Monday, April 09, 2012

Mini-Review of Harlan Coben's latest: "Stay Close"



As soon as I learn that Harlan Coben has written another book, I rush to obtain a copy. He has never disappointed. Coben has managed, over the course of his career, to make many otherwise prosaic locales in New Jersey appear to be both intriguing and memorable. In this latest work, much if the action is set in seedy Atlantic City and the nearby Barrens.


The cover art for "Stay Close" tells much about the theme of this novel - the serene suburban setting is not what it appears to be; the iconic white picket fence has been breached. The mother of the house, soccer mom, Megan, has a long buried sordid past. The skeletons in her closet come charging out - disrupting her serene second life, and involved her in a complex serial murder web. The characters, in true Coben fashion, are finely drawn and even the rogues are individuals the reader comes to care about, even down to the Ken and Barbie Bible-quoting sadistic pair of enforcers. The American dream has never been more nightmarish.

Enjoy!

Al

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