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Detective Roger 'Sami' Kierce #2
Nobody’s Fool
In this stunningly twisty thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben, a secret from former Detective Sami Kierce’s college days comes back to haunt him. His memory is clear, but all these years later, the facts don’t add up…which is something he cannot ignore.
Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He doesn’t know what happened. His screams drown out his thoughts—and then he runs.
Twenty-two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who’s working off his debts by doing low level surveillance jobs and teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. As soon as Kierce makes eye contact with her, she bolts. For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.
His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past—and prove, after all this time, he’s nobody’s fool.
Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He doesn’t know what happened. His screams drown out his thoughts—and then he runs.
Twenty-two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who’s working off his debts by doing low level surveillance jobs and teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. As soon as Kierce makes eye contact with her, she bolts. For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.
His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past—and prove, after all this time, he’s nobody’s fool.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2025
3933 people are currently reading
65065 people want to read
About the author
Harlan Coben
241 books42.6k followersHarlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-five languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries with seventy-five million books in print worldwide.
His books have earned the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards, and many have been developed into Netflix Original Drama series, including his adaptations of The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good and The Woods. His most recent adaptation for Netflix, Stay Close, premiered on December 31, 2021 and stars Cush Jumbo, James Nesbitt, and Richard Armitage.
His books have earned the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards, and many have been developed into Netflix Original Drama series, including his adaptations of The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good and The Woods. His most recent adaptation for Netflix, Stay Close, premiered on December 31, 2021 and stars Cush Jumbo, James Nesbitt, and Richard Armitage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,466 reviews
January 17, 2025
Sami Kierce #2 (#1 = Fool me Once)
Nearly twenty five years ago, Sami meets Anna in a nightclub in Fuengirola in Spain. It’s ‘Murder in the Dance floor’ and ‘[He] can’t get [her] out of [his] head’. Two days later his travelling companions leave for Sevilla whilst Sami stays and he never sees them again. Anna and Sami have a few days of fun, some of which is the chemical kind, and it doesn’t end well. Let’s settle for, there’s a lot of blood. Fast forward to the present day and Sami has had a career as a cop and is now making ends meet as a private investigator and teaching a criminology night class. During one of these sessions, he’s convinced that Anna interrupts the class, but surely not. She’s dead isn’t she? Is he hallucinating? Having a breakdown? Or is it the seemingly impossible, that Anna is in fact, alive? It transpires that this is just the tip of the iceberg……….
Oh yes indeedy, Harlan Coben has knocked it out the park again. I love the tone the author strikes here as it’s as if Sami is talking directly to us, we are his audience thus bringing us into the storytelling and involving us in the outcome. There’s plenty of humour and asides which lightens the mood of a difficult and dangerous plot for Sami to navigate. I really like Sami, he’s steadfast and dogged even at his own risk, he’s true, intuitive and honest but equally prepared to be pragmatic if needs must. His love for his wife Molly and son Henry shines through everything that he does, grounding him and providing much warmth for the heart amongst the ever increasing perils. Molly is a gem and richly deserves Sami’s adoration.
As for the plot, it’s full of shocks and multiple twisty twists as you’d expect from this master of the unexpected. No wonder Netflix love him! It’s a tense, suspenseful action packed thriller which is highly addictive and entertaining from beginning to end. It goes without saying that there are several jaw droppers, a ton of shocking revelations and plenty of dastardly deeds and intrigue to keep me rooted to the pages.
I’ve read plenty of Harlan Coben’s novels over the years and I know he will always deliver a cracking engaging read. This plot is well thought out, it connects the seemingly random, the pace is quick and so there’s never a dull moment. It’s also chock full of interesting characters, plenty of shocking revelations and multiple dastardly deeds making it the very definition of a thriller. I love it and it’s just my kind of book. Five stars all the way.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random. House UK for the much appreciated epub for in return for a honest review.
Nearly twenty five years ago, Sami meets Anna in a nightclub in Fuengirola in Spain. It’s ‘Murder in the Dance floor’ and ‘[He] can’t get [her] out of [his] head’. Two days later his travelling companions leave for Sevilla whilst Sami stays and he never sees them again. Anna and Sami have a few days of fun, some of which is the chemical kind, and it doesn’t end well. Let’s settle for, there’s a lot of blood. Fast forward to the present day and Sami has had a career as a cop and is now making ends meet as a private investigator and teaching a criminology night class. During one of these sessions, he’s convinced that Anna interrupts the class, but surely not. She’s dead isn’t she? Is he hallucinating? Having a breakdown? Or is it the seemingly impossible, that Anna is in fact, alive? It transpires that this is just the tip of the iceberg……….
Oh yes indeedy, Harlan Coben has knocked it out the park again. I love the tone the author strikes here as it’s as if Sami is talking directly to us, we are his audience thus bringing us into the storytelling and involving us in the outcome. There’s plenty of humour and asides which lightens the mood of a difficult and dangerous plot for Sami to navigate. I really like Sami, he’s steadfast and dogged even at his own risk, he’s true, intuitive and honest but equally prepared to be pragmatic if needs must. His love for his wife Molly and son Henry shines through everything that he does, grounding him and providing much warmth for the heart amongst the ever increasing perils. Molly is a gem and richly deserves Sami’s adoration.
As for the plot, it’s full of shocks and multiple twisty twists as you’d expect from this master of the unexpected. No wonder Netflix love him! It’s a tense, suspenseful action packed thriller which is highly addictive and entertaining from beginning to end. It goes without saying that there are several jaw droppers, a ton of shocking revelations and plenty of dastardly deeds and intrigue to keep me rooted to the pages.
I’ve read plenty of Harlan Coben’s novels over the years and I know he will always deliver a cracking engaging read. This plot is well thought out, it connects the seemingly random, the pace is quick and so there’s never a dull moment. It’s also chock full of interesting characters, plenty of shocking revelations and multiple dastardly deeds making it the very definition of a thriller. I love it and it’s just my kind of book. Five stars all the way.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random. House UK for the much appreciated epub for in return for a honest review.
February 9, 2025
Sometimes the past refuses to stay…well, in the past.
Sami was off to Europe, one last carefree moment before starting med school. But when he wakes up in Spain covered in blood with a dead girl next to him, his life path will be forever changed.
Twenty years later Sami finds himself no longer interested in becoming a physician. Instead, he’s teaching a course in investigations to a group of misfits and wannabes. And while he did pursue a career as a police officer, that too is very much behind him.
But during one of his classes he sees a women who instantly takes him back to his dark past, twenty years ago.
It can’t be! It’s that girl from Spain!
Soon Sami will choose to open pandora’s box, desperately searching for answers to close that horrific chapter in his life and move on. Oh Sami, haven’t you heard, sometimes it’s better to let sleeping dogs lie.
Loved Sami’s character. He reminded me so much of Harlan Coben’s other famous character, Myron Bolitar with his fun, sarcastic humor.
Apparently this is book two of a series. And according to my GR booklist I didn’t read book one. Not sure how that could be! Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors and I could’ve sworn I read everything he’s released. But by the time I realized it, I was too far in and enjoying this latest so much I couldn’t have stopped!
So in other words, this book can very much stand on its own!
Will I go back and read book one Fool Me Once? Of course! It’s Harlan Coben‼️I already have it queued up on my kindle!
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing
Sami was off to Europe, one last carefree moment before starting med school. But when he wakes up in Spain covered in blood with a dead girl next to him, his life path will be forever changed.
Twenty years later Sami finds himself no longer interested in becoming a physician. Instead, he’s teaching a course in investigations to a group of misfits and wannabes. And while he did pursue a career as a police officer, that too is very much behind him.
But during one of his classes he sees a women who instantly takes him back to his dark past, twenty years ago.
It can’t be! It’s that girl from Spain!
Soon Sami will choose to open pandora’s box, desperately searching for answers to close that horrific chapter in his life and move on. Oh Sami, haven’t you heard, sometimes it’s better to let sleeping dogs lie.
Loved Sami’s character. He reminded me so much of Harlan Coben’s other famous character, Myron Bolitar with his fun, sarcastic humor.
Apparently this is book two of a series. And according to my GR booklist I didn’t read book one. Not sure how that could be! Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors and I could’ve sworn I read everything he’s released. But by the time I realized it, I was too far in and enjoying this latest so much I couldn’t have stopped!
So in other words, this book can very much stand on its own!
Will I go back and read book one Fool Me Once? Of course! It’s Harlan Coben‼️I already have it queued up on my kindle!
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing
May 14, 2025
4⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Detective Sami Kierce #2
Others in the series ~ Fool Me Once
Setting ~ NYC
Publication date ~ March 25, 2025
Publisher ~ Grand Central Publishing
Est Page Count ~ 344
Audio length ~ 11 hours 17 minutes
Narrator ~ Vikas Adam
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ old secrets, good amount of action
Sami can't believe his eyes when a woman he knew back in the day shows up in a class he's teaching. How can that be when the last time he saw Anna she was dead? Dun dun dun.
If that's not enough, the man that killed his fiancé has just been released from prison. Thus sets forth not only his obsession with finding out what the heck is going on with Anna, but with this new development, as well. Good thing he has a supportive wife that doesn't mind him running around the city at crazy hours. Luckily he has students that help him out, too.
Overall, I was gripped, engaged and totally invested throughout. Fans of Coben will be sure to enjoy this fast paced, suspenseful read.
Narration notes;
His normal voice is quite lovely, but all his other characters voices not so much.
Series notes:
I read book #1 9 years ago, so I have no clue if I missed anything.
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Detective Sami Kierce #2
Others in the series ~ Fool Me Once
Setting ~ NYC
Publication date ~ March 25, 2025
Publisher ~ Grand Central Publishing
Est Page Count ~ 344
Audio length ~ 11 hours 17 minutes
Narrator ~ Vikas Adam
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ old secrets, good amount of action
Sami can't believe his eyes when a woman he knew back in the day shows up in a class he's teaching. How can that be when the last time he saw Anna she was dead? Dun dun dun.
If that's not enough, the man that killed his fiancé has just been released from prison. Thus sets forth not only his obsession with finding out what the heck is going on with Anna, but with this new development, as well. Good thing he has a supportive wife that doesn't mind him running around the city at crazy hours. Luckily he has students that help him out, too.
Overall, I was gripped, engaged and totally invested throughout. Fans of Coben will be sure to enjoy this fast paced, suspenseful read.
Narration notes;
His normal voice is quite lovely, but all his other characters voices not so much.
Series notes:
I read book #1 9 years ago, so I have no clue if I missed anything.
June 7, 2025
Coben returns with another heart-pounding thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This action-packed, twisty, and highly entertaining mystery showcases his signature humor while bringing back one of his unluckiest characters. Yes, I'm talking about Sami Kierce - born and raised in Jersey, of Pakistani heritage, fluent in Spanish, and a rule-bender in pursuit of justice.
We first met Sami in "Fool Me Once," which wasn't one of my favorite works by the author compared to his ten-starred series (give me a Myron Bolitar book and I'll disappear until I finish it - I cancel everything for Myron and Windsor). Thankfully, this time Coben brings out the big guns by introducing us to Sami's criminology class members: the Pink Panthers (imagine Golden Girls turned amateur detectives with perfect tracking skills), Gary the golfer, crime influencers (or as these wannabe podcasters call themselves, "Three Dead Shots"), the quick-witted Debbie the goddess (I wish she'd return in his next book), and Leisure Suit Lenny with his mysterious gadgets. If Amazon and Netflix decide to adapt this book into a series, these characters will surely steal the show!
Beyond the fast-pacing and intriguing writing style, the jaw-dropping ending will make you scream. You might even find yourself lighting a candle to pray that Coben writes a sequel soon, as the twist leaves readers with lingering questions.
Before diving deeper into why I enjoyed this book so much and why you should order your early copies, let me recap what makes Sami Kierce one of Coben's unluckiest characters. Sami lost his cop fiancée, who was brutally killed by her jealous ex-lover - a man who has been serving time for nearly two decades. His bad luck continued when he crossed paths with a powerful family who used their influence to ruin his career. Now disgraced from his position at NYPD, he deals with court cases, working for a law firm in exchange for his legal defense, without pay. Taking photos of cheating spouses has become his new occupation.
At least he found love with Molly and they have a baby son, Henry. He even landed a teaching job in criminology on the Lower East Side, training amateur sleuths. Looking on the bright side, maybe he isn't so unlucky.
But there's one crucial detail: twenty years ago, this poor guy took a trip to Spain with his wealthy college friends. There, at Costa Del Sol (the setting of Coben's previous work "Innocent" - highly recommend the Netflix adaptation, as Oriol Paulo and Harlan Coben created something special), he met a beautiful blonde in her early twenties named Anna. Their dreamy romance led to drug-induced encounters in her apartment. But one day, he woke up to find Anna covered in blood, with himself holding the bloody murder weapon. With help from their drug supplier, he fled the hotel room, raced to the police station to give his statement, but when officers questioned his involvement, he caught the first plane back to the States without looking back. This tragic incident derailed his entire life - he dropped out of medical school, drank himself into oblivion, and changed careers to become a cop to redeem his guilt.
Two decades later, he notices someone watching him from the back of his classroom. It's Anna - not a ghost, but an older version of herself. When Sami calls out her name, she flees. Did she survive? Has he been grieving for nothing?
As Sami tracks down this woman who might be Anna, he discovers she's connected to a powerful family, and his investigation could uncover another decades-old mystery. Meanwhile, his ex-fiancée's convicted killer is released from prison, claiming innocence and wanting to team up with Sami to find the real murderer. The timing of these two incidents seems suspicious. Could the cases be related? Did Sami put the wrong person behind bars? Can he uncover what really happened in Spain twenty years ago?
Overall, this is a fascinating thriller. While some parts are predictable, the final two twists hit hard enough to drop your jaw. My only criticism is the somewhat abrupt revelation of the perpetrator. Though unexpected, I would have appreciated more explanation. The revelation comes suddenly, followed by another shocking twist that leaves you asking, "What? Really?"
Despite this minor issue, I had a great time! This is excellent work! Buy this book! Cancel your appointments! Go in blind! Action-packed fun guaranteed!
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for sharing this unputdownable mystery's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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We first met Sami in "Fool Me Once," which wasn't one of my favorite works by the author compared to his ten-starred series (give me a Myron Bolitar book and I'll disappear until I finish it - I cancel everything for Myron and Windsor). Thankfully, this time Coben brings out the big guns by introducing us to Sami's criminology class members: the Pink Panthers (imagine Golden Girls turned amateur detectives with perfect tracking skills), Gary the golfer, crime influencers (or as these wannabe podcasters call themselves, "Three Dead Shots"), the quick-witted Debbie the goddess (I wish she'd return in his next book), and Leisure Suit Lenny with his mysterious gadgets. If Amazon and Netflix decide to adapt this book into a series, these characters will surely steal the show!
Beyond the fast-pacing and intriguing writing style, the jaw-dropping ending will make you scream. You might even find yourself lighting a candle to pray that Coben writes a sequel soon, as the twist leaves readers with lingering questions.
Before diving deeper into why I enjoyed this book so much and why you should order your early copies, let me recap what makes Sami Kierce one of Coben's unluckiest characters. Sami lost his cop fiancée, who was brutally killed by her jealous ex-lover - a man who has been serving time for nearly two decades. His bad luck continued when he crossed paths with a powerful family who used their influence to ruin his career. Now disgraced from his position at NYPD, he deals with court cases, working for a law firm in exchange for his legal defense, without pay. Taking photos of cheating spouses has become his new occupation.
At least he found love with Molly and they have a baby son, Henry. He even landed a teaching job in criminology on the Lower East Side, training amateur sleuths. Looking on the bright side, maybe he isn't so unlucky.
But there's one crucial detail: twenty years ago, this poor guy took a trip to Spain with his wealthy college friends. There, at Costa Del Sol (the setting of Coben's previous work "Innocent" - highly recommend the Netflix adaptation, as Oriol Paulo and Harlan Coben created something special), he met a beautiful blonde in her early twenties named Anna. Their dreamy romance led to drug-induced encounters in her apartment. But one day, he woke up to find Anna covered in blood, with himself holding the bloody murder weapon. With help from their drug supplier, he fled the hotel room, raced to the police station to give his statement, but when officers questioned his involvement, he caught the first plane back to the States without looking back. This tragic incident derailed his entire life - he dropped out of medical school, drank himself into oblivion, and changed careers to become a cop to redeem his guilt.
Two decades later, he notices someone watching him from the back of his classroom. It's Anna - not a ghost, but an older version of herself. When Sami calls out her name, she flees. Did she survive? Has he been grieving for nothing?
As Sami tracks down this woman who might be Anna, he discovers she's connected to a powerful family, and his investigation could uncover another decades-old mystery. Meanwhile, his ex-fiancée's convicted killer is released from prison, claiming innocence and wanting to team up with Sami to find the real murderer. The timing of these two incidents seems suspicious. Could the cases be related? Did Sami put the wrong person behind bars? Can he uncover what really happened in Spain twenty years ago?
Overall, this is a fascinating thriller. While some parts are predictable, the final two twists hit hard enough to drop your jaw. My only criticism is the somewhat abrupt revelation of the perpetrator. Though unexpected, I would have appreciated more explanation. The revelation comes suddenly, followed by another shocking twist that leaves you asking, "What? Really?"
Despite this minor issue, I had a great time! This is excellent work! Buy this book! Cancel your appointments! Go in blind! Action-packed fun guaranteed!
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for sharing this unputdownable mystery's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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April 17, 2025
As always, Harlan Coben delivered yet another slam dunk with Nobody’s Fool. The king of sarcastic humor and complex, well-plotted storylines, the ride through this dynamite novel was nothing if not sublime. After all, despite its crime fiction core, the clear thriller vibe made it fast-paced and propulsive from the very first page. And I can’t forget its twisty, twisty premise. You know the kind where if you take your eye off the ball you’re lost in the weeds? Well, this was one of those. I do have to say, though, that there wasn’t a moment of confusion as former Detective Sami Kierce ushered me through these two jaw-dropping cases to their unguessable albeit believable closures.
As for the characters, they were what made this book—and all of Coben’s others—utterly sing. From the determined Sami who may not necessarily be the brightest of the bunch but he’s thoroughly dogged to his motley crew of assistants and their individual contributions, they came together to get the job done. Handling the case with both intuition and pragmatism, it made the entire plot feel all the more real. Speaking of which, I was over the moon to find the storyline just as taut and suspenseful as I would’ve expected. With plenty of long-buried secrets, dastardly deeds, and underhanded manipulations, there wasn’t a chance in hell of me putting it all together in time.
All in all, this book has only reaffirmed my all-out adoration for Mr. Coben and his masterful skill. Compelling, addictive, and seriously electric, I dread the long wait until I get to read another one of his novels. Considering that this second book in a series ended the way that it did, though, I can only hold out hope for the continuing saga to head my way soon. Both wrapped up tight and also left open for more investigations, it was the best of both worlds for this particular thriller lover. All I can say is that you need to grab this one quick, although I do recommend starting at the beginning as you don’t want to miss a minute with Sami. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He doesn’t know what happened. His screams drown out his thoughts—and then he runs.
Twenty-two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who’s working off his debts by doing low level surveillance jobs and teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. As soon as Kierce makes eye contact with her, she bolts. For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.
His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past—and prove, after all this time, he’s nobody’s fool.
Thank you to Harlan Coben, Grand Central Publishing, and Netgalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: March 25, 2025
Content warning: stalking, gun violence, mention of: kidnapping, child trafficking, drunk driving
As for the characters, they were what made this book—and all of Coben’s others—utterly sing. From the determined Sami who may not necessarily be the brightest of the bunch but he’s thoroughly dogged to his motley crew of assistants and their individual contributions, they came together to get the job done. Handling the case with both intuition and pragmatism, it made the entire plot feel all the more real. Speaking of which, I was over the moon to find the storyline just as taut and suspenseful as I would’ve expected. With plenty of long-buried secrets, dastardly deeds, and underhanded manipulations, there wasn’t a chance in hell of me putting it all together in time.
All in all, this book has only reaffirmed my all-out adoration for Mr. Coben and his masterful skill. Compelling, addictive, and seriously electric, I dread the long wait until I get to read another one of his novels. Considering that this second book in a series ended the way that it did, though, I can only hold out hope for the continuing saga to head my way soon. Both wrapped up tight and also left open for more investigations, it was the best of both worlds for this particular thriller lover. All I can say is that you need to grab this one quick, although I do recommend starting at the beginning as you don’t want to miss a minute with Sami. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He doesn’t know what happened. His screams drown out his thoughts—and then he runs.
Twenty-two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who’s working off his debts by doing low level surveillance jobs and teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. As soon as Kierce makes eye contact with her, she bolts. For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.
His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past—and prove, after all this time, he’s nobody’s fool.
Thank you to Harlan Coben, Grand Central Publishing, and Netgalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: March 25, 2025
Content warning: stalking, gun violence, mention of: kidnapping, child trafficking, drunk driving
August 2, 2025
Sami and Anna met in Spain and had a drug-fueled vacation fling that ended when he woke up next to her dead body with a bloodied knife in his hand. He tries to report it to the police but they don’t find a body so there are no charges. He hightailed it back to the U.S. This event changed the trajectory of his life and has haunted him for 22 years.
Now, Sami is a disgraced ex-NYPD cop working as a PI.
He also teaches a “Sherlock” class, to armchair sleuths. One night he looks up and sees Anna at the back of the room. 22 years older but unmistakably her. She runs when he calls out her name but he follows her to an exclusive estate. Could it be Anna?
The same day, Sami finds out his former fiancée’s murderer will be released on a technicality. He professes his innocence, and asked Sami for his help to prove it.
As Sami, along with the star students from his class, investigates these two cases to discover the truth, he finds himself going down rabbit holes he never could have imagined. The action and revelations never let up.
What makes this story especially compelling are the characters. I love Sami’s wit & snark, his supportive, wise wife, and his colorful students.
There was a lot going on but the author expertly tied all the threads together with several shocking revelations. Well-done! Why not 5 stars? There was a random thread the author inserted that made me go hmmm…. Why? When it did nothing to move the plot forward but made the author look oh so progressive.
But as a whole, a very enjoyable read that my reading buddy and I enjoyed.
I did not read book #1, which was made into a movie. This one works as a standalone. I can only hope it makes it to the big screen as well. If so, I can’t wait to see who they cast as his students.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley . All opinions are my own
Now, Sami is a disgraced ex-NYPD cop working as a PI.
He also teaches a “Sherlock” class, to armchair sleuths. One night he looks up and sees Anna at the back of the room. 22 years older but unmistakably her. She runs when he calls out her name but he follows her to an exclusive estate. Could it be Anna?
The same day, Sami finds out his former fiancée’s murderer will be released on a technicality. He professes his innocence, and asked Sami for his help to prove it.
As Sami, along with the star students from his class, investigates these two cases to discover the truth, he finds himself going down rabbit holes he never could have imagined. The action and revelations never let up.
What makes this story especially compelling are the characters. I love Sami’s wit & snark, his supportive, wise wife, and his colorful students.
There was a lot going on but the author expertly tied all the threads together with several shocking revelations. Well-done! Why not 5 stars? There was a random thread the author inserted that made me go hmmm…. Why? When it did nothing to move the plot forward but made the author look oh so progressive.
But as a whole, a very enjoyable read that my reading buddy and I enjoyed.
I did not read book #1, which was made into a movie. This one works as a standalone. I can only hope it makes it to the big screen as well. If so, I can’t wait to see who they cast as his students.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley . All opinions are my own
March 25, 2025
AWESOME!!!!!
Coben strikes again this is a definite hit 💯💯💯💯💯
A man's past rears it's ugly head; a woman once thought dead suddenly appears in his class, when he gives chase, she disappears behind a heavily fortified mansion. Not to mention the man he put away for his late fiancée murder has been released on a technicality due to a botched case. Are they connected? Only time will tell.
Coben is a master when it comes to winding up a story so good, that when he springs all the surprises on, you don't know which way to look!!!!!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand central publishing for this ARC. Humbled and grateful 🙏🏾
"NOBODY'S FOOL" out Mar 25th 2025
Solid 5 stars!!!!!
Coben strikes again this is a definite hit 💯💯💯💯💯
A man's past rears it's ugly head; a woman once thought dead suddenly appears in his class, when he gives chase, she disappears behind a heavily fortified mansion. Not to mention the man he put away for his late fiancée murder has been released on a technicality due to a botched case. Are they connected? Only time will tell.
Coben is a master when it comes to winding up a story so good, that when he springs all the surprises on, you don't know which way to look!!!!!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand central publishing for this ARC. Humbled and grateful 🙏🏾
"NOBODY'S FOOL" out Mar 25th 2025
Solid 5 stars!!!!!
April 17, 2025
Harlan Coben knocks another one out of the park! I have yet to be disappointed by any of his writings.
Sammi Kierce wanted to be a MD. Sometimes life does not deal the hand you want. Especially when you wake up in bed with a dead woman.
Sammi has ended up being a private investigator with a knack for success. Unfortunately his bank account does not reflect this success. He teaches a “Sherlock Holmes” class which contains some incredibly interesting personalities. He runs into a ghost from the past and the chase is on. Who does he enlist to help him? Why none other than the students in his class. There are many twists and turns, some very personal to Sammi and others a means to an end.
There is a hefty amount of humor due to the tongue in cheek style of Coben. There is plenty of action, much suspense, frustration and a wonderful twisted ending. Enjoy the ride on the wave of excitement.
Sammi Kierce wanted to be a MD. Sometimes life does not deal the hand you want. Especially when you wake up in bed with a dead woman.
Sammi has ended up being a private investigator with a knack for success. Unfortunately his bank account does not reflect this success. He teaches a “Sherlock Holmes” class which contains some incredibly interesting personalities. He runs into a ghost from the past and the chase is on. Who does he enlist to help him? Why none other than the students in his class. There are many twists and turns, some very personal to Sammi and others a means to an end.
There is a hefty amount of humor due to the tongue in cheek style of Coben. There is plenty of action, much suspense, frustration and a wonderful twisted ending. Enjoy the ride on the wave of excitement.
February 24, 2025
Holy Moly! Harlan Cohen has delivered another thrilling, shocking, gripping, and hard to put down book. Nobody’s Fool is the second book in the Detective Sami Kierce series, but will work very well as a stand-alone. The past and present day collide when disgraced detective turned night school teacher, Sami Kierce has a blast from his past walk into his class before running out. As he tries to find the answers of what happened when he was a young man backpacking through Spain, he finds himself knee deep in mystery, secrets, lies, revelations, and danger!
Whew! This book has a lot going on and I was there for every page of it. As Sami has his class looking into a cold case, a man is released from prison on a technicality, and Sami is seeking answers for an event that left him reeling and with lifelong questions.
I loved how Harlan Coben built the plot. I had no idea where things were going but enjoyed where this book took me. This book has quite a few twists, turns, and revelations. The ending was a complete and utter shock which had me reeling. I did not see that coming at all! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor! I love it when that happens in books.
Wonderfully written, well thought out, and shocking! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be more books in this series *hint, hint, nudge, nudge.
*Special thank you to DeAnn for discussing this book with my while I read it.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Whew! This book has a lot going on and I was there for every page of it. As Sami has his class looking into a cold case, a man is released from prison on a technicality, and Sami is seeking answers for an event that left him reeling and with lifelong questions.
I loved how Harlan Coben built the plot. I had no idea where things were going but enjoyed where this book took me. This book has quite a few twists, turns, and revelations. The ending was a complete and utter shock which had me reeling. I did not see that coming at all! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor! I love it when that happens in books.
Wonderfully written, well thought out, and shocking! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be more books in this series *hint, hint, nudge, nudge.
*Special thank you to DeAnn for discussing this book with my while I read it.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
March 27, 2025
3.5⭐️ Twenty years ago, detective Sami Kierce was a college grad backpacking through Europe when he met and fell in love with a young woman named Anna. Days later, he woke up with a knife in his hand, Anna dead in bed beside him. Now a disgraced detective teaching at the local community college, Sami is shocked when one fateful night, Anna appears at the back of his classroom.
I honestly am not entirely sure why I didn’t love this book, but for some reason, it fell kind of flat. Could it be because I enjoyed “Fool Me Once” so much, and therefore went in with very high expectations? Quite possibly. Could it be that audio alone made for a confusing format when so many different characters and backstories were introduced? Also possible. Whatever the cause, it was a slog to see this one to the end.
Let me start by saying, as it turns out, even according to Harlan Coben himself, this is not actually a series. Yes, the same detective is in both; however, you do not need to have read the previous book in order to fully appreciate or understand this one. That’s a benefit, and something I wish I myself had known.
While the plot line itself sounds absolutely fantastic for this one, I think my major issue with this book is the pacing. It started off with such a bang. We are presented with several interesting mysteries/cases that may or may not intertwine with a ton of potential for a very engaging story.
But then, something happened…and the pacing seemed to slow wayyyy down. I began to feel pulled in a bunch of different directions (and not in that fun thriller-y way) and I started to lose the threads. By the time we reach the third act, however, the pacing picks up again, and with a fun conclusion (although I might still be a little confused about one aspect of it).
Another element that kept me from fully loving this book is the main character himself. I struggled to connect with him throughout the entire book. At times, his inner monologue felt immature and cringy. I never felt his emotions come through, even when he was experiencing some of the worst moments of his life. He felt very two-dimensional in nature.
🎧 While the narrator himself was good, I think this type of story is best either in print or as an immersive read. While I was able to follow “Fool Me Once” entirely on audio alone, the same cannot be said with “Nobody’s Fool”.
Read if you like:
▪️psychological thrillers
▪️detective series
▪️police procedurals
▪️missing person storylines
Thank you Hachette Audio for the advanced copy.
I honestly am not entirely sure why I didn’t love this book, but for some reason, it fell kind of flat. Could it be because I enjoyed “Fool Me Once” so much, and therefore went in with very high expectations? Quite possibly. Could it be that audio alone made for a confusing format when so many different characters and backstories were introduced? Also possible. Whatever the cause, it was a slog to see this one to the end.
Let me start by saying, as it turns out, even according to Harlan Coben himself, this is not actually a series. Yes, the same detective is in both; however, you do not need to have read the previous book in order to fully appreciate or understand this one. That’s a benefit, and something I wish I myself had known.
While the plot line itself sounds absolutely fantastic for this one, I think my major issue with this book is the pacing. It started off with such a bang. We are presented with several interesting mysteries/cases that may or may not intertwine with a ton of potential for a very engaging story.
But then, something happened…and the pacing seemed to slow wayyyy down. I began to feel pulled in a bunch of different directions (and not in that fun thriller-y way) and I started to lose the threads. By the time we reach the third act, however, the pacing picks up again, and with a fun conclusion (although I might still be a little confused about one aspect of it).
Another element that kept me from fully loving this book is the main character himself. I struggled to connect with him throughout the entire book. At times, his inner monologue felt immature and cringy. I never felt his emotions come through, even when he was experiencing some of the worst moments of his life. He felt very two-dimensional in nature.
🎧 While the narrator himself was good, I think this type of story is best either in print or as an immersive read. While I was able to follow “Fool Me Once” entirely on audio alone, the same cannot be said with “Nobody’s Fool”.
Read if you like:
▪️psychological thrillers
▪️detective series
▪️police procedurals
▪️missing person storylines
Thank you Hachette Audio for the advanced copy.
January 12, 2025
My first 5 star read for 2025 ⭐️
Harlan Coben has done it again with another wildly twisty thriller. I have been a long time reader of Harlan’s books and he never lets me down. Nobody’s Fool brings back Sami Kierce, one year after the event of Fool Me Once which saw him being stood down from the NYPD. Now he is teaching when a face from his past turns upon his class. But it is impossible, Anna is dead. He found her body covered in blood 22 years ago in Spain when his whole life changed.
As there always is with this authors books, there is a lot going on. While all this is happening, the convicted killer of Sami’s former fiancée is released from prison on a technical issue. Just when he thought his life was going well with a wife and a new baby, things look they might be about to implode for him.
This story is genius! So clever and so addictive. I was approved for this book early Saturday morning and I had to start straight away. I took my time as much as I could, wanting to savour the story but by Sunday afternoon I was finished. I just couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know what was going to happen next and how it was all going to play out.
Another thing that I love about this author is all the nods to other books throughout. They really do make me smile. This book is just brilliant, it is funny, it is suspenseful and it is dark. Not just any author can get all those elements right in a story, but Harlan nails it every time. I can absolutely see this as a Netflix series in the future.
A massive thank you to Grand Central Publishing for making my weekend with approving me for this book. I can’t recommend this book and this author more. This comes out March 25th and you just need to read it. You can thank me later.
Harlan Coben has done it again with another wildly twisty thriller. I have been a long time reader of Harlan’s books and he never lets me down. Nobody’s Fool brings back Sami Kierce, one year after the event of Fool Me Once which saw him being stood down from the NYPD. Now he is teaching when a face from his past turns upon his class. But it is impossible, Anna is dead. He found her body covered in blood 22 years ago in Spain when his whole life changed.
As there always is with this authors books, there is a lot going on. While all this is happening, the convicted killer of Sami’s former fiancée is released from prison on a technical issue. Just when he thought his life was going well with a wife and a new baby, things look they might be about to implode for him.
This story is genius! So clever and so addictive. I was approved for this book early Saturday morning and I had to start straight away. I took my time as much as I could, wanting to savour the story but by Sunday afternoon I was finished. I just couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know what was going to happen next and how it was all going to play out.
Another thing that I love about this author is all the nods to other books throughout. They really do make me smile. This book is just brilliant, it is funny, it is suspenseful and it is dark. Not just any author can get all those elements right in a story, but Harlan nails it every time. I can absolutely see this as a Netflix series in the future.
A massive thank you to Grand Central Publishing for making my weekend with approving me for this book. I can’t recommend this book and this author more. This comes out March 25th and you just need to read it. You can thank me later.
July 25, 2025
Wow! This was so good until…..
Do you think that authors have to sign some kind of document that says they must push into their stories what now is considered woke and progressive? This story was great up until that part close to the end where Coben included something that once again had no bearing on the story, but it was "au courant"
Former Detective Sami Kierce, has led quite a life so far. His graduation from college and a backpack trip through Europe, with a stop in Spain opens him up to murder and mayhem. He meets the girl of his dreams goes off with her, and then one morning, a week into their whirlwind romance, he wakes up to find himself covered in blood and Anna dead. It's been a boozy drug filled week so the facts are certainly not clear but Sami knows he needs to hightail it out of there and he does returning to the US. As the years go by, the memories haunt him, derail his medical school plans, and he begins to question all he has been through.
Years later, a disgraced former NYPD detective, he turns to be a Private Investigator and teaching a group of people how to be investigators, when one night a woman enters his class, and he recognizes her. Then the chase is on, that leads Sami to many dark alleys, danger, and very wealthy people. Coupled in the mix is a man who was in prison for killing Sami's former finance is released on a technicality.
This is one of those fast action, could not put the book down type stories that had me dragging my kindle along everywhere. Truly a fine book of intrigue, persistence, and freedom from a world of worrying and regret until.....it lost a star!!!
Jan and I enjoyed the book but felt letdown a tad.
Do you think that authors have to sign some kind of document that says they must push into their stories what now is considered woke and progressive? This story was great up until that part close to the end where Coben included something that once again had no bearing on the story, but it was "au courant"
Former Detective Sami Kierce, has led quite a life so far. His graduation from college and a backpack trip through Europe, with a stop in Spain opens him up to murder and mayhem. He meets the girl of his dreams goes off with her, and then one morning, a week into their whirlwind romance, he wakes up to find himself covered in blood and Anna dead. It's been a boozy drug filled week so the facts are certainly not clear but Sami knows he needs to hightail it out of there and he does returning to the US. As the years go by, the memories haunt him, derail his medical school plans, and he begins to question all he has been through.
Years later, a disgraced former NYPD detective, he turns to be a Private Investigator and teaching a group of people how to be investigators, when one night a woman enters his class, and he recognizes her. Then the chase is on, that leads Sami to many dark alleys, danger, and very wealthy people. Coupled in the mix is a man who was in prison for killing Sami's former finance is released on a technicality.
This is one of those fast action, could not put the book down type stories that had me dragging my kindle along everywhere. Truly a fine book of intrigue, persistence, and freedom from a world of worrying and regret until.....it lost a star!!!
Jan and I enjoyed the book but felt letdown a tad.
May 14, 2025
Don't need to read book 1.
What?? I didn't know this is a sequel until I posted my rating and because I enjoyed it so much I want to read the first book. To my surprise, I gave book one FIVE stars in 2016. Too long to remember the details. 😂
This series has been adapted to a Netflix series. 📺
The mystery kept me guessing, but what really drew me in is obviously the detective. You get to know the characters, and really appreciate them. Great series, don't miss this one!!
What?? I didn't know this is a sequel until I posted my rating and because I enjoyed it so much I want to read the first book. To my surprise, I gave book one FIVE stars in 2016. Too long to remember the details. 😂
This series has been adapted to a Netflix series. 📺
The mystery kept me guessing, but what really drew me in is obviously the detective. You get to know the characters, and really appreciate them. Great series, don't miss this one!!
May 16, 2025
Sami Kierce hasn’t had a lot of luck in his life. As a twenty-one year old he’d had a terrible experience whilst holidaying in southern Spain with a bunch of guys, and later he’d been kicked out of the police force after chasing a suspect off of a roof. To put the tin lid on it, his fiancée was murdered by a man who’s now about to be released from prison. What else can go wrong? Well, he’s about to find out. Whist running a night class for wannabe amateur detectives, a woman enters the room. It’s a face he recognises. The woman doesn’t hang around though. In fact, as soon as she sees that she’s been spotted by Sami, she turns and dashes out onto the street.
We’re appraised of Sami’s bad luck in life in a series of episodes that prompt as many questions as they provide answers. The good news for Sami is that though he’s currently lacking the funds to live the life he’d favour, he is now married to a lovely wife and has a young son he dotes on. But some mysteries from the past still haunt him, and the woman whose face he’s seen is certainly at the core of one of the worst experiences of his life. He needs to track her down. So, in his determined quest to find her he enlists the help of the ragtag group who attend his classes and also any grabs any information he can source through a close friend from his time as a police officer.
This is one of those books where I’m reluctant to provide any more details than I already have. It contains a bunch of mysteries all wrapped up in one story – perhaps they all interlink, or maybe they don’t. Some characters are pushed to the forefront of the tale, whilst others – characters you think might will feature more prominently – aren’t. Will what’s really going on become glaringly obvious sooner rather than later? Well, the answer for me was no. In fact, I really didn’t get a clear view of how events knitted together until the very end. It’s an imaginatively created labyrinth of events that kept me hooked from start to finish. I loved everything about it: what we’re told, what we’re not told, the characters, the settings, the pacing – everything.
I’ve enjoyed many of Coben’s books over the years – though some more than others – but this one has definitely made it’s way to the very top of the pile. Miss it if you dare!
My thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
We’re appraised of Sami’s bad luck in life in a series of episodes that prompt as many questions as they provide answers. The good news for Sami is that though he’s currently lacking the funds to live the life he’d favour, he is now married to a lovely wife and has a young son he dotes on. But some mysteries from the past still haunt him, and the woman whose face he’s seen is certainly at the core of one of the worst experiences of his life. He needs to track her down. So, in his determined quest to find her he enlists the help of the ragtag group who attend his classes and also any grabs any information he can source through a close friend from his time as a police officer.
This is one of those books where I’m reluctant to provide any more details than I already have. It contains a bunch of mysteries all wrapped up in one story – perhaps they all interlink, or maybe they don’t. Some characters are pushed to the forefront of the tale, whilst others – characters you think might will feature more prominently – aren’t. Will what’s really going on become glaringly obvious sooner rather than later? Well, the answer for me was no. In fact, I really didn’t get a clear view of how events knitted together until the very end. It’s an imaginatively created labyrinth of events that kept me hooked from start to finish. I loved everything about it: what we’re told, what we’re not told, the characters, the settings, the pacing – everything.
I’ve enjoyed many of Coben’s books over the years – though some more than others – but this one has definitely made it’s way to the very top of the pile. Miss it if you dare!
My thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
May 5, 2025
I found this book to be a fast paced, riveting, and ingenious psychological thriller. This book was hard to put down and the suspense kept me guessing until the very end. I hope someone makes a movie or series of this one. Highly recommend.
April 21, 2025
Book two in the series and Sami Kierce is no longer a detective, having left the force in disgrace after the events of book one. He now lives in New York with his wife, Molly and his son, Henry, and works as a P.I and as a lecturer in criminology. He is teaching one day when he sees the woman he thought he may have killed twenty years ago alive and running away from him. The action begins and it never stops.
The character of Sami Pierce is really developing in a major way. He makes a few mistakes and he has a problem with anger management, but his talent for solving a mystery is up with the best. Of course, he has lots of help in this book with a rich family showering cash on him, a class of wannabe detectives desperate to help him and a wife who fortunately understands him.
I really enjoyed the whole book. The writing was excellent (this is Harlan Coben after all), the characters were delightful and the mystery was suitably mysterious. Highly recommended.
The character of Sami Pierce is really developing in a major way. He makes a few mistakes and he has a problem with anger management, but his talent for solving a mystery is up with the best. Of course, he has lots of help in this book with a rich family showering cash on him, a class of wannabe detectives desperate to help him and a wife who fortunately understands him.
I really enjoyed the whole book. The writing was excellent (this is Harlan Coben after all), the characters were delightful and the mystery was suitably mysterious. Highly recommended.
January 28, 2025
"His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past. Soon he discovers that some secrets should stay buried . . ."
I have been a fan of Harlan Coben's writing for quite some time, so I was very happy to receive this ARC. Thank you so much, Grand Central Publishing! 🖤✨
What to expect:
🔪🩸Part of a series but can be read as a standalone
🔪🩸Ex Cop turned Private Investigator
🔪🩸Disappearance
🔪🩸Haunting Past
🔪🩸Twisty Ending
This book was so good. It is the perfect combination of a solid storyline and suspense. Both the main and side characters are well-developed, adding depth to the narrative. The plot unfolds in a way that is both intriguing and unpredictable, with clever twists that enhance the overall experience and keep you guessing at every turn. The build-up of tension kept me hooked. The story wrapped up perfectly and gave us answers to all of our questions. I love the sprinkle of a cliffhanger that hopefully promises a future installment to the series?! Honestly, I was truly hooked til the very last page. Highly recommend!
The expected publication date is March 25, 2025. Be sure to preorder and add this one to your TBR. You won't be disappointed!
As always, all thoughts are my own!!
I have been a fan of Harlan Coben's writing for quite some time, so I was very happy to receive this ARC. Thank you so much, Grand Central Publishing! 🖤✨
What to expect:
🔪🩸Part of a series but can be read as a standalone
🔪🩸Ex Cop turned Private Investigator
🔪🩸Disappearance
🔪🩸Haunting Past
🔪🩸Twisty Ending
This book was so good. It is the perfect combination of a solid storyline and suspense. Both the main and side characters are well-developed, adding depth to the narrative. The plot unfolds in a way that is both intriguing and unpredictable, with clever twists that enhance the overall experience and keep you guessing at every turn. The build-up of tension kept me hooked. The story wrapped up perfectly and gave us answers to all of our questions. I love the sprinkle of a cliffhanger that hopefully promises a future installment to the series?! Honestly, I was truly hooked til the very last page. Highly recommend!
The expected publication date is March 25, 2025. Be sure to preorder and add this one to your TBR. You won't be disappointed!
As always, all thoughts are my own!!
March 25, 2025
This was my first Harlan Coben and I really enjoyed it. It was well-written and an interesting story. It did take me a little while to get used to our narrator breaking the fourth wall, but it also brought the reader into the story.
I liked that the characters were multi-dimensional. They did things were questionable or down right wrong, but their reasons made sense and they were all flawed. Our main character even calls himself out a couple of times.
I was not expecting the whole reveal at the end or the twist that really brought the story together and answered some of my final questions. It was fun to be surprised. There were still a couple things at the end that didn't really make sense to me, but I was able to suspend my disbelief and overlook those things.
I received an audio copy narrated by Vikas Adam and thought it was very well done. His voice was well-suited to the story and was never overdone. The narration really drew me in.
I look forward to reading more by Coben in the future. I will start by going back to read Fool Me Once!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I liked that the characters were multi-dimensional. They did things were questionable or down right wrong, but their reasons made sense and they were all flawed. Our main character even calls himself out a couple of times.
I was not expecting the whole reveal at the end or the twist that really brought the story together and answered some of my final questions. It was fun to be surprised. There were still a couple things at the end that didn't really make sense to me, but I was able to suspend my disbelief and overlook those things.
I received an audio copy narrated by Vikas Adam and thought it was very well done. His voice was well-suited to the story and was never overdone. The narration really drew me in.
I look forward to reading more by Coben in the future. I will start by going back to read Fool Me Once!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 25, 2025
the setup…
Sami Kierce is now a private investigator in New York City, married to Molly and father of their infant son Henry. A former police detective forced to leave in disgrace, he’s working off debts by doing low level surveillance assignments for a law firm and teaching a criminology class to a small group of amateur sleuths. It’s during one of the classes that a woman walks in and slams him back into his past from twenty-two years ago. She’s Anna, the woman who he spent five nights with in Malaga, Spain as a college grad…and who he woke to find bloodied and dead in his bed with him holding the knife! She flees from the class as he chases after her.
the heart of the story…
It’s all Sami as he runs after the woman who has haunted him for over twenty years. The chase leads him to a wealthy enclave and while he now knows where she lives, the search for answers is elusive. In the meantime, the man he helped put behind bars for murdering his fiancée is released on a technicality, still professing his innocence. Sami enlists the help of a motley crew of his students to figure out how Anna is still alive and exactly who she is as well as how to put the man who killed his fiancée back behind bars.
the narration…
I quickly became enamored of Vikas Adam as he not only captured the essence of Sami’s as a character but created so many other distinct voices I was sure there were multiple performers. He is a talented storyteller.
the bottom line…
I love how Coben creates stories that are twisty from the onset and then gives you more. I liked Sami and soon figured out he was nobody’s fool. He’s got keen instincts, aided by that delightful group of students who made the investigation even more compelling. I knew a shocking revelation was coming but still wasn’t quite prepared for the resolution. And, there are some dangling bits that have my heart fluttering for more of Sami and friends. Well done, Mr. Coben.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Sami Kierce is now a private investigator in New York City, married to Molly and father of their infant son Henry. A former police detective forced to leave in disgrace, he’s working off debts by doing low level surveillance assignments for a law firm and teaching a criminology class to a small group of amateur sleuths. It’s during one of the classes that a woman walks in and slams him back into his past from twenty-two years ago. She’s Anna, the woman who he spent five nights with in Malaga, Spain as a college grad…and who he woke to find bloodied and dead in his bed with him holding the knife! She flees from the class as he chases after her.
the heart of the story…
It’s all Sami as he runs after the woman who has haunted him for over twenty years. The chase leads him to a wealthy enclave and while he now knows where she lives, the search for answers is elusive. In the meantime, the man he helped put behind bars for murdering his fiancée is released on a technicality, still professing his innocence. Sami enlists the help of a motley crew of his students to figure out how Anna is still alive and exactly who she is as well as how to put the man who killed his fiancée back behind bars.
the narration…
I quickly became enamored of Vikas Adam as he not only captured the essence of Sami’s as a character but created so many other distinct voices I was sure there were multiple performers. He is a talented storyteller.
the bottom line…
I love how Coben creates stories that are twisty from the onset and then gives you more. I liked Sami and soon figured out he was nobody’s fool. He’s got keen instincts, aided by that delightful group of students who made the investigation even more compelling. I knew a shocking revelation was coming but still wasn’t quite prepared for the resolution. And, there are some dangling bits that have my heart fluttering for more of Sami and friends. Well done, Mr. Coben.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
April 25, 2025
Exceeded my expectations. Review to follow.
February 22, 2025
Harlan Coben is a master of his craft, as evidenced in his latest heartstopping thriller, Nobody's Fool. Sami Kierce has a happy life with his new wife and baby working as a detective in New York City. He teaches a night class for students interested in detective work. One night after class, he sees Anna, a woman from his past that he hasn't seen in twenty-two years. Not since he was a recent college grad on a summer trip in Spain. But how can it be her? Last he saw her, he woke up covered in her blood with a knife in his hand. When he acknowledges her, Anna runs.
What follows is an action-packed thriller with multiple characters and timelines and lots of twisty turns that you don't see coming. This is fast-paced and suspenseful. Coben leaves clues intricately weaving those seamlessly into the plot and character arcs at the precise time to make multiple storylines come together for a spectacular ending. Get the popcorn out and prepare for a wild ride. I couldn't put this one down! 🍿
Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Harlan Coben for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
What follows is an action-packed thriller with multiple characters and timelines and lots of twisty turns that you don't see coming. This is fast-paced and suspenseful. Coben leaves clues intricately weaving those seamlessly into the plot and character arcs at the precise time to make multiple storylines come together for a spectacular ending. Get the popcorn out and prepare for a wild ride. I couldn't put this one down! 🍿
Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Harlan Coben for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 9, 2025
This book could easily be read as a standalone but this is the second book about Detective Sami Kierce. I like him as a character and I was excited to see him again. When he was fresh out of college he took a trip to Europe and met a girl and his life would never be the same. He woke up feeling like he’d been drugged with a knife and blood everywhere. He ran but has never forgotten the girl he has believed he killed. Now with his life again taken a turn for the worse he is drowning in debt and is disgraced after a mistake cost him his career and reputation. This doesn’t stop him from teaching detective skills to a group of young people and one day a woman joins the class who looks like Anna, the girl he met in Spain. He chases her and finds a mystery he wasn’t expecting. This book twisted between several mysteries and I really liked it a lot. I listened to the audiobook and I liked the narrator a lot, he really brought the main character to life. I gave this book 4.5 stars rounded up because it was a very enjoyable story.
May 12, 2025
3-3.5 stars. The plot was mysterious and enjoyable enough. However, this certainly didn't read to me like a standard Coben novel. I struggled to get into it (for the first time reading one of his books) and stay engaged in it. It also felt a bit jumpy and slow at times. Fortunately, still enjoyed it a bit.
March 30, 2025
It may be hard to believe, since I read so much, but Nobody’s Fool is only my second book by Harlan Coben. Given that he’s written SO many books, it truly surprised me. Anyway… Nobody’s Fool was a very engaging mystery and I’m glad I read/listened to it!
Sami Kierce is the main character, a former NYPD detective who was forced out of the department due to problematic behavior in a couple of cases. So he’s scrambling to make a living for himself, his wife and baby son, by taking on various low-level private investigations, such as surveilling cheating husbands. He also teaches a sort of adult education detective class on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. That class is filled with a wide variety of “interesting” people. I loved that Sami referred to them mostly by nicknames, such as Gary The Golfer, Leisure Suit Lenny, and a few women he calls the Pink Panthers. (It actually helped me remember who was who, as opposed to just a list of names.) I really enjoyed Sami; he has a good sense of humor and it was a nice change of pace to read a main character who grew up in New Jersey of Pakistani heritage.
The book opens with some scenes from 20-odd years earlier, when he was backpacking in Europe with some of his college buddies (whom he refers to as the “lax bros”, i.e. lacrosse players), before starting med school. In Spain he meets and has a brief affair with a young woman named Anna. The publisher’s blurb gives this away, so it isn’t a spoiler: he wakes up next to Anna, who is dead and he’s holding a bloody knife! He runs, basically. And he never goes to med school; instead he becomes a police officer.
Fast forward those 20-odd years and a woman shows up at his class and he just knows it’s Anna, older of course. When she turns and runs instead of talking to him, he follows her. Most of the book involves figuring out how Anna could still be alive. I enjoyed how some of his more promising students helped him in this effort. Another thread is the release from prison of a man he helped convict, a man he believes killed his then-fiancee. Because of his checkered past, his lawyer has gotten that guy out of prison.
I mostly listened to the audiobook version, beautifully narrated by Vikas Adam. I sped through this book, not wanting to stop listening.
If you enjoy a fast-paced thriller with some good twists and great local atmosphere, check out Nobody’s Fool.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Sami Kierce is the main character, a former NYPD detective who was forced out of the department due to problematic behavior in a couple of cases. So he’s scrambling to make a living for himself, his wife and baby son, by taking on various low-level private investigations, such as surveilling cheating husbands. He also teaches a sort of adult education detective class on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. That class is filled with a wide variety of “interesting” people. I loved that Sami referred to them mostly by nicknames, such as Gary The Golfer, Leisure Suit Lenny, and a few women he calls the Pink Panthers. (It actually helped me remember who was who, as opposed to just a list of names.) I really enjoyed Sami; he has a good sense of humor and it was a nice change of pace to read a main character who grew up in New Jersey of Pakistani heritage.
The book opens with some scenes from 20-odd years earlier, when he was backpacking in Europe with some of his college buddies (whom he refers to as the “lax bros”, i.e. lacrosse players), before starting med school. In Spain he meets and has a brief affair with a young woman named Anna. The publisher’s blurb gives this away, so it isn’t a spoiler: he wakes up next to Anna, who is dead and he’s holding a bloody knife! He runs, basically. And he never goes to med school; instead he becomes a police officer.
Fast forward those 20-odd years and a woman shows up at his class and he just knows it’s Anna, older of course. When she turns and runs instead of talking to him, he follows her. Most of the book involves figuring out how Anna could still be alive. I enjoyed how some of his more promising students helped him in this effort. Another thread is the release from prison of a man he helped convict, a man he believes killed his then-fiancee. Because of his checkered past, his lawyer has gotten that guy out of prison.
I mostly listened to the audiobook version, beautifully narrated by Vikas Adam. I sped through this book, not wanting to stop listening.
If you enjoy a fast-paced thriller with some good twists and great local atmosphere, check out Nobody’s Fool.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 31, 2025
I love Harlan Coben! He is one of my must buy/favorite authors and his books never disappoint…EVER! Nobody’s Fool is his latest, and once again Coben hit it out of the park with his latest mystery.
What appealed to you the most in this story?
I loved Coben’s latest mystery! I'm gonna keep things kinda vague for my review, because it's best to go in blind for the most part. However, I will say that from the very beginning of this book, I was reeled in with multiple mysteries that I knew would somehow come together in the end, and boy were the twists pure genius! By the end of each of his books I’m always left wondering: how in the world does Coben come up with these plots and twists?
The characters have actual personalities - believable ones. No one is perfect, and that is what makes them believable and pulls you into their world. Some of the characters do good things for good reasons with bad results…sort of. Does that give you an idea of what this book is like? It’s about well meaning, fallible people. There are bad people too. One thing is for certain…Coben always understands human nature and uses it to create a compelling, interesting, at times humorous and educational story.
What to expect:
Mystery
Complex Characters
Suspense
Action
Twists
How was the audiobook?
Vikas Adam did a superb job narrating this story. He’s honestly the reason I got in at least a 7 mile walk when I first started listening to the book! His voice and inflection pull you right into the emotions of the story, and I never wanted to stop listening.
How was the pace?
Fast! Anytime I pick up one of Coban's books, I know I need to clear my schedule so I can binge the whole thing, and sure enough, I finished this book in less than 24 hours!
Do you recommend this book?
Do you love criminal thrillers with a twist??? If so, you really need to read or listen to the audio version of Harlan Coben’s latest book…or just any of his books if you have not read this amazing author yet!
Thank you, Hatchett Audio, and Grand Central for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
What appealed to you the most in this story?
I loved Coben’s latest mystery! I'm gonna keep things kinda vague for my review, because it's best to go in blind for the most part. However, I will say that from the very beginning of this book, I was reeled in with multiple mysteries that I knew would somehow come together in the end, and boy were the twists pure genius! By the end of each of his books I’m always left wondering: how in the world does Coben come up with these plots and twists?
The characters have actual personalities - believable ones. No one is perfect, and that is what makes them believable and pulls you into their world. Some of the characters do good things for good reasons with bad results…sort of. Does that give you an idea of what this book is like? It’s about well meaning, fallible people. There are bad people too. One thing is for certain…Coben always understands human nature and uses it to create a compelling, interesting, at times humorous and educational story.
What to expect:
Mystery
Complex Characters
Suspense
Action
Twists
How was the audiobook?
Vikas Adam did a superb job narrating this story. He’s honestly the reason I got in at least a 7 mile walk when I first started listening to the book! His voice and inflection pull you right into the emotions of the story, and I never wanted to stop listening.
How was the pace?
Fast! Anytime I pick up one of Coban's books, I know I need to clear my schedule so I can binge the whole thing, and sure enough, I finished this book in less than 24 hours!
Do you recommend this book?
Do you love criminal thrillers with a twist??? If so, you really need to read or listen to the audio version of Harlan Coben’s latest book…or just any of his books if you have not read this amazing author yet!
Thank you, Hatchett Audio, and Grand Central for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
March 19, 2025
ARC for review. To be published May 25, 2025.
3.5 stars
As a young college grad backpacking in Europe with friends (seriously, maybe the best time of my life) Sami Kierce (a guy…I was confused with the spelling) wakes up one morning in Spain, covered in blood. He has a knife in his hand and his girlfriend of about a week, Anna, is beside him, dead. He remembers nothing. He goes to the police, but then he runs.
Over two decades later Sami is not the doctor he planned the be, but, instead, is a P.I. after being fired from the police. He also teaches a night school course on crime in NYC and he’s a new dad. One night Anna comes into his classroom, but as soon as she sees Sami she runs. Sami knows he must find her to see if she actually survived that night in Spain.
My question…why? Just go with the win, Sam! I mean, I would WANT to know, but would also be feeling some great relief. But Sami has more ambition than me, I guess, so away we go!
Coben is a really good plotter and I don’t know that Inexpected anything in particular from this, but it was interesting and there are some great supporting characters here. I get the impression this is the second book featuring Sami, so perhaps there will be more, and I like him. Rounded up to 4 stars, even though 3.5?8/ a good spot.
3.5 stars
As a young college grad backpacking in Europe with friends (seriously, maybe the best time of my life) Sami Kierce (a guy…I was confused with the spelling) wakes up one morning in Spain, covered in blood. He has a knife in his hand and his girlfriend of about a week, Anna, is beside him, dead. He remembers nothing. He goes to the police, but then he runs.
Over two decades later Sami is not the doctor he planned the be, but, instead, is a P.I. after being fired from the police. He also teaches a night school course on crime in NYC and he’s a new dad. One night Anna comes into his classroom, but as soon as she sees Sami she runs. Sami knows he must find her to see if she actually survived that night in Spain.
My question…why? Just go with the win, Sam! I mean, I would WANT to know, but would also be feeling some great relief. But Sami has more ambition than me, I guess, so away we go!
Coben is a really good plotter and I don’t know that Inexpected anything in particular from this, but it was interesting and there are some great supporting characters here. I get the impression this is the second book featuring Sami, so perhaps there will be more, and I like him. Rounded up to 4 stars, even though 3.5?8/ a good spot.
April 3, 2025
I received this as an advanced reader audiobook copy.
I used to read Harlan Coben a lot. And this book wasn't up to my memories of this author. There were a bunch of things in this book that just didn't feel "right".
The hero is a small Pakistani-American man, born and raised in New York. The narrator uses a gruff noir detective style voice to tell this story and it was perfectly fine. The author is an older white man and I'm not sure he was able to capture the character in a way that felt real. Yes, he's told by his dad "you're a brown kid in a foreign country. Come home", but that's pretty much all the "flavor" we get that this guy is not the typical white detective.
He very much comes off as a gruff police detective with a big ego and sketchy behavior. Thankfully, he has chosen to not lie to his wife, which I appreciated. But I didn't connect with his character much.
The mystery isn't super intriguing to me and the twists at the end didn't feel very interesting.
The technology in this book didn't feel right either. From the GPS tracker to the way this guy uses his smart phone and what apps he has... it just felt like an old guy trying to tell a story but not understanding modern technology. There are also references that are older than the character would comfortably use.
Finally, the timeline doesn't make sense. Twenty-two years ago, something happens to the main character and he decides to change from medical school to police academy. Four years later, he's a police detective (that seems really fast) and somehow he's in charge of a case enough at a VERY young age that when he later gets shown up as a hothead this 18-year old conviction gets overthrown. Let's remember that this dude had to change, be depressed for a while, go to police academy, work his way up to detective, solve this murder, find the killer, the killer had to stand trial and be convicted... all in the space of 4 years!? Doesn't compute.
This was fine, but there are much better books in this author's past.
I used to read Harlan Coben a lot. And this book wasn't up to my memories of this author. There were a bunch of things in this book that just didn't feel "right".
The hero is a small Pakistani-American man, born and raised in New York. The narrator uses a gruff noir detective style voice to tell this story and it was perfectly fine. The author is an older white man and I'm not sure he was able to capture the character in a way that felt real. Yes, he's told by his dad "you're a brown kid in a foreign country. Come home", but that's pretty much all the "flavor" we get that this guy is not the typical white detective.
He very much comes off as a gruff police detective with a big ego and sketchy behavior. Thankfully, he has chosen to not lie to his wife, which I appreciated. But I didn't connect with his character much.
The mystery isn't super intriguing to me and the twists at the end didn't feel very interesting.
The technology in this book didn't feel right either. From the GPS tracker to the way this guy uses his smart phone and what apps he has... it just felt like an old guy trying to tell a story but not understanding modern technology. There are also references that are older than the character would comfortably use.
Finally, the timeline doesn't make sense. Twenty-two years ago, something happens to the main character and he decides to change from medical school to police academy. Four years later, he's a police detective (that seems really fast) and somehow he's in charge of a case enough at a VERY young age that when he later gets shown up as a hothead this 18-year old conviction gets overthrown. Let's remember that this dude had to change, be depressed for a while, go to police academy, work his way up to detective, solve this murder, find the killer, the killer had to stand trial and be convicted... all in the space of 4 years!? Doesn't compute.
This was fine, but there are much better books in this author's past.
March 31, 2025
I always love a Harlan Coben book; however, this one was just not up to snuff for me 😕.
Being that this is supposed to be a typical Harlan thriller, it was just not that exceptionally thrilling at all. There wasn’t any “Aha”moment and I kept thinking that it was going to happen, going to happen, going to happen… only to be disappointed and disheartened by the end.
WHERE ARE YOU HARLAN COBEN😩😩!!
Being that this is supposed to be a typical Harlan thriller, it was just not that exceptionally thrilling at all. There wasn’t any “Aha”moment and I kept thinking that it was going to happen, going to happen, going to happen… only to be disappointed and disheartened by the end.
WHERE ARE YOU HARLAN COBEN😩😩!!
April 21, 2025
4 Stars
I read Fool Me Once a few years ago but this book is totally different even though it's a series.
Sami Keirce met Ana on vacation in Spain and wakes up next to her dead body.
Twenty years later Sami is a former police officer who teaches a class on investigating and also does detective work on the side.
While he's teaching his students he notices a girl in the group he thinks could be Ana.
After following her from the class she disappears and he must find out if it's really her.
The narration for this book didn't grab my attention and there was lots of twists in this book.
It started slow but if you stick with it it's a good story.
It ended with the possibility of a third book.
I read Fool Me Once a few years ago but this book is totally different even though it's a series.
Sami Keirce met Ana on vacation in Spain and wakes up next to her dead body.
Twenty years later Sami is a former police officer who teaches a class on investigating and also does detective work on the side.
While he's teaching his students he notices a girl in the group he thinks could be Ana.
After following her from the class she disappears and he must find out if it's really her.
The narration for this book didn't grab my attention and there was lots of twists in this book.
It started slow but if you stick with it it's a good story.
It ended with the possibility of a third book.
March 8, 2025
This is one fast reading thriller I could not put down. Harlan Coben hits it out of the ballpark once again! I love his writing style and loved the shocking ending! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy. To be published March 25, 2025.
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