The Stranger by Harlan Coben

The Stranger by Harlan Coben

Review by Lauren

source: library e-copy; all opinions are my own

Official Summary: 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.

Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream: a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life.

Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corinne, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corinne’s deception, and realizes that if he doesn’t make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he’s stumbled into will not only ruin lives—it will end them.

Review: The Stranger is a guy whose name very few people know. He shows up, tells a secret, and then leaves without seeing how the damage will affect that person. This is what happens when Adam Price, husband and father of two boys, meets the Stranger one night. He is told something he never knew about his wife Corinne and it's this moment that starts a chain of events that irrevocably changes Adam Price's life forever. This might sound a touch over dramatic, but I'm being completely serious. The whole idea behind the Stranger is what enticed me to check out this book, my first by Harlan Coben, but it was the twists and turns of the story that definitely kept me reading. While the book is mostly in Price's point of view, there are moments throughout the book that follow other characters that are important to the overall story.

The Stranger is an intriguing character - one that does not have another name for much of the book - and whose idea of right and wrong is actually a bit noble. He's not someone that you can easily love or hate. There is a lot of black and white in the world, and while the Stranger seems to want those lines to be clearer, he actually exists in quite a gray area. As for Adam, it's definitely easy to feel bad for him and his circumstances when the secret is revealed. His whole world is tilted and he becomes caught up in something more dangerous than he first realizes. 

This is a book that begs not to be spoiled in any way, so it's best not to give too many details. It's definitely a quick, suspenseful read. I would certainly recommend!