Deal Breaker

Myron Bolitar #1

by Harlan Coben

The debut of Myron Bolitar, a hotheaded, tenderhearted sports agent and one of the most fascinating and complex heroes in suspense fiction, Deal Breaker is a page-turning classic from Edgar Award–winner and master storyteller Harlan Coben.

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron’s prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend—a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead—the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family’s tragedy, a woman’s secret, and a man’s lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business—where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook

391 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-five languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries with seventy-five million books in print worldwide.

His books have earned the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards, and many have been developed into Netflix Original Drama series, including his adaptations of The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good and The Woods. His most recent adaptation for Netflix, Stay Close, premiered on December 31, 2021 and stars Cush Jumbo, James Nesbitt, and Richard Armitage.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I finally got my hands on the Myron Bolitar debut case, which begins very close to home; indeed with his very own, about to hit the sporting big time client, which as a result has Bolitar himself on the cusp of greatness. One single phone call and the ensuing outcomes may put an end to it all. Set around American Football and surprisingly dark, Bolitar has to manage his way around a baffling sex and blackmail mystery and the dark side of his own business (sportspeople management). 6 out of 12. Three Star read.

2008 read

[Jeffrey Keeten · Rating 4 out of 5]

”’Be extra careful,’ Win said. ‘The word has hit the streets.’

‘What word?’

‘A price has officially been put on your head,’ Win said, as if it were amusing cocktail conversation. ‘Thirty thousand dollars to the man who takes you out.’

Myron made a face. ‘Thirty thousand? Hell, I used to be a fed. I should be worth sixty, seventy grand minimum.’

‘Bad economy. Times are tough.’

‘I’m being discounted?’

‘Appears so, yes.’”

Myron Bolitar used to be a lot of things. He used to be a phenomenal college basketball star. He used to work for the FBI. He used to have a hot girlfriend. Life has thrown him a few curve balls, and now he is a struggling sports agent. He has recently landed the number one football prospect in the nation, so his struggling days might be over...except it just can’t be that easy.

Negotiations with the Titans have been like pushing a boulder uphill in Sisyphus fashion. They are looking for any reasonable or unreasonable way to discount Christian Steele’s soon-to-be large, record-setting contract, and when a picture of Steele’s missing girlfriend shows up in the 1-900 sex ad in the back of the seedy Nips magazine, they think they might finally have a way to get Steele cheap.

So is Kathy Culver alive? Or is this some diabolical, greed-driven plan by the Titans to damage Steele so they can sign a potentially generational athlete for a lot less money?

Bolitar is not going to let his one big chance to establish himself as a viable sports agent slip away. That would be enough motivation for anyone, but Bolitar has even more reason to find out the truth, and she walked right into his office.

Jessica Culver, the sister of the aforementioned hot girlfriend, comes to see him, looking amazing, smelling unbelievably good, and imploring him to help find her sister. Well, he was going to try anyway, but now, well, let's just be honest, it crosses his mind that this might be an opportunity for Jessica to move from his past to his present and foreseeable future.

Soon Bolitar has unscrupulous sports agents circling around him like vultures, waiting for the last twitch of his fingers to scoop up his players. He has a contract, an embarrassingly low contract, out on his life. The facts of the Culver case are revealing themselves too slowly. Lies beget more lies, and the truth quickly becomes a train wreck for everyone involved.

Bolitar would be swimming in an ocean without a shore, except for the fact that his best friend is Windsor Horne Lockwood III. His carefully coiffed blond hair, his movie star good looks, his expensive clothes, and his lavish lifestyle might lead one to believe that he is just a bluestocking scum, a handsome blight on the world as he waits to inherit the family fortune, but he happens to be a psychopath. He happens to be Bolitar’s psychopath.

When one has a psychopath willing and able to exert terror and pain upon your enemies, you do have a responsibility to use such a weapon sparingly. And when you do make the determination that there are no other options than to deploy Win, then you must be very specific with instructions. For example: terrorize, but don’t hurt; hurt, but don’t kill. Oh yes, be very specific indeed.

Bolitar’s secretary, Experanza Diaz, a smoldering hot temptation who used to be a professional wrestler, is none too happy to see the bombshell Jessica waltzing back into her boss’s life. She helped glue some of the devastated pieces of his life back together, and the last thing she wants to see is Myron shattered once again.

Despite the fact that Myron Bolitar played for Duke University and helped them win two national championships, I found myself enjoying riding along with him. Harlan Coben, did it have to be Duke? To be clear, I root for any team who is playing Duke University’s basketball team. I even *shudder* root for Kentucky over Duke. As a lifelong University of Kansas fan, I’ve experienced a few heartbreaks and triumphs regarding Duke. The sports aspects provide an unusual and enjoyable backdrop, that for me, is a new series to explore. I even enjoy the fact that these were paperback originals in the 1990s before Coben became the king of suspense on the bestseller list. They were released in hardcover editions starting in 2006.

I’m curious to see what Coben will do with this cast of characters, and I will be cuing up the next book in the series Drop Shot very soon.

If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten and an Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffreykeeten/

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myron Bolitar is a riot! His sarcastic humor really shines in this book, making it an absolute joy to read. His friend Win brings a serious edge, creating a dynamic duo that you definitely wouldn't want to cross. Their blend of wit and badassery is just irresistible.

In this first installment, sports agent Myron Bolitar is on the brink of hitting the big leagues. His star client, rookie quarterback Christian Steele, is about to make it big too. But things take a wild turn when Christian receives a phone call from his ex-girlfriend—a woman everyone thought was dead. As Myron dives into the mystery, he uncovers a tangled web of family tragedy, hidden secrets, and lies. Navigating the murky waters of the sports business, where image and talent can make you rich, but the truth can be deadly, Myron has his work cut out for him.

Harlan Coben, an Edgar Award-winning author, has created a series that crackles with wit and suspense. Myron Bolitar is one of the most fascinating and complex heroes in suspense fiction. He's hotheaded and tenderhearted, growing more engaging and unpredictable with each page. This book was a fantastic read, and I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. If you're looking for humor, thrills, and a bit of mystery, this is definitely the book for you!

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of Deal Breaker. Myron with his witty sense of humor and sarcasm had me laughing and cringing at the same time. It is an easy, fun and entertaining book. Just what I needed.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myron Bolitar (who is 31) is a sports agent. He has worked for the FBI in the past, and is an ex-jock (former basketball player) whose sports career ended after he suffered an injury. One of Myron's clients, Christian Steele (a good looking quarterback), calls Myron and asks if Myron can come to his dorm where he lives on campus at Reston University. Christian shows Myron a porn magazine he received and he believes that his missing girlfriend/fiancé (Kathy Culver) may still be alive because she is pictured in the recent issue of the magazine. Kathy mysteriously vanished eighteen months ago from the campus at Reston University and she hasn't been heard from since. People are thinking she is probably dead. Myron says he will check this out.

Myron's ex-girlfriend Jessica Culver, who is the missing Kathy's sister, also asks for Myron's help. Her father (Adam Culver, County Medical Examiner) was murdered three night's earlier in what people are calling a botched robbery attempt. Jessica doesn't believe this. She thinks her father's murder is somehow connected with Kathy's disappearance. Myron agrees to look into this for his ex-girlfriend, whom he still cares for.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I really like his writing style. I always find myself laughing at his main character's thoughts, quips.

Myron was a very likable guy (and funny at times). He was tall, handsome, built, and currently living with his parents in their basement...

There was a big cast of characters/suspects. I liked his ex-girlfriend Jessica and his buddy Win.

A fun, fast-paced and absorbing read. I look forward to reading more books in this series!

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5~4★

“‘I laugh in the face of death,’ Myron replied. ‘Well, maybe not laugh. More like a snicker. A quiet snicker.’

‘Jesus, you’re a lunatic.’

‘And I wouldn’t do it directly in death’s face. So it’s more like a quiet snicker behind his back.’”

He’s not a lunatic, but his pal Win might be. Myron Bolitar, (who has never forgiven his parents for his name, he says), is a sports agent on a quest to get his star football player signed up with the best contract possible. Myron was a star basketball player himself with a promising professional future until an injury put him in a wheelchair long enough to kill his career.

His college roommate, Windsor Horne Lockwood III, is a well-connected, wealthy WASP from an old family, and the two have stayed friends. Myron rents an office in one of Win’s buildings, and he now shares his current dilemmas with Win. First is the contract issue: is the rookie, Christian, already committed to some shady characters who signed him illegally when he was a minor?

Second is that Christian’s ex-girlfriend, Kathy, disappeared more than a year ago, presumed dead (murdered?), and Christian has just received some strange information in the mail that indicates maybe Kathy’s alive. Just another thing to upset the talented rookie.

Third, Myron’s own ex-girlfriend, Jessica, has reappeared after 4 years, and she’s as irresistible as ever, but oh yes, she presents another couple of problems. She is Kathy’s sister (!) and now their father has just been murdered. She’s convinced it was not a robbery but is connected to Kathy’s disappearance.

There’s enough to keep Myron and Win and assorted other characters busy for the rest of the book. Myron is a likeable guy, Win’s a scary off-sider (a little psychotic?), and the story takes them into questionable places with even more questionable people. No, not questionable, because there’s no question that they are scary dudes.

The opening conversation above, about snickering in the face of death, was prefaced with this.

“‘They want to kill you. They’re putting a contract out on your head.’”

So it’s all pretty serious, this negotiating sports contracts, even for a guy who stands 6’4” and is a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Incidentally, Win is a sixth-degree black belt and has studied it since he was seven. In college, when he was once attacked for his wimpish, blonde, pretty-boy looks by five big football players, he went into full martial arts mode.

“Simply put, the football team had a poor season that year. Too many guys on the injured list.”

I read this because it’s Coben’s first book, and I figured I’d start at the beginning because he’s so popular. I thought I should let him introduce his people to me instead of relying on other readers do it.

There is some nice catchy dialogue, and for a first effort, it’s an entertaining read with a complicated enough plot to be satisfying.

I’m sure I’ll read another to see where he takes Myron. I don’t know if I need to read them in order or not and would appreciate any advice!

[James Thane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myron Bolitar was once a very promising NBA rookie out of Duke, where his team won two NCAA national championships. But a freak accident early in his rookie year abruptly ended his basketball career and changed the course of his life. He went to law school, then did a brief stint with the F.B.I., and has just embarked on a new career as a sports agent.

Thus far, Myron has a small and fairly insignificant client list. But his prospects are brightened considerably when he signs quarterback Christian Steele, the number one NFL draft pick. Christian is not only a star athlete but also a good kid who has overcome a lot of obstacles to reach this point in his life. Among the tragedies in his young life was the disappearance of his college sweetheart, Kathy Culver, who has been missing and presumed dead for a year and a half. Kathy was the younger sister of Myron's former girlfriend, Jessica Culver, hence the connection between Myron and Christian.

Myron is in the process of negotiating Christian's first NFL contact, and the process is proving difficult. Then Myron gets a panicked call from Christian. Someone has sent him a pornographic magazine, and in the magazine is a picture of Kathy Culver, suggesting strongly that she may still be alive.

The photo raises any number of questions: Is Kathy still alive; if so, why hasn't she contacted Christian or her family? Why would her picture appear in this disgusting magazine, and why has some anonymous person sent the magazine to the young quarterback?

Myron attempts to answer these questions and quickly finds himself ensnared in a very complex mystery with a lot of unreliable and dangerous characters lurking about. Fortunately, Myron is assisted by his secretary, the gorgeous Esperanza, who used to wrestle under the name "Little Pocahontas."

Myron's main sidekick is his best friend and former college roommate, Windsor Horne Lockwood III, or "Win." Win is super-rich, super attractive, super-smart, and super-dangerous--all in all, a good man to have at your back.

The resulting story is an engrossing tale with snappy dialogue and humorous moments that do not seem out of place in a book where a lot of truly nasty things are happening. Coben has a deft touch in this regard, unlike some authors who are totally unable to pull off the mix of humor and gritty violence. The story requires some suspension of disbelief, especially with regard to the character of Win who is a bit over the top as the super-sidekick who is able to magically bail Myron out of any confrontation. But he's fun to watch, and the relationship between Myron and Win is one of the better such relationships in contemporary crime fiction.

I have a slight quibble with the book in that the climax seemed more than a bit implausible, as if the author had painted himself into a corner and couldn't quite figure out how to end the book. But this is a minor complaint, and Deal Breaker is a very good first entry in what has become a fairly long-running series.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deal breaker by Harlan Coben is a 2006 Delacorte Press publication.

I recently discovered a new Myron Bolitar book is on its way, (in September 2016), which has me feeling stoked, since I always like this series. But, it got me thinking about how long it’s been since I read a book in this series, since I have been sticking with Coben’s stand alone novels for the most part.

I was pretty sure I had read the first few books in the series, but I see I didn’t get this first one reviewed, and frankly my memory needed a refresher course. So, I checked this one out of the library, and took the time to do one of my very rare re-reads.

Originally published back in 1995, this story introduces us to sports agent Myron Bolitar, a former basketball star whose career came to an abrupt halt, due to injury.

He is now representing a superstar football player who is about to burst out onto the professional field.

But, there are a few hitches, one of which is that his client has a cloud of suspicion hanging over his head, due to the disappearance of his fiancé, with foul play suspected. Not only that, the fiancé in question is the sister of Myron's former girlfriend, Jessica, a woman he still carries a torch for. To put the cherry on the cake, new information has begun to circulate suggesting the missing girl might be alive. It’s in Myron’s best interest to clear his client’s name and try to bring peace to Jessica’s family.

But, he never anticipated the Pandora’s box he was about to open….

I love Myron’s comical quips, which is the reason I found this series so appealing and because of the colorful cast of characters that keep things lively.

I don’t know if this was one of Coben’s very first efforts, or not, but it is a little rough around the edges, especially towards the end, because everything got slapped together in a pretty sloppy way. But, overall, this is still a solid crime story, plus it was fun going back to the very beginning of the series and seeing how everything has changed. It is a little dated, with references to VCR tapes and answering machines, for example, but that only gives the story a nostalgic feel.

If you start this series thinking it is something along the lines of ‘Tell No One’, be warned, this series doesn't have that level of intensity, nor does it have some of the darker tones of his other stand alone novels. However, these stories do delve into the underbelly of humanity, but is offset by the humor and emotional connections between the characters.

The series does improve over time as Coben’s writing tightened up and developed, although the first couple of installments were a bit rocky. I’ve skipped around in the series over the years, picking the books I had access to or was able to find in the library or used book store, and while it’s not one of those series I have tripped all over myself trying to keep up with, it is actually a little addictive. Now that I’ve got my appetite whetted, I think I’ll try to work some of the titles I missed into my reading schedule before the new installment is released. Should be fun!

I do recommend this series, as it developed into a very solid and entertaining crime series.

3.5 stars

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining. Glad I started this series and I will definitely be reading more. I was fun trying to figure out the mystery along with the characters. And, the fact that it was hilarious helped a lot, too!

[Kemper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been aware of Harlan Coben’s series of crime/mystery novels starring a sports agent named Myron Bolitar for some time but never read one because I thought it’d be something like Jerry Maguire crossed with Murder She Wrote. I figured Myron would always be tripping over dead baseball players killed by pitching machines or discovering the bodies of basketball players hanging from rims.

What I should have realized sooner is that modern sports can offer a great backdrop for a gritty mystery. You’ve got an industry with huge amounts of money involved with famous personalities always getting caught up in gambling scandals, dog fighting, rape accusations, domestic violence, drug abuse, manslaughter and the occasional player shooting someone else or themselves so sports is the perfect environment to set a crime novel.

Myron was once a college basketball star with Duke (Boo Duke!) before a knee injury ruined his chances for a pro career. Myron went on to get a law degree from Harvard, worked as some kind of secret undercover agent for the FBI, and now has taken up being a sports agent. One assumes that he’ll also be a cowboy and an astronaut someday, too.

Christian Steele is Myron’s biggest client. A talented, clean cut quarterback who looks to be the next Aaron Rodgers, Steele is every agent’s dream. Myron is in the midst of negotiations with a tough and unscrupulous NFL owner over Christian’s first contract when the player gets a shocking piece of mail. Christian’s girlfriend, Kathy, had disappeared a year ago from their college campus and everyone assumes the worst. Christian receives a pornographic magazine with a nude photo of Kathy in a phone sex ad.

Fearing scandal or some kind of set up that will ruin Christian’s NFL chances, Myron begins checking into the ad and what happened to Kathy. Things are complicated because Myron’s ex-girlfriend, Jessica, was Kathy’s sister, and their father was recently murdered. If that isn’t enough, Myron has to deal with another sleazy agent and his gangster pal who are trying to strong arm one of his clients into leaving Myron for them.

Fortunately, like most heroes of a crime series, Myron has a bad ass friend he can count on for help. Windsor ‘Win’ Horne Lockwood III seems like the kind of preppy who would make Niles Crane look tough, but Win is Myron’s former FBI partner and a ruthless killer when need be. Plus, he uses his financial business to advise Myron’s clients so he can get your portfolio squared away in between ass kickings.

The whole premise for this is obviously far fetched, but Corben gets it grounded enough to make the story enjoyable. Myron is a likeable smart-ass with a wry sense of humor, and Win is hilarious. I also liked how Corben built up the idea that Myron’s skills as a lawyer and former detective are also valuable as a sports agent and vice versa. In one scene, Myron deals with a brutal negotiation with the NFL owner and in another he’s working out a deal with a vicious gangster. There’s precious little difference between the two.

This book also has a big time warp element since it was written in 1995. Like Michael Connelly’s The Poet, I found some of the things like car phones and print pornography to be almost quaint now. But the biggest laugh is that Corben named the team that Christian is going to play pro football for the Titans. I assumed this meant the Tennessee Titans, but then the story describes their facilities at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. It was only then that I realized that the Tennessee Titans were still the Houston Oilers in 1995, and that Corben had invented a fictional team at the time but later that name would be used for real. It was a tad confusing for a minute.

There’s a few too many coincidence for my taste, and I could have lived without the backstory between Myron and Jessica, but overall I still enjoyed this one. The sports stuff gives it a fresh angle, but you don’t have to be a big sports fan to enjoy it. Plus, I thought Win was a great addition to the ranks of bad ass friends in crime fiction like Hawk, Mick Ballou, Bubba Rogowski, Mouse, Joe Pike, etc. I’ll be revisiting Myron’s series again sometime soon.

[Paul O’Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic, my favourite Coben book yet!

Myron Bolitar is a great character. The writing has its own unique feel due to the tone of Bolitars constant sarcasm and wit. His back and forth with Win are also very well done.

I loved the pace of this, it was non stop and the chapter size really help you to fly through this.

I might look back and change my rating to five stars, it's a close one. I'll definitely be continuing the series!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read many books in the Myron Bolitar series but never read this first one until now.

Myron Bolitar was a basketball phenomenon in high school and college and an early draft pick for the NBA. Unfortunately he was severely injured in his first exhibition game and had to quit basketball. Instead Myron got a law degree and became a sports representative.



Now in his early thirties Myron represents a small stable of players, including football player Christian Steele - a star college quarterback who's just been drafted by the Titans.



Myron is a master of wisecracks and sarcastic remarks and is endlessly amusing to himself (and probably many readers). He reminds me of Robert B. Parker's 'Spenser' and Rex Stout's 'Archie' in the Nero Wolfe books.

In any case, Myron is having trouble negotiating Christian's contract because the thuggish owner of the Titans......



.....wanting to knock down the pay package, says Christian has a public relations problem. His beautiful girlfriend Kathy Culver disappeared 18 months ago and Christian was suspected of being involved.



And Kathy (or her body) has never been found.

Just before training camp begins Christian, in a highly agitated state, calls Myron. Someone has sent him the latest edition of 'Nips' Magazine, a soft-porn rag that contains ads for phone sex. Shockingly, one of the ads features a nude picture of Kathy. Moreover Christian received a phone call from someone who sounds like his missing girlfriend.

At about the same time Myron's drop-dead gorgeous ex-girlfriend Jessica Culver (Kathy's older sister) shows up.



Dr. Culver, her pathologist father, was just killed by a mugger and Jessica thinks this might be connected to Kathy's vanishing. Since Myron has known investigative skills, Jessica asks him to look into it.

So Myron investigates, with the help of his old college roommate Windsor Horne Lockwood III. Win is a rich, blonde, handsome, American aristocrat - but his dapper, dandyish appearance is misleading. Win is a sixth degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do, handy with guns, and perfectly happy to maim and kill his (or Myron's) enemies if necessary. In fact, Win is a sociopath (but a lovable one if he's on your side).



As Myron does the dual jobs of working out Christian's contract and looking into the 'Nips' and Kathy situation he comes across various thugs and shady characters as well as a college dean, a seductive married woman, a detective, Dr. Culver's best friend, a porn magazine publisher, a porn photographer, Kathy's mother, former college football players, and more. Most of the male characters are flat and blur together, so I had a problem remembering who was who. We do get to meet a regular in the series, Myron's assistant Esperanza - a Latin fireball who used to wrestle under the moniker 'Little Pocahontas'. Esperanza is always an entertaining senorita.



The first two-thirds or so of the book moves along pretty smoothly. Then, when Myron starts to figure out the truth about Kathy's disappearance, the story gets convoluted, confusing, and (frankly) not believable. Another irritant in the book is Myron's constant gushing about how beautiful his ex-girlfriend Jessica is. He mentions this on about every third or fourth page. At one point Jessica walks past an elegant society party and the jaws of ALL the men in the room drop as they turn to stare at her. (Come on!!! Really???)

It feels like, in this first book, Harlen Coben hasn't found his 'Myron Bolitar' legs yet. The book reminds me of the pilot episode of a TV series that starts out shaky but gets better later on. Overall I'd mildly recommend this book to mystery fans - not for the story but for a first meeting with characters that might just become favorites over time.



You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Virginie Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally started the Myron Bolitar series!

This first book was... okay. The mystery wasn't amazing and I'm not sure I like the characters. I own a couple of books of the series so I'm still gonna read them eventually.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to read a lot of mystery thrillers way back before goodreads days so I'd forgotten how much fun they can be. But I don't ever remember them having as much cheeky humour in them. I liked Myron (despite the tragic name). He added a lot of witty sarcasm and kept this from being a humdrum story. It left me definitely wanting more!

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've finally started the Myron Bolitar series 🥳  and I loved the first book as expected. Harlan Coben never disappoints in creating memorable characters with great sense of humour and the right amount of sarcasm, and complex mystery that nicely comes together at the end.

I'm looking forward to the next Myron's adventure!

[Juju · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay. Maybe I'm crazy. Or maybe Mr. Coben is a man writing a crime book for men and thinks this means "go ahead and be misogynistic". It's not like he was outright disrespectful toward women? But I cannot deal with the fact that every single woman in the cast is (supposed to be) super sexy (and I mean EVERY SINGLE ONE, including the kindly middle-aged motherly secretary and some old guy's wife. I cannot say how much I disliked having to read two pages of the idiot mc thirsting for a 50 year old MARRIED woman.) and that's their only character trait! Nothing else. Also there is ONE woman who is a semi-important character (again, supposed to be) and all she can do is have enormous boobs and have a "feeling" that there's something going on (no shit!). Maybe I shouldn't have picked a crime mystery where the crime is "some poor sorority girl got raped (they found incriminating red panties - jesus christ I feel gross even saying I read this) and disappeared, but we found her picture in a corner of a porn magazine so she must be alive! I don't actually care about her tho I just want to bang her sister." And last thing - my guy Mr. Bolitar is NOT FUNNY. HE'S NOT. Why is he literally the most stereotypical "I wish I were him" male? I mean like, he's what men are stereotypically supposed to want; he was an ex-basketball star legend thingy (who had to stop not because of incompetence or age or foul play, he's just heroically injured) turned sports agent that everybody loves slash detective who's more competent than the police for no apparent reason. He's not that smart, he's just doing what anyone would do in his place. Also why is his best friend like a swiss army knife level convenient character? The guy is super smart (supposedly - I never see it), super rich, super handsome, a black belt in tae kwan do or whatever (and so's the MC let's not forget that detail), and simultaneously a thug that goes to intimidate MC's enemies for him. If there was any chance the book would get better in the second half, sorry but it was not worth it to keep trying. Wow this review is longer than I thought, but screw this book in particular.

[Stephanie ~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good! I enjoyed this first Myron Bolitar mystery by Coben enough to pick up the next, and that's saying something.

Myron Bolitar is a sports agent on the verge of breaking into the big leagues. He is representing a rookie quarterback, Christian Steele. One night Christian gets a mysterious phone call from his ex-fiance, who is believed to be dead. Then pictures of her surface in a raunchy magazine for a phone sex line, and thus begins a wild goose chase. Is Christian's fiance alive, and what kind of a world has she been sucked into?

This book had everything: murder, mystery, gambling, prostitution, mafia, sports politics, dirty cops, and then some. The only reason this was a four star read for me is due to the fact that I needed a mental Rolodex to keep all the characters straight in my mind. It got a bit overwhelming to keep up with at times, but just when I thought I was losing my footing, the author brought in plenty of prompts for me to place each character soundly again.

Not rocket science, this is light reading, but fun and challenging to figure out. Pretty pleased, all in all.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comment on one of my progress reviews from one of my friends sums up this book nicely "I love Myron!". An easy to like protagonist who is a sportsagent, a good guy with a background of working with the FBI and with a legal background. He had ethics! I didn't enjoy this one as much as Six Hours, but still an enjoyable read.

I like this authors style of writing, bits of serious stuff, but never losing the 'cool', or maybe this was just Myron?! I found it funny reading about the young and talented sports stars here, as I unexpectedly ended up seeing first grade Sydney baseball teams playing for an afternoon during my reading of this book. Made it seem a bit more real, it was good for my reading experience.

It had a touch of romance, but not too much, it was a good mix. This is a book to read if you're on the prowl for a mystery with a clever and honest good guy who is the king of one liners. You always feel like you're in safe hands somehow. I'm on the lookout for more of Harlan Corben's books.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only recently read my first Harlan Coben book and liked it so I decided to go back and start at the beginning. This is #1 in the Myron Bolitar series and despite his odd name Myron is a very likeable character. I really enjoyed his cynical banter with his off sider Win. And Win himself is a fascinating character, always calm,, cool and collected even when doing what he does best which is beating up the bad guys! The story was fast and intriguing and I absolutely did not suspect the eventual killer at all! All in all an excellent book and it will not be long before I pick up the next in the series.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a year on my bookshelf, I decided it was time to dust off the debut novel of the 31 part Myron Bolitar series…

Quick summary: Myron Bolitar is a sports agent. He is the key investigator of this novel. When Myron’s prized client, Christian, gets a phone call from a former girlfriend, a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead, everything begins to unfold. Myron tries to unravel the truth about a family's tragedy.

3.5 🌟

🌟🌟🌟💫

This book was definitely one of two halves. I found the first half of the book challenging to get through. I found it hard to keep up with what was going on between all the new characters and it seemed like hard work rather than enjoyable reading. However, the second half much easier to follow and I began to get much more invested in the mystery; It started to become clear as to which direction Coben was going with this story.

I know this is a Myron book but, to be honest, my favourite parts of the book involved Jessica’s character. I loved the balance between mystery and personal life; again, this balance was better throughout the second half. And while Myron is a sports agent, the whole sports side of the story, and the characters involved in such, went over my head.

Overall, I did enjoy it to some extent. The second half made for a great page-turning mystery. However, it lacked that real sense of engagement and total captivation that all great thriller have. It all just felt a bit too safe and lacked urgency. And, while I liked some of the characters, I felt that there were far too many; many of which proved unnecessary to the story. I can’t say that I will be rushing to read the next in the Myron series; I think I prefer Coben’s other novels more…

Do you have a favourite Harlan Coben novel?? 📚👇🏼💜

[Kristi Siegel · Rating 1 out of 5]

We all classify and judge; every review written here is a form of classification. Binaries are bit more emphatic. You're in or you're out; you're good or you're bad. I enjoy David's binaries, though some were not included in the chart to keep the peace :). David's binaries came to mind when I thought of the 15 BOOKS I read by Harlan Coben during my book wallow. And by the way, this review provides considerable bang for the buck, as it treats 15 books in one review.

The six stand-alone books can summarized pretty easily: someone is missing. These are the six I read:

1. Caught
2. Darkest Fear
3. Hold Tight
4. The Innocent
5. No Second Chance
6. The Woods

However, the 9 books that comprise the Myron Bolitar series prompted a binary of my own: Mysteries solved by deduction vs. Mysteries solved or "settled" by characters possessing unbelievable physical or intellectual powers. In the tradition of binaries, the qualities on the left are superior. Thus, mysteries solved by hard work/sound deduction tend to be considerably more interesting. The Sherlock Holmes mysteries would fall in this category. Just why mysteries solved by sound deduction would be superior seems evident. Extraordinary powers are a bit of cop out.

Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander, a mathematical/computer genius with a photographic memory and the ability to annihilate anyone in her path easily qualifies as a character possessing unbelievable intellectual and physical powers. In the Myron Bolitar series, Winston Home Lockwood III, otherwise known as "Win," does the heavy lifting. I've never been able to picture this character - given the contrast of his ostensibly weak appearance and his supposed chick magnet good looks. Though bullied as a boy, Win used his vast wealth to study various martial arts since the age of seven, and is now a sixth-degree black belt. He's described as the "quintessential WASP" whose appearance reeks of "arrogance, elitism, Town and Country Parties Page, debutantes", etc. Like Lisbeth Salander, Win's appearance belies his lethal powers and quickness. Due to his wealth and connections, Win can also acquire information in seconds and manages, at any hint of danger, to be at Myron's side almost instantaneously. Having help like Win around does seem to stack the deck.

Chronologically, the 9 books in Myron Bolitar series are as follows:

1. Deal Breaker
2. Drop Shot
3. Fade Away
4. Backspin
5. One False Move
6. The Final Detail
7. The Darkest Fear
8. Promise Me
9. Long Lost

With the exception of one book, where things do go awry, there's not much suspense in this series, because we know Myron - enhanced by Win and a couple more superpowers in his office - is going to succeed. Coben maintains what interest is maintained in this series by his quirky characters. There's Win who, in addition to being handsome, wealthy, and physically unbeatable, tends to go out nocturnal trips to exterminate (literally) some bad guys when things get too tedious at the office.

Myron Bolitar, who had been drafted in the Celtics' first round, only to blow out a knee in a preseason game, has a medley of quirks. He lived with his parents (in a basement room) until his early thirties, not because he had to, but because he liked their company. After losing his chance to play pro basketball, Myron went to Harvard Law, worked as an FBI agent for a while and used his degree to become a sports agent. He drinks Yoo-Hoo's and has the bad habit of boinking more than one of the female leads at a time.

His two office assistants are former women wrestlers, and well, you get the idea. There is a stock of likable characters, each with a shtick, who get trotted out in each book. Coben's books are mild entertainment.

Though Stieg Larsson's trilogy is considerably better, too often problems are solved and bad guys are neutered by sensational means. Centuries earlier, Aristotle, in describing the essentials of a good plot, explained how an audience can be surprised but, in looking back will see that the events emerged logically. "Super" characters function a bit like the Deus ex machina device used incorrectly. They mete out justice artificially. The plot gets wrapped up, rather than unfolding - intelligently and logically.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t exactly resisted reading Harlan Coben before, but I somehow didn’t think a mystery series about a sports agent could be that riveting. I mean, I like teams of sweaty men in skimpy uniforms as much as the next girl, but a sports agent just sounded smarmy and, well, kind of dull. Man, was I wrong. Myron Bolitar is smart and funny and tough and big-hearted, and who doesn’t like those qualities in a man? He’s a former FBI agent, too. Coban writes pretty good women, although, of course, they’re all gorgeous and sexy and you get the idea. Myron’s pro-wrestler-turned-night-school-law-student secretary Esperanza is particularly memorable.
I listened to DEAL BREAKER in snippets walking around the lake each morning, and it’s absorbing even read with the ear. Rookie quarterback Christian Steele is about to launch Myron’s career into the big time. But a photo of Steele’s girlfriend Cathy, who disappeared two years before, shows up in a porn magazine. Is Cathy still alive? Who placed the ad and what are they after? And what will her sudden reappearance do to Steele’s career—and Myron’s?
Coben is the master of the bon mot, the wizard of the wisecrack. I laughed out loud in DEAL BREAKER so many times that I lost count. His descriptions are dead on—a jock’s dorm room floor is “carpeted in underwear.” And he does a hell of a job of interweaving story lines and revealing just enough of the mystery and backstory when necessary to keep you turning the pages. Of course, there is a lot of pretty ripe cussing from drug dealers and other lowlifes, so if that offends you, be prepared. Maybe you can skip those parts and still enjoy the ride. I think it’s worth it.

[Kon R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually read two books in a row of the same genre, but it happened. I just finished a Cormoran Strike novel and dove right into this. That book felt like a grueling marathon that you were happy to be able to complete. This felt like an exciting sprint to the finish line that was over before I realized it started.

Myron Bolitar is an ex sports star and ex FBI. Now he is a sports agent, who also plays detective. He has a trigger-happy social justice warrior sidekick named Win. Yeah, it's a lot to grasp, but it works and I think it works well.

I enjoyed the trip down memory lane into the 90s. The time before the internet and cell phones. The time of porno magazines and sex phone lines. Myron is investigating a missing girl who used to date his biggest client after a nude photo of her turns up in a smut publication. What happened to her? Did she die or is she in hiding?

I enjoyed the ride but found the ending a bit sloppy. I'll definitely continue the series.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The book that introduces Myron Bolitar. An outstanding basketball player with Duke when they won two NCAA national championships and whose NBA career ended in his rookie year after an injury. He went to law school, spent a brief time with the FBI, and is now a sports agent. Myron also has never forgiven his parents for his name. Myron? Why would anyone name their son Myron?

When it comes to sports agents Myron is small time. Small client list and names you probably don't recognize. But that changes when he signs quarterback Christian Steele, the number one NFL draft pick. Christian is a good kid who overcame a lot of obstacles in his young life. One of those tragedies was the disappearance of his girlfriend, Kathy Culver, a year and a half ago and is presumed dead. Myron is in the midst of negotiating Christian's first NFL contact when he gets a panicked call from Christian. Someone has sent him a pornographic magazine, and in the magazine is a picture of Kathy Culver. The photo raises several questions. Is Kathy alive? If so why hasn't she contacted her family? Or Christian? Someone sent the magazine to Christian. Why? Why now? Kathy was the younger sister of Myron's former girlfriend, Jessica Culver, and Jessica has suddenly reappeared in Myron's life. Coincidence?

Myron's best friend and former college roommate is Windsor ("Win") Horne Lockwood III. Win is rich and from a well connected family. He is a sixth-degree black belt, good with a gun, always calm and collected, maybe nuts, definitely dangerous, a good friend to have. You don't want to be on Win's bad side.

For the sake of both Christian and Jessica, Myron decides to investigate what happened to Kathy Culver. He is assisted by Win and his secretary, Esperanza, who used to wrestle under the name "Little Pocahontas". The result is an engrossing story with humorous moments and dialogue.

“‘I laugh in the face of death,’ Myron replied. ‘Well, maybe not laugh. More like a snicker. A quiet snicker.’
‘Jesus, you’re a lunatic.’
‘And I wouldn’t do it directly in death’s face. So it’s more like a quiet snicker behind his back.’”

This is the first book in the series and it feels like it. I will be interested in reading other books in the series to see how the characters develop.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a typical contemporary detective story full of clichés. The author's over done street smart rhetoric is repetitious to the point of slowing down the story where practically all the characters are given a similar dialog style (that of adolescent boys) making them boring, flat and predictable. This includes the one-dimensional Myron who's sarcasm starts out humorous but quickly becomes contrived and tedious. None of the characters are appealing or realistic so the reader doesn't care what happens to any of them. Myron supposedly worked for the FBI and as a lawyer, but because it appears he's only in his early 30's, he couldn't have spent more than a few months at either or with much responsibility. However, the reader is supposed to accept he's a crack investigator who has been around the block more than a few times? How he affords an exclusive office space in downtown Manhattan isn't explained. I became bored with the continuous commentary of how good looking his girlfriend is (to what purpose exactly?). The plot itself is a good one and I did want to know how things turned out. But I prefer well rounded characters and some interesting background so I can invest in the story. That opportunity was missed here despite the dealings of a sports agent scenario which I presume is potentially full of interesting controversies and politics, but that is not exploited here. I don't know any more about the NFL world than before I read this, which isn't much. Reviewers seem to like the subsequent books of this series so maybe things improve, but I'm not inclined to seek them out based on this story.

[Deb✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read, because Coben always keeps you guessing with his plot twists and turns. I always enjoy his well known humor and sarcasm that he intertwines at the perfect moments. This was the first book in a series, and I look forward to the next one.

[Bianca thinksGRsucksnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard of Harlan Coben three years ago. A very young work colleague was reading one of his books. I don't know about you, but when I see people reading a book, I must find out what book they're reading. Anyway, long story short, this young dude said that the only books he's read and will ever read are Harlan Coben's novels. I asked, what happens if the author dies? He said he'd stop reading. I kid you not! So, since I didn't think very highly of that dude, I thought Harlan Coben must be a crap writer. Yep, I'm judgemental like that. Mea culpa.

Anyway, a lovely GR friend, (Hi Suzanne!) was raving about this author, so I thought I'd give it a try, hoping for a page-turner, that wasn't gory (I can't take extreme violence and/or gore).

And I'll confess that I quite enjoyed this first novel in the Myron Bolitar series.

Myron, despite his silly name, which, by the way, he hates himself, is drool worthy: handsome, tall, smart, educated, funny as hell and kind - perfect, as far as I'm concerned. The things I liked the most were his self-deprecating comments and his one liners.

His sidekick, Win, is strange but intriguing. He's kind of violent and enjoys causing bodily harm.

The suspense/thriller bits were well done and I couldn't find any obvious plot holes.

The only thing that somewhat detracted from complete enjoyment was the fact that it felt a bit dated, but that's because I'm reading this 20 years too late. ;-)

Anyway, now that the Harlan Coben cherry was popped, I'll be back for more. :-) Besides, I've got the whole series to finish.

BTW, I couldn't help but think that this book/series would make for a great TV series. Does anyone know if it's been adapted into a TV series, or maybe a movie? I guess I should google it.

[itsdanixx · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

So I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I’ve enjoyed his stand-alones’ in the past, but I thought this was a promising start to the series. The cast of characters- Myron, Win, Esperanza, Jessica - is an interesting and unique bunch, and they’re all likeable enough. There are a few things I’m a little confused about but as it’s a series I suppose all will become clear in time.

I do feel kinda sorry for anyone actually named “Myron”, though - your name gets shredded in this book.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben is the 1st book in the Myron Bolitar series. Sports agent Myron Bolitar becomes involved in the investigation of the disappearance of Kathy Culver, previous girlfriend of his client Christian Steele, when he receives a porn magazine featuring a photo of Kathy. I loved this book. I enjoyed getting to know Myron and his back story and I loved Win, who is always cool, calm and collected and always on hand when needed. An interesting mystery, some romance, witty and a pleasure to read.

[Todd Huish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything I want in a good book. It was a fun easy read but not total cotton candy trash. It's the first book in the series but feels like I've picked one up in the middle only because the characters feel so developed. Harlan hints at all this backstory which I think (I hope) will be revealed in future novels but he doesn't muddy up the water with a lot of exposition. A sentence here or there and then he just moves on. I -love- it when an author doesn't feel like they have to explain every single thing to you. I picked it up yesterday morning and didn't do anything until I finished reading it a few hours later. I'm going to have to be careful about not even buying these books until I have time to read them. There's not way I can be productive and have one of these, unread, in my house.