This was my first Harlan Coben novel, and I picked it up because I know Stay Close has now been adapted into a Netflix series. It was a wild and entertaining ride! While I found most of the characters to be more broad stereotypes — seedy Atlantic City types, horny women down on their luck, et cetera — Coben knows how to write a darn good suspense narrative. His prose is simple, and sometimes borderline crass, but that works with the world he's built. Stay Close is gritty and a real page turner. I also found the characters of Barbie and Ken to be the most fascinating and fun pair of torturers I think I've ever read about in a book like this. I'm definitely going to watch the Netflix series now, and I anticipate reading more Coben novels in the future. It's clear he understands the genre for which he's famous.

Harlan Coben is in fine form in this tense, well-written thriller of three seemingly different people that are more alike than they seem. All of this hinges on the disappearance of a man many years before the story begins and how others have tried to solve that mystery. Give it a try!

-- Louisa --

As always, Harlan Coben delivers. This is not a Myron Bolitar book, which was a little refreshing. Though at times the story can drag, Harlan is a master at character development and pacing. I enjoyed this very much.

Harlan Coben has a talent, which very other authors have. And that talent is to create a story so brilliant that you can never stop reading until the end. Stay Close follows the same lead. All through the story, there is an indication of a certain killer, in the last few pages, Coben brings one smoke screen killer and then drum rolls into the original killer, who turns out to be a completely unsuspected character.
The story line has no flaw at all. The characters are totally believable and made to be as much humane as any of us. Since it is a mystery, you cannot read it over and over again, but as soon as I forget what the mystery was, I plan to re-visit this story once again some time in future, just for the kick.
Yet another brilliant book by this brilliant author. A must recommendation for all mystery lovers.

Horrible. Made it to Chapter 11 and returned it to the library. Made aware of this book from “But Have You Read the Book” sponsored by Netflix. The violence is nauseating. No thank you.

Not engaging. Quit reading

Stay Close is written in Multiple POV. I personally didn’t care for the POV of “Barbie and Ken”. I found them kind of annoying and sped read to get to the other POV’s. Otherwise, I enjoyed the different angles and trying to put all of the pieces together! Which, I was still surprised in the end.

Add To Your TBR If You Like:
-Suspense/Thriller
-Mystery
-Multiple POV
-Who Dunnit

Not the best Thriller I have ever read, but wasn’t terrible. I heard the Netflix Series has more twists added, so I am interested in checking that out.

I don't read much popular fiction and this was a prime example of why.

Mr. Coben does indeed weave a suspenseful and fast-paced yarn. But for me, it was too full of melodrama and hyperbole. He does get credit for drawing an accurate parallel between his characters and Les Mis. But that is negated by his throwing around cliches. To his credit he has the characters say them half-heartedly but I thought it might be better to not put them in.

As for the twist at the end, well, it was one of the few that I called early on. Granted I floundered as Mr. Coben laid false trails, but I never really committed to anyone but the final culprit. But perhaps that's not so much a criticism of the writer but a credit to all those mystery novels I've read.

I don't think I'd read another book by him, there's just not enough there. It was an engaging read but it was like candy, ultimately unfulfilling. If you like escapist thrillers that don't make you think, then perhaps this would be for you. I, however, found myself enjoying the shift to the more complex style of Dickens' Bleak House after this one.

Good book, worth the read, but not one of my favorites of Coben's stand alones.