Missing You by Harlan Coben ~ Will Kat Get A Second Chance? #CrimeFiction #Thriller #Suspense

Author: Harlan Coben

Published: April 2014 by Orion

Category: Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Book Review

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It’s a profile, like all the others on the online dating site. But as NYPD Detective Kat Donovan focuses on the accompanying picture, she feels her whole world explode, as emotions she’s ignored for decades come crashing down on her. Staring back at her is her ex-fiancé Jeff, the man who shattered her heart and who she hasn’t seen in 18 years.

Two devastating events that happened around the same time, eighteen years previously, had a powerful effect on NYPD Detective Kat Donovan. Her father was murdered and her fiancé broke off their relationship without explanation. She hasn’t had another relationship since that meant anything to her. Kat’s friend Stacy bought her a subscription for a dating website, something she knew Kat would never do on her own. Feeling slightly obligated Kat trawls through the profiles and is stunned to see a picture of her ex fiancé on one of the profiles. Eventually, feeling she has nothing to lose, Kat makes contact.

At the same time Monte Leburne, the man who confessed to killing Kat’s father, is dying in prison. Kat has been trying unsuccessfully to find out what happened the night her father was killed—she needs to know the truth and this could be her last chance.

While all this is going on Kat is approached by Brandon Phelps who is worried about his mother. She went on a romantic trip with someone she met online and Brandon feels all isn’t as it seems, even though he has been receiving texts, supposedly from his mother. The reader soon learns there is a decidedly vicious criminal gang operating in the area.

“Hello? Someone? Please help me!”

He heard a noise now. Right above him. It sounded like scraping or shuffling or…

Or footsteps? Footsteps right above him.

Gerard thought about the dark. He thought about the small of fresh soil. The answer was suddenly so obvious, yet it made no sense.

I’m underground, he thought. I’m underground.

And then he started to scream.

The narrative alternates between the gangs horrific activities and Kat’s investigations, after she learns a long held secret and that Brandon’s concerns are real. I did enjoy Missing You, even if I disliked intensely the male attention Kat and Stacy received at the beginning, with sleazy chat up lines (Maybe the narration made them seem worse.) That aside, the tense plot moves along at a fast pace, as the pieces fall into place one by one, but even then all is not revealed until the end. Belief has to be suspended in parts but that really didn’t stop the enjoyment. There’s a lot going on with many twists, which I’m coming to realise is a signature trait with this author.

I gather January LaVoy narrated initially. Pity she didn’t narrate my copy. Kerry Shale has a very pleasant ’normal’ voice but the male voices had very strange intonations—not at all fitting for the characters. Couldn’t really get past that so I read the book instead.

Book links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository | Hive Books

About the Author

Harlan Coben was the first ever author to win all three major crime awards in the US. He is now global bestseller with his mix of powerful stand-alone thrillers and Myron Bolitar crime novels. He has appeared in the bestseller lists of The Times, the New York Times, Le Monde, Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times.

He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife and four children.

Author links ~ Website | Twitter | Facebook