Above: a 1:55 minute clip of Harlan Coben talking about his latest stand alone Caught.
Reading Harlan Coben is a curse. It is unavoidable. No, not a bad curse but a good curse.
I have read all his books and only just managed to get ahold of his latest.
What a sensational storyline, Mr Coben! I have actually seen this programme on television but have never really thought beyond it. The process of catching the paedophile is fascinating enough but once a paedophile is caught on camera, that is the end, case closed. This is the book to read if you want to know beyond the beginning and the end.
Another theme in this book is the issue of a missing child and for any parents whose child is missing, it is the worst feeling on earth. There is no right or wrong when this happens. All one wants to do is to find the missing child and get him/her back home safe and sound.
It is always harrowing to read about people who are innocent of any wrongdoing yet wrongly blamed for the crime either because they are at the wrong place at the wrong time or because they have been set up. What do one do when this happens? How do you fight for your integrity and innocence? How do you get people to believe you are good when you are already ostracized and isolated from society? Whatever happened to 'innocent until proven guilty?' Ironically, most lawyers will tell you that in crminal law, the word innocence all but disappeared.
Or, what if a child you are responsible for dies unexpectedly not due to anything that you have done or not done but it happens just because? What would you do? Tell a friend? Hide the body? Report the death to the police? Would you be believed if you were already an outcast in society?
Yes, what would you do? Sadly, these scenarios do happen in real life too.
Guess this calls for a very trying test of patience and faith. Having said that, there are people who were never exonerated and had to suffer their whole life as a consequence and even if they were exonerated, life as they knew it would never be the same again. In short, life sucks if no one believes you.
On a lighter note, Coben's wicked sense of humour is at play in this book and if you like his humour, it is also present in his previous sixteen novels. I've caught myself chuckling through his novels and trust me, he's hilarious!
Not only that, his books make sense. His observations and insights on life, people and their concerns, mundane or otherwise, are thought-provokingly accurate. There are a lot of "real-world stuff" in there. In other words, Coben knows what he is talking about. He writes wisely.
There are probably hundreds of great reviews already done on Caught. I cannot say more other than a big resounding Read It!
Check out his other books on his official website at http://www.harlancoben.com/
Final six words on Caught: Crafty, clever, captivating and classic Coben!
Rating: 6/5 (awesome)
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