| Title | : | Caught |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 052595158X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780525951582 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 388 |
| Publication | : | First published February 25, 2010 |
| Awards | : | Edgar Award Best Novel (2011), Goodreads Choice Award Mystery & Thriller (2010) |
Wendy Tynes is a reporter on a mission, to identify and bring down sexual predators via elaborate—and nationally televised—sting operations. Working with local police on her news program Caught in the Act, Wendy and her team have publicly shamed dozens of men by the time she encounters her latest target. Dan Mercer is a social worker known as a friend to troubled teens, but his story soon becomes more complicated than Wendy could have imagined.
Caught Reviews
-
This is a terrific read, and for me, another example of why Coben is so popular.
It begins with the entrapment of a man who appears to have groomed a young woman on the internet. Instead of the girl, he finds a TV crew who film his responses to their sting operation, and soon he is in court. But, he’s found innocent on a technicality – a pretty big technicality, too.
The reporter, Wendy Tynes is very upset that her perfect capture failed to have this paedophile thrown behind bars. There can be little so terribly irritating to a reporter than to find that a perfect open and shut case fails to reach the mark required by the law, and so she is tempted to help when a vigilante decides he wants to remove at least one paedophile from the streets. But she’s about to realise that even paedophiles have some rights.
This is a book that is really difficult to describe, without giving away too much. Is it a good, fast, thrilling read? Undoubtedly, but it’s much more. This book delves into modern American society and brings a spotlight with it. In turns Coben looks at the banking crisis, the misery of senior professionals thrown onto the garbage heap, when they still have a huge amount to offer, the breakdown of family life and the impact on children, and so many other issues it’s impossible to do it all justice in a short review.
Tying all that in with a thriller that works until the very last pages, and you have a magnificent, thrilling and immensely satisfying book! -
It was hard not to get "caught" up in this novel (excuse my corny pun). If you haven't read a Coben novel you're missing out. This guy can write books like no one's business. He is to mystery writing as Reba is to country music. Coben is one of the best, if not THE BEST mystery authors out there. My life goal is to read all his books! :) his books are my happy place!
This book was another one of his that had twists and turns and at the very end knocks you back and does a one eighty and I FREAKING LOVE THAT!
In the beginning of this Dan Mercer goes to a house with a red door.... and after he opens it he can't shut it. His life spirals out of control as does everyone else's that is somewhat associated with him. Wendy Tynes, a high-profile reporter is who was behind that door... she has something on Dan but Dan says he's innocent... but is he?
From there, Harlan Coben takes you down a yellow brick road that even Dorothy would be confused on. Everything from scandals to murder, to a missing teenager that seems to have nothing to do with the plot, enters the story and it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.
Harlan's books make me want to sit down and read them and try as I might I can never figure out his ending, he ALWAYS throws me a curve ball, but that is why I love him!
Highly recommend! I will probably always recommend a Coben! :) -
Caught by Harlan Coben is a 2010 Dutton publication.
Remember those shows where pedophiles were lured into a sting operation, thinking they were meeting up with an underage girl, only to find themselves under arrest and embarrassed on national television?
Well, this is the story of Dan Mercer, a man who walks into that same kind of trap- and Wendy Tynes is the reporter who set him up. When things take an unexpected and shocking turn, it leaves Wendy with more questions than answers.
Meanwhile, the case of missing teenager Hayley McWaid suddenly heats up when evidence surfaces connecting Dan Mercer to Hayley. While this stunning development seems to confirm that Dan was exactly the type of man Wendy thought he was, things just aren’t adding up, and Wendy won’t stop until she gets the whole story.
My 2021 reading resolution is to read more books from my TBR list and significantly fewer ARCs. My TBR list was nearing the 4000 mark by the end of last year, so the first thing I did was start culling through the list, purging nearly a thousand books from the pile. Sad, but necessary. But, while I was going through all those books I was surprised to discover this book had been languishing on my shelf for eight years!! I left a Harlan Coben novel on my TBR list all that time? Apparently so. How could that be? 😲😲 ( I'm sure there are still several Coben novels I've never read, but they weren't on my list for eight whole years.)
Naturally, I had to dive into it immediately. I almost read the book in one sitting. Maybe it was the comfort of the familiar style, or the quality of the writing, or that it kept me engaged and challenged enough to loathe putting the book down.
Whatever the reason it reminded me of why I became such big fan of this author. While I can’t say, that compared to his other books, this is one of his very best- in fact, the plausibility meter was almost completely off the charts- but, it was definitely a page-turner, and kept me guessing from start to finish... Oh, and if you like the Myron Bolitar series, Win makes a very brief appearance in the book, which was the icing on the cake for me.
Overall, finding this book tucked deep down on the TBR pile was a pleasant surprise and an entertaining diversion.
4 stars -
There were two parts to this book. Mind you, I have been anxiously waiting for Coben to come out with a new book. I absolutely love him and think he might be my favorite author of all time.
I always get wrapped up and into the story and literally finish his book within a day or less, and that was the case with this one. Like I said there were two parts to this book.
It kind of threw me because I'm not used to that style of writing from him. There was the dark anticipation and then it spun you for a whirlwind.
I do not want to give away any details from the book, but this was just a little too far-fetched for me. Pedophiles, kidnapping, facebook, one annoying "reporter". I don't know.
The only thing I truly liked about this book was the fact that Win made an appearance. (I have a secret love crush on him. He's from the Myron Bolitar series.)
For me, this book didn't do Coben justice. It was not what I thought it was going to be, then again his twists and turns never are. But this was just TOO far-fetched this time.
One of the best quotes from the book that made me literally laugh out loud and say "so true!" was on page 319:
"I remember one time I heard this English professor asking the class what the world's scariest noise is. Is it a man crying out in pain? A woman's scream of terror? A gunshot? A baby crying? And the professor shakes his head and says, 'No, the scariest noise is, you're all alone in your dark empty house, you KNOW you're all alone, you know that there is NO chance anyone else is home or within MILES - and then, suddenly, from upstairs, you hear the toliet flush.'" -
Writing: 3/5 | Plot: 4/5 | Ending: 4/5
THE PLOT
Two seemingly unconnected stories intertwine in this fire flame thriller by Netflix's author on speed dial, Harlan Coben.
The first story is about Hayley, the girl everyone wants to be, who goes missing seemingly without a trace. The second story is about Dan, a man exposed by the Wendy, host of the fictional version of To Catch a Predator when he tries to check on a troubled female youth.
Wendy is a clout-chasing journalist who loves to catch pervs and also get her Nancy Drew on. After Dan is murked by a victim's father, Wendy goes full FBI and investigates whether Dan is actually or perv or she slipped up. Along the way, Hayley's body is found and all fingers point to disgraced and presumed dead Dan.
But what will Wendy discover??? The answer: A LOT
MY OPINION
This was my first book by Harlan, but I've watched (and loved) Gone for Good, The Stranger, and most recently, Stay Close on Netflix. The openers for Hayley and Dan's story were absolute BANGERS. It pulled—no, snatched—your ass in, and I was stuck.
The pacing was great. This is definitely Netflix material. Kudos to Harlan for getting that Netflix bag. Yes, you have to suspend your belief, because Wendy being a report who does expert-level sleuthing on the side while the police twiddle their thumbs is simply implausible. Also, not sure why the author needed to include details painting her as MILF material...? Ah, the male gaze.
I was originally pulled in by the description, but stayed for the plot. A twisty, turny read.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Revelations galore. Every chapter reveals something new. Original plot.
Cons: Writing quality was subpar, tbh. -
Although I always like the books from Coben's Myron Bolitar series the best, his stand alones, like this one, are often really good too.
Caught begins with a man being publicly named and shamed as a paedophile and continues apace with a missing teenager, murders and suicides. At first it all seems random but gradually things come together. There is a lot of suspense throughout the book and I found myself very reluctant to put it down.
I enjoyed the characters especially the relationship between Wendy, Charlie and Pop. And then of course there was Win, one of my favourite characters from the Myron Bolitar series, just dropping by to be his normal amazing self.
There were a million twists and turns and no way for me to even guess what was going to happen. And in the last few pages, just when you think it is all sorted, there is a surprise ending. Loved it! -
3.5 stars
SPOILER ALERT SPOIRLER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
WARNING: THIS REVIEW MIGHT CONTAIN (WHAT YOU CONSIDER) SPOILERS
Wendy Tynes is a television journalist for the program 'Caught in the Act', a show that lures in and exposes child predators. Dan Mercer, a divorced Princeton graduate who coaches troubled kids, is ensnared by Wendy's machinations and accused of targeting a young girl. However, the evidence is compromised and a judge lets Mercer off.
This infuriates Ed Grayson - whose son was abused - and he shoots and kills Mercer right in front of Wendy.
However Grayson is a former U.S. Marshall - and a very clever guy - who gets rid of the body, obfuscates the evidence, and hires top-notch criminal defense attorney Hester Crimstein. Thus, it looks like Grayson can't even be brought to trial. And even if he could be, the jury would more likely congratulate him than convict him.
Meanwhile, a 17-year-old high school girl named Haley McWaid has been missing for three months.....and new evidence points to Mercer (now dead) as the possible abductor.
There's a problem though. Wendy's been re-examining the evidence that Mercer was a pedophile and - in retrospect - it looks inconclusive. Hence, Wendy fears she may have 'outed' an innocent man.....and indirectly got him killed. Moreover, Wendy's not positive Mercer was involved in Haley's disappearance either.
Wendy's guilty conscience leads her to delve into Mercer's life, going all the way back to his years at Princeton. And lo and behold, Wendy discovers that something bad happened at the Ivy League University a couple of decades back.....something that might be connected to what's occurring now.
As Wendy's trying to uncover the truth she interviews Mercer's family and friends, some of whom have lost lucrative jobs because of the economy. One of Mercer's unemployed buddies - who's fashioned himself into a rapper called Tenafly - provides some comic relief from the darker parts of the story.
Wendy's investigation, helped by playboy/tycoon Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win)- eventually leads her to the truth.....which is quite twisty and surprising.
Two themes in the book are revenge and forgiveness. Terrible wrongs have been done to some characters, and the issue of whether to forgive or not arises several times. To me the forgiveness motif didn't meld smoothly into the story and felt awkward.
All in all I liked the book pretty well, and it was fun to see Hester Crimstein and Win - who are recurring characters in Coben's books. I think most mystery fans would enjoy 'Caught' and recommend the book to them.
You can follow my reviews at
http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/ -
3.75 Stars
Caught by Harlan Coben is a crime mystery. It was my first read by this author and I would like to try his other works. Told in multiple POV, 3rd person, it’s a standalone novel. It was a bit dark, a bit slow for my taste, unpredictable with a shocking ending and satisfying! Overall, it was a good read and hope you enjoy it as well! -
Wow! When you read this one you will need to take notes, create a flow chart, etc. and I bet you still won't see anything coming. Not only did keep thinking that I had guessed where the story was going, Coben had me convinced I was right and the BAM! nope . . . wrong again! This happened about 10 times. Only 4 stars because it didn't blow me away, but it was very good.
Also, the mid-life crisis men's club was pretty funny. And, bonus appearance by Win from the Bolitar series. -
I heard Harlan Coben is quite the yarn spinner and this exceeded my expectations. Is it a must read? It depends on how much you love whodunnits. It doesn't do anything ground breaking, but it's fun as hell the whole way through.
It starts off simple enough and quickly complicates things by revealing multiple mysteries. Add in a massive cast of characters and you might need to jot some details down. The entire time I just wanted to know whether they were related in some crazy way.
At the 90% mark I was ready to burst trying to piece everything together, but Coben, the gentleman he is, took my hand and walked me through the entire thing step by step. I swear I googled some things I was confused about (no luck) and literally a few pages later he answered all my concerns.
I don't think there was a single character I didn't like. Even the ones that seemed shitty had some silver linings. The twists don't stop until the final pages. Bravo! -
I think if I'd read a paper copy I'd have rated more highly. True to form though, Mr Coben has delivered an enjoyable romp into quite a windy sojourn of twists, turns and cul-de-sacs.
Ultimately this book was quite satisfying in terms of the ending, but in getting there I felt it was just too slow. In a way, it felt like it kept going and going.. In saying that though, I did like the epilogue, that was satisfaction for me.
Whilst this is not my favourite of this author, I still very much look forward to all the books I've yet to read by one of my top authors, probably the paper version! The voices from female to male were just eeew! -
Harlan Coben does not disappoint in this one kept me on the edge of my seat building in every chapter never knowing who did it loved this book a must read for Harlan Coben fans you wont be disappointed
-
Caught, Harlan Coben
17 year-old Haley McWaid is a good girl, the pride of her suburban New Jersey family, captain of the lacrosse team, headed off to college next year with all the hopes and dreams her doting parents can pin on her. Which is why, when her mother wakes one morning to find that Haley never came home the night before, and three months quickly pass without word from the girl, the community assumes the worst. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و دوم ماه ژوئن سال 2016 میلادی
عنوان: مخمصه (گرفتار)؛ نویسنده: هارلن (هارلان) کوبن؛ مترجم: محمد عباس آبادی؛ تهران، کتابسرای تندیس، 1394؛ در 454 ص؛ شابک: 9786001821530؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی - سده 21 م
ماجرای این کتاب همانند کتابهای «هارلان کوبن» در حومه ی شهر «نیوجرسی»، شهری که خود نویسنده در حال حاضر در آن زندگی میکند، روی میدهد. از ویژگیهای داستان میتوان به داشتن پیچ و خمها، معماهای فراوان و رخدادهای ناباورانه اشاره کرد، خوانشگر برای کشف معماهای داستان باید به معنای واقعی تا آخرین کلمه ی آخرین صفحه ی کتاب پیش برود. کتاب «گرفتار» دهمین رمان مستقل «هارلان کوبن» است و ماجرای آن ارتباطی با رمانهای پیشین ایشان ندارد، اگرچه بعضی از شخصیتهای کتابهای پیشین در این داستان به دیده ی خوانشگر مینشینند. داستان مخمصه درباره ی خبرنگاری ست به نام «وندی تاینس» که از طریق گفتگوهای اینترنتی و جا زدن خود به جای دختران نوجوان، مردان بچه باز را به دام میاندازد. آخرین طعمه ی او «دن مرسر»، یک فعال اجتماعی است، که با نوجوانان کار میکند. شبی دختری به نام «چینا»، یکی از نوجوانان، با او تماس میگیرد، و به او میگوید که دچار مشکل شده است و از او میخواهد به خانه اش برود. ولی وقتی «دن مرسر» وارد خانه میشود، با «وندی تاینس» و گروه فیلمبرداری اش مواجه میشود، و با وجود انکار و ادعای بیگناهی، در دام توطئهٔ «وندی» و برنامه ی تلویزیونی اش گرفتار میشود. از سوی دیگر دختری هفده ساله به نام «هیلی مک وید»، کاپیتان تیم «لاکراس» دختران، که قرار است سال آینده وارد دانشگاه شود، یک شب بطور ناگهانی و به طرزی مرموز ناپدید میشود، و تا سه ماه خبری از او به دست نمیآید. با پیش رفتن داستان مشخص میشود که این ماجرا بسیار پیچیده تر از آن چیزی است که به نظر میرسد... ا. شربیانی -
I finished this book yesterday and as I read the last few lines I couldn't help remarking to myself that this had to be Coben's best one yet. The pacing was break neck, the characters though all different and some as dysfunctional as a human can get - were believable, some even sympathetic, and some NOT, which is as it should be. Our heroine is an investigative news reporter and a single mom who gets embroiled in job related issues (not good ones) and a murder mystery involving a major college, it's alumni, leaders in the community, the feds and local cops, the internet (good social media and techie detail here too), and predators of young girls. As a "plot' this one has it all. Sub-plots to die for, story arcs only a major leaguer like Coben could pull off, just enough narration and description to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing WHO. I read a lot of mysteries and I gotta' tell ya', Harlan had me wondering until the end. You think you have it figured out and he throws you a 100 mile-an-hour curve ball, bang you're back to zero with no choice but to read on. Only someone with this authors skills could make the suburbs the deepest darkest jungle of the human soul, rip it from the headlines and kick your ass with it. You'll question your own values in areas of your mind, heart and spirit and like the characters in this killer thriller you WILL make choices, choices to live by that stay with you like this book will. Whatever genre you like to read or write in, I can't recommend this book enough. At 388 pages it reads as quick as a short story but you'll be glad it's not. Harlan Coben is at the top of his game with this one fiction fans. I very much look forward to his next release. He's on Twitter too: as @HarlanCoben -
http://twitter.com/harlancoben
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I was able to get my hands on Caught by major leaguer Harlan Coben so I'm slotting the reading of it before Kristin Kimball's non-fiction book The Dirty Life. This story, so far, and I'm just a dozen or so pages in, has the pacing and intrigue hints I love about Coben's work. I've read several of his books over the last few years and I'm sure this one will be a great ride. More soon as I dive into this story of a girl who disappears, the reasons WHY and the dirty little secrets revealed in a town, that tell us a bit about ourselves, and some among us, that we may not want to face. But we will. -
I read this book while on holiday last year and really enjoyed it.
Quite a few stories intertwining but focusing primarily on a missing girl and a TV program that carries out live child predator stings. Seemingly normal people hiding some very dark secrets. I have seen a few of the Dateline - To Catch a Predator episodes so I found that story-line quite interesting. There were times I wondered if perhaps the show had read the situation wrong (however unlikely). A person who may in fact be innocent can have their lives irrevocably damaged just by the accusation.
I enjoyed the multiple story-lines and many characters. Full of twists, lies, and shocking revelations. Though not always realistic still entertaining. With all of the different events going on I definitely had to pay close attention but for the most part I could keep up.
"Caught" is very fast paced with interesting story-lines and many dysfunctional yet entertaining characters.
Harlan Coben has a way of pulling you in and not letting go until the last page. -
As I've said before Harlan Coben is hit and miss with me. This one was a big hit. The level of creepy in this book was off the charts. And that pushed it over the top for me. Any fan of Harlan Coben should love this one. Five big stars.
-
⭐️⭐️💫
Almost a DNF, probably should have been 🤷🏻♀️ just not into these “out there” thrillers lately but overall entertaining and the many story lines were well closed out. -
April2020 Reading with Action/Adventure Aficionados group here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
This was an excellent read again, although I kind of knew what was coming. The first time was better, but this time I could appreciate the foreshadowing & clues better. I've also read most of the Myron Bolivar series, so I appreciated Win more.
Nov2018The first book I read by him was
Play Dead, the first he published & it wasn't that great. This author was recommended by my dentist, so I gave him another shot. Then I read
Mystery Writers of America Presents Death Do Us Part: New Stories about Love, Lust, and Murder which he edited & wrote the final story in. It was one of the better short story collections, so I thought I'd give him another try & I'm glad I did.
The main theme of trial by public opinion was superbly done. I hate to see public postings of arrests since it assumes guilt before trial. In the case of child molestation, it is especially damaging. All it takes is a believable false accusation to completely ruin a person. I was appalled the show
To Catch A Predator since it smacks of entrapment that is all too easily spoofed. That the show was so popular just proves a decadence in our society, a craving for blood & circuses.
I can't recall when I've read a twistier mystery. New bits of information kept coming all the way until the very end that changed the context of the story & the characters from good guys to villains to people who made good or bad decisions & then just got caught up. Excellent foreshadowing this time, too. Wow, what a ride!
There were quite a few false notes peppered throughout the story. No big ones this time, but a number of irritating ones. Most turned out to be part of the twisty story & the heroine picked up on them eventually. The biggest issue I had was that she was supposed to be so good at being an investigative reporter, yet she kept missing & forgetting things. I kept muttering that she should take notes if her memory was that bad, but 2 friends told me they didn't catch these issues either.
The book was very well narrated & I'll definitely look for more by him. -
3.5 stars
Review to follow -
“I knew opening that red door would destroy my life.” Those are the opening words of Harlan Coben’s
Caught. Dan Mercer, a dedicated child social worker, is caught in a TV sting operation by Wendy Tynes, a reporter who has made a career of taping and broadcasting supposed pedophiles caught in the act.
Wendy comes off as pretty stereotypical at first, like a female reporter who has no scruples. As the story progresses, however, she seems to find her conscience. Dan claims that he was set up, and Wendy wonders if perhaps Dan really was innocent. Dan is an enigma. I didn’t know what to make of Dan through most of the book. Before long, things become, much more complicated than just Dan’s pedophilia charge.
As the story progresses, it may very well be the reader who is caught. The plot races from Dan to his ex- wife to a missing high school girl to Dan’s college buddies to, back and forth, all with Wendy in the middle. I found this book to be filled with lies, deceit, and characters I wasn’t quite sure I liked but didn’t exactly hate.
While I’ve read much better books, I enjoyed the story telling, and this book was quite a ride. There are folks in this tale who learn some hard lessons. There is also some stuff that is pretty unrealistic. I did get a few laughs at the sarcasm, but the attitude of the lawyers was over the top. All in all, though, I was happy to be caught up in Coben’s Caught for a day. -
I do enjoy Coben’s Myron Bolitar series & his stand-alone books.
This stand-alone novel “Caught“ has a nice plot, number of key characters to follow low & end is not complicated.
*
In NJ, Haley McWaid(17) a “great” high school lacrosse team captain, ready to continue college is her parent’s dreams. One morning Marcia (mom) & Ted (Dan) find Holly’s bed is empty, no initial concerns, but then missing after 3 months with no body found the town assumes death.
*
Wendy Tynes, main character, is a “pedophile” reporter catching sexual “predators” on a TV - news program “Caught in the Act”. She helps capture & shame many men.
*
Dan Mercer is a social worker for troubled teens. Wendy believes Dan has taken advantage of some young girls too? Haley is one. Dan’s exposed, wrongly accused, acquitted in Legal Courts but it’s too late. His reputation/life is ruined, now living in trailers, escaping/beaten - is shot/killed by someone!!
*
Another teenage girl is missing - is a “real monster” out there? A GPS is attached to Wendy’s car & she’s tracked home by a killer that she narrowly escapes.
*
Wendy’s son teaches her how to do Facebook searches in reverse. She finds Dan Mercer graduated Princeton 20 years ago? Wendy uncovers Dan’s 5 Princeton fraternity members, suspects in Dan Mercer’s past “scavenger hunt” for a Princeton Dean’s boxer shorts?
*
Wendy finds Christa Stockwell, the Princeton Personal Assistant hurt in the past “scavenger hunt” - Dan’s 5 Princeton classmates - a broken mirror, used to hurt her face, naming her “SCAR FACE”.
*
Wendy finds the men’s current problems involved in the Princeton “scavenger hunt” - Dan Mercer(“pedophile” charge?), Steve Miciano (drug charges), Farley Parks (out of a political race), Phil Turnball (stock market job - caught stealing), Kelvin Tilfer (Math genius now in a asylum).
The end has a good flow. Did one of these kill Haley intentionally? Was a “scavenger” hunt member or person knowing the hunt try to hurt each member? The ending has a nice twist.
-
Not one of Coben's best. For one thing, a character who speaks in the first person in the prologue immediately fades into the background after I had become intrigued by his story. I think it would have been stronger if he had been the protagonist, a man trying to get out of his own predicament. Instead, Coben switches to a new character and I couldn't quite get into her. (For one thing, the book changes from first person to third.) He briefly introduces a character from other books of his, but that's unsatisfying, too, because he's a rather colorful character and here he's only given a bit part. In this book, he served only as an easy way for the main character to get information that she would have had trouble getting otherwise.
That was the main weakness of the book: the mystery (there was actually more than one) was convoluted and the main character solved it/them without the reader being able to see all her thought processes or problem-solving actions. She just suddenly "knows." I don't usually care whether I figure the mystery out on my own, but I like to have more clues along the way.
Not exactly a waste of time (it was a quick read), but I certainly wouldn't recommend it as an introduction to Harlan Coben's work. -
5 Stars
Harlan Coben delivers again. Loved this suspense.
Wendy is a journalist who is checking out the story of Don Mercer.
She doesn't believe what he did and wants to prove it.
The story gets really involved in a good way.
The twist at the end, I didn't see coming.
Excellent writing by one of my favourite authors -
Harlan Coben is my mystery/thriller writer like Sophie Kinsella and Emily Giffin to my chick lit books. This man keeps getting my attention with his twist and turns. Everyone needs to read his books! Like now!!!!
I'm not even going to get into detail about this book because I'm the worse person to explain a mystery without ruining it. Just take my word that you will enjoy it. -
ছোট মরিচের ঝাল বেশি - কথাটা হারলান কোবেন এর এই বইটার জন্য পরাপুরি সত্য। বই এর আকার দেখেইই বই টা হাতে নিছিলাম। তাড়ায়াড়ি শেষ হবে। তখন মনে হইছিল যে ছোট বই এ টুইষ্ট বা টার্ণ বেশি হবে না। কাহিনী বিল্ড আপ করে টার্ণ দিতে দিতেই বই শেষ হইয়া যাবে। কিন্তু শুরু করার পরে বুঝলাম কত অল্প সময়ে কাহিনী বিল্ড আপ করে পাঠককে বই এর ভিতর টেনে নেয়া যায়। একেবারে শুরু থেকে শেষ পর্যন্ত লেখক একই গতিতে কাহিনীকে টেনে নিয়ে গেছেন। মনে হতে পারে যে এতে হয়ত চরিত্র গুলোর সাথে একাত্ম হবার জন্য সময় খুবই কম। কিন্তু লেখকের লেখা এমনই যে খুব অল্প সময়ে চরিত্রগুলোকে তিনি ফুটিয়ে তুলতে পেরেছেন।
প্রিভিউ পরে মনে হতে পারে যে এটা অন্য সব থ্রিলার বা রিভেঞ্জ থ্রিলারের মত। কিন্তু শেষ কয়েক্টা পাতা আপনাকে বোকা বানাবেই।
এবার অনুবাদ নিয়ে কিছু বলি। আমার মত পাঠকক, যারা সেবার অনুবাদকে অনুবাদের ব্যাপারে স্টান্ডার্ড বলে মনে করে, তাদের জন্য তানজিম রহমানের অনুবাদ কে একেবারেই পরিচিত বলে মনে হবে। পুরো বই টা অনুবাদকের প্রাঞ্জল আর সহজ অনুবাদে আমার জন্য উপভোগ্য করে তুলেছে। হয়ত এক্টু বেশি হবে যাবে তাও বলতে চাই - নতুন দের মধ্যে ইনার চেয়ে ভাল অনুবাদ আমু আর কারও দেখি নাই। ইনার ডার্কফল, শাইনিং আর কট এই তিনটি অনুবাদ আমি পরেছি। এক্টা আরেক্টার ছেয়ে ভাল বলে মনে হয়েছে। আশা করি উনি আরও অনুবাদ করবেন ভবিষ্যতে। -
Sometimes Coben writes wonderfully and the story hangs together. Happily this is one of those times. Wendy a news reporter who entraps an apparent pedophile. However, Dan Mercer is not all what he seems. In the same town a young girl called Hayley has also disappeared.
The story takes us on a lot of blind alleys with hints of possible answers. I think Coben made a few unfounded assumptions about the insecurity of women. The meeting of parents to listen to an anti alcohol lecture prior to graduation parties. Wendy avoiding eye contact and conversations with husbands of wives in case the wives see her as seducing their husbands is just ridiculous.
The five graduates from Princeton with four having scandals. What is the secret? When it is revealed everything falls into place except all is not what it seems. Jenna is Dan’s ex-wife with Noel her doctor husband and they do not believe he is what the media portray him as. A good story about the dangers of social media and false information. Written in 2010 Coben foresaw the dangers of the internet and the spread of false information. -
Wow! I had to take so many notes with this one and by the end I had to go back a bit until I had it figured out. Just when you think it's gonna go in one direction, instead it goes in the exact opposite!
Caught is about Reporter Wendy Tynes, who is making a living by bringing down sexual predators on TV sting operations. When one who is accused of being a pedophile and is tied to the disappearance of a seventeen-year old girl, Wendy is drawn into a deadly mystery and discovering the choices of right and wrong.
The story also has a good message about forgiveness, to forgive others for their actions and to also forgive yourself.
A great plot, great story, great characters, and most of all, A GREAT WRITER!!
PS, I also forgot to mention that Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood) from the Myron Bolitar series (also by Harlan Coben) makes a cameo appearance in Caught, which I thought was pretty cool! -
Harlan Coben takes on the issue of vigilantism in this story about a high profile TV reporter, Wendy Tynes, who entraps men suspected of being child molesters. Wendy has been successful with these ploys until she catches one Dan Mercer, who protests his innocence and is acquitted, only to find himself the target of outraged parents. After all, everyone now knows he’s a pedophile. Wendy is fired, and devotes herself to further investigation when Dan is murdered. This promises to be an engaging plot, but it becomes so complicated with a conglomeration of ancillary characters that the plot gets lost in the shuffle. Among these are a middle aged white rapper named “Ten-a-fly”, a missing teenager, a group of Princeton alums who keep getting involved in scandals, a TV judge, and the woman who killed Wendy’s husband in a DWI accident and who wants Wendy’s forgiveness. As a result, no one character, not even Wendy, is given much depth, and it’s difficult to care about what happens to any of them. The point of all this is that Wendy may indeed be guilty of fingering an innocent man, and she longs for his forgiveness, and she must reconcile her anger at the drunk driver with her guilt over her mistaken judgment. This is an honorable theme, but Coben takes his readers all around Robin Hood’s barn to get there.
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It really does not need to be said that this was an excellent read. One should only look at who the author is and then immediately would know that they are in for a treat.
This book (like all of this author's books) really packs a punch from the first page until, literally, the very last page. As promised, the author delivers another WTF ending that leaves you with adrenaline pumping and dizzy from excitement.
I absolutely LOVED the main character Wendy Tynes, although I admit I was not digging her at the get go. My first impression was that she was another self-centered, career-minded, don't care who I step on as I climb this very wobbly ladder, reporter. My impression changed swiftly as the plot unravels and my goodness does this plot unravel fast!
I highly recommend this book to...well just about anyone. Those who are new to Harlan Coben, life-long fans, and those who are still left standing in the dark wondering where have all the good authors gone. Look no further.
