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.

I don't even know where to begin with this review, other than to say i am disappointed and let down. First, let me say this: contrary to how it's listed on other sites, this is NOT book #2 in a series. advertising it as such is false and misleading. the Sami Kierce chracter was created for television and has no role in the "first book" there isn't even a "Sami Kierce" but a detective named Kierce who plays no major role in the book. it's as if this book was specifically written after the TV show aired as a way to milk that avenue.

also, there is no reason to bring the Burkett family into the story other than to try and tie it to the previous book. the information given to Kierce by Caroline could've come from ANY character and it felt like such a stretch to have it come from her. really felt like a forced connection and totally unnecessary.

and the fact that the whole twist to the story is that a husband didn't want to tell his wife the truth and therefore created lies and deceit that lasted for over a decade is a terrible premise. I have read several books by Harlen Coben and this was by far the worst yet.

i appreciate Netgalley and the publisher granting me access to read and review this novel, but overall it was a poorly constructed story line, with a mediocre attempt to link two stories together that were never meant to be linked and the false creation of a literary series that doesn't exist.

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben is a page-turning mystery thriller that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
I really enjoy all of Harlan Cobens novels and this was another that blew me out of the water. I thought I had it figured out and knew what happened but what the ending revealed I really didnt expect.
His books are always eagerly anticipated and never is there a letdown.
He hooks you right from the first page and does not loose your attention at all through the book. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank You NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Harlan Coben has been one of my favorite authors ever since his first book. For me, Nobody’s Fool simply missed the mark. There were too many characters and too many sub-plots. Yes, I can believe that he’s written this for a Netflix series rather than for his readers. The issues that were resolved in the end were, at best, unrealistic. Most of the issues/sub-plots were simply left for another book, another 10 hours of TV. I hope he returns to what he does best.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wish Coben well in his Netflix gig, but hope that he’ll get back to doing what his fans love best.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben delivers a fast-paced, twist-filled mystery that keeps readers hooked. The protagonist, is a well-crafted, relatable character whose journey through secrets and revelations is both suspenseful and engaging. Coben excels at building tension and creating unexpected twists, making the book hard to put down.

While the story is thrilling, there are moments where the plot feels a bit predictable, and the ending could have been fleshed out more. Still, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of Coben’s work and those who enjoy a gripping, character-driven mystery.

Another great Harlan Coben! He is the master of twists and turns. In this book he has revisited his signature style of resurrecting someone who has disappeared but seeming returns. The quest becomes- find out what happened. While Coben has used this technique before, he manages to make it seem fresh. I was unable to put this down. It kept me going right to the end. Thanks Net Galley for this ARC opportunity.

Harlan Coben’s “Nobody’s Fool” was a page-turner! I’ve seen his TV series, but this was my first book. I was instantly hooked on the main character, Sami. If you’re a fan of twisty thrillers, you’ll love this fast-paced novel. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just over a day. Coben is definitely an author I’ll be reading again.

IF you have read Harlan Coben from the beginning in 1990 like I have, you will be familiar with the WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON mysteries that Coben writes. Within his 37 novels are the Mickey Bolitar series which, though most of the 15 novels are dated now, are typical mysteries about a sports manager and his rich and wacky sidekick. I love them. But Coben also has many more stand-alone thrillers where the reader is taken for a wild ride not knowing, well, what is going on!
A little out of the usual, Coben has written his second detective Sami Kierce novel with Nobody’s Fool. A year after the conclusion of Fool Me Once, 2015, we find Det. Kierce disgraced and no longer a police detective in New York. While teaching a group of misfits (who later help him solve what is going on) in night school, Kierce sees a woman in the back of the room who he thought he killed while a backpacker in Spain 25 years before.
But of course, she runs, he chases and the thriller begins. Did he actually kill the girl in Spain? Is this the same person? Nobody’s Fool is another in a very long list of complex Coben novels that are powerful, fun, thrilling and a joy to read. The belief that he killed this girl has haunted Kierce for 25 years, so he will stop at nothing to find out the truth. His band of quirky criminology students are perfect characters to allow a bit of humor into the novel. And as usual, you really have a hard time figuring out what is going on until toward the end when clues start dropping. Shock and twists are Coben’s forte, and you will find this latest novel the same.
The only problem I have with the novel is that a few important scenes have been left out of the book with only a catch-up paragraph used to move the story along. I would have preferred the book to be longer (when do you say that!?) and details flushed out and the storyline more developed at times.
But truthfully, I wait every year for another Coben book – and I have been doing this for 35 years. I am obviously a big fan of Coben and Nobody’s Fool does not disappoint.
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. Nobody's Fool will be published on March 25, 2025.

Nobody's Fool contains some of the same characters as Fool Me Once but can totally be read as a stand alone novel. Nobody's Fool starts with Sami Kierce seeing a face from the past - the face of a woman he thought was dead. With that premise, readers are taken on a long and winding chase to find out the true identity of the lady, what really happened to Sami all those years ago while also solving the mystery of a reclusive once kidnapped heiress and brining a killer to justice. There are a lot of moving parts but the addition of Sami's armature detective night school students help weave the plot together.

In Nobody's Fool, Harlan Coben delivers a gripping thriller that masterfully intertwines the past and present, plunging readers back into the life of former Detective Sami Kierce. A year after the unsettling events of Fool Me Once, Sami finds himself haunted by a dark secret from his college days that resurfaces in a way he never anticipated.

The story begins with a harrowing memory: during a backpacking trip in Spain, Sami wakes up in a panic, covered in blood with a knife in hand beside the lifeless body of his girlfriend, Anna. Confused and terrified, he flees, leading to a life marked by guilt and unanswered questions. Fast forward twenty-two years, Sami is now a private investigator and a new father, trying to navigate a life filled with low-level surveillance work and teaching night classes in New York City.

Everything changes when he spots a woman in his class who resembles Anna. Initially dismissing it as a figment of his imagination, the moment they lock eyes causes her to flee, igniting a desperate quest for truth. Determined to uncover the mystery that has haunted him for decades, Sami plunges into the thrilling search for Anna, leading to a rollercoaster of twists and revelations.

Nobody's Fool is a compelling exploration of memory, guilt, and the shadows of the past. Coben's expertly crafted narrative keeps readers on the edge of their seats, inviting them to uncover the truth alongside Sami as he confronts not only the mystery of Anna's fate but also the repercussions of choices made long ago. This thrilling read is perfect for fans of suspense and emotional depth in storytelling.

In 1999, a wealthy teenage girl goes missing in NYC. In the early 2000s, a college-aged girl is murdered in Spain. Fast forward to 2011, and the missing girl is finally found. Jump to the present day, and the supposedly murdered girl turns up alive—right in former NYPD Detective Sami Kierce's class. Currently teaching at a somewhat dubious community college, Sami recognizes her immediately since he's the one who might have been responsible for her murder. Following her to a heavily guarded palatial estate, his detective instincts kick into high gear.

But the surprises don't end there. The man who murdered Sami's fiancée is about to be released from prison, his conviction overturned due to Sami's dishonorable discharge from the force.

Sami's troubles mount as his wife and infant son become targets of a stalker, seemingly an ex-con. With all these events unfolding simultaneously, it’s clear that this is no coincidence.

Joined by his ex-partner and a group of his students, Sami delves into the tangled web of mysteries. This book had me laughing out loud and on the edge of my seat. As a fan of other Harlan Coben books and his Netflix mini-series, I found this thrilling mystery utterly engaging. I hope to see it adapted for TV and would love for Mr. Coben to revisit these characters in future works.

My love for this author started with the first book. He has never let me down and this book was no exception!

While not a Bolitar book - I sometimes felt maybe Sami might be related. His wit, sarcasm and nice guy attitude all reminded me of Myron
But I adore Sami and hope to see him in many more books.

With his usual style and phrasing, twist and turns and great storytelling Mr. Coben show us he is still one of the great mystery writers.

This is such a good book!!! It is a perfect thriller with so many twists and turns. You never really know where the book is going. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

With my list of books to be read and reviewed bordering on one hundred, I'm finding it more and more difficult to pick my next read. However, as soon as I received my approval for this one, there was no hesitation whatsoever.

This was another remarkable, memorable read by an author that has yet to write anything less than brilliant. The protagonist was flawed but well-rounded and highly intriguing with his tragic past and oftentimes questionable decisions. This was suspenseful and heartbreaking, yet the humor sprinkled throughout gave this the perfect balance. Needless to say, Harlan Coben has knocked it out of the park once again. Four and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing, for this ARC.

This story follows disgraced former Detective Sami Kierce and let me say.. I love Sami Kierce. I love his narration, his humor, his details.

We get background on an event that changed his life 21 years ago and with it a story with a mix of wit and twists between his past and present that create a fantastic and suspenseful story.

Kierce is also teaching an adults night class and it’s perfect because Kierce’s students are wonderful side characters that really help the narration.

I hope this isn’t the last we hear from Sami Kierce!

Harlan Coben can do no wrong! He truly is a master at suspense, spine tingling creepy moments and page turning drama that kept me reading way past my bedtime.