Book Review : I Will Find You By Harlan Coben

My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

It’s been five years since David Burroughs was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his three-year-old son Matthew. Eyewitness testimony claiming to have witnessed him burying the murder weapon and his own hazy memories of the night contributed to his conviction, though David has consistently maintained that he is innocent. Since then his marriage to his high school sweetheart, Matthew’s mother Cheryl has ended and she has moved on. He has refused to accept visitors and has cut himself off from friends and family. But then, his former sister-in-law Rachel, a journalist who has suffered setbacks both personally and professionally, turns up with a photograph taken by her friends during a recent trip to an amusement park that shows a child who resembles Matthew.

Is Matthew still alive? If so, whose body did they bury? If he is alive, where is Matthew now?

David is convinced that the child in the photograph is his son and he will leave no stone unturned to find Matthew. The first step is breaking out of a maximum security prison and that isn’t going to be easy. Adding to his problems is a new inmate who seems to have it in for David. Then comes evading the FBI, who are in pursuit, while he searches for the truth David does not doubt that the child in the picture is his son and he will leave no stone unturned to find him. It soon becomes evident that there are forces at play who don’t want David to find out what truly happened five years ago and will go to any length to make sure of it.

Harlan Coben’s stories are well-crafted and engaging and reel you in from the very first page. I Will Find You is no exception. The mystery angle is well executed and though the main characters David and Rachel are both seriously flawed individuals you don’t hesitate to root for them. The story also features a strong cast of supporting characters – including David’s friends and allies (among whom is Attorney Heather Crimstein who plays a significant role in assisting Rachel and David), and foes, both old and new. I should mention that a few scenes of prison violence are a bit disturbing. The FBI Agent duo featured in this story and their comedy act was a tad annoying. Though those segments did mess with the otherwise consistent pacing, thankfully it doesn't detract from the overall reading experience.

Overall, as far as action-packed suspense thrillers go, Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You does not disappoint! Fans of this genre are well aware that enjoying these books requires suspension of disbelief. As long as you don’t overthink it and don’t mind the OTT moments, you will enjoy the ride!

Many thanks to author Harlan Coben, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. This book is due to be released on March 14, 2023.