I hate to say it, but most of the time I find myself
beginning a novel, only to finish the first chapter and think, “There’s nothing
new here. Same old story, just different character names.” This might explain
why I start five or six books at a time and find it a chore to finish any of
them.
But this month, I found a novel that kept me
turning pages, eager to know what would happen next.
The Stranger by Harlan Coben was a recommendation by a
blogger buddy, Stephanie Faris. When I
read her review, I immediately bought the book on Amazon, but it’s taken me
several months to actually read it.
This story is riveting in the same way as
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.It starts out with the main character, Adam Price, having a
conversation in a bar with a stranger. The stranger knows a lot about his life.
He even knows about Adam’s wife and her miscarriage.
And then he plants the seed in Adam’s mind that germinates into doubt: “Did
your wife fake her pregnancy?” Adam initially dismisses the idea, but after
talking to the stranger, he can’t shake the possibility. This possibility grows
into mistrust, and Adam digs a little deeper into his wife’s life only to learn
devastating information about his own marriage.
The stranger is a fascinating character. For most of the
book, it is unclear who he is or why he’s doing what he’s doing. He plants
suspicion with the power of suggestion, and then he disappears, leaving the recipient
of the information in a whirlwind of emotion and fear.
The setting is relatable—a suburbia full of soccer moms and
involved dads. It’s a voyeuristic peek into neighbor’s houses as they sort
through their spouse’s secrets, their children’s dangerous activities, and
their own weak, self-created mirage of perfection.
Harlan Coben creates suspense on every page, but it’s not
fill-in-the-template, formulaic kind of suspense. It’s original, fresh, and
unique. There’s an eeriness to the story without being over the top, and
three-quarters of the way into the story, it's hard to know what is going to
happen or how it will end.
I love the tag line from Amazon: “The Stranger appears out
of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His
identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable.
Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up
the pieces of your shattered world.”
