Their unlikely relationship is one of the strongest things about the book, and would be probably the biggest reason for picking up the next, for me, and seeing that relationship explored and tested - both by events in the previous book and the consequences of those in this - was very satisfying. In fact, the whole 'who shot Rachel?' thing in the hands of a lesser author, is a mystery that would have lasted all of about three chapters, but Coben knows how to throw a red herring or two into the mix, while making the mystery more about the characters than the race for the solution.Įvery major character involved has their own secrets, and it was nice to see some of them becoming unravelled, particularly Ema, Mickey's best friend. Mickey's second outing is just as gripping as the first, with another neatly packaged little mystery, surrounded by the larger, ongoing mystery of the Abeona Shelter and what exactly is going on with the Bat Lady. The Chief of Police - also Rachel's boyfriend's father - is acting shady, and Rachel herself is sending Mickey cryptic text messages, begging him not to tell anyone else she's speaking to him.Īdd to that the ongoing saga of the mysterious Bat Lady, and her conviction that Mickey's father, who he watched die in a car crash, is still alive, and it becomes very clear that things are not over yet. A shooting has left Rachel - gorgeous, popular Rachel, whose smile makes Mickey's stomach flip - in hospital, her mother dead. Helping the Abeona Shelter to rescue his girlfriend Ashley almost saw his best friend Ema killed, but it seems Mickey and his friends aren't out of the woods yet. Mickey Bolitar has had enough excitement to last him a lifetime.

Harlan coben seconds away series