Review #53: Caught by Harlan Coben

Title: Caught

Author: Harlan Coben

Publisher: Dutton (Penguin)

Format: Hardcover, bookstore loan

Genre: Thriller

ISBN: 978-0-525-95158-2

Price/Pages: $27.95/388

My Review and Description:

For those of you who have not read Harlan Coben, I strongly suggest you change that. Though I have only read two of his earlier thrillers, he has yet to disappoint. His newest one I read in two days. I'm sure for some of you speed reader blogger heroes, that is no sweat but to this mom of a toddler, two days is an olympic feat!

Coben has a knack for putting us ordinary folk in not so ordinary situations, actually they are down right terrifying. Terrifyingly real. It could all happen to us though we pray like hell it won't.

Caught is one of those stories.

It starts with Wendy, a single mom and television reporter for the program Caught in the Act, which exposes sexual predators. She is determined to expose the newest predator, Dan Mercer.

Dan Mercer is a loner type, dedicated to his job working with youth but also still close to his ex-wife and her children.

At the same time, we find Haley Mcwaid, a seventeen year old, seemingly perfect, good at school and sports, missing. What begins with one day leads to three months.

All signs point to Dan. What unravels is a twisted, complicated, literally on- the- edge- of- your seat- who- dunnit thriller. Coben has become a much more complicated, involved writer. He is not afraid to layer in a good story and pile on the drama. Though Caught was definitely a page turner with a surprise at every corner, you don't get weighed down by the detail or the loose ends to the case. It seems to act like real life. Once you start digging, boy, you can come up with quite a few skeletons.

I had my nose in this one right up until the end. I even had to apologize to my husband for not asking him about his day while he was making dinner tonight due to being stuck in the final pages! Way to go, Mr. Coben. You got me!

If you are new to Harlan Coben's books, I would start with his stand alones. He has a mystery series featuring the same character which I haven't heard too much about. I started with Tell No One and well, I did just the opposite and TOLD EVERYONE about it :) It was a thrill ride.

Check out his website below for more details.

Rating: 5 stars/ 6 stars

I give this one a 5 because it had me wrapped up right up until the end. I had no idea how it would turn out and I am a sucker for a twist in my mystery/thrillers. And kudos to Coben for following through with his detail in the truth of the story and not letting the characters fall my the wayside. He developed each and every one of them with skill. A well done, gripping thriller, deserving of 5 stars!

Author website: Harlan Coben

Happy Reading and as always, Thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child