A young tourist named Sami wakes up with a dead girl in his bed and he’s holding a knife. 22 years later the dead girl shows up very much alive. Why? How? You follow along as Sami investigates a constant unfolding story. The thriller/mystery aspect fell flat to me. I couldn’t get into the character’s matter of fact way of speaking. It felt monotone. The story wasn’t interesting enough to keep wanting to turn the page. I felt it contained a lot of filler. I want to thank NetGalley & Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy.

Sami Kierce was on a break in Spain from school when he meets a Anna and falls in love. When he wakes up covered in blood and his girlfriend's body, he calls the police. Then her body disappears and the hotel room is spotlessly clean. He heads home wondering what really happened. Flash-forward 25 years and Kierce is a disgraced cop, teaching a night class to wannabe detectives. Then Anna walks in. How does Anna somehow connect to a 25 year old kidnapping of an heiress, Anna's disappearance, and the murder of Kierce's partner and fiancee?

This is a taut mystery/detective novel that kept me turning pages. Sami Kierce is a flawed character who uses those flaws to try to do the right thing. I don't remember reading Harlan Coben books before, but now I understand why he is so popular. The action is swift and there are plenty of twists and turns and, finally, a satisfying ending. Just what I was hoping for. Also, as a bonus, there are several quirky characters that add moments of humor and lightheartedness to the story.

Preface with Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors, period.
This was engrossing and I devoured it quickly, as per usual. Pros - Harlan delivers on twists and turns and surprise endings like any veritable suspense writer.
Cons- because this main Character was also the lead in Fool Me Once (which is referenced in this book), you have to suspend your disbelief EVEN MORE than usual to believe that this “average Joe” has had this much scandal in his life. Also, I can’t fully suss out why but Sami Kierce is just not my favorite Coben character. Could be how unassuming/Anti-hero Coben is painting him to be - I suppose I prefer a Myron Bolitar that is more stereotypical “hero”.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my
Honest review!

Nobody’s Fool by Harlam Coben is an exhilarating read that twists and turns in unexpected ways. The plot is full of surprises, keeping you guessing right up to the very end.You’ll find yourself hooked from the first page, eagerly trying to piece together the mysteries as they unfold. And then, when it all clicks at the end, you can’t help but feel a sense of awe at how well everything is tied up.
I didn't realize this was a series.

I’m definitely excited to see what’s next, especially if there’s a book 3 on the horizon! If you love gripping stories with lots of twists

Thanks NetGalley for advance copy

Full disclosure: I didn't realize Nobody's Fool was the 2nd in a series and when I got to the end I had questions that I felt may have been answered in book 1 (specifically the whole Nicole/Tad Grayson storyline) so I waited to review it until I read Fool Me Once.

Spoiler: my questions were not answered. Roger Kierce became Sami Kierce in this book (which is fine because I like Sami way better). There was no mention of Nicole/Tad or any of the reasons Sami was kicked off the police force.

Putting all that aside, I really enjoyed the plot of Nobody's Fool. The mystery, the way the characters come together, the way Sami's past in Spain when he was a college student came back 20+ years later to smack him in the face. Coben does a great job of writing twists and turns that I don't see coming. I binged this book in a day I was that intrigued and hooked.

I really enjoyed this book, from start to finish. I thought the characters were great, I thought the story was excellent, and I really thought the author did a great job of tying the whole story together despite it not seeming possible when about 50% of the way through the book. And it also didn't feel rushed. It was nice to have a series with an independent story that didn't feel like it require institutional knowledge of the previous book. Like the book as a standalone was enough. Makes me appreciate the story. Overall, I think a must read for any mystery/crime fans.

Thank you to Harlan Coben, NetGalley and Grand Central for providing me with an advanced reading copy.

As almost of the Coben's novels, you must stretch your believability a bit but after that it is a good time reading his tales. In this book, Sami Kierce is on a post college backpacking tour through Europe where he seemingly falls in love but something tragic takes place and he leaves her behind as she dies. Fast forward 20 plus years later and he thinks he sees her again. He attempts to track her down with the help of his novice detective class and the story unfolds. A really fun read and I am so happy I was approved for this story.

It's the year 2000, and Sami Kierce is an awkward young man, tagging along with friends in Spain. He meets a girl, Anna, in a club, he falls hard and fast, and he awakens one morning covered in blood. Hers. She's dead. There is a knife in his hand. He remembers nothing.

In present day NYC, Kierce, now a disgraced police detective turned private investigator, is teaching a criminal justice night class. One night, while teaching class, a very familiar face pops into the room. Anna. The moment he makes eye contact, Anna runs. Her death 25 years prior has haunted him every day.

He has to know what is happening. He has to confront his past. But at what risk?

I have been a Harlan Coben fan for 30 years so imagine my excitement and getting approved for this book! I love a good, twisty thriller with little to no romance, and NO smut and Coben does this well.. Coben is also a marvelous and clever writer. In this book, he left no crumbs. Every little thing was wrapped up (whether happily or not). These are things I, and a lot of readers, notice. Even small things that are left undone. You don't find that in a Coben book. This book was gritty. I felt like I was on the streets of NYC with Kierce. I felt every bit of his anxiety. I love where the Kierce line is going and I hope it continues.

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Pure Suspense from Start to Finish

Harlan Coben's Nobody's Fool hits like a shot of adrenaline. Detective Sami Kierce is back, and this time his past isn't just haunting him—it's hunting him.

The setup is simple: Kierce's carefully constructed life starts cracking when a secret from his college days resurfaces. But what follows is anything but straightforward. Coben weaves a story in which every character hides something, and every revelation costs someone dearly. The mystery surrounding two women, Anna and Victoria, builds with the precision of a master watchmaker, ticking down to an explosive finale.

Kierce himself is a revelation. His sharp wit cuts through the darkness of the story, offering moments of genuine humour that make the suspense hit even harder when it returns. And return it does—especially in the book's final quarter, which moves with the momentum of a runaway train.

What elevates Nobody's Fool above standard thriller fare is its emotional weight. This isn't just about solving a mystery—it's about redemption, family, and the prices we pay to protect the people we love. Coben writes with a lean efficiency that never wastes a word but still manages to punch you in the gut when you least expect it.

Sure, die-hard Coben fans might spot some familiar patterns, but it hardly matters when the execution is this good. At 352 pages, it's a perfect one-sitting read that'll keep you up well past midnight.

Verdict: 4.5/5 stars. Nobody's Fool proves that even after dozens of bestsellers, Coben isn't just maintaining his game—he's raising it. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to his work, this one's worth every minute.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Cobden is as all his novels, FANTASTIC! I could not put it down. Excellent story development, perfect blend of characters, and light hearted twist with the detective club who helps solve the case. As always a surprise turn of events on solution of murders at the very end. Can’t wait to see this as a Netflix movie!

I enjoyed this quick passed mystery. I sure didn't see the twists and turns.

While teaching a class, Sami see's a woman he remembers from 22 years ago. The last time he saw her she was covered in blood and he was hold in knife.

I am a huge Harlan Coben fan and have read most of his books. Having said that, Nobody’s Fool is absolutely one of his best. I was immediately taken over by this story and couldn’t put it down. The characters are so well developed as to make them real people that I cared about. There are a few mysteries and I never saw the endings coming - I was on the edge of my seat. And not because there were misdirects but rather the skillful unfolding of a complex story and Coben is a master storyteller.

This is another good one from Harlan Coben! It's written really well with lots of twists and turns. The only reason why it's not a 5-star review for me is because it's a sequel to Fool Me Once which I read when it came out in 2016 and I could barely remember it and didn't feel like there was enough of a review of what happened in it. Another complication is that Fool Me Once was made into a Netflix series which changed its setting to England and changed some character's names and some of the storylines. I watched it after I finished Nobody's Fool and wish I had watched it before. NYPD homicide detective Roger Kierce was renamed Sami for the Netflix series and now both books are being presented as the Detective Sami Kierce series. Nobody's Fool begins a year after Fool Me Once when we find out about something in Sami's past that continues to haunt him. In 2000, Sami is a college student backpacking through Europe with college friends when he met Anna in a club. They begin a relationship and one morning he wakes up to find her covered in blood and a knife is in his hand. At his father's instruction, he flies immediately back to the USA and never finds out what really happened that night in Spain. It's now 2025 and Kierce is married with a son and is a disgraced detective (because of the events that happened in Fool Me Once) teaching night classes. One night, he sees Anna standing at the door to his classroom. When he makes eye contact with her, she runs. This sets off a series of events that answer a lot of questions for Sami, but also puts him and others in grave danger. Thanks to #netgalley #grandcentralpublishing and #HarlanCoben for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book! It was so good to to get more information on Sami's back story after reading the prior book. This was well written and had great depth to all of the characters.

Nobody’s Fool is my first Harlan Coben book and it won’t be my last. It was an enjoyable and thrilling read. I was hooked and entertained from the first page. There is a large cast of characters, but it was easy to follow. A bit of a stretch in some of the plot points, but nothing too unbelievable. I enjoyed the authors writing style and the mystery suspense kept me wanting to continue reading through the night.

After a backpacking trip in Spain gone wrong, Sam Kielce returns to the US to continue on. Life doesn’t go as expected, for Sam, burying his fiancee and being thrown off the police force. Fast forward a couple decades and Sam is married, has a child, and teaches a class for amateur crime junkies. After he spots a mysterious visitor in class whom he ultimately recognizes, he enlists the amateur sleuths help in finding the truth about the woman and what really happened on that fateful trip decades before.

Nothing hits the spot quite like a Coben novel. I know I’m always in for an action packed, twisted ride and this one was no different. I especially enjoyed our main character Sami. He was flawed but incredibly dedicated and resilient. I loved the perspective of the book, like he was telling the story himself. The big twist had run through my mind previously while reading but I kept second guessing myself on it so no harm no foul. The layered storyline worked incredibly well as we unraveled several different mysteries in one. The ending! Cmon now! I was in shock.

What I enjoy most about Harlan Coben books are their bingeable quality and the twists I don’t see coming. NOBODYS FOOL had both of these things 🙌🏻

Despite there being A LOT 😬 of characters, and needing to suspend a bit of belief, it all pays off and comes together in the end.

Thank you Grand Central Pub & NetGalley for the arc 🫶🏻

Imagine being a young graduate and going on a grand adventure backpacking in Spain. Except you wake up covered in blood, but that's not all. You also are holding the weapon, a knife. His girlfriend has fallen victim to this violent crime, but who did this? Was is Sami who woke up to this nightmare?

Fast forward twenty-two years later and meet Kierce who is a private investigator. Doing everything they can to survive, by taking less fulfilling cases they see an eerily familiar face. Who is this mystery woman and what do they know? Go on this thrilling adventure and find out for yourself!

I really enjoyed reading about Sami and his misfit group of amateur detectives. I hope this is made into a movie on Netflix.

I've always enjoyed this author 's books, and this one did not disappoint. I didn't find Kierce as likeable as I might have, but his story was compelling. From the trip to Spain and the awful circumstances there to his current life with his wife and son, he definitely has been through a lot of struggles. The reappearance of Anna drew me in, and I was hooked on the story from that moment. I also enjoyed his amateur sleuths; they were fun and charming and added levity and interest as Kierce sorted through the events. Overall a satisfying and enjoyable read. I wouldn't say it's his best, but it's well done.