| No Second Chance by Harlan Coben |
| (Dutton, $24.95, V) ISBN 0-525-94729-9 |
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Dr. Marc Seidman, a plastic surgeon whose specialty is repairing children’s facial injuries, is shot and nearly killed while standing in his kitchen. He awakens in the hospital twelve days later to learn that his wife was killed and their infant daughter Tara has disappeared. The police are searching for the culprits but have few leads and no ransom note. The police detective and FBI agent assigned to the murder and kidnapping case begin to wonder whether Marc himself was involved in the crime. They suspect his marriage was in shaky condition.
When Marc is finally released from the hospital, his father-in-law Edgar Portman has him brought to directly to his house. A ransom note has finally been received. Edgar has followed the instructions in the note and filled a bag with two million dollars in cash. The instructions expressly state that the police are not to be informed and there will be no second chance if he doesn’t follow directions, and that they will know if he does. Marc confides in his best friend and lawyer, Lenny, and decides to tell the detective and FBI agent about the ransom. Marc turns over the bag of cash at the drop point, but Tara is not returned. Eighteen months have passed. No progress has been made on the case, and the attention of the authorities has turned to other crimes. Marc is still desperately grieving over his daughter’s abduction and living in something of a state of emotional limbo. Then a second ransom note arrives. No Second Chance taps into a parents’ deepest fear – the disappearance of their child. Mostly written in the first person from Marc’s point of view, the story sucked me in from the first page and never let go. When it comes to suspense novels, this is about as good as it gets. In fact, if you have a heart condition, you might be wise to skip it. The tension is so strong, particularly in the first section, that several times I wondered if I was up to finishing it! It features both a gripping plot and excellent characterization. The complex story line has a number of twists at the end that I doubt even the most astute armchair detective will see coming. Several characters – bad guys as well as the good – are well developed. When it’s used effectively, the first person point of view allows the reader to know the thoughts and character of the narrator. The reason we know the cops are dead wrong in suspecting Marc as being complicitous in his wife’s murder is that we know him. He’s multi-dimensional – not without flaws but a basically good person and an absolutely devoted father. Similarly, the portrayal of an amoral, cold-blooded villain is so convincing we don’t doubt for a moment that she really could do such awful things. The complex plot, strong character development, and gripping tension all make for a powerful suspense novel. I strongly recommend No Second Chance. Books like this is why we have five stars ratings.
--Lesley Dunlap |
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