Caught by Harlan Coben

How do I love Harlan Coben? Let me count the ways...

But really, this man can WRITE! I got hooked on his books by my mom (yet again!) who mentioned the Myron Bolitar series (Search Amazon.com for myron bolitar series in order) because I am a sucker for mysteries and series. So I think I've pretty much read everything that Harlan Coben has written now (he has a lot of "stand alone" books that are also wonderful) and had to get my grubby mitts on this brand new one. And I wasn't disappointed.

So, our story starts with social worker Dan Mercer heading to a darkened house to meet a teen-in-trouble and ending up caught in a TV news sting to catch a pedophile that has been preying on young girls in internet chat rooms. Wendy Tynes is the news anchor that jumps out and confronts Dan and truly ruins his life. Couple this with a missing seventeen year old and evidence that ties her to Dan as well... and oh goodness, he sure looks like a first class creep. But is he really guilty? Wendy ends up with some head vs. heart doubts and goes looking a little deeper into Dan Mercer and finds some interesting questions.

As with most of his books, Coben sets this one in suburban New Jersey. Not the New Jersey of Newark or even Trenton (think Stephanie Plum), but an upper middle class suburbia where the worker bees of New York City reside. I feel like I know these neighborhoods by now, and I've never set foot in the state of New Jersey. I think Coben needs to come up with a Wiki of all of the characters that cross over his books, because there really are a lot of them (the ever charming Win, best friend of Myron Bolitar, makes an appearance here). And then there are those characters who seem like maybe they were in another of his books, but you're just not sure. And yet, even with all of these similarities to his other novels, this one is still fresh and engrossing. Coben grows with the times, referring to Facebook and viral internet advertising... and I just LOVE that he actually used the word "asshat" in this book!

I gotta say, Harlan Coben has done it again! It is amazing how many stories this man has in his head and how he weaves them into such an intricate maze that can still keep you guessing even after you have read all of his other books. I guessed at one twist early on and then doubted myself later... and then ended up surprised anyway! And the biggest twist of all seriously had me sitting with my mouth hanging open. This book is awesome... don't pick it up unless you've got time, because you're not going to want to put it down!