I loved this book. You really can’t go wrong with a Harlen Coben book. I liked the character Sami and this had a few good plot twists. I would definitely recommend this. It got me out of my fantasy reading rut.

What you expect from a Harlan Coben book is definitely what you'll get from this sequel to Fool Me Once. I was so here for it and the book totally delivered! This had the mystery, had the action, and had the intrigue. I enjoyed so much the interweaving of all the aspects of the storyline as everything just kind of hit it right on cue.

Sami Kierce was such an interesting character. I was glad to follow along a main character that had such a complex back story. Even more so that he was flawed and simply was reacting to anything and everything surrounding him. The supporting characters in this book were also brilliantly done, and this was so well rounded and such a great fun read. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy of Nobody's Fool in exchange for my honest review.

When Sami was a teenager, he went on a trip to Europe with some friends. After meeting a beautiful young woman and staying together for a few days, Sami decided to let his friends go on without him, as he was going to stay with this girl for a few more days.
The two of them had fun for a few days, going to parties, drinking, doing drugs and having lots of sex. Then one day Kierce wakes up next to the girl, but she's covered in blood and he has a bloody knife in his hand. He doesn't know what to do, what would the police think of a young non-white man in a foreign country who is in an apartment full of drugs and has woken up next to a dead girl?
It still haunts him after 22 years. He just ran away and never found out what happened in that disaster. Now Kierce is a retired policeman, with a wife and son, who teaches forensics to a very peculiar group of people.
One day in class he recognizes a familiar face that has appeared there. But he can't believe he's actually seeing that person, because he woke up next to that woman covered in blood 22 years ago.

When I requested the ARC, I didn't know that this book would be a sequel to another older book by the author, “Fool Me Once”. I decided to read that first book and then pick up this new release.
I found the first book very okay, with many controversial and convenient moments, despite the author's very good writing, he just didn't know how to work the plot he had well and decided to do crazy things. And he did the same thing in this sequel.

In fact, this book is not a direct sequel to the first book. In “Fool Me Once”, the story is told from another character's point of view, but detective Sami Kierse appears a few times and interacts a lot with the main character.
Now, in “Nobody's Fool”, Kierse appears as the protagonist. Here we see more of his personal life, which I'm absolutely sure the author took many details from the Netflix adaptation of the first book.
The events and characters from the first book are mentioned here, but it takes place a few years later. So I wouldn't say it's a direct continuation.

Now about the book. The story begins very well. The author promises a very interesting plot and manages to develop it in a way that made me very curious, but only up to a point.

One thing I noticed about Coben here is that he can't just stick to one line of investigation, he started adding lots of subplots, which seemed like everything was going to connect at some point, but something would happen that didn't reveal any connection between the cases, and one case would be forgotten while another gained focus, then the case would reappear out of nowhere and be the focus of that chapter, and so on.

The characters are very interesting, but they only appear when they're needed, which is extremely convenient. Sami Kierce is a great investigator, but he has some attitudes that don't quite fit in with the narrative that the author has created before and is creating now.
Kierce is an officer who has been removed from the police force, but he acts as if everything he does is better than the police. He has a source at the police station who helps him from time to time, but no one is there questioning this help? Why is the policeman helping someone who has been dismissed for misconduct? You know, these are questions I ask that I think it's important to clarify in a police investigation book.

As I mentioned, the main line of investigation was very interesting up to a point. I was keen to find out what was going on, and that left me with expectations that the author didn't meet with the direction he decided to take the story.

I didn't like the way he only threw in twists after 50%, for me that's when the book started to go off the rails.
I found the ending and all the conclusions very dull. I was expecting something so grand and surprising that I was frustrated by something so basic and obvious.

I've come to the conclusion that Coben's books aren't for me.
Yes, I love the way he writes. He knows how to hook the reader, even at times when I knew I wasn't going to like the book, I kept reading and the story flowed as if I was loving it.
But he has a level of writing that doesn't match my background in thrillers and investigative books. I feel that he is a perfect author for those starting out in this genre.

This is a book that had immense potential, but I didn't know how to work it in a way that suited me, so I ended up not liking it. But that doesn't mean the story is bad.
I've seen reviews saying very good things, so I'm glad there are people who liked it.

4.5 stars. Nobody's Fool is Book 2 featuring Sami Kierce. Confession Time: Book 1 was made into a Netflix series and I...I watched the show instead of reading the first book. Please don't strip me of my bookworm title! Book 2 can be read as a standalone, but there are references to Sami's past including mistakes from which he is still suffering hefty consequences. I was happy to have the full picture and recommend reading, listening or watching the respective first book, audio or mini series.

The events in Book 1 were bad enough to strip Sami of his badge. And now, even worse, since his screw up was all over the news, bad guys and their defense attorneys have used it to get cases overturned. There's one man in particular that would be a travesty to allow freedom, but the DA understandably, won't retry without new evidence.

If you know Coben, his novels often have dual plotlines that find a way to intersect or coalesce.

Because he is no longer employed as an officer, Sami is teaching a criminology class called No $hit Sherlock. One night a woman shows up that Sami recognizes from his trip to Europe 20 years ago. She made quite the impression on him; he'd know that face anywhere. But when he left, he thought she was dead. Naturally, Sami has questions; he tries to speak with her, but despite showing up at his class, she runs. Sami might not be law enforcement anymore, but he is an investigator at heart. And he has a team of enthusiastic students ready to assist!

I've read many of Harlan Coben's books and watched a few of his shows and there's a reason he's accomplished so much. This man is incapable of authoring anything less than a darn good book and often surpasses my high expectations.

I don't agree with Sami's last decision and I wonder about the consequences - but I will be first in line for Book 3!

I was super excited to get my hands on an ARC of Harlan Coben’s latest book, but honestly, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

There are a couple of different storylines going on, all tied together by the main character’s students and his ex-partner. Sami, who used to be a cop, is now off the force due to his, let’s say, “questionable” behavior. He’s trying to turn things around with his wife and newborn baby, but here’s the thing: the story stretches over 22 years, and none of the plots really connect.

Sami is pulled back into his past when he’s asked to investigate a disappearance. He only agrees because, let’s be real, he’s hoping for some closure. But the deeper he digs, the harder it gets, and he has to decide if he has what it takes to face the uncomfortable truth.

By the time you reach the end, one plot is wrapped up, but there are still a bunch of loose ends, and the epilogue just doesn’t quite tie everything together the way I was hoping it would. If you know me you know I have a troubled past with any and most epilogues. Wasn't bad, but was left feeling a bit letdown.

I am a long-time Harlan Coben fan. I always turn to him when I'm in the mood for a thriller and this one didn't disappoint. It was full of great chatacters, an engaging plot, and twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I was thrilled for the opportunity! Incidentally, I didn't even realize until after I finished the book that it was the second in a series. I had read Foor Me Once when it first came out, but didn't even remember the character of Sami Kierce.

Harlen Coben never disappoints!
Thanks for the advanced reader copy from Netgalley!
I liked this new book and look forward to his next!

In classic Harlan Coben style, Nobody's Fool opens with an immediate jolt of suspense. Sami Kierce experienced an event in college that’s haunted him for over two decades. Now, 22 years later, he's called upon to investigate this long-buried mystery. True to Coben's trademark, the story is packed with unexpected twists at every turn.

*4-4.5 stars. Book two in the Sami Kierce series by Harlan Coben finds that the former NYPD detective has been discredited and left the police force and is now working as an unlicensed private detective. He is hired by a wealthy family to look into the decades-old kidnapping of their only daughter for which they will pay him lots of money as long as he agrees to a stringent NDA. A very, very convoluted and complicated plot that keeps the reader guessing through many twists and turns. I'm looking forward to more in this series! I really appreciate Sami's personal moral compass.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy of Nobody's Fool in exchange for my honest review.

I've been reading Harlan Coben's stand alone novels for over 20 years. Always excited for a new book. This one just wasn't my favorite though. I didn't love the execution of the premise unfortunately.

Coben's new action packed thriller, Nobody's Fool, keeps you guessing until the end. Twenty five years ago, Sami met Anna in a nightclub in Spain. As his friends move on for other adventures, Sami stays to spend time with Anna. One morning he wakes up to find a lot of blood and a knife in his hand so he panics and quickly leaves the country. The rest of the case takes place in the present. Sami who was a police officer has lost his job and is teaching a night criminology class. A woman appears who looks just like Anna but she quickly takes off with Sami at her heals. He wonder's if she is truly Anna or not. As Sami begins to investigate he utilizes the help of some of his top students on the case as well. You will have to read the novel to see how it all unveils. In typical Harlan Coben fashion, all is not as it seems. The characters are fun, fully formed and pull you into the novel. Sami is my favorite as he has a kind heart and always tries to do the right thing. The plot keeps you interested and guessing. A great read for any thriller fans! Thank you to NetGalley for an early version of the novel. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once again Mr Coben hits it out of the park. This is somewhat of a sequel to one of his previous books as this is a continuation of the Det. Sammy Kierce story. An instant love connection that Sammy had when he was in college, which ends up completely changing the course of his life comes back to haunt him many years later. With all the twists and turns, I could not put this book down and highly recommend it. 5 stars!

This is the first Harlan Coben book I have read. Watched multiple shows on Netflix and enjoyed them. This book is a second book so some of the story line was obviously established in the first. Don't think that significantly effected the plot. Multiple twists made this intriguing and a definite must finish. Will be reading more!

I'm a Harlan Coben fan--he can write a good twisty mystery that keeps my attention--but he is a prolific writer, so I haven't read them all and when I requested this book, I didn't realize it was the second in a series, but you definitely don't need to read the first one to enjoy "Nobody's Fool."

In this installment, Sami Kierce is a new father working as a private investigator and instructor. During one of his classes, a woman he recognizes from 20+ years ago appears and Sami must track her down as the way their relationship ended back then is one of the most significant moments in his life and he wants answers.

At the same time, a murderer that Sami helped put behind bars is now being let out due to a technicality--an error that Sami made (I assume this is the story in the first book)--and Sami can't help but wonder if the two are somehow linked.

As expected, it's a solid detective story with clues appearing as the story goes on revealing the truth in a well-packed sometimes unexpected way.

It is more of a detective story than the super-twisted psychological thriller that Coben sometimes writes, but it was enjoyable.

Book: Nobody's Fool
Author: Harlan Coben
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Detective, Mystery
Places Featured: New York City, Spain
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝑾𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒘𝒇𝒖𝒍, 𝒘𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇𝒇, 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈, 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒚𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒔, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒚𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒏.

Sami Kierce was once a recent college graduate backpacking in Spain with friends. When he meets Anna, his planned itinerary with those friends gets derailed. Everything is bliss until he wakes up one morning, covered in blood with a knife in his hand. Beside him is the body of Anna. Sami has no memory of what's happened, and he runs.

Fast forward twenty-two years later, and Kierce, a former detective, is working as a private investigator, is happily married with a new baby, and is teaching a night class of budding sleuths at an NYC college. One evening his life irrevocably changes when he looks up to see a new arrival in his class--it's Anna. They lock eyes, and she runs, just as he ran all those years before. He knows he has to find her to solve the mystery that has haunted him for all of this time.

I've read most of this author's works, but there have been large gaps in between. I know there were nods to prior works that I didn't catch, but I don't think that hindered my enjoyment of this book at all. Every character, even the secondary ones, well so well crafted, and the plot was perfectly executed all the way to that shocking, thrilling end that I never saw coming. Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the early copy. This title is expected to publish March 25, 2025.

Nobody's Fool
by Harlan Coben
Pub Date: Mar 25 2025

I'm embarrassed to say, this is the first Harlan Coben book I've read but it definitely won't be the last! "Nobody's Fool" was an AMAZING 5 star first read for me!

The story has a fantastic thought out plot, riveting characters, it's an intriguing thriller with many exciting twists and turns. Once I started this book I couldn't put it down.

Synopsis: In this stunningly twisty thriller a secret from former Detective Sami Kierce’s college days comes back to haunt him. His memory is clear, but all these years later, the facts don’t add up…which is something he cannot ignore. His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past—and prove, after all this time, he’s nobody’s fool.

Many Thanks to #NobodysFool #NetGalley and #GrandCentralPublishing for providing me an E-ARC of this 5 star book!

Harlan Coben is a reliably good writer. The characters he creates are always fascinating, with multiple layers and complexities, and so real that they feels like friends or colleagues. Sami is no exception. He is your typical sarcastic but hilarious best friend. I loved the storyline, and Sami brought it to life. Nobody's Fool is another hit from Harlan Coben!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this 2nd installment! I actually watched the Netflix show (as opposed to read the first book), so I wasn't sure what I'd think of the book but Harlan Coben is never a bad read! I loved the story line and all the twists and turns. A solid 4 star read!

Nobody's Fool is a fast paced thriller that I couldn't put down. It was clever and super entertaining. I have been a fan for a long time and his books just keep getting better and better.

Many thanks for my gifted copy.

I was immediately hooked. Each chapter is packed with action.

Initially, I doubted I’d enjoy this book since I hadn’t read Fool Me Once and thought it might be challenging to connect with or follow. However, everything came together seamlessly.

The ending was particularly satisfying. This is a fast-paced read.