Book Review: Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben. BM Day 9

These days, I am keen on experimenting with different genres. Mythology (ThePalace Of Illusions) and Psychological Thriller (The Girl On The Train) came as wonderful surprises. And, here I have finished reading Fool Me Once, a psychological thriller by HarlanCoben (Penguin Books India), and what a gripping read it was!

Maya Stern, a soldier, has just buried her husband, Joe who had been brutally murdered and she witnessed it! She is left alone with her two year old daughter. Her friend Eileen gives her some solace and a nanny cam, a hidden camera to check on her daughter and her nanny when she is out for work.

For first few days everything seems okay but then, one day, one casual look at the recording and it hits Maya hard, terribly hard! Joe, Maya's dead husband, appears in the nanny cam playing with his daughter.

How could it be possible? Is she hallucinating because she hears nagging voices in her mind that won't let her sleep? Is that Joe’s ghost? Why would anyone kill Joe? Maya’s quest for truth leads her to various old dark secrets…

Fool Me Once is gripping, unputdownable read. The plot is multilayered yet it doesn’t confuse you.

The characters are sketched smartly. Maya Stern is strong and confident and her actions and dialogues reflect that. The author doesn't need to explain. I loved the character of Shane, Maya’s closest friend. He is adorable.

Dialogues are different from any other book, and I found them interesting, the way characters converse in this book. You have to be attentive to get the gist.

"As a soldier, you don't stand at attention because it looks nice. You stand at attention because, on some level, it either gives you strength or, just as important, makes you appear stronger to both your comrades and enemies."

I liked this quote. The cover is intriguing.

This book hooks you from the start, but it loses the grip when the conclusion dawns. I mean I didn’t get that, and this disappointed me. It didn't make any sense. Also, Maya’s feelings towards her daughter bothered me sometimes.

Overall, for me it was an engrossing read even though the conclusion left me confused and somehow frustrated! Recommended for those who like reading psychological thrillers. I would like to read Harlan Coben again. Any suggestions?

I got a review copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

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