Dr. Marc Seidman wakes up badly hurt in a hospital room and learns that he has almost died from a gun wound. He was shot in his own house, his wife, Monica, was found dead in the same room, and their six-months-old baby, Tara, has vanished. All this happened twelve days before, and the FBI doesn't have the least trail to follow...
The day anguished Marc Seidman is released from the hospital, Edgar, his wealthy and cold father-in-law, contacts him: he has received a package with a ransom note and baby's hairs. Marc is supposed to bring Edgar's money to wherever he will be told through a cell phone enclosed in the package. The note is clear, Marc or Edgar mustn't contact the police or the FBI: there will be no second chance... Marc decides to play the best odds and involves the FBI. The ransom is collected but Tara is not returned: her father is crushed. Some days later, Marc's sister, Stacy, a drug-addict, is spotted in a bank with one of Edgar's marked banknotes. On the same day, she is found dead in a family cabin in the woods. But of the baby, no trace save a playpen and a small outfit...

As time passes, the FBI makes no further progress and starts to suspect, as always, the closest family member: Marc himself. As they soon realize, nothing adds up: Marc and his wife were not shot with the same gun, Monica was found naked while Marc claims he last saw her dressed, the intruder broke a window to enter the house but Marc has no memory of hearing glass breaking. Eighteen months later, new elements enter the equation...

For Marc, who has never completely lost hope, and is supported by his colleague Zia and his best friend and lawyer Lenny, a desperate race to find his beloved daughter is about to take place. What he will uncover involves an old lover, a childhood schoolmate with a story of abuse and other elements of his past that will ultimately bring him face to face with the terrible truth of what happened that day...

No Second Chance is a fast-paced thriller, with a complex plot and quite enjoyable characters. Marc's investigation in his wife's past and in his own entourage takes unexpected turns and new elements arise all the time. The main theme of the novel is the power of the love we have for our children. Although it might be easy to guess part of what happened before the end, the whole truth is so intricate that it makes it difficult even for the thriller buff to get the whole picture before the very end. With this intricacy comes some inevitable improbabilities, but all in all, No Second Chance is very gripping and would make an excellent Hollywood movie: I wonder if they have thought about an adaptation yet....

Like Tell No One, No Second Chance is not a book you will remember long after turning the last page but it still makes a pretty good week-end read...

Rating:

© Discussing Books, 01/25/2004

By Harlan Coben:

Myron Bolitar Novels:

Coben, Harlan (1995) Deal Breaker

Coben, Harlan (1996) Drop Shot

Coben, Harlan (1996) Fade Away

Coben, Harlan (1997) Back Spin

Coben, Harlan (1998) One False Move

Coben, Harlan (1999) The Final Detail

Coben, Harlan (2000) Darkest Fear

Other Novels:

Coben, Harlan (2001) Tell No One

Coben, Harlan (2002) Gone for Good

Coben, Harlan (2003) No Second Chance

Coben, Harlan (2004) Just One Look

Coben, Harlan (2005) The Innocent

Coben, Harlan (2006) Promise Me

Links:

Harlan Coben Official Web Site