Yesterday I had my first bookstore signing for Bad Policy at Ms. Wendy’s Wonderful World of Books in St. Mary’s, GA. Today I have the official book launch party in the afternoon. I’ll write about those in the future, but while I’m enjoying the company of friends and (hopefully) signing a few books, I’ll leave you with some thoughts on a recent book I read.
I’m way behind on my TBR (to be read) pile, so you may have already read Stay Close since the paperback is already out. The back cover blurb for this standalone suspense starts off this way:
Megan is a suburban soccer mom who once upon a time walked on the wild side. Ray used to be a talented documentary photographer, but now he finds himself in a dead-end job posing as a paparazzo. Broome is a detective who can’t let go of a cold case.
I need to fess up to being a Harlan Coben fan. This is the 16th book of his I have read. Fifteen I have rated as either very good or excellent. Only one earned an “okay” rating. The ratings on Amazon for Stay Close are all over the lot, but I gave it an excellent.
Coben’s suspense novels are not thrillers where world peace is at stake. His milieu is individual character. Steven Covey has said, “We are free to choose our actions; we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” In Stay Close Coben explores the consequences of actions taken and not taken, of truths told and withheld. For me, the book’s signal strength is indeed the character studies – something many Amazon readers did not like.
For those who enjoy plot twists and turns, Stay Close should fit the bill. I did figure out the miscreant somewhat before the revelation (my partner Jan did not), but I misguessed many other minor and major plot points along the way.
Anyone else read it? What did you think?
~ Jim
Jim, I haven't read this book or anything by Harlan Coben, but now I would like to after reading this. I do have a book by him - PLAY DEAD - on my TBR pile. Maybe I'll start it next as soon as I finish the books I need to finish for my two book clubs coming up this week. I prefer his premise rather than that of trying to save the world or the country.
ReplyDeleteI have not read it either but it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have to confess that I've never read a Coben novel. I should read one to see how he writes since he is a best-selling author. I hope your events were successful, and that the weather where you are is better than D.C. Everyone is cocooning here--from staying out of the damp cold and watching Daffodils bend in the wind. Today-freezing mix. Yippee.
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