Those familiar with the work of Harlan Coben know they’re in for a roller coaster listen when his name appears on the cover. He’s a master of thrills, chills and shocker endings. Such is certainly the case again when he reprises Capt. Maya Stern Burkett, heroine of Cohen’s The Stranger. Life has not been kind to Maya, which is putting it mildly.
Mark finished to her career as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot when a whistle-blower reveals the count of civilian deaths due to her actions in Iraq. At the same time that she is trying to overcome nightmares of her combat experience she learns that her sister, Clare has been murdered. Maya’s husband is Joe Burkett and they have a daughter, two-year-old Lily. When Maya and Joe go out for an evening they’re mugged and Joe is killed.
Now a widow and a single mom Maya decides that she can never be too careful and installs a security camera in her home to keep an eye on Lily and her nanny, Isabella Mendez. When Maya checks the film she usually sees Lily and Isabella playing together, but leave it to Coben. - one day some weeks after Joe’s funeral she is shocked to see footage showing Lily climbing into Joe’s lap. How could this be - did Joe not really die or is Maya’s mind playing tricks on her? When Maya confronts Isabella the nanny claims she doesn’t see Joe then shoots Maya with pepper spray, grabs the memory card and runs away.
Steady, listener, there are more shocks to come and Coben as is his wont saves the real stunner for the end.
January LaVoy delivers a spine tingling can’t stop listening to narration.
No comments:
Post a Comment