Promise me by Harlan Coben (2014)

I thoroughly enjoyed Promise Me, a gripping thriller in Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series, despite its somewhat formulaic plot. The characters are richly developed, and the story arcs are engaging and well-crafted. The twist at the end adds a delightful surprise. Familiar characters from the previous seven books remain entertaining and evolve naturally as they age. For fans of Coben, this novel is a fun, satisfying read. 4/5 stars.

Live Wire by Harlan Coben (2009)

The character arcs and continuing adventures are well-written and gripping. Tight story & deep mystery.  This one is a little too melodramatic. 5/5 Stars.

The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben (2020)

Fun, tight mystery with colorful characters, 4/5 Stars.

One False Move by Harlan Coben (2014)

I like the Myron Bolitar stories. This one is somewhat grittier and more brutish than my preference. 4/5 Stars.

Tell No One by Harlan Coben (2001)

Another Harlan Coben thriller with identical plot elements to all the others: the reluctant hero with true grit who overcomes overwhelming odds and circumstances, a deep, dark murder mystery, evil overlords in a criminal  conspiracy, and horrifying, sudden violence. The protagonist, of course, lives happily ever after, 4/5 Stars.

Play Dead by Harlan Coben (1/1/2010)

Harlan Coben wrote this book when he was 19 and 20 years old, as an undergrad in college.  The values, perspectives, hormones, and perspectives of a 20-year-old shine through the fantastic (though somewhat melodramatic) plotting and dialog.  It's always great to catch up on the early works of a good writer.I really enjoyed this book, despite the terrible, cardboard 2-D characters. In particular, the end is well-crafted and well-edited. 5/5 Stars.

Yesterday's Spy by Tom Bradby (2022)

An "impulse borrow" from the library the last time I was there, this book reads like a James Bond film script set in 1953.  The author really should have availed himself of professor Amanat's fantastic history book; he made some blunders about the leaders and factions in the 1953 chaos in which the story takes place. But the thriller aspects of the story were fun and it was wildly entertaining, despite how depressing the situation was. 3/5 Stars.

14 by Peter Clines (2012)

This odd horror / mystery story is well-crafted and fun.  Clines' use of the H.P. Lovecraft's magic system is consistent and extremely well done. I was completely engrossed and trying to solve the mystery. Recommended. 5/5 Stars.

Going Dark by Linda Nagata (2015)

I enjoyed the ending of this trilogy, despite all of the ambiguity and continued mystery of "The Red." It is a good story.  I hope Ms. Nagata picks up the story line and writes more stories or books in this world (after she recovers from the fires in Maui, of course).

The Killing Star by by Charles Pellegrino & George Zebrowski (1995)

Amazing story, great subplots and themes. Odd, distracting theology and mysticism. 5/5 Stars.  Fantastic!

The Final Detail by Harlan Coben (2023)

Great mystery; tightly-woven.  Big hearted characters.  Fun, gritty action. 5/5 Stars.

The Trials by Linda Nagata (2015)

The ongoing story has some more interesting twists, as more clues emerge about the mysterious awe-and-wonder AI ("The Red").  Melodramatic, fun. 5/5 Stars.

I will find you by Harlan Coben (2023)

Gritty, violent thriller with fun big hearted bad guy characters.  The story is a little bit too melodramatic but the ending makes it worthwhile. 4/5 Stars. 

Back Spin by Harlan Coben

Fun! 4/5 Stars.

Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow (2023)

Although I don't particularly appreciate his writing style or the character affectations, the plot is a fun, pulp escapist story.  The cybercrime, blockchain, & crypto-currency technologies are all well presented.  Some of the forensic accounting is a little off. I enjoyed the book, shall read the next few in the series. 4/5 Stars.

The Red by Linda Nagata (2015)

The plot and mystery are well-executed.  And the characters are wonderful.  The characterization of political power, relative military capabilities, and oligarchical powers is not very believable, unfortunately.  But the good writing enabled me to suspend disbelief and enjoy the story. 4/5 Stars.  I'll read the rest of the series now.

Birds of Prey by various authors (2022)

This collection is very disappointing. Don't waste an audible token. 2/5 Stars.

Never by Ken Follett (2021)

Another "impulse borrow" from the library.  Thrilling and chilling. I liked all the characters. 4/5 Stars.

Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben (2012)

I occasionally dip into Harlan Coben thrillers and I was curious about the origins of his Myron Bolitar character so I picked this one off the library shelf on a whim.  It's a typical, fun, Coben thriller; the mystery is a little too complicated but I figured it out early in the story. 4/5 Stars.

Death and Faxes (Audio) by Brandon Sanderson

Not good, 2/5 Stars.