I'm unsure whether I've read any Myron Bolitor before (I think I might have done but before I kept records; I've definitely read a Win book or two), but that didn't stop me from launching headfirst into this twisty turny crime thriller.

It begins when the FBI turn up at Myron's offices, looking for a client of his who's wanted for a recent murder. The only problem is, the guy's been dead for years. Supposed to be, at least... Myron can't resist digging deeper, and as a result opens about fifty cans of worms spanning multiple states and victims, and plenty of people he knows and cares about.

It's quite a complex plot, with a lot of jigsaw pieces that slide back and forth (almost into place, then out again, only to return later) and Coben uses a fair bit of a repetition to keep readers on track (eg about who knows who and why), which some could find irritating but was useful for me.

An entertaining read that I whizzed through in a matter of hours.

Harlan Coben is one of those authors whose books I pick up for my sister=in-law, an avid fan of crime fiction, but rarely read for myself. That said, I expect a good standard and will read him when the opportunity arises, but I can't say I have much in the way of preconceived ideas about him or his characters. From other reviewers, I've managed to figure out that Win and Mylon are regulars and the protagonists of quite an extensive series of novels. I didn't know. I did suspect. But, perhaps most importantly, I didn't feel that I'd have understood more or been more comfortable with the book if I already knew these characters.

I'm not American, and I have absolutely zero interest in basketball. What do I know about it? That players are tall and that's about my limit.

When the FBI contact the two men about an old friend/colleague whose DNA was found at a crime scene, they assume there must be a mistake because the man, Greg, died a few years before. One of them even gave the eulogy at his funeral. Soon it's apparent that Greg might be connected to more than one murder and, as the plot develops, could there even be a serial killer angle on the story?

It's a solid read. I didn't spot the killer - although I thought I had - and it didn't take any crazy twists or last-minute plot drops to deliver a satisfactory ending. A lot of people die, but this isn't one of those uber-gory stories with too much torture, blood and guts, so it's OK for those who can't stomach the really hard-core nasties. That said, I will retain a wry smile about the character called Joey the Toe and his trademark torture technique.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers. Those who love Coben will love this and I'm more likely to read him again.

This is the twelfth book in the Myron Bolitar series by author Harlan Coben. I have found Coben’s a little hit or miss more recently but it was good get back into this series which I have always enjoyed. Regular Harlan Coben readers will already be familiar with some of the characters so will find it easy to get immediately into this latest offering.

Former basketball star turned sports agent, Myron Bolitar is facing a mix of deception and danger when two federal agents arrive at his doorstep demanding answers about the whereabouts of his former client, Greg Downing. Greg’s DNA was found at the scene of a double-murder, and he is now the FBI’s main suspect. The mystery is that Greg Downing died three years ago. In this story Myron is aided by another of Coben’s familiar characters Win and together they look into the mystery surrounding Greg’s supposed reappearance and his alleged involvement in a high-profile murder case.

The plot is intriguing, the characters familiar and interesting and together form a very enjoyable read. As the characters delve into Greg’s past they discover secrets and answers to many of the previously unanswered questions.

I have always enjoyed the character Myron Bolitar who is flawed yet captivating with a wicked sense of humour. I have struggled previously with Win who for some reason has always irritated me. In this book I found him more palatable and made a good partnership with Myron adding another layer to the story.

This is a must read for Harlan Coben followers but also works as a standalone for all thriller and mystery readers.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Several aspects of this book were irritating to me:
- Very USA-centric. Most of the rest of the world rate basketball as a minority sport, never on TV. So the constant referrals to basketball terms were lost on me.
- The main two characters. Both some sort of super duper ex special forces of some kind. One infinitely rich, combat skills like a combination of Batman, Superman, etc., private planes, blah, blah. It reminds some of some long-forgotten TV series, but super convenient to have infinite resources when tackling crime. So as far as crime books goes, meh.....more of a fantasy.
- Pretentiousness. Over-stating wealth displays a lack of class that the author obviously wants to the characters to aspire to. E.g. (not literal), "Win glances at his Rolex watch, admiring his Van Gogh from his window overlooking central park, before lighting Churchill's favourite type of cigar, sitting on his French burgundy leather chair, sipping earl Gray tea from his English china tea cup"......and so on. No class. It's not necessary in the narrative to over-state Win's wealth again and again and again.
- Apps for the super-rich. No doubt they exist, but post-Epstein, including this is a bit odd.
- Also, sporadically and without context, the two main characters share a word of three syllables or more and seem to think it's very clever of them.
- Some of the narrative/language is almost 70's Starsky & Hutch, e.g. the Beluga Whale detective. Joey the Toe is also hysterical as a bad guy, like some throwback in time.
- Plus everyone is a supermodel, or amazing at this or that, went to Stamford or Yale.

That said, the concept of how a serial killer might get away with their killing in our current era of technology and surveillance is cleverly thought out. Perhaps unique, so credit where credit is due for the overall plot.

Whole pages of narrative are not my thing, but others like this style. It always reminds me of reading comic books when I was young.

A beach or a plane read, perhaps, but not a gritty thriller and no good character development. If this is the market the author intends, then fine. Perhaps bring gangsters up to date too by watching Gangs of London or the Gentleman or something.

How can a man who is believed to have died several years ago suddenly leave his DNA under the fingernails of a murder victim? An exciting start to the story but on this occasion Coben failed to secure my interest at times as there are so many characters I found it quite confusing and also a little unbelievable. Having said that, it's still a good storyline and he is a fabulous writer but maybe not for me this time.

I've read several Harlan Coben books and generally enjoyed them. This book was a tad far fetched for me. I haven't read any of the character's previous books but I don't think that matters. A bit confusing at times. A good holiday read
Some formatting issues that at times made it hard to read
3.5/5 stars

This is book 12 in the Myron Bolitar series and the first one I have read. This can be read as a standalone and the story makes total sense, but I think to get the most out the storyline and characters it would be good to have some knowledge of the series. That being said I massively enjoyed this book, hence why I gave it a chance. I instantly liked Myron and his partner Win and loved their relationship. This was one of those books you pick up and are instantly drawn in. I will be giving more Harlan Coben books a go.

I won't give a synopsis as I don't know what would be a spoiler (i.e. how did the last book end?). But the main gist of the story is a blast from the past turns up and there may be a serial killer on the loose!

This is a fast, action packed crime book! A must read for any Bolitar fans or even fans of his Netflix series!

Not only does Harlan Coben never disappoints. He has a wonderful use of English grammar,, phrases and his humour in the book is outstanding. Mix all this with the dynamic duo Myron and Win. solving a really twisty tale means only one thing - 5 stars!

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House UK Cornerstone for the chance to read and review the book.

It’s a rare book I read in one sitting but I did just that despite my step count. Really that’s as good a review as you can get from me. Coben is a genius.

Absolute page turner. Has everything you need to keep you reading. Had to sit and finish it and when you read it you will know why. I don’t want to ruin it for you so just know that it is what you would expect from Harlan Coben , an excellent, entertaining read.

I have seen several of Harlan’s programmes and really enjoyed them but never read one of his books so was l looking forward to reading this. I wasn’t disappointed. A great interesting story with a bit of humour between Myron and Win, a great double act!! The story had me gripped and kept me guessing until the end. I read as a stand alone but will definitely look to read more by this author.

Think Twice by Harlan Coben
Publication Date 23/5/24
Published by Random House, Cornerstone

No spoilers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Harlan Coben never disappoints. I especially love the humour in the book and the dynamic between Myron and Win. A very clever story with a great conclusion I did not see coming at all.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Sports agent Myron Bolitar gets a visit from a couple of FBI agents asking about a former client Greg Downing who is wanted for murder. But as Myron points out, his former client died 3 years ago... the book describes the reaction of Myron when this question is put to him which made me laugh and at this point, I was immediately invested in this book...
Myron and his friend Win decide to take a look into Greg's life before he died to try to find out what is going on... this brings trouble for them

It was a great read and plot I couldnt put this down and loved Myron and Win as they delve into the past.

I have read quite a few Harlan Cohen novels but this is my first meeting of Myron and Win. I really enjoyed this double-act, they made me smile. The plot was interesting and kept me guessing all the way until the end.
I would definitely recommend this book as a standalone, as I read it. Hoping I can read some more in the series at some point!
Thank you so much to Random House and Harlan Cohen for this ARC.

4.75🌟
From the first page or so this book had me hooked and I honestly found it hard to put it down. I really enjoyed the perspective of being in the serial killer's shoes, without being able to guess who it actually was. There were multiple twists and turns throughout it that kept me guessing and built the suspense and action well, along with the different POVs.

There is a serial killer on the loose however, the FBI and the local police are yet to realise.

This book brings back Myron Boltar,, the sports agent and his friend and colleague Win . The FBI visit Myron, and tell him that his former client and rival’s DNA Has been found at a double murder and that this person is now the FBI’s prime suspect. The only problem is that they’re suspect Greg Downing died several years before. Myron knows this as he went to the funeral and gave the eulogy

Myron and Wen, realise that in order to clear Greg‘s name, they must investigate and uncover evidence one way, or another, as to whether Greg really did die Could Greg really be responsible and he is alive? Why would he commit this crime?

As usual, Myron will put himself in danger to get to the truth.

It’s great seeing Myron and Win back together. Any book, either written by Harlan Coben, or with the character of Myron Boultar , you know you’re going to have a good read.

The one thing you can take for granted with Harlan Coben is that you can never take anything for granted. This is a twisty tale that keeps you guessing. It would be interesting to see if someone who read this as a ‘stand-alone’ would come to the same -often wrong-conclusions as I did, knowing the characters and the backstory.
The story is told mainly in two voices- Myron’s and that of the killer.
There’s the usual wisecracking comedy duo routine between Myron and Win ( Win always being the ‘straight man’). Myron’s parents are a hoot, and Big Cyndi is -well-Big Cyndi.
The lightness and humour brought to the story by the familiar cast members makes it easy to sink into the story, whilst Coben continually ramps up the tension, making this a real page turner, which I read in a few sittings, hardly ever glancing guiltily at the clock!
Why a four and not a five star?
I’ve always struggled to think of Win as a real person, and I always feel a wee bit of an ‘Oh, come on!’ when he miraculously saves the day yet again.
And for the climax of the story I felt that there were too many coincidences leading to it, and that some things couldn’t have happened in the time availabe. It was exciting, though!

Harlan Coben is usually one of my safe reads. An author who I frequently return to knowing I'll enjoy the story, But this one was a little disappointing. It was fine, broadly speaking, but not as good as some of his other titles which I've thoroughly enjoyed. The story felt even more farfetched than normal, a dead clients DNA is left on a double murder and serial killer (maybe) who is planting a forensic trail to frame innocent people and land them in prison. Myron starts to uncover what is going on, work out where his client is, alive OR dead, and just how he's linked to these multiple crime scenes. Generally enjoyable and not a DNF so kept me reading but a little weaker than others.

When Myron Bolitar, a sports agent and early prematurely retired basketball player, gave a eulogy for his ex-client, ex friend and ex rival 3 years ago. The last thing he thought he would need to do is try and clear him for a murder recently committed when the FBI come knocking. Luckily, Myron’s long-time friend, Win, is not only well connected and incredibly resourceful but has the kind of funds that would give Batman a run for his money…
I loved the self-deprecating and sarcastic narrative that really helped you identify with the characters’ complexities of life. It’s one of those books where you feel a bit more in the know, more savvy. I’m sure I’m now better equipped to find someone that doesn’t want to be found, should I ever need to.
I wish it would hurry up and get commissioned for a Netflix special!

Oops – appears this is one of a whole series of books about sports agent Myron Bolitar. The relevant bits of back story were provided in the narrative so I don’t think my ignorance spoiled the plot.
A fast paced thriller, combined with a very clever plot which kept me guessing to the end. The final summing up by another narrator wasn’t really necessary but was ok. Overall an exciting read.