Harlan Coben

I’ve read two Cobens now – a stand alone recommended to me by a friend called The Woods, and one of Coben’s famous Myron Bolitar novels, Promise Me.

I always say to my students, if you can plot a mystery – you can plot anything. Structurally and in terms of writing, in many ways mysteries are simple texts. The focus of the writer appears to shift solely to plot. How do you keep your readers guessing for as long as possible?

If this is the measure of a good mystery, the Coben does have some success. Promise Me was less predictable than The Woods – there was a nice spin at the end. And while these are fun once in a while, I prefer something with a little more focus on character. Still, I would recommend Promise Me if in the mood.