Over in Kauai I found a few minutes for reading and polished off an early ’90s Carl Hiaasen novel called Native Tongue. Quite the absurd little page turner with a reasonable if not totally shocking outcome. Not terribly dissimilar to Double Whammy, his other novel I recently read in that the protagonist is likeable but no hero, has relationship issues, and used to work for a newspaper. Instead of bass fishing, the evil resides at a Disneyworld knock-off run by a former New York Mafioso turned federally-protected witness.
Moderately recommended
No Second Chance is the latest mystery from Harlan Coben, his third very serious one in a row. I enjoyed it, Harlan’s an excellent writer, but I’m really looking forward to a new Myron Bolitar story. In this thriller, Dr. Marc Seidman wakes up in a hospital 12 days after being shot, to learn that his wife is dead and six month old daughter missing; shortly after he goes home to convalesce his old money father-in-law receives a ransom note but even though they pay, the kidnappers know that the police have been involved and his baby isn’t returned.
She doesn’t turn up dead either, which pretty much drives Seidman over the edge. Time passes but no real suspects ever come to light though the police and FBI have the surviving family member as a strong possibility. After 18 months, out of the blue, another ransom note arrives demanding another $2 million payoff and this is when the race really begins. Coben is good at creating characters suited to their roles and pacing, which are really important to me. In the end, Seidman learns some life lessons and overcomes the shocks and surprises put in his path.
Recommended
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