Book Review: The Stranger

Long time no see, blog world. School and work have kept me busy the past few months, but now I have some more free time and I can catch back up on blog posts. I have two book reviews coming for you, the first of which is this post. So I’ve been able to do plenty of reading, just not much blogging. Let’s get started with the first book review.

When it comes to mystery and suspense, my absolute favorite author is Harlan Coben. He always delivers thrilling stories with fantastic characters. As I mentioned in my Top 5 Favorite Book Series post, his Myron Bolitar series is one of my favorites to read. Today though, I’m reviewing one of his standalone stories: The Stranger.

Here’s the synopsis:

“The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world. 

Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream: a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life. 

Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corinne, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corinne’s deception, and realizes that if he doesn’t make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he’s stumbled into will not only ruin lives—it will end them.” 

My rating: ***** 

The Stranger is a real page turner, that constantly keeps the wheels in your head turning as you try to solve the mystery. The characters were all intriguing and I felt for Adam Price throughout the book. The one thing that keeps me from giving this book a full five-star rating, is that the ending didn’t quite hit it out of the park for me. It’s not a terrible ending by any means, but the overall mystery of the novel doesn’t feel fully resolved.

One of my favorite things about Harlan Coben’s novels is that they take place in the same universe. So if you read his various books, you may just spot a character cameo here and there – and this novel is no exception with that. I love it when I’m able to spot a familiar face in a book.

Speaking of familiar faces, I’m also very excited to see that Harlan Coben is releasing a new Myron Bolitar book this year. I’ve missed getting to read the stories about him, and while I’ve enjoyed the YA books about Myron’s nephew Mickey, it’s not quite the same.

If you’re in the mood for a mystery, I recommend checking out The Stranger and some of Harlan Coben’s other books.