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 Do parents really want to know the truth about their Teenagers? In my opinion Coben is one of the most consistent writers in the thriller writer genre. All of his novels have been great reads, and I have been waiting for the release of "Hold Tight" since I finished "The Woods." This time out Coben has crafted a page turner that will make parents shudder. Coben is able to weave a number of real life concerns into this convincing thriller. This is something he is a master at---taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. The issues of teen suicide, a teen's right to privacy, parental spying, single parent families, and what should kids need to know and when are all explored. These issues are brought into focus though the eyes of parents who are dealing with the teen angst of their 16 year old son who's best friend recently committed suicide. When Mom and Dad start snooping on their son's computer they find something that chills them to the bone, something they might wish they did not know....I wont ruin the surprise but in typical Coben fashion things are not what they seem. Just be ready to settle in until the last page is turned. One more thing, if your a fan of Coben you might want to try the gritty little thriller "A Tourist In The Yucatan" by Brownfield, for more ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Twists and Turns and an Ending You Never Saw Coming How far would you go to protect your child? How well do you know your children? When they go out in the world, should you let them go with a smile on your face or should you hold tight? What should you do if your child becomes moody and withdrawn as has Spencer Hill, sixteen-year-old son of Mike and Tia Baye? Now factor in that Spencer's best friend has committed suicide. Add in the fact that Spencer spends most of his time in his room on his computer, while his grades are going south. And can you blame his parents for wondering why he quit the hockey team? Mike and Tia maybe over react a bit as they start spying on Spencer. They track his movements through the GPS system in his cellphone. They install spyware on his computer so the can monitor every website he visits and monitor his e-mail too. They can't help themselves. They should know better, he's a doctor, after all. She's a lawyer. But they do it anyway. Then they hit paydirt. They find a message from person or person's unknown on his computer which says "Just stay quiet and all safe." They wonder about the meaning of this, then Spencer goes missing. From there the story turns into a typical Harlan Coben thrill ride, complete with an investigator who won't quit, a serial killer and characters a plenty who will keep you entertained as you, like Loren Muse, try to figure it all out before Coben's twists and turns take you to a climax and an ending you never saw coming. Like any book written by Harlan Coben, this is a thrill ride. Ken Douglas, author of Dead Ringer, Desperation Moon & Running Scared Fasten The Seatbelt On Your Favorite Reading Chair And Get Ready For A Roller Coaster Of A Read! Hold Tight is definitely one of Harlan Coben's top three books -- and it may be his best yet! It is a book that grabs your attention from page one and never lets go until the last word on the last page. Hold Tight is largely plot-driven, although Coben's characters are mostly interesting and ones that people, and particularly parents, will be able to relate to. They are not characters, however, whose visual profiles came strongly to life for me. Further, if you have read Coben's Myron Bolitar series, I think you'll consider the characters of Mike Baye and his friend Mo to be pretty reminiscent of his characters, Myron Bolitar and his friend, Win. As I said, the strength of this book is its plot, not its character development. But what a plot it is! Basically, the book revolves around two story lines: (1) Mike Baye and his wife trying to deal with the increasing withdrawal of their 16-year-old son after a friend's suicide, and (2) a pair of brutal, seemingly unrelated killings, which serve to highlight the domestic troubles that ensue and draw the Baye family, their friends and neighbors in a sea of tragedy. In addition to Hold Tight's exciting plot, Coben wraps the story around the following highly relevant ethical questions that most parents have to wrestle with: How do you weigh a child's privacy against a parent's right to know? How do you differentiate normal teenage rebelliousness from out-of-control behavior? When and how do you intervene if suicidal signs appear? Be prepared to put off whatever you were planning to do once you start Hold Tight, as you won't want to put this book down. I highly recommend Hold Tight to all readers of exciting, suspenseful plot-driven thrillers. Another Addicting Masterpiece! Mike and Tia Baye are worried about their son, Adam. Ever since Adam lost a good friend to suicide, he has withdrawn from the family. After much deliberation they decide to install spy software on his computer to keep track of his internet activity. Everything seems normal until an instant message from a mysterious source turns the Baye's world upside down. Betsy Hill mourns like any mother would over the loss of her son Spencer. As troubled as he was no one thought he would ever take his own life. While reading her son's Myspace memorial page she comes across a photo that changes everything she thought about her son's death. Now she must confront Spencer's best friend, Adam, who is the only person who may really know what happened the night Spencer died. Soon both families are intertwined in a desperate search for truth that will reveal shocking answers. As the questions are answered more families become involved and connections to a baffling police case come to light. Now Mike and Tia must dig through all the layers of secrecy if they hope to save their son before it's too late. Harlan Coben holds nothing back in his latest offering. This is high caliber suspense, gut-wrenching drama, and engrossing mystery all rolled into one. Coben brings the thriller genre full force into suburbia and gives us an eye-opening glance into the very real dangers that threaten families in our society. In Hold Tight we are effectively thrown into the middle of every parent's worst nightmare and what a scary and sobering experience it is. As always Coben's writing proves to be second to none as he effectively weaves several storylines together and somehow manages to link them all together without ever revealing where the story is heading. Coben's fans will also enjoy some character cameos from his last novel, The Woods. Hold Tight can certainly be read as a stand alone title, but I highly recommend readers pick up a copy of The Woods to get the full effect of both stories. Coben has not only created another addicting masterpiece, but he has blessed us with an unforgettable cautionary tale about parenthood. This one will no doubt keep you up all night nervously flipping through the pages. However, in the end you will want to hug your kids tightly and tell them how much you love them. If you haven't read Coben before you will indeed wonder why after this one. | |||||||||||||
