Blog 123; Harlan Coben Thinks Twice

In his latest Myron Bolitar installment, I believe that Harlan Coben has reached new heights as an author of suspense/mystery fiction. One thing that always kept me from being “all in” with his writing and novels was the general “clunkiness” of the prose, and a certain ham-handedness that betrayed a lack of fully developed writing style. Some people find that kind of clunk writing endearing, or even relatable, but I prefer my pop Grisham with a dash of classic Hemingway, thank you. And this is what I got with Think Twice. As a reader, I can really appreciate the care and extra time Coben put into the artful crafting of the novel and its key characters. You can tell, unlike with some other suspense authors, that Coben really feels for his characters, even the minor ones. Even from the serial killer’s point of view. He paints the killer as a sadly doomed kind of adrenaline addict who can’t stop the killing, despite best efforts. It is a poignant reminder that the author sees his characters as real, oftentimes frail, people. And this warmth and compassion comes across in a story that is propelled by heart. Good guys, bad guys, regular guys and gals. Makes no difference. Harlan Coben is fast becoming that rare breed of author who started out in the trenches of the mass market world only to find himself a creative author out to break your heart. I won’t give away any spoilers in this review, but suffice it to say Coben pulls away from some potentially devastating punches at the very ending to my dismay. Compassionate, yes. But there are a few heart-stopping scenes toward the end where everything slows down and is on the line and then the book becomes a study in premeditated violence, a tense, edge of your seat, true blue thriller. I wanted to say this is his best work yet, and it is close, but I am not totally sure after the overall ending. I can think of a few other novels that had stronger plotting even if lighter character development. But as an accomplished literary artist, Harlan Coben has raised the bar for everyone and is reaching the height of his powers thusfar. I believe in time, his novels may end up with an even longer shelf life than anyone would be able to predict in today’s rough and tumble fiction market. An old friend in the writing world with a philosophical bent once told me: “The excellent becomes the permanent.” I believe with Think Twice, Harlan Coben has crossed into the realm of the truly excellent creative artist with heart.