After college Sami Kierce is backpacking through Spain and meets Anna. They spend a few days together when Sami wakes up and finds Anna laying dead next to him and he is holding a knife. He flees back to the US. Fast forward 22 years to the present and Sami, now an ex detective, is teaching a class and one night sees a student who looks just like Anna. He chases after her and now wants answers.

Harlen Coben always does an excellent job writing page turners with characters that you really love. This was another great read. Wonderful subplots and storylines woven throughout this book. Satisfying ending with a setup for a follow up book.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Grand Central Publishing for the advance reader copy. Publication date March 25, 2025.

You might remember Sami Kierce from Harlan Coben's Fool Me Once, but probably not from the 2016 novel, where NYPD detective Roger Kierce has a tiny cameo. You're more likely to remember him from last year's UK-set limited series based on the Coben book, where he's an English detective named Sami of Pakistani descent with quite a complicated and tragic back story.

In an interesting move, Coben has brought back the version of Kierce that was created for the show rather than his own. He is still named Sami, he still has some of the same back story, especially the parts about having a murdered fiancée and about having fallen from grace with his mishandling of the Burkett case in Fool Me Once. But now he's American, a former NYPD detective.

In his youth, while backpacking through Europe, Sami hooked up with a girl named Anna in Spain. After a torrid affair, he woke up one morning to find her murdered in their bed, with a bloody knife in his hand. He flees back home. In the present day, Sami is married with a baby and is teaching a class on being a detective when Anna suddenly shows up, but then promptly turns and runs.

In chasing down the fleeing Anna, Sami discovers that she may actually be the daughter of a rich guy who had been missing for over a decade but then suddenly reappeared under mysterious circumstances. The identity of the kidnapper, indeed all details of the kidnapping, remain unsolved. Sami, considering the possible connection to Anna, pursues his own investigation into the matter.

This happens at the same time that the man who murdered his long-ago fiancée is released from the long prison sentence he received for that murder, due to Sami's mishandling of evidence. And another mysterious figure begins stalking Sami's wife. Enlisting the help of the amateur sleuths in his class, Sami has his hands full, and so do we, thanks to master plotter Harlan Coben.

Before making the connection to Fool Me Once, I actually began to think that the answer to this mystery was going to be the same, which I'm not going to specify for fear of spoilers. I'm not saying the answer actually is the same or isn't. I'm saying there are more connections to the prior novel than initially meet the eye, including a couple of extended cameos by the Burkett family not just as backstory but as part of this story.

I'd usually point to the plot twists that are Coben's specialties as reasons for liking this book so much, and sure enough, there are plenty of twists and turns here -- Occam is going to have to read to the end to discover whether his razor has any edge in figuring out these mysteries. And I'd often add that I love Coben's portrayal of the places where I grew up and spent my adult life (the former being North Jersey, the latter New York City).

In this case, what really hooked me were the characters. Even before recalling Sami Kierce from the TV version of Fool Me Once, where his expanded character proved to be popular among viewers, I liked him. His self-deprecating internal monologue, told in the first person, and his often inept quips and retorts (in contrast to Myron and Win) frame his character well.

His sleuthing students are fun too, in addition to being a great device (it doesn't feel original but I can't name a precursor). His former partner Marty (also a holdover from the Fool Me Once show), his wife, his lawyer, his antagonists -- in the type of story too often populated by cardboard cut-outs when handled by lesser writers, Coben infuses even minor characters with character.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Sometimes I have to apologize for being too honest in an honest review that is less than flattering. In this case, I have to emphasize that this is my honest review, not an attempt at being flattering.

After a disastrous mistake derails his police career, Sami Kierce becomes a private investigator, also teaching budding detectives from all walks of life. However, his past resurfaces when a woman he thought had died years ago reappears, stirring up old ghosts from his college days. Meanwhile, the man who was convicted of murdering Sami's wife is released from prison. As more questions arise and bodies pile up, Sami finds himself at the heart of a chilling mystery.

Sami first appears as a secondary character in Fool Me Once, though the two novels are largely standalone, so you can easily dive into this one without having read the first. In true Harlan Coben fashion, Nobody’s Fool delivers a fast-paced, gripping thriller, blending quirky but lovable characters, heart-pounding suspense, and a mind-bending twist you won’t see coming.

This book kept me hooked from the very beginning partially because it was doing SO much. A murdered fiancé, a murdered summer fling, a disgraced police detective. The main storyline with the Belmond family’s missing daughter was executed flawlessly and I’m eager to see how Coben will proceed, since he made it pretty clear in the last pages that the story isn’t over. I loved the way Kierce used his students as an investigative team- that could be fun as more of a focus in the next book. However, the author was juggling a few too many plot lines for it to be as effective a conclusion as I always hope for in a thriller. The other mystery involving Kierce’s murdered fiancé felt extraneous to the story. One other gripe I have is that while it’s not absolutely necessary to have read Fool Me Once to understand this book, the context for the Burkett family that comes from Fool Me Once would have been helpful. Overall, a really fun, fast-paced, and suspenseful thriller with a really likable protagonist.

After a deadly misjudgement tanked his police career, Sami Kierce works as a private investigator and teaches detection to people off the street. His past haunts him when a woman he thought died in his bed during his college years reappears. At the same time, the man convicted of killing Sami’s wife is released from prison. When questions and bodies pile up, there’s only one connection: Sami himself.
Sami shows up first as a supporting character in Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once. There’s little connection between the two novels, so don’t let that keep you from reading this one. It’s a signature Harlan Coben novel full of goofy but talented friends, edge-of-your-seat danger, and a twist at the end. The wrap-up came off a little strange but still pretty satisfying. Four stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this advance read.

This is my first book by this author and it certainly will not be my last. WOW!what a story with so many twists and turns. Sami, a young man traveling with a group of friends winds up in Spain. They are all in a club partying when Sami meets Anna. They end up back at her place where the party continues for the next few days. His group leaves to continue their trip but Sami stays behind with Anna. Then days later he is awakens with blood all over him and a knife in his hand. Anna’s drug dealer, Buzz, gets him to leave quickly. He calls his dad in a panic and he advises him to leave ASAP back to the US no matter where. Just get out now on the next flight no matter where it lands. And that’s the end of his fantasy with Anna. Or is it?? Then 20 something years later he’s teaching a class and a woman appears in the back of the room………..is it Anna?? Sami sure thinks so. So the journey begins to find out if the girl who he thought he killed is still alive. All I can say is get ready for quite the ride with lots of twists and turns. You will not want to miss out on this book. I highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.

Disgraced former NYPD Detective Sami Kierce seems to attract trouble. Two women he loved have been murdered within the last twenty years. Or was it just one?

When he sees a woman he thought he’d killed more than 20 years ago, his search for her begins leading to more murders and the unraveling of a tangled web of lies.

The ending wrapped up the story line but leads me to believe there will be another novel with Sami Kierce that ties in with this story.

Often times I found the story rambling with nonsense and the beginning had insignificant characters and storylines.

For many I’m sure the ending will have the classic Harlan Coben shock and awe but sadly it was meh for me. I was just ready for it to be done.

3.5 stars.

Harlan Coben is a master of his craft, as evidenced in his latest heartstopping thriller, Nobody's Fool. Sami Kierce has a happy life with his new wife and baby working as a detective in New York City. He teaches a night class for students interested in detective work. One night after class, he sees Anna, a woman from his past that he hasn't seen in twenty-two years. Not since he was a recent college grad on a summer trip in Spain. But how can it be her? Last he saw her, he woke up covered in her blood with a knife in his hand. When he acknowledges her, Anna runs.

What follows is an action-packed thriller with multiple characters and timelines and lots of twisty turns that you don't see coming. This is fast-paced and suspenseful. Coben leaves clues intricately weaving those seamlessly into the plot and character arcs at the precise time to make multiple storylines come together for a spectacular ending. Get the popcorn out and prepare for a wild ride. I couldn't put this one down! 🍿

Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Harlan Coben for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

#NobodysFool #HarlanCoben #GrandCentralPublishing #NetGalley #5starbooks #bestbooks #TBR2025 #read #bookclub #thriller #ARCreview #anticipatedbooks #bookrecommendations #NYTbestsellingauthor #booklover #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #booksofinstagram #bookstore

I loved everything about this book and highly recommend it. It was such a nice surprise to read a story where I actually liked, not only the main character, but most all of them. The story was suspenseful and twisty, and kept me intrigued the entire time. If you’re looking for a book to pull you out of a reading slump, this would be a good one. I honestly hope there is a sequel!

I should have never doubted Mr. Coben’s ability to suck me into a story. Grief is cruel and some people never handle it very well. And of course there’s that cliffhanger.

Detective Sami Kierce is investigating his own past. When a woman walks – and runs out- of his No Shit Sherlock Class, he’s flooded with memories of backpacking post-college and waking up covered in blood. He has to figure out what is real and what is a hoax in this wonderfully complicated mystery/thriller.
The story is told in Sami’s voice. He is a wonderful character who understands his own flaws and impulses. The twists are amazing and keep you guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this DRC.
#NobodysFool #NetGalley

Harlan Coben keeps you on the edge of your seat in this thriller. Sami Kierce, former police officer, now private investigator becomes involved in a case that involves him in his youth. Sami works to solve the mystery that has plagued him for 22 years. You will never see the twists and turns in this plot. A five star for Coben.

4.5 stars-This is Harlan Coben at his best! The twists and turns, the humor, and most of all the way he tells a story. I found myself so wrapped up in this one on the edge of my seat wondering where it was all going. I was not disappointed and cannot wait to see this character in his next book! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

I received a free ARC ebook of <i>Nobody's Fool</i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Harlan Coben can weave a thrilling plot that absolutely will keep readers engaged. This novel is a sequel to <i>Fool Me Once</i>, but reading that novel is not essential to enjoying <i>Nobody's Fool</i>.
The protagonist, Sami Kierce, is a disgraced cop who has been forced to resign because of his actions in <i>Fool Me Once</i>. His new gig is as a night class teacher to wannabe sleuths. When a mysterious woman from Sami's past appears at the classroom door, Sami must confront the demons from his youthful past, which includes waking up next to a bloody, dead woman. Over twenty years have passed, and now Sami must finally find the truth.
This is the kind of book that made me get up in the middle of the night so I could read a few more chapters.

The second installment in the Detective Sami Kierce, Nobody’s Fool, by bestselling author Harlan Coben finds Sami remembering his time in Spain after graduating college and going on to medical school, when he fell in love with Anna and woke up covered in blood next to her dead body. Because he had been taking drugs and drinking heavily, he wasn’t sure if he killed her, but on the advice of his father, caught the next plane home. That was 22 years before, and while teaching a detective class at the local college, she comes after class and when he sees her, he tracks her to her residence where he is beat up. Apparently, she is actually an heiress who was kidnapped 25 years before and the case was never solved. He uses the students in his class to help him solve the mystery.

Coben is a favorite author and I pick up his books immediately when they come out and devour them. I haven’t actually read a Harlan Coben novel that I didn’t like. However, some are better than others, and Sami Kierce isn’t my favorite protagonist, and I’d rather read his other series. Fortunately, this novel does have Coben’s signature dry humor, and an interesting storyline with plenty of twists and turns. Although it is a good read, it isn’t Coben’s best, and some of the scenarios are less than believable.

All told, readers may like Kierce. Coben’s excellent storytelling abilities are definitely here, but the book doesn’t grab like some of his others. However, it’s better than most and the story and constant building suspense will grab readers and keep them on the edge. As most fans, I will look forward to the next installment.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Review:
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!
How many people does it take to solve a twenty-five year old cold case? So many that I lost count 🙄 Kierce literally created his own army of detectives to figure out if this woman was Anna/Victoria, and it took his wife to point out that the timing is super sus with how close it coincides with his other ex’s killer was released. Honestly, I’m so glad Molly and Marty made appearances in this book, because Kierce is a little hopeless without them, not to mention I just adored both of them on the mini series adaptation of Fool Me Once. The way Coben tied everything together by the end was impressive. My biggest complaint being that the thing with Thomas and Victoria just seemed way to copycat of what happened with Joe and Andrew in the first book.

Thank you for the chance to read and review Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben.

Coben is one my favorite authors, I always look forward to a fast paced thought provoking mysteries along with characters that you care about. It was great to be part of Sami Keirce’s world again and hear the continuation of his story.

Harlan Coben does it again has us at the edge of our seats in a very twisty thriller.. Sami Kierce is off to Europe before starting med school in the fall. While in Spain he meets Anna and life as he knew it will never be the same. Anna is dead, he’s responsible he flees Spain. Years later he sees Anna and now it is his mission to learn the truth. Lies, deception, secrets Sami needs to find the truth..

Former police officer Sami Kierce’s life gets upended when a former flame he thought was dead, possibly at his own hand, appears two decades later. Meanwhile, the man convicted of killing Sami’s fiancé has been released from prison and insists he’s innocent.

NOBODY’S FOOL showcases Coben’s talent for creating compelling protagonists, quirky secondary characters, and twisty plots. I haven’t read FOOL ME ONCE yet, but I had no problem diving into this world. In fact, I enjoyed the characters and world so much, I was thrilled to discover that this book is part of a series.

While Sami was kicked off the force, his former partner is always ready to help him out, as is the lawyer he works for as an unlicensed private detective. And better yet, his eclectic group of students who frequent his Academy Night Adult School criminology course are happy to do his legwork online and in the physical world. Also on Team Sami are his wife Molly and infant son Henry. All these side characters adore Sami, making it impossible not to root for him.

Sami’s two cases keep the plot pumping and danger to Sami and his family add page turning thriller elements.

There’s a ton to love about this book, but my favorite thing is Sami’s students from the Dead Hots, a trio of female true crime podcasters, to the Pink Panthers, a trio of retired women, to Golfer Gary and Leisure Suit Lenny and not to mention Debbie and Raymond two recipients of “Sami Kierce scholarships” who might be former confidential informants. I’m hoping the next book in the series is coming soon because I can’t wait to see Sami leverage his Scooby Gang again.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
Expected publication
March 25, 2025 by Grand Central Publishing

I love Harlen Coben so my review feels wrong but this one did not do it for me. Looking at others, it appears that I have the unpopular opinion which is good because maybe it's just me. This is book 2 of Detective Sami Kierce and maybe there was always a plan for a sequel but this could be why it didn't click for me. There's been a decade since Fool Me Once but a year has passed in the book and 25 years since Malaga. Sometimes I just think one book is enough. This feels like Netflix did the series (which was great) and now someone (publisher, fans) wanted a sequel. It didn't feel like Corben wrote this one and therefore I didn't love it. Corben readers will pick up on other characters and references but it could definitely be read as a stand alone as well.