“Every home is its own island with its own secrets.”
Unlike other reviews out there, I had never heard of Harlan Coben’s The Stranger before picking it up. I didn’t know about the Netflix series, didn’t catch wind of the subsequent hype the book got and it wasn’t even recommended to me by anyone. In fact, this was actually one of the first crime novels I actually went out and picked up.
So, what did I make of it? As ever, this book review of The Stranger is completely my own unbiased take, and I am by no means in a position to tell anyone else what they should think of it strictly based on my own experiences. With that out of the way, check out What We Reading as we put The Stranger under the spotlight.
Date Published: 2015
Author: Harlan Coben
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 386
GoodReads Rating: 3.9/5
Premise
The Stranger is a thriller story that revolves around a mysterious figure who appears out of nowhere to tell people life-changing secrets. His motivations and means of acquiring these secrets are unknown, but the secrets he spills are shown to be undeniable.
The book follows Adam Price, a middle-class defence attorney who is living the archetypal American Dream with his wife and two sons in a well-to-do neighbourhood. This all changes when The Stranger approaches him and reveals a secret about his wife, Corrine.
Adam’s world continues to spiral wildly out of control when he confronts Corrine, only to wake up one morning and find his wife has gone missing…
What Worked
Harlan Coben is a veteran in the writing world, and The Stranger is delivered with all the confidence and assurance you would expect from such an experienced name. Whether a reader has ever gotten through a Coben novel or not, The Stranger is ridiculously accessible and easy to read.
Coben’s style is so addictive to read, with all of Adam’s quips and comments doing a sterling job in selling the artificial ‘style over substance’ feel of the town he resides in. He has his moments where he’s slightly irksome but, on the whole, he’s a fine protagonist to follow for the majority of the storyline.
Of course, where The Stranger really excels is with its premise. We all think about what would happen if we were confronted by someone with knowledge of our most compromising secrets, however, Coben puts a spin on things by having the Stranger present secrets about the ones closest to us.
It’s just one change, but one that has a good array of different branches that are all explored over the course of the book.
The mystery of The Stranger’s identity and the fate of Corrine and Adam both make two of the most suspenseful plotlines, culminating in a finale that actually feels incredibly rewarding. There are a couple of twists that few could have claimed they saw coming, making this one of the books we’ve had the most trouble putting down so far this year overall.
What Didn’t
For as well-written and enjoyable as this book is, there just isn’t a whole lot going on here that is going to leave a massive punch in your gut once you’re done with it. We’ve read books this year that have been gripping, and emotional, and felt like they’ve dealt a serious blow with every cliffhanger chapter ending; that isn’t so much the case with The Stranger.
To be fair, some might say that’s not necessarily the worst thing in the world. For that casual novel to flick through in bed or on the train, or in the bath, it’s definitely a good time, but, even writing this review, I’ve found myself scraping my memory a few times in a way I haven’t with other books.
Also, my copy of The Stranger came with a ‘Now a Netflix series’ sticker laminated on the cover. I don’t want to be that guy, really I don’t, but that struck a nerve with more than it probably should have done.
Verdict
As I mentioned in the opening lines, this was one of my first forays into the Crime genre of fiction and one I probably wouldn’t have made if I weren’t very much aware that I would be launching a book blog shortly after finishing it.
And it’s a pretty good time overall. The characters are all likeable and believable (rarer than you might think), and the premise keeps things engrossing throughout. There are some genuinely good twists kept in reserve as well, so it’s pretty much a guaranteed good time from our perspective.
It might be the most memorable book I’ve flicked through this year, but sometimes that’s okay. Not everything has to be Crime and Punishment after all.
Our rating: 3.5/5
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Views From Around The Reading World
“The Stranger is a gripping story from Harlen Coben which offers many twists and turns along with some gruesome scenes. It will keep you guessing, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. I do find that Coben has a formula that he seems to work too and I’m not sure that adds or detracts from the storytelling, it’s a personal choice.”
Quote supplied by Anne from athomealot.com
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
