Book Review: Gone For Good

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Gone For Good     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Harlan Coben
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
Delacorte, May 2002, $23.95, 342 pp.

Will and Ken were brothers who were also the best of friends. Will’s first true love was the girl next door, Julie Miller, and they went together for years until one day she unexpectedly broke up with him. Almost a year later, the police theorize that after having sex with Julie, Ken killed her and ran away. For eleven years, Will and his family have every reason to believe that Ken is dead.

On his mother’s deathbed, she informs Will that Ken is still alive. After her death, he finds a recently taken picture of Ken. He confides in his live in-lover Shelia who seems very happy to him but then she leaves a cryptic note and slips away quickly into the night. Will is determined to find out all he can about his brother and Shelia but the more he uncovers, the more he realizes he didn’t know those two people at all.

Harlan Coben has written one of the most suspenseful novels of the year. GONE FOR GOOD has more layers than an onion and as each one is ripped away, the readers learns the truth is not black and white and that good and evil wear many similar guises. After the reader finishes this exciting novel, the audience will ponder all the philosophical questions Mr. Coben cleverly interwove into the story line.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner