The Final Detail (Myron Bolitar)
by Harlan Coben
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Book Reviews of The Final Detail (Myron Bolitar)
Book Review: More, more marvellous Mryon
Summary: 4 Stars
There are worse things a guy can do when his life and business are falling apart around him. Alone in the Caribbean with a luscious brunette, sports promoter Myron Bolitar is however relieved to be dragged away from his island escapade and delivered back into the real world. His best buddy Win believes there's a lot of music Myron has to face - clients leaving in droves, upset family and friends, the usual array of thugs wanting to rearrange his pretty face and the news that his business partner and other best friend, Esperanza Diaz, has been charged with the murder. The deceased happens to be a client too, so hey, double bad news.
What Myron can't understand is why Esperanza is shutting him out. She's not allowing Myron or anyone connected with him to help find whoever it is that killed Clu Haid, recovering sports star and all round schmuck. Those who know Esperanza well - yes they know she's capable but know that she wouldn't have done it. One of MB Sportsrep's biggest clients had trusted Myron to take care of their newest recruit and said recruit winding up dead is not the best start to a business relationship. Adding to the murk and chaos that is Myron's life is one missing girl. Someone is anonymously pushing Myron to investigate, and it can't be a co-incidence that all roads are leading squarely back to number one, Mr Bolitar himself.
It just isn't possible to read a book of this series and not stock up on your witty one liners, coming away with the feeling that if you ever needed someone smart to hit the bars with, Harlan Coben and his snappy dialogue would be first choice. Every page is full of the delicious smart aleck lines that Myron and Win effortlessly deliver, and all secondary characters are pretty quick on the delivery too. "The Final Detail" is not the awesomely moving novel it has been described as, but it is a very good read in an excellent series. There is so much going on in Myron's life that you could isolate any sub plot and build a story around it; Coben manages to serve it all up at once. Myron Bolitar is a classic character no crime collection should be without, and if some of his arrested development begins to annoy, there are plenty of other unique characters in Bolitar world that will capture and hold your fascination.
Book Review: Myron gets jerked back to reality: Esperanza needs help
Summary: 4 Stars
Myron Bolitar, sports agent, sleuth, lawyer, and ex-jock, in this continuation of the series, knew that something was seriously amiss when his long-time friend, associate, and protector extraordinaire Win found him on a desolate Caribbean island, where Myron had disappeared to recuperate from an especially distressful period in his life (see Coben's Fadeaway). Further rejuvenation would have to wait as Win and Myron raced back to New York; the arraignment of Myron's friend and new partner in MB SportsReps, Esperanza, an exotic Latino ex-pro wrestler and now a lawyer, on charges of murder was imminent. The victim was Clu Haid, a newly acquired New York Yankee's pitcher, who was turning around a career in the doldrums, and a client of MB SportsReps.But Esperanza would not talk to Myron and lots of evidence pointed her way. And Myron had gotten a bizarre computer disk in the mail that showed an image of a teen-age girl's face that slowly disintegrated before his eyes and then the disk was wiped clean. As is often the case in the Bolitar series, Myron finds himself entangled in the seedy world of the alternative bar scene and organized crime. In addition, Myron gets a strong feeling that he may be more a part of this entire situation than he can realize.
Some have complained that the Bolitar series has gotten stale. But despite perhaps a bit of a slow start, this book is typical Coben in its fast pace and unexpected turns of events. There is a certain amount of repetitious background information given in each book as they are meant to be standalone, but it is not excessive. Reading the books in order does add to the enjoyment of the Bolitar series, though. Coben adds dimensions to his characters with each book. In this book, Big Cyndi, a mammoth, spiked lady, shows a previously unrevealed side. And Myron's unsettled personal situation floats along the surface of this book.
Personally, I found this book to be an entertaining and quick read; it wasn't a disappointment. In fact, I plan to start on number seven in the series very soon.
Book Review: Maybe Too Much Detail
Summary: 3 Stars
By now you know the storyline so I won't rehash it. This is only my second Coben and the first of the Bolitar series. I enjoyed this mystery novel much better than the first Coben novel. To me, Coben appears to write "factory" mysteries; punching them out on the assembly line. They're always agreeable, seem to follow a pattern of sorts, and could use a better editor.
The Final Detail has some delightfully funny writing, some overly long descriptions, and a flawed and likeable protagonist. For easy to read mysteries for a long lazy afternoon, you can't go wrong with Coben. This particular novel had a twist to the end that I did not see coming and that's always a delight. Overall, this is light reading, so don't overthink the plot or you'll find holes and incredulous twists and turns.
I liked the fact that all of the characters were blemished, with maybe the exception of Win (perfect nickname). I also liked the fact that Myron seems so down to earth and unafraid to show his love for his parents--such a nice Jewish boy! But this nice boy is also capable of making major mistakes that will cost him and those he loves dearly.
Coben manages to use his vehicle to reminisce about baseball and the good 'ol days of innocence. And, he takes a shot at hero figures in sports as well. So, you've got a murder, humor, mystery, life lessons, lust, sexual deviants, sporting events and heros, an innocent defendant, and the mafia. What more does one need?
If you're a Coben fan, you won't want to miss this one. It's well written, intricately plotted, with fleshed out characters that you'll care about, and the occasional splash of humor. An easy enjoyable read. However, I'm unsure what the 'final detail' is?
Book Review: Another Solid Entry in the Bolitar Series
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm a big fan of Harlan Coben, who I consider one of the best suspense writers working today. Like many people, I read Coben's standalone novels, like TELL NO ONE, first. I am now working my way through Coben's older novels, a series of murder mysteries involving a sports agent named Myron Bolitar. THE FINAL DETAIL is the sixth novel in that series, and it's very enjoyable.
I've read almost all of the Bolitar novels now, and I'm very impressed with this series as a whole. The Bolitar novels are more comedic than Coben's standalones, but the suspense novel is still very high. I really like Bolitar as a character, and the supporting cast is wonderfully colorful and eccentric. With one exception (BACK SPIN) this series seems to be getting better with each subsequent book, as Coben improves his writing and plotting skills.
THE FINAL DETAIL involves the murder of one of Bolitar's clients, a murder which threatens both his agency and his long-standing relationship with Esperanza, his business partner. The personal stakes for Bolitar are therefore higher in this novel, which leads to a very exciting read. My only quibble with this novel is the resolution, which kind of comes out of left field, and is not particularly believable. Overall, though, this book is both suspenseful and hilarious, a really fun read at every level.
While this Bolitar novel isn't quite as great as the one before it (ONE FALSE MOVE), it's a worthy addition to the series. I would, however, caution readers not to make this novel their first Bolitar read -- there are simply too many references to prior books and characters. Read the Bolitar books in order to maximize your enjoyment.
Book Review: A Modern Hammett
Summary: 4 Stars
The Final Detail is not just the first Myron Bolitar mystery I've read, but also the first Coben book. I haven't been this absorbed in a mystery since reading The Maltese Falcon as a kid. Coben has created unforgettable, quirky characters who engage us even more than the story does.Some other reviewers have suggested that The Final Detail was a bit stale. But, since it was my introduction to the series, it seemed fresh and new to me. The novel did stand pretty well on its own, but there were a few out-of-the-blue references to characters like Brenda Slaughter, who appeared in earlier stories, that were not put into context. On the other hand, these tantalizing unexplained references increased my desire to read the rest of the series. This time, I'll do it in sequence of publication.
There are some electrifying characters in this series, particularly Win, the semi-psychotic playboy/money manager/intellectual. And Big Cyndi is both a hilarious and edgy creation.
I would have given the book 5 stars had it not been for a couple of points. I thought the character of Thrill (Nancy) was completely unecessary, unless she's simply being introduced as a central character for a future installment. I felt that there too many women throwing themselves at Bolitar and that Bolitar's affection toward his parents got mawkish at times. I also felt that Esperanza is a convenient conglomeration of political correctness (Lesbian, Latina, professional woman, brainy beauty, assertive, etc. etc.) rather than a real flesh-and-blood character, at least in this installment.
Overall, I feel this was a terrific mystery and that Coben is right up there with the greats of the genre.