This is my first Harlan Coben book, and I wonder if it wasn't the right place to start. I enjoyed the book and thought it well paced with a reasonably satisfactory conclusion, though with fewer clues to follow than I might have liked. However, I was never really drawn right in to the story, even when the pace picked up towards the conclusion. The narrative style is very self-aware and self-reflective, which in moderation I enjoy but I found a little over-played in this instance. It is very much an American novel, grounded as it is in Atlantic City, which may appeal more to those familiar with the location or those who really enjoy the hard-boiled American detective genre.

I would have to read more of Coben's work to be sure, but I expect that if you like his other work, you'll like this. I can't fault it in terms of plot or structure, there was just a little spark missing. None of the characters really grabbed me, though I did appreciate that Coben works hard to provide 'real' characters rather than relying on stereotypes and set pieces.

In short, I enjoyed the book, but didn't love it.