Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!
The crime thriller is my favorite genre to enjoy. I have made my way through many amazing reads, but one author has stood out to me since 2018: Harlan Coben. I was thoroughly impressed by his grasp of mystery and suspense. In 2019 I was given the privilege of reading one of Coben's thrillers early thanks to Harlan Coben, Netgalley, and Hachette Book Group. What I discovered was a mystery that I was reading well into the night to solve the puzzle.
Run Away is written by Harlan Coben and is published by Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. In this taut and exciting novel, we are introduced to Simon Greene, a loving father of three and husband to pediatrician, Dr. Ingrid Greene. His youngest, Anya, lives with the Greenes, while middle child, Sam, attends college a few states away. But it is his oldest, Paige, that has Simon at the end of a desperate rope. Paige has disappeared and he has been looking for her for months. After falling in with an older man, Paige has changed. Addicted to drugs and spiraling fast, Paige cannot last any longer on the path she has chosen to walk. Simon soon receives a tip that his daughter is playing guitar for tips in Manhattan's Central Park. He decides to try to convince his daughter to come home and the event does not go his way. After having a fight with Paige's boyfriend, Aaron Corval, a viral video is released painting Simon as an aggressor trying to hurt the homeless. Paige disappears once more and Simon's reputation is in tatters.
Several months later, after hiring an attorney and rebuilding his reputation, Simon continues his search. Meanwhile, in Chicago, a man hires private investigator Elena Ramirez to track down his son, Henry, who has been missing for three days. This is not unusual for Henry, however this time he contacted his father via text, and that is suspicious to Sebastian Thorpe. Henry has never felt the need to explain his whereabouts to anyone, even his family. Elena accepts the case and begins her research. But what Simon and Elena do not know is that a pair of assassins is cutting a bloody swath through the country executing seemingly harmless men; men that are connected to their search. And when Aaron Corval ends up brutally murdered in his and Paige's apartment in the Bronx, the stakes become higher than either Simon or Elena could ever have imagined. With Paige on the run either from the police or Aaron's killer, the ticking clock is against Simon and Elena.
Where is Henry Thorpe? Did Paige murder Aaron? And why do assassins Ash and Dee Dee have Simon Greene's name on their hit list?
Run Away was a fire that was set early on in the story. It was gradually doused with lighter fluid until it exploded in an incredible finale. I was fascinated then obsessed with the carefully constructed mystery of this novel. Coben's subtle nods and clever build-up to the suspense served this novel well. As I began to uncover more clues, I was certain that I knew what happening. I was proven wrong on several occasions and when the reveals began to emerge, I was definitely not prepared for the truth. Simon Greene was a favorite of mine in this novel. He was a loving and devoted man to his family. And when he was wrong he admitted so. I was particularly invested in his love for Paige. She was his failure in his eyes, and he did what he could to help her. Elena was a fun character that was presented very well. Her short stature never impeded her drive to investigate, and Coben never depicted her as anything else but strong and fearless. The character dynamics and their interaction with one another were loaded with respect. I would definitely trust these characters to have my back in hard times. Simon alone could win Father of the Year.
I read Run Away in part with the narration of actor, Steven Weber (IZombie, Wings). Weber has read other Harlan Coben novels, and I believe that he is a great match for Coben’s writing. His pacing made it easy to accelerate the speed of the audiobook, a trait that I love in narrators. His presentation was smooth and his portrayal of the characters made them three-dimensional. I loved his reading of Simon and the way he conveyed the tormented state that the man was in over his daughter. An excellent reading.
Run Away was a fast-paced five-star read that captured my imagination from the first chapter and did not let go until the shocking revelations at the end. Coben’s mix of family drama and suspense was perfectly executed. Character development was excellent, with players that I was rooting for until the end. And the villains were dangerous and the action adrenaline-fueled. This is a book that will make you cancel plans and turn off your phone. I highly recommend this novel.
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