put-it-down story that captures the reader from the first chapter and won't let go untl the last page is turned---And then you yearn for more. You want these people, good, well-meaning people all, to be OK, but we can never be sure about them as we can never be sure about ourselves and those we love and care about.
This is a story about love and what we will do to protect, defend and rescue those dearest to us, our success and well intentioned mistakes. All are addressed on seveal levels throughout the book. One has the nagging, disturbing sense,"this could be about us, about me and my family..." In that sense, it is not an easy book to read, but it is engrossing and can't be put down once started.
One of Coben's best, a multi-faceted story of love and the dangers of the world in which we live, dangers that can threaten us up close and pesonal in spite of our best efforts.
A word of warning: Sit down in a nice, quiet, secluded place for the last 70-75 pages. You won't want to be bothered or interrupted and you won't be able to put it down. Hold on tight. The ending is special.
As is this book.
Book Review: Coben delivers once again; a real nail-biter
Summary: 4 Stars
Harlan Coben is skilled at devising very unusual thrillers with twists and quirks that take the reader all over the emotional and psychological map, and this book is no exception.
This time around, the parental nightmare of a teen suicide is the launching pad for an excursion into the world of adolescent angst and the dilemma parents face in how to deal with it, particularly when it spirals terribly out of control. Throw into the mix a psychotic killer trying to appease his own demons, and you have Coben's portrayal of a middle-class neighborhood that could almost be set in a Bosch landscape.
What really goes on behind the placid facade of our neighbors' public personas? This is essentially the question Coben poses in this engaging novel.
Vividly-drawn characters, taut pacing, and clever plotting help drive this work, and deliver a very fun and satisfying experience for the reader.
The only reason I held back that fifth star was that the ultimate fates of a couple of the "bad guys" were somewhat vaguely resolved, and this detracted a bit from the satisfaction factor of the book's finale. But it's a minor point, and doesn't at all affect my recommendation for this work.