Gone For Good is the fourth stand-alone novel by American thriller writer Harlan Coben, published in 2002. My second favorite among American writers is Harlan Coben. I read Coben a lot, especially the Myron Bolitar series. I have been waiting to read Gone for Good for a long time. Now, let’s talk about the book.
Plot
Eleven years ago, one night, a brutal murder took place in a small town in New Jersey. Will Klein’s girlfriend is murdered in the basement of her home. The prime suspect in the murder is Will’s older brother, Ken Klein. Ken escapes that night with all the evidence against him. The incident changes the lives of everyone in Will’s family.
By now, everyone in the family except Will knows Ken is dead. Will also believes wholeheartedly that his brother is innocent. Ken can’t kill his brother’s ex-girlfriend Julie. There is some truth hidden behind it. At one point, Will becomes desperate to uncover the truth. He was joined as a partner by Julie Miller’s sister, Katie Miller. She also wants to know the truth.
One day, around five o’clock in the morning, Will’s current girlfriend, Sheila Rogers, disappears, leaving Will asleep. Meanwhile, the FBI men are also looking for Sheila because of her long criminal record. Will himself doesn’t know much about Sheila’s past. Learning about Sheila’s past reveals some information that shocks Will.
One of the terrors of the crime world is Philip McGuane. He is involved in all kinds of crimes. McGuane, John Ascelta, and Ken were also former schoolmates. John Ascelta and Ken do criminal work for McGuane. Meanwhile, for the past eleven years, the McGuanes have also been searching for Ken. He will be killed if found.
John Ascelta, known to everyone as Ghost. At the age of ten, John stabbed a boy named Daniel Skinner in the chest. He has no idea how many people he has killed so far. One of his favorite methods is to kill people by suffocation. Now, he’s after Will and Katie.
The secret is hidden behind the secret. Unraveling these hidden secrets leads to some truths that will defy Will’s imagination. To know the truth, there is no alternative but to read Gone For Good.
My Review
My second favorite among American writers is Harlan Coben. I read Coben a lot. Especially the Myron Bolitar series. I have been waiting to read Gone for Good for a long time. Now, let’s talk about the book.
First, Coben tells the story about the tension in the lives of normal people like us. Gone for Good is no exception. Here, too, the tension of a common man called Will is shown, whose brother is suspected of killing his girlfriend and has been missing since then. It will feel like the story is your own.
Second, Harlan Coben is known for creating the web of mystery. From the beginning, Coben has been throwing one mystery after another. The special aspect is that no one can be called a hero or a villain here. There is no end before the end of Coben’s book.
Third is the twist. Harlan Coben is considered the twist master. There are five or six twists in this book. He broke through the web of mystery in each twist. All the twists are surprising. Knowing Coben’s pattern, I was able to catch a couple. But the major twist is absolutely impossible to catch. Coben can engender sympathy and break it.
Price
Kindle – $5.99
Hardcover – $1.24
Paperback – $13.57
Personal Rating
8.5/10. The book will remain high on the list of best thrillers. It is an excellent novel and was thoroughly enjoyable.