Think Twice

 Think Twice (2024) by Harlan Coben

It's been three years since Myron Bolitar gave the eulogy at the funeral of renowned basketball coach Greg Downing. Myron, former basketball star at Duke, former FBI contact and current sports agent, and Greg had been a lot of things to each other--respected foes on the court, rivals in both basketball and love, and most recently business associates. Myron had served as Greg's agent. Having presided over Greg's ashes, the last thing Myron expects when two FBI agents come to his office about the recent murder of supermodel Cecelia Callister and her son is for them to ask him, "Where's Greg Downing?" His reply, "In a mausoleum at Cedar Lawn Cemetery in Paterson" doesn't go over well. The agents tell him and his best friend Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood III) that Greg is apparently alive and kicking...and murdering. Because his DNA has been found at the scene of the crime. Oh...and they heavily imply that Myron knew Greg was alive and must have helped him go off the grid for three years.

Myron decides that he needs to investigate. IF Greg is still alive, then he's still Myron's client and he owes it to Greg to try and help him. Win doesn't like it--but if Myron is determined to investigate, then he's going to help him. The two don't know what they're getting themselves into. The investigation leads them into a dust-up with organized crime, Myron nearly loses his baby toe to "Joey the Toe" (a mob member who collects pinky toes as souvenirs), and they begin to suspect there is a serial killer on the loose--a diabolical killer with intricate game plans, logical follow-through, and a knack for setting up the innocent to pay for the killer's crimes. Just when they think they know what's happening and who's doing it, they find they need to think twice.

First-off: Is this my usual kind of book. Nope. Never read a Coben book before in my life and have never really thought his books were my kind of thing. It's amazing the things I wind up reading for challenges--even serial killer thrillers. Did it reach out and grab me and keep reading until I got to the end? You betcha. Think Twice has quite a lot going for it: punchy dialog (lots of dialog!); a buddy-movie vibe between Myron & Win (aAe they hunting a serial killer; does Myron nearly become a victim himself? Sure. But they're having a good time doing it.); a great hook; and a nice twisty ending. Did I figure out most of the solution before we got to the ending? Well...yes. But I didn't matter. I was so invested in Myron and Win and their story that I didn't feel cheated. 

And that for me was the heart of this book. I really enjoyed the relationship between Myron & Win. And isn't it fortunate that Win has so much money and influence that he can get them out of all kinds of scrapes? I'm really tempted to go back to the beginning of the series and just read them all...if only I didn't have a couple thousand books sitting on my physical TBR pile right now. I read this one because of a reading challenge (it seemed the best of various options for one of the prompts), otherwise I still wouldn't have read a Coben novel. I'm glad I did, it's a nicely plotted thriller with good characters and an interesting method of serial killing. ★★★★

First line: Here is how you destroy a life.

Last lines: And me? I raise my fingers and swipe my eyes.
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Deaths = 13  (ten shot; two fell from height; one stabbed)