Book or movie script? You make the call.
I'm reading at a fast and furious pace right now - I'm trying to finish as many of the books I borrowed from my mom as possible before she comes into town for the wedding next weekend. I'm averaging about one a day, which is pretty good considering that I'm doing other stuff most of the time.
This time it's Harlan Coben's Tell No One, which is pretty much a textbook thriller. Dr. David Beck is still reeling from the murder of his wife Elizabeth nearly eight years ago. On a visit to the remote lake where they played as children, Elizabeth was abducted and David was left for dead. When Elizabeth's body turned up by the side of the road three days later bearing the telltale mark of a serial killer, David's world turned upside down. The murderer known as Killroy was eventually caught and sentenced to life in prison.
David attempts to get on with his life by burying himself in his work as an inner-city physician, but he has yet to move on from his wife's death. Suddenly, David's world is thrown off kilter yet again as he receives a mysterious email linking him to a webcam that appears to show his wife alive and well. David follows the clues, not knowing that they will lead him into danger as one of the city's major power players will stop at nothing to keep the truth from being revealed.
Amazon.com picked Tell No One as one of their best of 2001, but I can't say that I agree with that assessment. It's a decent enough story, but I'm not sure why Coben didn't skip the intermediate step of writing a book and move right on to what seems to be his primary aim - turning his story into a summer blockbuster. The plot would work very well on the big screen, but on paper it seriously lacks the depth necessary to keep me engaged. The characters are stock on almost every level - you've got your doctors who want nothing more than to help the indigent, man-eating lawyers, sassy African-American women (as if there were any other kind in popular media), and truth-loving cops who refuse to be swayed by planted evidence. With characters this trite, the plot twists practically announce themselves with flashing neon signs and mylar balloons.
Probably the most frustrating thing about the entire book is the fact that in the hands of a more capable writer, the story really could have reached "Best of the Year" status. Sadly, Coben fails to live up to his story's promise. That said, the book isn't utterly without merit. I'll give it a 3/5 since I'm feeling generous today.
This time it's Harlan Coben's Tell No One, which is pretty much a textbook thriller. Dr. David Beck is still reeling from the murder of his wife Elizabeth nearly eight years ago. On a visit to the remote lake where they played as children, Elizabeth was abducted and David was left for dead. When Elizabeth's body turned up by the side of the road three days later bearing the telltale mark of a serial killer, David's world turned upside down. The murderer known as Killroy was eventually caught and sentenced to life in prison.
David attempts to get on with his life by burying himself in his work as an inner-city physician, but he has yet to move on from his wife's death. Suddenly, David's world is thrown off kilter yet again as he receives a mysterious email linking him to a webcam that appears to show his wife alive and well. David follows the clues, not knowing that they will lead him into danger as one of the city's major power players will stop at nothing to keep the truth from being revealed.
Amazon.com picked Tell No One as one of their best of 2001, but I can't say that I agree with that assessment. It's a decent enough story, but I'm not sure why Coben didn't skip the intermediate step of writing a book and move right on to what seems to be his primary aim - turning his story into a summer blockbuster. The plot would work very well on the big screen, but on paper it seriously lacks the depth necessary to keep me engaged. The characters are stock on almost every level - you've got your doctors who want nothing more than to help the indigent, man-eating lawyers, sassy African-American women (as if there were any other kind in popular media), and truth-loving cops who refuse to be swayed by planted evidence. With characters this trite, the plot twists practically announce themselves with flashing neon signs and mylar balloons.
Probably the most frustrating thing about the entire book is the fact that in the hands of a more capable writer, the story really could have reached "Best of the Year" status. Sadly, Coben fails to live up to his story's promise. That said, the book isn't utterly without merit. I'll give it a 3/5 since I'm feeling generous today.
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