27 books
—
186 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Back Spin (Myron Bolitar, #4)” as Want to Read:
Back Spin
(Myron Bolitar #4)
by
Kidnappers have snatched the teenage son of super-star golfer Linda Coldren and her husband, Jack, an aging pro, at the height of the U.S. Open. To help get the boy back, sports agent Myron Bolitar goes charging after clues and suspects from the Main Line mansions to a downtown cheaters' motel--and back in time to a U.S. Open twenty-three years ago, when Jack Coldren shoul
...more
Mass Market Paperback, 358 pages
Published
July 7th 1997
by Dell Publishing Company
(first published 1997)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Back Spin,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Back Spin
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Mar 20, 2015
Suzanne
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
library-at-the-hub,
hardcover
Myron didn't quite do it for me this time round, folks. I do love his writing, and the dead pan comments. A one liner that says it all 'One man's opinion.' Suave, I think? He just says it how it is, doesn't he. I liked another little conversation he had with a messy teen, a girl that was headed for trouble. She comments on wanting to look as good as Esperenza and he tells her she should aspire to be like her. I liked that. I didn't love the golf setting, and we hear that HC doesn't love it eithe
...more

Another quality Myron Bolitar mystery! Twisty and turny throughout. Lots of humor, suspense, and snarky dialogue. It always amazes me how a sport agent can keep getting involved in these crazy scenarios (the suspension of disbelief is strong here) - but, as unbelievable as it would seem, Coben always keeps it fresh and interesting.
Golf is the sport of focus in this one, and Coben has himself an Eagle (if not a hole-in-one)!
Golf is the sport of focus in this one, and Coben has himself an Eagle (if not a hole-in-one)!

My very first Harlen Coben book and I enjoyed it very much. It appears I have started at number four in a series but that did not seem to matter as the story was stand alone. I liked the main character very much and smiled often at his attempts at humour. This particular book was not the most exciting mystery I have read but is was okay and I am keen to read more of this author's work. I know it comes highly recommended by many people whose opinions I trust:)

For those who say that the Myron Bolitar series gets better and better by each book, I agree a hundred percent. Back Spin NAILED IT!!
About halfway through the book we learn more about Win's past and childhood which I thought was interesting, and it explains his dark, warped sense of humor, why he's very protective of Myron and is extremely violent to those he believes is a threat.
Funny thing is one of the subplots of this story involves Golf, and I hate Golf, hate it with a passion, (no offense ...more
About halfway through the book we learn more about Win's past and childhood which I thought was interesting, and it explains his dark, warped sense of humor, why he's very protective of Myron and is extremely violent to those he believes is a threat.
Funny thing is one of the subplots of this story involves Golf, and I hate Golf, hate it with a passion, (no offense ...more

Published way back in 1997, if Back Spin was read today by someone born in that decade, that person might not understand some of Myron Bolitar's wit or his references to TV shows popular back then. The material is definitely dated, but I didn't mind too much because I'm dated too!
The kidnapping case Myron is asked to work on took one turn after another, eventually solved by none other, but not until every character in the book was looked at as suspects. Then throw a murder, revenge, and a va ...more
The kidnapping case Myron is asked to work on took one turn after another, eventually solved by none other, but not until every character in the book was looked at as suspects. Then throw a murder, revenge, and a va ...more

Mar 04, 2013
João Carlos
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
thriller-policial-suspense,
harlan-coben

“Merion Golf Club”
Sou um admirador confesso do escritor de policiais Harlan Coben (n. 1962) e adoro golfe.
Com o título original “Back Spin” - significa “o efeito que a bola ganha no contacto com a face do taco de golfe; um movimento de rotação contrária da bola que se imprime na pancada e que a faz rolar para trás quando aterra no solo” - surge-nos o "detective/agente desportivo" Myron Bolitar que é "contratado" para investigar o desaparecimento/rapto de Chad Coldren, filho do casal de golfista ...more

I love all Harlen Coben novels!!! This one was no exception! Fast paced, all the familiar characters you love, and lots of drama, and twist and turns. This is a 1997 copyright, with a 2007 re- issue. There was some dated lingo, like with the girls at the mall, a reference to windows 95, and use of the entire word- cellular. No texting etc. For some reason this book must have fallen through the cracks for me because I thought I had read all of his novels, but I have no memory of having read this
...more

her zamanki gibi süperdi,Coben'in en sevdiğim serisi zaten :) Sherlock-Watson sevenler kesinlikle bayılacaklar Myrion-Win ikilisine.Myrion'un kafa sesleri çok eğlendiriyor beni :D Martı sırayla yayınlasaydı iyiydi ama olsun,böylesi de zevkli :D
Kitapta beni üzen tek şey Jess-Myrion ilişkisinin gidişatıydı,lanet olsun :(
Kitapta beni üzen tek şey Jess-Myrion ilişkisinin gidişatıydı,lanet olsun :(

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

I think Harlan Coben should stick with the more serious side of murder mystery and leave the crazy/witty/caper type to authors more along the line of Janet Evanovitch. While I appreciated the effort at wit and candor in this one , and he did manage to evoke a few reluctant chortles from me, I like it better when he's less goofy and more, well, brilliant. Plus- and I should have known this- but a mystery about GOLFERS?! The biggest mystery surrounding golf is why anyone would play it... I have tw
...more

Two-haiku review:
Golfers' son kidnapped
No cops, but Myron will help
Is it real or staged?
Lots of theories
All wrapped up neatly at end
Very good mystery
Golfers' son kidnapped
No cops, but Myron will help
Is it real or staged?
Lots of theories
All wrapped up neatly at end
Very good mystery

The Myron Bolitar novels are not only full of clever plot twists and mysterious secrets (usually from someone's deep dark past).. BUT what makes them great?
Is it the YooHoo slurping, wise-cracking sports agent\detective that we've come to know and love?
Is it the complex relationships between Myron and those who work around or with him?
Is it Myron's partner, a cold-hearted billionaire vigilante styled in the image of Bruce Wayne (Batman without a cape or a mask)?
Is it the wonderful references to ...more
Is it the YooHoo slurping, wise-cracking sports agent\detective that we've come to know and love?
Is it the complex relationships between Myron and those who work around or with him?
Is it Myron's partner, a cold-hearted billionaire vigilante styled in the image of Bruce Wayne (Batman without a cape or a mask)?
Is it the wonderful references to ...more

In the third Myron Bolitar mystery, golf is the name of the game. A former friend (and relative through marriage) of Win's is in contention for the U.S. Open. Twenty some years earlier, he was in the same position and choked. And just when it looks like he's a shoe-in for this Open, his son is kidnapped.
This novel focuses a lot on the dynamics of family again. Win's mother is dying and Win has not spoken to her in years. He refuses to have anything to do with the missing boy case because it inv ...more
This novel focuses a lot on the dynamics of family again. Win's mother is dying and Win has not spoken to her in years. He refuses to have anything to do with the missing boy case because it inv ...more

The 4th book in the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. I am a big fan of Harlan Coben and this series in particular and enjoy his fast paced novels that have more than a touch of humour. This book was no exception and was a delight to read. He brings the characters to life and I have pictures of them in my head while I am reading the novels. Great plots and so well paced.

Back Spin is the fourth novel in Mr. Coben's series of the cocky crime solver and sports agent, Myron Bolitar. Back Spin features the usual cast of Myron Bolitar, the explosive Windsor Lockwood Home III and the trite Esperanza.
What’s unique about this installment is that you won’t get to see Win getting involved at all (by choice) while the plot IS all about Win. You will miss the Windsor Lockwood III “explosions” in this book for sure though he is there in the story. With every installment, the ...more
What’s unique about this installment is that you won’t get to see Win getting involved at all (by choice) while the plot IS all about Win. You will miss the Windsor Lockwood III “explosions” in this book for sure though he is there in the story. With every installment, the ...more

Not my favourite Myron Bolitar novel. Myron and Win weren't working together on the case, so I think to me it lost a bit of that magic.
Myron is at the US Open, hoping to score some clients. However, golf isn't his favourite past time. One of the leaders of the tournament has had their son kidnapped and is hoping that Myron can get his son back without letting the police know.
I felt that the novel didn't get really good until the last 50 pages or so. Up until that point, there was a lot of Myro ...more
Myron is at the US Open, hoping to score some clients. However, golf isn't his favourite past time. One of the leaders of the tournament has had their son kidnapped and is hoping that Myron can get his son back without letting the police know.
I felt that the novel didn't get really good until the last 50 pages or so. Up until that point, there was a lot of Myro ...more

No hubo muertos regados por el camino, pero me mantuvo enganchada de principio a fin. Lo que más me gusta de las historias de Coben es que por más teorías que me monte sobre quién puede ser el malo, siempre me sorprende. En esta historia se nos presenta algo sobre el pasado de Win, unos de mis personajes favoritos. A por el #5.

A slightly better book than The Final Detail, the one I reviewed previous to this, Back Spin is about a golfing family--man, woman and child--that is torn by the kidnapping of said child. There's a large cast of supporting characters for a book of this genre, and by the end all of them figure into the crime in one way or another. There's nary a red herring in the whole thing.
There's nary a Win, either, which is a first for me in this series. Granted, I'm only three books in, but it seems that Bo ...more
There's nary a Win, either, which is a first for me in this series. Granted, I'm only three books in, but it seems that Bo ...more

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is approached by the father of super-star golfer Linda Coldren when her son is kidnapped. Her husband, Jack, an aging pro, is in the middle of a comeback in the golf U. S. Open. Myron agrees to help them and, as usual, gets embroiled in the middle of a plethera of suspects, lies and twists.
There were any number of suspects that could have been involved in this case and after awhile, I just stopped trying to guess and sat back and enjoyed the story. One of the highlight ...more
There were any number of suspects that could have been involved in this case and after awhile, I just stopped trying to guess and sat back and enjoyed the story. One of the highlight ...more

Very different from his thriller novels, the Myron Bolitar series is excellent. Myron is a sports rep who doubles as a detective, usually having to drag one of clients out of trouble In this case, Myron investigates the kidnapping of Chad Jack (the “Choker”) and Linda Coldran’s son. Jack is famous for having lost a US open in the last few rounds when he had it otherwise sewn up.
There are some very funny lines about golf and the seemingly idiotic behavior of golfers and their fans. Here “he was w ...more
There are some very funny lines about golf and the seemingly idiotic behavior of golfers and their fans. Here “he was w ...more

Not the best Myron Bolitar book - they just aren't the same without Win going psycho - but you're always in for a good time with Coben and Bolitar.
For those who don't know the series, this is number four of ten (Sounds like a Borg designation...). Myron Bolitar is a retired-by-injury athlete who turned into a sports agent. He also does some private investigating on the side with his kick-ass psycho friend Win. Myron wisecracks his way through danger and trouble like a classic 1940s hardboiled de ...more
For those who don't know the series, this is number four of ten (Sounds like a Borg designation...). Myron Bolitar is a retired-by-injury athlete who turned into a sports agent. He also does some private investigating on the side with his kick-ass psycho friend Win. Myron wisecracks his way through danger and trouble like a classic 1940s hardboiled de ...more

Not a bad plot and fairly good character development, but I just couldn't get past all the dated references. The thought of a golfer being paid for the logo on his hat as novel? When was this written, 1970? An Internet search description that might be informative for anyone older than 70. And dialogue attributed to teenage girls that is so over the top it makes you cringe. Sorry, but too many distractions to give this more than two stars.

Hm, bây giờ mình mới để ý, phần Acknowledgments nguyên văn thế này:
Xin lỗi chứ, cháu thay mặt Win và Esperanza khinh bỉ hai người :))
Vẫn như mọi khi, 3 sao cho quyển sách, 1 sao cho Win và 0.5 sao cho tác giả :))
[Tên những người Harlan Coben đã tìm đến để tham khảo] Như mọi khi, những lỗi sai trong thực tế hay gì đi chăng nữa đều thuộc về bọn họ. Đừng đổ lỗi cho tác giả. Myron và tôi đã cố hết sức rồi.
Xin lỗi chứ, cháu thay mặt Win và Esperanza khinh bỉ hai người :))
Vẫn như mọi khi, 3 sao cho quyển sách, 1 sao cho Win và 0.5 sao cho tác giả :))

God, I love these books!
You're probably wonder why I gave such a positive review, and then still only rated it three stars. Well, because I've read better books, and loved other books more.
But these are just perfect in the sense that you don't have to exert too much brain-activity when you read them but they are still intricate and interesting. And funny. Hilariously funny.
I read this in swedish, and the translation is impeccable, but I still believe they are even funnier in english, which is ...more
You're probably wonder why I gave such a positive review, and then still only rated it three stars. Well, because I've read better books, and loved other books more.
But these are just perfect in the sense that you don't have to exert too much brain-activity when you read them but they are still intricate and interesting. And funny. Hilariously funny.
I read this in swedish, and the translation is impeccable, but I still believe they are even funnier in english, which is ...more

A quick read on an unplanned road trip. I do enjoy the character dynamics and unique series storyline: basically a former athlete turned sports agent who moonlights as a faux criminal investigator.
Personally I don’t know why I continue to read whodunnits when I can never remember the boatload of characters (a.k.a. suspects) available. It’s the old Agatha Christie formula necessary for a game of Clue. Luckily, with this being an audiobook, the narrators voices and inflections helped greatly here ...more
Personally I don’t know why I continue to read whodunnits when I can never remember the boatload of characters (a.k.a. suspects) available. It’s the old Agatha Christie formula necessary for a game of Clue. Luckily, with this being an audiobook, the narrators voices and inflections helped greatly here ...more

Normally, I make it a rule not to read two books by the same author back-to-back. Prior to reading this installment (#4) in the Myron Bolitar series, I'd read #5. Even though the novels in the Bolitar series stand alone, this novel filled in some of Myron/Win/Esperanza personal background details. As for the 'main' story, I got to the end and thought, "Huh? What? Really? Dude, I don't get it." I followed the threads; but taken as a whole, it was convoluted. I was starting to feel like I had some
...more

Bizarre, entertaining, and very enjoyable. This time Myron has to solve this one without assistance from his friend, Win. Mr. Coben takes you through many intricate scenarios before bringing the story into focus and all the while keeping the reader's attention and wondering who did it.
This story deals with kidnapping, secrets, dysfunctional family members and the mob. It's a fine line the author balances on; humor/murder & satire/drama, and he does a good job in description, characters, loc ...more
This story deals with kidnapping, secrets, dysfunctional family members and the mob. It's a fine line the author balances on; humor/murder & satire/drama, and he does a good job in description, characters, loc ...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
With over 60 million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben’s last seven consecutive novels, MISSING YOU, SIX YEARS, STAY CLOSE, LIVE WIRE, CAUGHT, LONG LOST and HOLD TIGHT all debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and lists around the world. His books are published in 43 languages around the globe.
Coben is the winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award – the first aut ...more
Coben is the winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award – the first aut ...more
Other books in the series
Myron Bolitar
(1 - 10 of 11 books)
18 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“Myron, Win, and Esperanza lay sprawled on separate couches like Dalí clocks.”
—
2 likes
“The reason why there are so many police officers surrounding this house is because they want to make sure that we do not remove anything before a search warrant is issued. They have made it crystal clear that they want no Kardashians on this one.” Kardashian. As in O.J. The man had changed law lexicon forever.”
—
1 likes
More quotes…