‘I Will Find You’ by Harlan Coben

Author : Harlan Coben
Title : I Will Find You
Pages : 420
Publisher : Century
Publication date : March 16, 2023
Source : Owned

| ABOUT THE BOOK |

David and Cheryl Burroughs are living the dream – married, a beautiful house in the suburbs, a three year old son named Matthew – when tragedy strikes one night in the worst possible way.

David awakes to find himself covered in blood, but not his own – his son’s. And while he knows he did not murder his son, the overwhelming evidence against him puts him behind bars indefinitely.

Five years into his imprisonment, Cheryl’s sister arrives – and drops a bombshell.

She’s come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park. The boy in the background seems familiar – and even though David realizes it can’t be, he knows it is.

It’s 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.

| MY THOUGHTS |

Harlan Coben is one of those authors who never lets you down. You can always count on him to deliver a page-turner of a book. ‘I Will Find You‘ is no different. It’s the perfect escapism and I absolutely tore through this.

True to form, Coben delivers another tale of an ordinary person finding themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Five years ago, David’s son was found murdered in his bed, beaten to a pulp with a baseball bat. Every shred of evidence of this brutal murder points to David, and he is put behind bars. But now, his former sister-in-law, Rachel, visits him and shows him a photograph with a boy in the background who looks remarkably like David’s son. Is Matthew still alive? The only way David can find out the truth is to escape prison, so he can save his son and clear his name. However, there are some who would prefer the truth about that devastating night remains hidden.

But are Rachel’s motives what they seem to be? She too has lost a lot. Once a promising investigative reporter, she went a few steps too far and ruined her career in the process. Is she using this moment as an opportunity to revive her career, or does she genuinely believe Matthew is still out there somewhere?

Far-fetched? Somewhat. Over the top? Maybe. Requires suspension of disbelief? Totally. Did I care? Not one jot! I often do mind, but Harlan Coben is one of very few authors who can get away with all of that. Maybe that’s because his characters are always so complex and multi-layered. But also, in a lot of cases, entirely relatable. It’s remarkably easy to imagine being in David’s position, stuck behind bars for something he knows he didn’t do. Yet not finding a morsel of fighting spirit because nothing will change the fact that his son is dead, and without his little boy life doesn’t matter anymore. That little sliver of hope in the shape of the photograph he is shown fires him up entirely, just like with any other parent.

On the other side of the spectrum are those with money. Lots of money. Too much money? You know, the ones who barely know what to do with it. The ones who seem to think having money means you can get away with anything. The ones who use money to cover up things they shouldn’t be covering up. Uh huh, yeah, those ones.

Obviously, as the reader, you’re rooting for David all the way. ‘I Will Find You‘ is so action-packed it almost feels as if you’re right there with David, in the thick of things, fighting for justice. There didn’t seem to be any moment where you could just catch your breath for a minute. It’s all systems go from start to finish and I loved every minute of it. A thrilling and twisty rollercoaster ride, massively addictive and I might even go as far as to say I think this might just be Harlan Coben’s best book to date. I can’t wait for his next one!

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