Title: I Will Find You
Author: Harlan Coben
Published: March 14th 2023
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Pages: 416
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
RRP: $32.99
Rating: 3.5 stars
From the # 1 author and creator of the hit Netflix drama Stay Close, a page-turning thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page. The new Harlan Coben blockbuster has arrived.
David and Cheryl Burroughs are living the dream – married, a beautiful house in the suburbs, a three year old son named Matthew – when tragedy strikes one night in the worst possible way.
David awakes to find himself covered in blood, but not his own – his son’s. And while he knows he did not murder his son, the overwhelming evidence against him puts him behind bars indefinitely.
Five years into his imprisonment, Cheryl’s sister arrives – and drops a bombshell.
She’s come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park. The boy in the background seems familiar – and even though David realizes it can’t be, he knows it is.
It’s Matthew, and he’s still alive.
David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible – save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night.
Review:
There is no denying the popularity of Harlan Coben, his is one of the planet’s most well-known authors. I have only read a couple of Coben’s books, but I am a huge fan of his Netflix dramas. I Will Find You caught my eye at an airport bookshop and I purchased this new Coben release to keep me occupied during my flight. Wild, action filled, intriguing and sometimes heartbreaking, I Will Find You is a fast-moving thriller from the king of misinterpreted fatal mysteries.
David Burroughs is a man who used to have it all. A happy home, wife and child defined David’s previous existence. But a terrible tragedy changes David’s life forever and he now sits rotting in a jail cell. David is also certain that he did not murder his own son, but everything at the time pointed to David being the perpetrator of this awful crime. After serving five years in jail for a crime he swears he did not commit, David receives a visit from his former sister-in-law who claims to have found something vital to prove David’s innocence. A recent photograph of a boy who very closely resembles David’s deceased son Matthew is presented to David. It seems beyond belief but David knows it may hold the key to exonerating him from this crime and more importantly, reuniting him with his son. Can David uncover the truth as to what happened the night his son was killed?
Lee Child is correct in his claim on the back cover of I Will Find You that Harlan Coben will never, ever let you down. I’ve enjoyed anything that has Coben’s name attached to it, both in written and screen form, so I was naturally very keen to read I Will Find You. Containing Coben’s signature mystery and thriller plot of a murder or crime gone wrong, this is a relentlessly paced action novel.
The initial launch of I Will Find You was very hooking and intriguing. I am always fascinated by stories that zone in on the innocent, or those who protest their innocence in shocking crimes, so I was heavily invested in Coben’s tale from the onset. David’s first-person narration really pulls you in close and you can’t help but sympathise with his predicament. I was interested to see where this case would go and if David would be able to clear his name. The mystery surrounding the possible reappearance and wrongful death of David’s son Mathew was a great net to lure the reader in. With a likeable lead and a well placed support cast, Coben’s characters all add to the high action moments of this addictive tale. There were a few elements that didn’t work for me personally. I thought the action tap was turned on a little too high at times, but the fugitive on the run element was handled well by Coben. I also felt quite confused in regards to the storyline involving the DNA fumble. I think Coben lost me there, but for others this might be highly stimulating! It was a relentless race to the end, with an explosive conclusion that will be sure to keep Coben fans happy.
Overall this was a slick and rapid-fire twisted murder thriller. I Will Find You will appease those who enjoy commercial thrillers and readers or viewers of Coben’s work.
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben was published on March 14th 2023 by Penguin Books Australia. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of I Will Find You, Harlan Coben, visit here.
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