Harlan Coben: King of Twists

In an attempt to find a title that I, a self-acknowledged book snob -- I can't bring myself to join book groups because I refuse to give up claim on my reading life to others' whims -- and my advisory of high school juniors would enjoy reading over the summer, I discovered Harlan Coben. The kids said they'd like to do something "like John Grisham." When it comes to Grisham, I'd really prefer to wait for the movie. But I went on the hunt for something similar.

I found Caught, Coben's recent title nominated for a 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Award. If you think you can anticipate the plot turns before they arrive on this one, my hat's off to you! I found this an exciting, fun and all-round excellent reading experience. It has led me to read or listen to several of his other novels, none of which I like quite as much, with the exception of Hold Tight. Both titles are solid mysteries and, since I'm chief-in-charge of organizing my school's summer reading program, I recommended Hold Tight to a teacher looking for title to sponsor. Turns out he'd already read it and now our program sports two Coben titles! While I think Caught is the better of the two books, Hold Tight has a theme of teens in trouble and cyber-privacy that high school students will enjoy. Let's hope Coben's hitting streak stays strong for next year!