I Will Find You

I Will Find You starts with a bang!! Coben hits the ground running with a prison break with a fugitive on the run, dysfunctional families and secrets involving the murder of a toddler. 

The first half of the book focuses on the fast-paced prison escape of David Burroughs, a man five years into his prison sentence for brutally murdering his toddler son. He claims he didn't do it, but when he sees a recent picture of a boy who could be his son, he plans his escape. With the help of his former sister-in-law and recently disgraced journalist Rachel, readers are taken on an energetic ride with a gaggle of farfetched and serendipitous but entertaining situations as David tries to find his son and clear his name. 

Ok, so this wasn't my favourite book by Harlan Coben. It had its moments of high-octane scenes, but its weakness for me was the lack of depth to the characters. I didn't connect with David or Rachel, and I usually love the humour Coben adds to his books, but the only humour comes from the FBI duo whose banter was more of a silly 'ba-dum-bom' schtick and that got tiresome fast. But long-time fans of his books will be excited over the cameo of lawyer Hester Crimstein (minus her signature and delightful snark) and a teasingly brief mention of Win. 

This is an entertaining, action-packed, over-the-top thriller that immediately pulls readers in. The first half is filled with tense, fast-paced scenes; the middle section lags a bit, but Coben finishes with a creative revelation that is kind of satisfying and will require readers to suspend disbelief. 

Warning: the murder of a child is central to this book and while the violent specifics aren't dwelled on, it is brutal and not for the faint of heart.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Harlan Coben

Genre: Suspense

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

First Published: March 14, 2023

Book Description from GoodReads: An innocent father serving life for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive, and must break out of prison to find out the truth in #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben’s latest breathtaking thriller.

David and Cheryl Burroughs were living the dream life when tragedy struck. Now, five years after that terrible night, Cheryl is remarried. And David is serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison for the brutal murder of their son.

Then Cheryl’s sister, Rachel, arrives unexpectedly during visiting hours and drops a bombshell. She’s come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park with a boy in the background who has a familiar, distinctive birthmark … and even though David and Rachel realize it can’t be, they both just know. It's David’s son, Matthew, and he's still alive.

David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible–save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night.