What do people think of Harlan Coben?
What do people think of Harlan Coben?
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I really enjoyed The Five TV series so it prompted me to go and buy The Stranger.
I’ve always enjoyed his books – they are slickly written and have plenty of pace and tension – akin to the narrative drive of someone like James Patterson but generally much more character depth and more issues/setting. As twisty as Jeffery Deaver at times. I enjoy his Myron Bolitar series, and he’s hit a few home runs with his standalones, doing the ‘domestic noir’-ish thing far before the current trend… overall a top-notch writer, and one I recommend (along with Linwood Barclay and Gregg Hurwitz) to fans of fast-paced crime writing looking for something with a bit more depth.
I love his writing too. We were given Tell No-One as an example of an excellent thriller on my MA.
I’ve not read any of the Bolitar series. Must try one.
Thanks Craig,
No problem @Alfred. The latter comment was just in relation to I try to recommend things to people based on what they enjoy, ie I think James Le Burke is the finest crime writer alive, but I wouldn’t recommend him to a fan of James Patterson or Lee Child necessarily, because it’s completely different kinds of storytelling – so when people ask me for recommendations (I review for mags, newspapers etc) I try to offer them something that’s in their preferred wheelhouse while still extending things a bit, if that makes sense…Harlan Coben is a go-to for me when people have enjoyed that quicker-paced, twisty stuff…
Love him
Love him
I love him!! His books are always thoroughly enjoyable – both his Myron books and his stand alone ones
I’ve read many. Full of twists, brilliant
Here’s what I had to say about one of his standalones a while back – many of my comments are applicable to his books in general (in tersm of style, tone, pacing etc): http://kiwicrime.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-caught-by-harlan-coben.html
He’s particularly good at weaving in past secrets and family troubles into high-octane, pacy, twisty plots
Love his books. So easy to get in to. Good stories and good characters……
I like his books
I like his books loved the 5 series xxx
My favourite
I loved the five ? going to try some of his others
They are fab
Which would you recommend I try first?
My favourites are Promise me and The Woods.
Promise me is part of a series but they all stand alone.
Thank you gareth
Really enjoyed the ones I have read
I listened to ‘ Six Years’ on audible I did enjoy it but my husband liked it more, I think he could relate to Jake and the fact it was narrated by a guy.
I really like him, not seen the tv show though xxx
Love him
Love love LOVE his books. Myron Bolitar series are my favourite xx
Mine too!!
I like his books and the style HD writes them. X
Great author
Brilliant have read most if not all his books and thought the five was superb
A really excellent author in my opinion
One of my absolute favourite authors, Tell No One is great x
All his stand alone books are brilliant
Love him.
Not read any xx
Love his books! The standalones more than the Myron Bolitar series.
i have collected quite a few of his books and still doing, but haven’t read any, i hope i enjoy them after all the collecting i have been doing!
I think you will like them Kat. Although he is no Chris Carter he is a great writer.
I have always enjoyed them!
Love his books
Brilliant author. And I loved The Five
Fantastic author.
Rate him highly.
I love his stand alone books. I’m not a fan of series.
Love him, but prefer his standalones best.
Great writer – would recommend the Myron Bolitar series as well as his stand alone books ??
Fantastic author. You’re in for a treat ?
I recommend “Tell no-one ” then I went onto the Myton Bolitar series.
I started with his Myron Bolitar series which I really love but his standalone novels are equally good. Author well worth reading!
Good author really enjoyed.
He’s a very good writer, in my opinion. 🙂 However, I’ve never liked the Myron Bolitar books. OK, they’re meant to be tongue-in-cheek but I have a real antipathy to any fiction about sport and in particular women wrestlers. 🙂 But HC’s maintream thriller fiction is outstanding. One of my faves is TELL NO ONE. It’s complex, involving and a really good example of how to create sustained tension in a thriller. However, I agree with many that his writing can get formulaic at times. Perhaps that explains why I didn’t stick with his TV series FIVE. 🙂
Find his books to be a little slow, but am a big Simon kernick fan and his books are fast paced and can’t put em down
Love his books
I haven’t read any of his books as yet….but I absolutely loved the TV drama The Five…bloody brilliant ???
Brilliant
OK I may upset some people here. I like his books but they are no where near as good as our British writers Anne Cleeves and Stuart McBride. They are entertaining but a bit light weight,
Why do you think you might upset people? I am sure you are not the only one who may think his writing is a bit lightweight but you are entitled to your opinion.
@Ayo Thank you for your comment, I enjoy his books for a Sunday afternoon romp on the sofa, but I really do prefer our British writers for a serious read.
Everyone entitled 2 what they think. Everyone said the teacher gruesome but I didn’t think it was and wouldn’t say was just 2 please someone but still excellent book xx
Personally for example I read a lot more American writers than I do British, I also don’t particularly like psychological novels I prefer anything else. I can cope with lots of blood and gore. The thing is Louise, everyone’s taste is different and it would be awful if we were all the same!
As you say we ae all have our opinions, I love British crime because I identify with it. (Stuart McBride, AnneCleeves) I don’t really know the USA crime regulations so feel more comfortable with the British
@Louise – I can’t really read British books with courtroom settings because of my day job and I will be purely picking holes in them if they are not written well.
Yeah, not sure about psychological crime, everyone raves about The Girl on the Train, I sort of enjoyed it and sort of hated it
@Ayo I think the British books are so much better written than their American counterparts
I sorry, I disagree. I think that they both have strengths and are well written in different ways. There are some British writers whose work I automatically read because I love their work and their writing the same goes for American writers.
I have 8 of his books and absolutely love them. The Woods is my favorite.
Read a lot of his earlier ones but gone off him now 🙁
Love him! xxxx
Saw him when he gave a talk in Leeds a couple of years ago – very witty and inspirational
I find his books difficult to read, have tried but can’t get into them.
Enjoyable lightweight reading. Some better than others.
I’ve read a couple – they tend to be the sort of thing I pick up in desperation if stranded somewhere with nothing to read. They tend to be the frothy / mainstream end of ‘thriller’, I find. Well executed, very professional – a bit lacking in grit and commitment.
Just read The Stranger.. mixed review
That’s the paperback I’ve just ordered!
Love his books, they grab you straightaway and keep you hooked, most importantly they always have a proper conclusion and ending x
??
Couldnt have described his books better xx
I’m not quite as keen on the Myron Bolitar ones
Me neither Lesley.
I prefer the standalones
Me too, enjoyed a lot of his earlier one but then Myron seemed to take over.
I think it was Tell No-one I really liked.
Me too.
@Carol If that’s the one where the wife is kidnapped and murdered??
Lol Lesley, I was thinking it was that one as that was the one that got me reading others.
Yes, I think I started with that one, too 😉
Great minds!
Love his books
Very good author. His stories are always a good read.