Darkest Fear (Myron Bolitar) [Mass Market Paperback]

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Darkest Fear (Myron Bolitar) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Details

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Dell (May 8, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0440235391
ISBN-13: 978-0440235392
Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

By : Harlan Coben
Price : $7.99

Customer Reviews

I noticed that many of the other reviewers here have read other books by the author, Harlan Coben. I have not so I can't compare this one to others by Coben. What I CAN say, however, is that this book held my interest from the start, containing believable personalities, a gripping plot and plenty of unforeseen twists. When an ex-girlfriend pops up unexpectedly in Myron Bolitar's life, he is far from thrilled...at first. Then she reveals a secret that rocks his soul to the core and the story never drops its pace from then on. Coben writes as though he were in his characters' shoes and as if he truly sees (and understands) the world from their eyes. I consider it a rare pleasure when I find a book that is so far above the usual, stereotypical, rather average suspense story. This one won't dissappoint you!

Myron Bolitar, despite the imaginative Dickensian name, is a former US basketball player and now a top sports agent. He has a settled personal and business life and things are going along just fine on a day-to-day basis. However, a meeting with former girl friend, Emily, of some 14 years before is to change his life in the blink of an eye. She reveals that Myron is the father of her 13-year-old son and that she has now divorced her husband who was assumed by all, himself included, to be the father. That the ex also happened to be a national basketball hero and was the very person who literally crippled Myron all those years ago in his first professional game adds to the colourful background to the story. The young son has been diagnosed with the fatal disease Fanconi anaemia, a chromosome instability syndrome with progressive bone marrow failure and an increased risk of cancers, for which the only cure is a bone marrow transplant. The national bone marrow register has three potential matches, two of whom are eliminated due to non-compatibility after further screening. The third just cannot be found and appears to have vanished into thin air.
Coben has by now, after about the first four chapters, built an excellent platform for what should be an enthralling story as the search for the potential bone marrow donor begins. At this point "Darkest Faer" has a 5 star Amazon book review rating. Unfortunately the story line becomes increasingly complex and stretches credibility. Serial killers, the FBI, recluse super-rich families and a fictitious murder novel become entwined as Myron uncovers mystery after mystery and comes face to face with thugs, evil doers, and treads on the toes of the authorities. The plot becomes harder to follow with the many tangential issues introduced. What should be a gradual build up of tension becomes a disappointment as the story finally reaches its conclusion. Sorry, but three stars is the best rating for "Darkest Fear".