Page-turner of the week
Eleven years ago Ken Klein disappeared after his blood was found at the scene of the murder of his hometown sweetheart. Everyone assumed Klein was the killer and was either dead or on the lam—"gone for good." But when Ken's kid brother Will stumbles upon a clue years later that might finally unsnarl the mystery, he finds that clearing Ken's name means joining a deadly game in the criminal underworld that trapped his brother.
The author of last summer's bestseller Tell No One, which began with a similar situation but veered off on a very different path, Coben stands on the accelerator and never lets up. Even well-meaning characters have secret agendas in a complex story line that bursts in a dozen different directions at once. Yet the action is seamless, clear and riveting. Every nook in Coben's labyrinth of suspense furthers the story, from bloody crime-scene clues to seemingly casual glimpses into his characters' inner lives. The only certainty here is surprise. (Delacorte, $24.95)
Bottom Line: Doggone good
