Like Harlan Coben's other recent novels of suspense, The Innocent starts in the green suburbs of New Jersey and takes us off into the dark heart of the secrets and lies that often lie at the centre of American life. Matt has rebuilt his life after a brawl that left him serving four years hard time for manslaughter. He has clawed back some of the dreams of his young manhood--in particular, Olivia, the girl he met once, dreamed of and then found again. Now someone is sending him phone images of Olivia, in a blonde wig, with another man... Local cop Loren is trying to find out who smothered a teacher at the local convent, and why the dead nun had breast implants; over-the-hill stripper Kimmy is visited by the daughter of a long-dead friend...

This is a plot as well constructed as a good watch, yet as unpredictable as a fairground ride, but what gives Coben's books their unique quality is the fact that his writing always has heart. We care about even the most minor and venal of his characters, because Coben knows that often, what divides heroism from crime is the consequences of one bad day. ---Roz Kaveney

2008-07-31 Yet Another Page Turner From Coben

Harlan Coben never lets me down. Everything I've read from this author so far has really kept me guessing and turning those pages. That is the sign of a truly great writer of fiction.

I've read some not so favourable reviews of Harlan Coben novels, some stating that his books are too unbelievable and contrived. But that's the nature of the genre and fiction in general. "Fiction" means 'not real'. It also equates to stories being larger than life and rather neatly panned out. If they were too like real life, many stories would probably be rather dull and boring. Fiction books are like movies. They are the same thing, only in written form rather than visuals and sound.

It's all about entertainment and Harlan Coben delivers this, without fail, every single time.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton