As Harlan Coben is one of my favourite authors, I always start a new work with a sense of trepidation as it seems unlikely that such heights can be maintained.

As it transpires my fears were unfounded and this must rank with his best ever work. Brilliant storytelling, well drawn, believable characters and sumptuous dialogue. A master at the height of his powers.

Effortlessly, breathtakingly brilliant.

Oh Harlan Coben has written another book!! Yeah, this one doesn't disappoint either. It is another masterpiece by the master. it grips you tight and doesn't let you go even after you've finished. 5 stars from me, what a ride!

I have read a lot of Harlan Coben's other books. Some of them I enjoyed a lot more than others, including those with the same characters like the Myron Bolitar ones. This book, while edgy and fast paced, is one that I didn't enjoy as much. I found myself getting annoyed with the main protagonist Simon and how much he'd put his wife on a pedestal. I enjoyed the characters of Ash and DeeDee. It's a good read, perhaps a little forgettable.

'Run Away', a novel so understated in the Netgalley description. It was a cleverly contrived detective thriller, sadly with one great woman detective (or PI) dying part way through. It was fast, had continuous pace, sickening needless loss of life but underneath there was something else, a something which you had to get to the very end of the novel for the full revelation. OK, so now we know what led to what but there's a greater disclosure here, almost biblical. The sin's of the fathers...very clever and, in the current understanding of things, recognisable. However, some lovely moments when the old lady disclosed from the very moments following birth that the twins were so very different. Nature or nurture? Every child born is very different to his or her siblings, or twin. Therefore I would go with nature for most.
Two minor niggles. Surely for Simon who was so much in love with Ingrid, would have known every square centimeter of her body and realised she was a mother before he had his first child with her? Secondly the lovely Elena, ex FBI, a big player in PI work, falls for a classic. I don't believe someone of her experience would have been so gullible.
The most satisfactory bit was finding the connection between Aaron and Paige right at the very end.

Not one of his best but still a great read. A desperate story of a father trying to find his daughter who he had lost to drugs. Lots of twists and full of action but somehow not managing to create the suspense of his better books.

EXCERPT: ... there was no beauty in the music. None.

Simon's eyes stayed locked on the panhandling girl mangling John Lennon's legacy. Her hair was matted clumps. Her cheekbones were sunken. The girl was rail thin, raggedy, dirty, damaged, homeless, lost.

She was also Simon's daughter Paige.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: You've lost your daughter.

She's addicted to drugs and to an abusive boyfriend. And she's made it clear that she doesn't want to be found.

Then, quite by chance, you see her busking in New York's Central Park.

But she's not the girl you remember. This woman is wasted, frightened and clearly in trouble.

You don't stop to think. You approach her, beg her to come home.

She runs.

And you follow her into a dark and dangerous world you never knew existed. Where criminal gangs rule, where drugs are the main currency, and murder is commonplace.

Now it's your life on the line. And nowhere and no one is safe.

MY THOUGHTS: I have a hit and miss relationship with Coben's writing. When he's good, he's very, very good, but I thought Run Away was only a little better than average.

It started out well - a Dad on the lookout for his missing, drug addicted daughter who, it seems, is quite content with her life and has no desire to change. An exercise in futility and self punishment. But then it disintegrated into this unbelievable 'action-thriller' with guns and abductions that never quite rang true, and left me feeling disappointed. There was plenty of scope for mystery and suspense. It went unrealised, underdeveloped. I felt that he had sold out and taken the easy option.

Coben has written some great suspenseful novels. This is not one of them. But it will appeal to those who like a lot of action for the sake of action. It would probably make a better movie.

But there are glimpses of the perceptive Coben I love in this book, and I would like to share my two favorite quotes from Run Away with you: 'Once one lie is let into the room, even for the best of reasons, a whole bunch more will ride in on its back. Then those lies will gang up and slaughter the truth. '; and 'There are few moments of pure bliss in this life. Most of the time you don't realize that you are having one of those moments until they are over. But that wasn'tthe case right now. Right now, as Simon sat with the woman he loved, he knew. And she knew. This was bliss. And it wouldn't last.'

THE AUTHOR: With over 60 million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben’s last seven consecutive novels, MISSING YOU, SIX YEARS, STAY CLOSE, LIVE WIRE, CAUGHT, LONG LOST and HOLD TIGHT all debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and lists around the world. His books are published in 43 languages around the globe.

Coben is the winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award – the first author to win all three – and he has received an eclectic variety of honors from all over the world. His novel TELL NO ONE has been turned into a hit French film of the same name. His essays and columns have appeared in many top publications.

Harlan was born in Newark, New Jersey. He still lives in New Jersey with his wife, Anne Armstrong-Coben MD, a pediatrician, and their four children.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK Cornerstone via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Run Away by Harlan Coben for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

Full of tension with lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Good characterisation, well written and holds your attention.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this mystery thriller. As the story unfolded, there were many twists and turns. Superbly written with lots of suspense by a very accomplished author..
If you like thrilling books with plenty going on then you should definitely read this.

As Simon Greene sits the Strawberry Fields area of Central Park watching the ‘street musician’ give her rendition of Penny Lane, memories of happier times when his children were younger are running through his head. He’s devastated. The girl in front of him is his first born, Paige. They’d always been close but he hadn’t seen her for six months. Then a neighbour mentioned seeing her in the park, although Paige looked so different he wasn’t absolutely sure. Simon had followed up and here he was.

In the past he’d hired a private investigator, searched the seedy and dangerous areas, but hadn’t had a single sighting. Up until now. Simon blames Paige’s boyfriend Aaron for her drug addiction, not without cause. When Simon approaches Paige she runs. Then her boyfriend appears and Simon lashes out as Aaron tries to stop him going after Paige. She disappears in the confusion. Well-meaning members of the public restrain Simon until the police arrive. A video of the incident goes viral on YouTube.

Three months later Simon gets a visit from Detective Isaac Fagbenle. Aaron has been murdered and Simon is the prime suspect based on previous events. Paige has gone missing—Simon has to start looking again. The story mainly follows Simon and his wife as they try to figure out where Paige might have gone, and what could have sent her off the rails in the first place. Their search leads to life threatening danger and with a couple of seemingly random sub plots slowly and cleverly merging into the main storyline, I had no idea what was going to happen.

One aspect of the plot might be considered a little over the top but it worked, adding to the overall scenario and I was happy to go with it. The emotional turmoil Simon goes through is expressed vividly. Totally family orientated, he and Paige were always very close, and there’s no saying what lengths a parent would go to in order to save their daughter.

I’m fairly new to Harlan Coben’s books, only having previously read a couple, but each one makes me want to read more. Well observed, developed and empathetic characters drive the fast paced plot—complex, engaging and very suspenseful—taking unexpected directions and completely throwing me off track. Great writing, action, flashes of humour, secrets, lies and family drama all combine to make Run Away extremely enjoyable.

Very disappointed to say that I really struggled with this book and couldn't get into it at all. I did struggle on to the end but, to be honest, wish I hadn't bothered because I have so many more books to read that I now feel I wasted my time.


I could not connect with the story or any of the characters and found it pretty boring to be honest.


I usually like reading Harlan's books but this one ... not so much.


Thanks to the Publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.

Another absolutely gripping book by Harlan Coben! I was drawn in right from the beginning and as with all of his books I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it

I have always been a Harlan Coben fan and this latest book certainly did not disappoint. Great plot, keeps the reader guessing until the end. Brilliant!

Great story, very engaging.
Really enjoyed the characters and the story winding its way through the issues of physical abuse to drugs to cult activities which were all dealt with in a tasteful and clever way, seeing things from various perspectives without compromising the balance of rights and wrongs. The character development is really well done! You even found yourself relating to the baddies here and there even though you disagree with their actions.
Unexpected turns in the story enticing you to keep reading, which is exactly what I did, sometimes late into the night knowing full well I would pay for my indulgence the next day. Highly recommend this book!

Intrigue upon intrigue

Sam and Ingrid’s first child is Paige, and she is the eponymous subject of the book title. Her departure has irrevocably changed the dynamics of the family, and her parents feel helpless and impotent. Maybe the only way to heal the wounds is to find her. Little could anyone tell what a train of events such a decision would start. Where on earth would it all finish?

Coben creates a superb thriller from a simple beginning. As the pages are turned the complexity builds as more and more characters are added but at no time is the reader left feeling overwhelmed. It is clear that everything is in some way connected but exactly how is not revealed until the very last pages. There are also surprises along the way and not a little sadness when certain characters are killed off.

The characters are well portrayed, and each feels like a real individual; from the feisty female investigator to the somewhat mysterious wife. At no point did I think that the actions of any individual were anything but natural although I am not sure I would have had the nerve to visit some of the locations to which their investigations take them. However, the love of a parent for his child drives the search relentlessly forward whatever the cost – and the price could be very high.

Coben is already well known as a successful, international author and this new thriller does not disappoint.

mr zorg

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

There's a special kind of anguish and grief attached to losing your child to serious drug dependency and the sordid lifestyle it often elicits. And if they have run away from home as well, then the pain of their absence never goes away, remaining like a sharp barb in the heart which jars at each remembrance of their disappearance.

Simon has been experiencing this feeling for months when he spots his daughter Paige in a local park. He rushes after her and nearly succeeds in persuading her to come home again. But he is stopped by her drug dealing boyfriend barricading his attempts to entreat her, as he persuades Paige to go with him instead. So Simon and his wife Ingrid do what any desperate parents would do. They find ways in which to bring her back.

This leads them into areas of dangerous criminal activity, where they are forced into keeping secrets from one another, and experience deep personal pain. Meanwhile, the company their daughter is involved with have their own backstories and inner conflicts. As her parents attempt to rescue her and hold their own lives together, they face more upheaval and challenge than they had anticipated.

This is a rollercoaster ride of a read with sufficient twists and turns to add intrigue to the plot. There are enough subplots to add depth and interest to the narrative, and great characterisation as well. I won't give the game away, but suffice to say that though the family are reunited at the end, after surviving several hair-raising scenarios, some secrets and questions remain.

Though I've not read any Harlan Coben books for years… too many books, too little time… this pacey novel soon reminded me why I used to love them. Right from the start, he grips the reader by the throat and holds you in his masterly storytelling thrall. Highly recommend.

Harlan Coben is one of my favourite authors. I have read every stand-alone novel that he has published and I have never been disappointed. Run Away is the usual hard-to-put-down Coben thriller, The story of a father desperate to find his teenage daughter in a dangererous world of drug dealers and addicts is exciting enough but Coben also throws in a couple of psychopathic killers on a mysterious missionand you have a book that you want to keep reading.
However, there were many times in this novel that I found myself thinking the main characters were taking unbelievable risks and logic seemed to fly out the window. So although I thoroughly enjoyed Run Away, it was necessary to completely suspend common sense, just like the characters, on many occasions.
Not one of Harlan's best efforts but still as good as any author in the genre.

It took me a little while to get into this book, but I’m glad I persevered. There were two stories running side by side, Simon’s daughter turned to drugs, hooked up with a boyfriend that fed her habit and has cut all ties with the family. Simon tracks her down but it ends in disaster and he finds himself on the wrong side of the law. Meanwhile Ash and Dee Dee are carrying out a series of assassinations. Is there a link? Where is Paige and how is she connected to all of this? There were some great characters in this book and some good humourous moments among the bloodshed. My first Harlen Cobem book, but I’d like to read more.

The story centres around Simon, happily married to Ingrid. They have three children including their daughter Paige who is a drug addict has run away. Simon really wants to find her and gets a tip-off as to where she might be. Things don’t go to plan and Simon gets involved in something much bigger than he expected.

I am a big fan of Harlan Coben but in my opinion this was not one of his best. It is a very fast paced book but I didn’t care too much about the characters. I really questioned some of the decisions the main character made. At points I really got mixed up with some of the characters.

I love Harlan Cobans books they are fast paced page turning heart racing thrillers
This one is no different it revolves around a family who appear on the outside to be perfect happy parents 3 happy children
So why does Simon the father end up trailing round with gangsters and ends up with his wife being shot. Why?? What has happened that can make a man go somewhere where his own wife is in danger the simple answer is their daughter Paige disappears from their lives she isn't on her campus she isn't at home so where is she.?
She is stoned the next time her dad sees her then her boyfriend is murdered in their drug den and she is gone
With his wife in a coma and no way to find Paige Simon Greene seeks help everywhere and anywhere someone must know where she is?
The answer will come from someone closer to home than Simon can ever guess and can he keep that secret??

Harlan Coben has been my favourite author for years. Every time I read his newest book this is reaffirmed. Run Away was darker than his other books if you will. I figured out a few things as I was reading but as ever with Harlan's books the main twist, in all it's heartbreaking rawness came as a complete surprise. Parts of this book were difficult to read, parts of this book made me question how I would react and parts of this book will stay with me for a long time. Most of Harlan's books are standalone and that's just how I like it but in a great surprise to myself I wouldn't mind seeing some of these characters again in future books. I know I've read a great book when I'm left feeling out of breath at the end. This book delivered.