| Title | : | The Stranger |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0525953507 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780525953500 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 386 |
| Publication | : | First published March 24, 2015 |
| Awards | : | Hammett Prize (2015), Goodreads Choice Award Mystery & Thriller (2015) |
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.
The Stranger Reviews
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I am not ashamed to say that I am one of Harlan Coben's loyal fans. I love his fast-paced, all engrossing mystery suspense thrillers. He is my go to when I just want to forget about my crappy life and read about someone else's crappy life. These stories remind me how things could be so much worse. Coben has mastered the art of convincing people the ones we love the most just might not be who we think they are or they may harbor some type of secret that could shatter our lives and cause everything to unravel. The Stranger is no exception.
Adam Price was living a comfortable life with his wife Corinne and their two sons when a stranger tells him that his wife has a secret that could destroy their matrimonial bliss. As Adam begins to investigate the validity of the stranger's claims, he is (as most characters from Coben's novels are) ill equipped for the battle that will occur.
At almost the same time, a detective named Johanna Griffin is investigating the death of a close friend. And it seems that she and Adam both have the stranger in common. Before long, it becomes a cat and mouse game where everyone is looking for someone. Adam is looking for his wife who has disappeared without a trace after being confronted with the secret, while Johanna is looking for the person responsible for the ruthless killing of her good friend. All roads lead to the stranger.
So why my 3-star rating? Well... where do I start? No it's not that bad really. I just felt a strong disconnect with The Stranger. Usually I'm able to support the charmingly befuddled lead in Coben's novels but this time I couldn't. Adam never really came to life for me. He's a prestigious lawyer who has every resource at his fingertips yet still chooses to go about things the wrong way. His investigations are flawed. His followup is flawed. His naivete makes for an exhausting read.
The Stranger is not only flawed with Adam Price. Sorry Coben! I'm still a fan but this one just had my head spinning. Yes, in every mystery novel you want your head to spin but not so much so that you can't pinpoint a single possible lead to solving the mystery along with the characters. And I didn't buy Coben trying to humanize the "stranger" and his crew who only wanted to rid the world of lies. I didn't buy this whole just maybe they're doing a good thing view.
It's not all bad. Really it isn't. Harlan Coben still allows me the chance to get lost in a story that I can only be happy isn't happening to me. Although this time around his characters are a little thin, it's still frightening to think that someone is tracking my moves online and waiting. They are offering that information to the highest bidder just so they are able to continue ruining other people's lives with their revelations.
Overall, The Stranger is a fun read with lots of twists and turns. There's no shortage of possible suspects. Yet, sadly, there's too much going on to ever fully digest the curveballs that are thrown our way. Newbies shouldn't read this novel and expect to become fans of my same caliber. Harlan Coben's The Stranger has reminded me not to ever expect anything good from a conversation with a stranger in a smoky, dim lighted bar.
Copy Provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley -
Adam Price is married with two sons and is living a pretty good life in Cedarfield, New Jersey. One day a guy/stranger comes up to Adam in the American Legion Hall (where a meeting for his son's lacrosse team is being held) and tells Adam that his wife faked a pregnancy. Adam doesn't know what to make of what this stranger says. The stranger seems believable. Adam tries to ignore what this man said, but somehow, it has a ring of truth about it. After Adam confronts his wife about this she runs off, telling him to give her time...
As days goes by Adam discovers that this stranger is revealing dark secrets to other people as well, and destroying lives. Who is this stranger, why is he revealing secrets, and how do they get him to stop before he ruins more lives?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a real page-turner. Every time I put this book down I wanted to pick it up again to see what was going to happen next! The story was gripping and fast-paced, the cast of characters were interesting.
Another great mystery-suspense by Harlan Coben. -
Full disclosure here I decided to read this book after watching the Netflix series based on it. I really liked the series and thought I’d have a go at the book. Not to spoil anything but the book and the series are very different with regards to some key elements. I found both to be very engaging and I look forward to reading more of this authors books.
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I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben. My favorite, like everyone else, is the Myron Bolitar series. Just the best! This one is a stand-alone suspense novel that fully delivers in true Coben style.
Can you keep a secret? Not if The Stranger is nearby....
There is a man, who refers to himself as The Stranger, traveling the country revealing everyone's darkest secrets. The consequences can destroy families.
The focus is on Adam and his wife Corinne. The stranger approaches Adam one evening to reveal a secret his wife has been hiding for the past few years. Adam is then on the hunt to find the truth behind the secret AND the stranger. What is the stranger's motive? Is he trying to right a wrong? Or are his reasons more sinister?
Hard to put down. Many twists that shocked me....never saw that one coming!
Loved it!! -
I gave this book 2 stars for 2 reasons- 1, the author was Harlan Coben whom I love and 2, it kept me needing to finish it to find out how the ridiculous plot and storyline ended. It was like watching a train wreck-- you know you don't want to look, but you have to. This was by far the WORST Harlan Coben novel I have ever read -- and I finished it! The storyline was convoluted, the characters were unbelievable and the ending was so perfectly tied up it almost made the book a joke. However, I will continue to read Harlan Coben's books because he is a fantastic author--I just wonder what he was taking when he wrote this trash!
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I just found out that there’s a Netflix TV show based on this book, and I loved this book so much and I'm not sure whether to scream or cry 😭😭😭
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The Hook - My number came up on the reserve list at the library and I thought “Why not?”
The Line –“Feeding teenage boys was like filling a bathtub with a grapefruit spoon.”
The Sinker – ”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.”
If that isn’t an intriguing blurb by a publisher, I don’t know what is. It draws you in with a promise but whether it delivers is the question. I’m on the fence on this one. I liked the plot well enough and after two days I’m still thinking about some of the themes so why am I not going to sing its praises by giving it 5 stars. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I believe it was over plotting and the quest for the twist that blew it for me.
When Adam Price confronts his wife Corinne about a secret she has kept from him, one that is revealed to him by a stranger, Corinne packs her bags and asks Adam to give her a few days to herself. She swears to Adam there is more to the story than the secret. This seemed a key point and I kept looking for the explanation and when I finally got it I thought “oh baloney”. I wanted something more sinister I think. I found motive as a whole unbelievable and slightly convoluted. The ending…well, it was ok.
What I did like. One in my face clue that should have nailed the outcome I totally missed. This surprised me, as I’m pretty good at these. I loved the idea of “The Stranger”, a person who out of the blue shows up in your life and tells you something about a person you love that may change that relationship forever.
Many of my GR friends liked The Stranger far better than I. I am not an expert on Coben and don’t know if this is one of his best or just an average read. If this is the best he’s got then he may not be the right thriller writer for me. -
Δε μου ταίριαξε δυστυχώς...
Και ενώ η ιδέα του να κάθεσαι κάπου ήρεμος και ξαφνικά ένας ξένος να σου αποκαλύπτει κάποιο τρομερό μυστικό που σου αλλάζει τη ζωή, μου φάνηκε πολλά υποσχόμενη, η εκτέλεση εν τέλει δε με ικανοποίησε.
Επιφανειακοί χαρακτήρες με τους οποίους δεν κατάφερα να δεθώ (πολλοί απ'τους όποιους με εκνεύριζαν κιολας), το σενάριο αδύναμο με πολλές αχρείαστες περιγραφές και λεπτομέρειες , μάθαμε πώς έχτισε κάθε μυ η γειτόνισσα Κριστιν η μποντιμπιλντερού, μάθαμε τα πάντα για το λακρός σε βαθμό που ίσως και να μπορώ να σκοράρω πλέον, μυστικά που παρουσιάζονταν ως σοκαριστικά μου φαινόταν γελοίο να καταστραφούν οικογένειες εξαιτίας τους (τέτοια μυστικά στη Μαρία της γειτονιάς τα τρώγαμε για πρωινό ) και οι αντιδράσεις των εμπλεκομένων προσώπων υπερβολικές και ακατανόητες πολλές φορές..
Και επειδή πρόσφατα διάβασα το "Κορίτσι με το τατουάζ " και έχω νωπή την αίσθηση του να διαβάζεις ένα απολαυστικό, χορταστικό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που καταβροχθίζεις τις σελίδες για να δεις πού καταλήγει και περνάει παράλληλα πολλά κοινωνικά μηνύματα, το συγκεκριμένο δε με συγκίνησε καθόλου ..
Προς το τέλος κάτι άρχισε να γίνεται όμως αυτό δε διορθώνει τα υπόλοιπα 3/4 του βιβλίου..
*2.5 -
☆☆½ l 48%
from the very first pages, this book enthralled me with its writing. the technique and style of setting up suspenseful writing and motivation for me to read this book were done perfectly. the sentences conveyed just enough but also not enough, so that i would keep reading. there were also relatable aspects thrown into the main characters mind that provided for a sense of normalcy in the life of these characters, how seemingly perfect their lives were. small things that showed just how ordinary they were.
the writing in this book was not beautiful.
the writing in this book was not poetic.
but this right here is how you write a thriller.
ignoring the lowish rating, (which we seem to be doing so far,) i could not stop reading this book. it was suspenseful and mysterious and i felt like my life depended on figuring out what was going on. i felt the same way in the netflix adaption, which i only watched a couple episodes of but am entirely interested in watching more. 90% of the reason i picked up this book was because of the show. and i hope i’ll like the show more, when i watch it again, than i liked this book.
we are no longer ignoring the 2.5 star rating. (now we are in the ‘bad’ side of the review; the bad aspects of this book.)
✦ the characters were not likable. and i know, i know that characters in thriller don’t need to be likable for the book to be good. i know that very well because i am a #1 fan of unlikable, complex, etc characters. but that wasn’t the case in this book. i was hoping for the revelations and ‘twists’ to bring me further into the depths of the characters, but they stayed as shallow as they were at the beginning. we have adam, a normal guy with a wife and two sons who is trying to figure out what the hell is going on. he isn’t interesting. he isn’t bad, necessarily, and he was relatable at times, but overall his character was not compelling. his inner monologue was interesting, but him as a character fell extremely flat. the things he did during this book did not interest me and he was just really bland. then there is corinne, adam’s wife. she is unlikable. we know that there is something going on with her, and while that is intriguing to read about, she is absent for 98% of the book and the earlier intrigue with her character dissipates completely. instead of being a mysterious wife, she is a boring, unlikable coward. everyone else in this book acts so similar that it is nearly impossible to tell them apart. adam has different ideas about each of them, but ultimately they are all bitchy parents who are too obsessed with their kids’ sports.
✦ the storyline was all over the place. at first, we think that there is one thing going on, and then five other things are introduced that are somehow supposed to be relevant. i was hoping that everything would tie together and fit together nicely, but instead it was a whole mess. and even when we were following the perspective of just one character (see: adam), the things that happened and the decisions that were made were not consistent and did not make a lot of sense. everything seemed to unfold at random, and it got too elaborate and far-fetched. when things get too elaborate and far-fetched, it becomes impossible for the reader to understand what is actually going on, which makes it extremely difficult to have good twists. which brings me to my next point.
✦ there were no good twists. some shit happened, some of it things that the main character did not suspect, but not a single thing shocked me in this book. we’ve got that stupid trope where a character that the mc had two previous interactions with and slightly trusted has a whole villain monologue, “hAhA iT wAs mE biTcH” and then some more shit happens that is mostly just physical fighting, and then the mc and detective get a happily ever after. YaY 😀
the things that happened near the end seemed at once too far-fetched and at the same time not surprising in the slightest. that is not a good combination. i was left underwhelmed and wishing that this had a different ending where the second half is as interesting and intriguing as the first. (i will likely watch the show for that exact reason, to see if the end is any better.)
✦ this did not affect my enjoyment of the book overall, as it happened during the first half when i was hooked completely by this, but i would like to address it all the same. disclaimer: i don’t know if this is the author’s opinion or just the opinion in the mind of the character, but it bothered me either way. there is a scene during this book where a mother is thinking about her daughter, and her inner monologue says something along the lines of: “once in high school, kimberly [(her daughter)] got drunk at a party and it led to her going a little to far with a boy. not all the way. but too far.” (i do not remember the exact quote but it was something along the lines of that.) i found that extremely problematic and misogynistic. for one: it is not the mom’s decision to decide what is “too far.” it is the person who is participating in the activities decision. the daughter gets to decide what she wants to do and how far she wants to go, and if she wanted to have sex with the boy and go “all the way” that would have been her choice and that is valid. it is not the mother’s place to slut-shame her daughter for participating in sexual activities. it is not anyone’s place, in fact. second of all, i am willing to bet money that the mother would not have said that if it was her son who had done something with a girl. it is solely a woman owning her sexuality and making her own decisions for her body that is looked down upon. we need to stop promoting these slut-shaming and misogynistic ideals.
✧✧✧
overall, this book had strong writing but poor execution and while i enjoyed the better part of it, it ultimately fell flat for me. i think that this author is probably normally a very good writer and i would be interested in reading some of their other works, although this was not the book for me.
✧✧✧
2.5 stars
tw for violence, etc -
Harlan Coben long ago cornered the market on the New Jersey Suburban Family Thriller sub-genre, which involves average, ordinary American folks--almost always wonderful people with great families--who are suddenly thrown into chaos and danger when some powerful negative force intrudes into their daily lives. Such is the case here.
Our protagonist is a New Jersey lawyer named Adam Price. He and his wife, Corinne, are living the American dream with excellent jobs, a very nice, comfortable home, and two great sons. Their principal worries seem to revolve around whether or not their elder son is being treated fairly by his lacrosse coach and whether the kid will get enough playing time.
Then, out of nowhere, Adam's world is abruptly turned upside down when a stranger approaches him in a bar and reveals a devastating secret about Corinne. At first, Adam refuses to believe the story, but the stranger offers evidence to support the allegation he has made and when Adam finally confronts Corinne, she evades the discussion he so desperately wants to have. She insists that they meet at a restaurant for dinner so they can discuss the matter in a place where there sons can't overhear the conversation.
Adam appears at the restaurant, but Corinne never does. Instead, he gets a text from her phone, saying the she needs some time alone and will come back when she can. In the meantime, Adam should take good care of the kids. Adam assumes that the police will do little or nothing to find his wife under these circumstances and so he launches his own search for her. Along the way, he hears several other troubling allegations about the woman he thought he knew so well.
Meanwhile, other poor victims are receiving visits from the stranger and his confederates, and a lot more lives are being upended. As Adam's search draws him closer to the center of this troubling mystery, he antagonizes some dangerous and desperate adversaries, and it becomes entirely possible that even if Corinne should finally return home, her husband may have lost his life in his desperate effort to find her.
I thought that this book was okay--an entertaining way to spend a couple of nights, but a story that is quickly forgettable. The plot requires a very strong suspension of disbelief, and I found it hard to take the story very seriously. I enjoyed it, although not as much as several of Coben's other novels, but you can't argue with success. Millions of people are clearly hooked by Coben's tales, and so even though this book didn't work for me as well as I would have wished, I'm glad that so many other readers have enjoyed it. -
This latest Harlan Coben novel is all about secrets: Who has them? Who reveals them? What happens when a dangerous secret is told?
Adam Price has a good life with his wife, Corinne, and their two sons in a wealthy New Jersey town. One day a stranger approaches him in a bar and says Corrine faked a pregnancy a few years earlier. The news devastates Adam. He investigates and confronts Corinne, who then disappears.
Meanwhile, we see the stranger approach others and share more devastating secrets. Who is this stranger, and how does he know so much personal information?
The novel is more of a slow burn compared to Coben's other thrillers, and it took longer for the pieces to come together. There were some good twists, and I liked the different law enforcement characters who helped Adam solve the mystery.
Coben does a good job of weaving in technology and modern details. In this book, there is computer and smartphone sleuthing, and there is also a backstory involving a police officer who was accused of being a racist for killing a black guy, which seemed to be inspired by the Eric Garner case. Since Coben writes a book a year, it seems natural to pull some ideas from the news cycle.
While Coben's dialogue can be a little cheesy (there was too much discussion of a 1970s cover band, for example) I can overlook that because I enjoy his stories so much. I would recommend this to fellow Coben fans.
Favorite Quote
"Today he was being reminded yet again of the obvious: The world doesn't give even the slightest damn about us or our petty problems. We never quite get that, do we? Our lives have been shattered — shouldn't the rest of us take notice? But no. To the outside world, Adam looked the same, acted the same, felt the same. We get mad at someone for cutting us off in traffic or for taking too long to order at Starbucks or for not responding exactly as we see fit, and we have no idea that behind their facade, they may be dealing with some industrial-strength shit. Their lives may be in pieces. They may be in the midst of incalculable tragedy and turmoil, and they may be hanging on to their sanity by a thread. But we don't care. We don't see. We just keep pushing."
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Theres no denying it, I am a Harlan Coben groupie, you would think by book 18 I would be getting tired of him. Nope, in fact I have to ration out his remaining books so I always have some in reserve.
I was rushed into reading this as far too many people were talking about the Netflix show and I was avoiding spoilers but it was no hardship. I enjoyed this, its follows the usual formula, plot driven, everything constantly being thrown on it head and you're in a daze until the reveal and you cant believe you didnt spot the signs.
Basically if Lewis Carroll wrote thrillers, it would be a Harlan Coben novel.
A solid 4 star read.
Once my head settles I shall dive into the show. -
4.5 stars
Harlan Coben is a favorite author of mine. I was really looking forward to this book.
The book was even better than what I had hoped for!! I only started reading his books a year or so ago and I am so happy I found him.
I would suggest starting this book if you have a bit of time on your hands as it's very hard to put down once you start. Just when I thought I figured out where the plot was going I was surprised again. Fast-paced and easy to read but with fantastic twists and turns.
Highly recommended! -
A Pergunta
“Alma minha, prepara-te para a vinda do Estranho, Daquele que sabe fazer as perguntas certas.”
Como é que uma questão proferida por um estranho pode pôr em causa a autenticidade dum passado e demolir um presente?!
Imaginem, Ignorem (se puderem!?) ou Investiguem!
A escolha é vossa!!! 😉😜
——————————++++++++++++++————
The Fatal Question
A Stranger walks into a bar (no, it’s not one of those “walk into a bar” sort of jokes 😉) and asks you Something — A Question that will raise doubts about your past and will ruin your almost perfect present 💀☠️💀
Could that ever happen?
Well... to Adam Price... it definitely did!!! 😜 -
Hmm.. I mean you can never really go wrong with Harlan Coben, but this wasn’t my favorite of his. Sometimes a book will just blow me out of the water, especially if the description did it no justice.. Unfortunately in this case I feel as though the opposite happened. I was really intrigued by “the stranger” element.. I had never read anything quite like it & immediately moved it right to the top of my tbr pile. But I just feel as though there were other main storylines that I just wasn’t as taken by. I kind of wish he just ran with the stranger & the secrets.. But then I know a lot of people loved this book so perhaps the issues are all mine.😊
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Pues a pesar de las muchas críticas negativas que he leído sobre esta novela, a mí me ha gustado. Vale, no es una de sus mejores. Particularmente echo de menos su serie sobre Myron Bolitar, aunque veo que, tras cinco años, acaba de publicar una nueva entrega, “Fool me once” se llama. Tendré que leerla.
En la que estoy reseñando, Adam Price vive una vida tranquila con su familia en New Jersey. Todo se viene abajo en el momento en que un desconocido se le acerca y le susurra una información sobre su mujer que hará que todo su mundo se desmorone. Aún incrédulo, se ve obligado a preguntarle a ella sobre la verosimilitud del soplo, lo que desembocará en su posterior desaparición (la de su mujer) y un consiguiente caos del que no está dispuesto a salir sin respuestas.
Unos capítulos más y descubriremos que Price no será el único que verá su vida desmoronarse. Que el subsodicho “extraño” se dedica a revelar secretos inconfesables a otras personas, causando daños familiares catastróficos. ¿Quién es este personaje y qué gana con ello?
Novela típica de giros, muy al estilo de Harlan Coben. Te garantiza una lectura trepidante, con algunas reflexiones sobre el estilo de vida americano con las que estoy bastante de acuerdo. Los diálogos son uno de sus puntos fuertes, y la trama no pierde interés hasta el desenlace. En definitiva, buscaba un buen thriller, y “The stranger” no me ha decepcionado.
Posdata: Recién acaban de informarme de la adaptación televisiva para Netflix. Puede resultar muy entretenida. Al saco. -
Harlan Coben has been one of my favorite mystery writers , but I was disappointed with this book. I understand I am in the minority here as most readers have rated it highly. I found the many supporting characters lacked sufficient development to make them interesting to me. Coben is the master of suspense and surprising twists, but thought it lacked character development. You may guess the direction it is going from the Gone Girl story, and you may be wrong.
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WHO IS THE STRANGER & WHY DOES HE TELL ADAM PRICE A DEVASTING SECRET ABOUT HIS WIFE?? that's what we want to know, I could not stop reading this book I think Harlan Coben is at the top of his game with this one his characters are strong & the plot outstanding I was gripped by every chapter the tension kept building up to a peak then bang were off again.
He is the master of the twist that you didn't see coming I think he is a very highly talented author that keeps up the pace.
What we have in this story where a husband Adam Price has everything a good marriage, good job 2 beautiful boys but it all falls apart when a stranger tells him something about Corrine that will change his life forever, at first he doesn't believe it but decides to confront Corrine about the secret which she denies from here on in its a story of lies death & heartache only Harlan Cobem can write.
Adam eventually goes to a website Fake a pregnancy .com but still cannot believe Corrine would do this he eventually gets a lead a Suzanne Hope she helps adam get to the truth, what we find out is that Corrine was not all that she seemed.
What happens in the end is mind boggling just loved every minute do yourself a favour read this if you haven't already its a real page turner. -
Adam Price, husband and father of two sons - Ryan and Thomas - attends the youth lacrosse team draft in his New Jersey town to make sure Thomas makes it onto the premier team.
Just before the draft begins a young man - who identifies himself as 'the stranger' - tells Adam that his wife Corinne faked her recent pregnancy and miscarriage.
Shocked, Adam finds proof and - when Corinne returns from a teacher conference in Atlantic City - confronts her. Corinne basically admits the deception and asks for a day to explain herself.
She then disappears, sending Adam a message that they need time apart and asking him to take care of the kids.
Adam then proceeds to search for Corinne, discovering information about 'the stranger' along the way. Turns out the stranger is part of a group that makes it their business to discover and expose people's secrets, sometimes engaging in blackmail along the way.
This is a dangerous endeavor that leads to a couple of murders, about which Adam is questioned. To add to the hubbub, a large amount of money is missing from the lacrosse team funds, and Corinne - who's on the lacrosse team board - is a suspect.
There are a number of characters and threads in the story: the lacrosse board members have personal problems; 'the stranger' confronts several people with secrets they don't want exposed; an ex-detective has a son with cancer; Ryan and Thomas are upset about their mom's disappearance; a woman police chief from Ohio inserts herself into the murder investigations; Adam Price has a secret of his own; and so on.
I have a couple of problems with the book: First, the motives and actions of 'the stranger' and his friends doesn't ring true. A group that feels compelled to reveal people's secrets for the good of society? Really? Second, in real life Corinne would probably have told Adam some things she kept secret. Because of this the plot seems more contrived than realistic.
Still, the book's a suspenseful page turner and an enjoyable mystery. Overall, I'd recommend it to mystery fans.
You can follow my reviews at
http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/ -
The Stranger, my first Harlan Coben book after hearing many good things and it will certainly not be the last 😀, interesting concept here about revealing secrets, and it didn't disappoint.
Adam Price is a man who is seemingly "living the dream", he has a beautiful wife Corrine, and two sons, and his life is good, until one evening when attending his sons lacrosse game, a complete stranger drops a complete bombshell on him, regards to his wife, which, after some digging around, he is convinced the Stranger is right.
How could Corrine do something like this? Who would give her such an idea? How can he confront her? All these questions in Adams mind, and when he finally confronts her, she does a runner, claiming she needs time and space, Adam is not convinced, something is very wrong.
When it turns out the Stranger is also dropping other bombshells on unsuspecting people, the consequences are often very severe, and before long there's a vicious ex policeman after their trail.
Not only that other parents involved in the lacrosse League are also interested in Corrine's whereabouts, which again Adam cannot understand why, and more dark secrets emerge, and who the hell he can trust, and what is Corrine playing at?
This was an enjoyable read, and by the end I was completely surprised at what happened, I wasn't expecting it, plenty of twists and turns and while not perfect (who is?) Adam was quite a likeable character and decent guy, a character to root for as you wonder why all this stuff is happening, I'm certainly looking forward to discovering more of Harlan Cobens work, those who like stories with thrills, secrets, mysteries, deceipt, will definitely enjoy this.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars, strong recommendation. -
Harlan Coben's thriller, The Stranger, is a terrific fast-paced book. Coben, a favorite author of mine, has come up with an interesting novel about web-based secrets.
Out of nowhere a "stranger" approaches Adam Price and tells him about a devastating secret that his wife, Corinne, has kept from him. Then all hell breaks loose. First his wife takes off and a lot of surprises follow. Interesting is all the characters in the book trying to maintain the "American Dream".
Although not Coben's best, it's quite enjoyable. Highly recommend for any of his fans out there.
4 out of 5 stars. -
This review can also be found at
Carole's Random Life.
4.5 Stars!
I have been a fan of Harlan Coben for a very long time. I have read almost every book that he has published and I have been lucky enough to meet him twice. I am always eager to get my hands on any new book that has his name on the cover. I realize that I expect a lot out of a Harlan Coben book. I not only expect not only to be entertained but to be completely sucked into the story having no idea what twists will happen next. This book was trademark Harlan Coben and was full of twists and turns and I found myself guessing until the very end.
Adam is living the dream. He is a married father of two boys and works as a lawyer. Adam's life is turned upside down by The Stranger. Adam doesn't know who The Stranger is but the things that this man tells hims makes him doubt the trust that he has in his wife, Corinne. Everything about his life suddenly feels threatened and he confronts his wife with what he has learned. Corinne leaves telling Adam that she needs some time through a text message.
As you would expect in a Harlan Coben book, this book takes a few turns and at times it is hard to see how everything is going to come together. Several different storylines play out during this book each one have a role in the final outcome. I didn't fall in love with Adam during this story but I found myself imagining what I would do if I were in his situation. I really liked Johanna's character. She seemed to be able to see what was really going on and worked to solve the problem.
This was a book that I had a very hard time putting down. I read it every chance that I got and would have finished it in a single day if I hadn't need to go to my daughter's band concert. The pacing of the story was perfect. Coben is a master at keeping a reader completely interested in the story and his writing was fantastic. I did think that some of the things that happened in this story were a bit far fetched but nothing was completely out of the realm of possibility.
My one issue with this book was the ending. I am still not completely sold on how this story came to a conclusion. In that final dramatic scene, I am not sure that all of the characters acted in a manner consistent with the rest of the story. More than anything the ending left me wondering about whether or not they would have behaved as they did. I definitely found myself surprised by the end and that is a very good thing.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast paced mystery with lots of twists and turns. If you have not yet read a Harlan Coben book, please do yourself a favor and pick one up as soon as possible. I cannot recommend this author enough. -
I am a big fan of Harlan Coben, so I was anxious to listen to this book. Now, the premise of this book is that a stranger shows up in town, tells you a secret about your family member and then disappears. And he does this over and over again. For example, Adam Price learns that his wife of 18 years faked a pregnancy two years previously. Ok, I can understand why he would be upset. But I had trouble with the idea that she would bother. I could have bought into it if she had done it to hook him into marriage. But they already have two teenage boys. It didn't feel quite believable to me. Some of the other secrets “shared” are much more believable but aren't part of the main story line like this one is.
I struggled with the whole idea of the Stranger. That there would be a “company” devoted to telling people’s secrets sometime for money but often just for the justice, felt false to me.
Coben tells a good story and when you're listening to it, it's enjoyable. He gets marriage, having teenagers, the suburbs and all the ordinary facts of life. You find yourself nodding at his comments. But I kept coming back to the weird premise of this book and not being able to accept it. It was just too “out there” to be plausible. The ending was also a bit of a muddled mess, an attempt to try and tie up all the loose ends. Barely 3 stars.
This is the audio version. Kudos to the narrator who did a very good job differentiating the voices. -
"Well, Mr. Secret Revealer!!!!"
This quote from dialogue between a victim and the titular character bears repeating: "Well, Mr. Secret Revealer!!!!."
This is not a line in a romantic comedy nor a line offering comic/satiric relief in an otherwise serious novel. No. Instead, and I am not joking, this line is a direct quote taken from serious dialogue in what was intended to be a suspenseful scene.
I acknowledge I'm partly to blame for my inability to overlook scat left floating in the pool of important dialogue.
It might have been side-splitting if it had been intended as comic. I got a laugh no doubt when thinking of it later because it reminded me so much of an exchange in the film Dodgeball when Ben Stiller's buffoonish character serves up corny cutdowns at straight-faced Vince Vaughan, including:
"Go ahead, make your jokes, Mr. Jokey... Joke-maker.".
This was my last time to be duped by the flap description into thinking that this Harley Coben novel won't be like the one before; no, this one will be realistic and memorable, with intelligent dialogue.
Go ahead, come at me,
"Well, Mr. True-Life Talkie Sukiyaki! Isn't that special?! -
I was loving this book but at the end , I found out that the main female character was killed by a "friend" and she left 2 sons. I felt decieved by the author. This end was a deception for me and the final actions were implausible too.
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I am a fan, generally speaking, of this author. I havent loved EVERYTHING but for the most part I never fail to get a darned good yarn when I pick up a Harlan Coben novel – I was especially fond of the Myron Bolitar series and his standalone books always have a gorgeously twisted centre to them, a mysterious edge that means you cannot help getting involved.
With “The Stranger” I was utterly hooked. I read it all yesterday, a one sitting read (well interspersed with real life stuff like feeding the kids) that had me romping through the pages, desperate to know what was going on.
We meet Adam Price, happily married, two great kids, who one day meets a stranger. What this stranger tells him rocks the very foundations of that marriage and sets off an insidious chain of events that will put everything Adam loves on the line.
In classic Coben style we have a seriously addictive mystery element interspersed with some great characters who you want to root for. The really good thing about all the stories is the people that pepper the pages could be anyone – your neighbour, friend, loved one – they are all realistically drawn, often start off with fairly mundane normal lives, then BAM Mr Coben throws them (and the reader) out of that comfort zone and offers up a problem not easily solved.
In the case of The Stranger, there is a strong emotional edge to it – after all, what if someone told you that the person you trust most in the world is not actually trustworthy. What if, then, you start to look back on your life and the events therein with different eyes and a different outlook. This is what Adam faces here – those elements of the tale are cleverly done.
Overall this was really very satisfying. The story twists and turns its way to a stunning conclusion, there is a far wider picture to be had here which is drip fed to us in chapters not devoted to Adam, you may work this one out you may not – but the themes are varied and intelligently interwoven into the plot and this made for a really really great read. One of my favourite Coben novels so far.
Definitely highly recommended. Plus I somehow missed “Missing You” last year so I have that on my pile to read, which makes me very happy. -
Originally posted on
The Book Nympho
Someone, a stranger, approaches Adam Price and tells him something provocative about his wife, Corinne...a secret she's kept from him. And so begins a story of deception, mystery and conspiracies that escalate dangerously.
I was immediately drawn into this story, even though much of what we know about all the players is learned after the initial conflict. Determining who's lying, telling the truth or just being deceptive was made much more difficult until I could burrow under their skin and public veneers and try to make sense of it all. It's one of the more complex stories I've read by Coben and it kept me enthralled through the end.
Speaking of endings...it's the sole weakness. It didn't live up to the strength of what came before it and I just didn't like it. It wasn't a terrible finish, just not one of the finest. To say more would be unfair. However, my strong rating is testament to how much I enjoyed the reading experience overall. And, George Newbern delivers a strong performance, especially with his interpretation of the main character, Adam Price.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review) -
Wow another great book from Harlan Coben, if you are a fan of his this one will not let you down. We are taken straight into a world full of suspence, excitement and tension, just the way I like it. Great plot and characters that were well developed, you felt like you actually got to know them.
How would you react if you were sitting there, minding your own business, and then someone aka "The Stranger" sits down next to you and says something that will dramatically change your life and make you question everything you have ever thought was real. This makes for a gripping book, I did not want it to finish and now will have to wait till his next novel comes out. -
It's impossible to say why THE STRANGER stands out as one of Harlan Coben's best works without giving away too much. So here's what I can say. It has all the trademark stuff that brings you back to his books: a good, decent guy (from Jersey, natch) whose world is turned upside down, dangerous secrets, plenty of nice twists provided by technology and the internet. But on top of familiar landscape, THE STRANGER lays down surprising and risky layers that pay off in spades, putting it right up there with TELL NO ONE, THE WOODS, and SIX YEARS. Read it!
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2.5★
Meh. Just too typical and over stocked with the all too common over-stretched ending.
In particular a main character is referred to as "The Stranger" which struck me as rather silly. I kept thinking of stranger danger and the shadow knows. Pretty much only read the dialog the last quarter of the book in a quest for closure. It left me feeling as lukewarm as this review and obviously outside of the pack with my rating.
