April 2020 Random Read Group Read I: Caught by Harlen Coben

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Literary Adrenaline Junkie]

Caught is our April group read. Join in as we read and discuss!

[Agnieszka]

I'll be reading the German edition since my libraries don't offer overdrive. I'm waiting on my audiobook for another week and hope I'll be able to finish it but won't force it this time if it's too intense for me.

[Jim]

I read this about 1.5 years ago & don't remember it well. It was the first book by Coben that I liked & made me want to read more of his stuff. The first book he published was pretty awful, IIRC. I plan to reread this.

[Lisa P, My weekend is all booked up!]

I have read a couple of Coben books in the past and have really enjoyed them...looking forward to this one!

[Lisa P, My weekend is all booked up!]

I am about 30% in right now...any thoughts on whether Dan is guilty or not?

[Agnieszka]

Lisa P wrote: "I am about 30% in right now...any thoughts on whether Dan is guilty or not?"

I reached 34% today and understand your question now. The question of Dan's guilt never crossed my mind not even in light of discovery you're most likely refering to I'm buying it. I'm still convinced he was framed. In my opinion the possible pedofile is rather (view spoiler)[Ed Grayson, the former marshal, he was way too forceful seeking to kill Dan and with his law enforcement background would've been easy to frame him. (hide spoiler)]
I'm still trying to figure out Hester's role (and I really don't like her - didn't from the very beginning). They discussion sounded way too planned and prepared for that moment.

I'm curious about Dan's background and what happened to him at College to change him so much, as well as Phil's role it it.

[Jim]

I started rereading this today. I don't remember much so far.

[Lisa P, My weekend is all booked up!]

Agnieszka wrote: "Lisa P wrote: "I am about 30% in right now...any thoughts on whether Dan is guilty or not?"

I reached 34% today and understand your question now. The question of Dan's guilt never crossed my mind ..."

That's really what I meant: Do you think Dan did it or do you think he was framed. I'm with you in that I think he was framed...but then maybe that's what the author wants us to think at this point in the story...things could still change!

[Lisa P, My weekend is all booked up!]

Jim wrote: "I started rereading this today. I don't remember much so far."

Welcome to the read Jim!

[Jim]

The main theme of trial by public opinion is superbly done. I hate to see public postings of arrests since it assumes guilt before trial. In the case of child molestation, it is especially damaging. All it takes is a false accusation to completely ruin a person. I was appalled the show To Catch A Predator since it smacks of entrapment that is all too easily spoofed. That the show was so popular just proves a decadence in our society, a craving for blood & circuses.

After reading some books on our brain bugs, I won't watch 'documentaries' any more. It's amazing how easily opinions are swayed in film. There are all sorts of tricks of perspective, showing clips out of order, & other things that can fool me into believing almost any nonsense. I'm dead certain & often don't see the gaping holes or even think about 'the rest of the story'. In print, I'm much more likely to catch such slight of hand.

[Jim]

Child molestation is an especially catching theme since it's such a hot button topic now. That's changed over time. Robert A. Heinlein's books often allude to girls that are 'husband high', dismissing age & relying more on physical attributes for determining the age of sexual maturity. It was a common idea.

Back in the 60s, it wasn't such a big thing for an older man to have a teeny bopper mistress. I knew a well respected, 50+ year old race horse trainer who was bopping a 13 year old. While most thought it somewhat disgusting, no one said a thing about it, including the girl's parents. About the same time, Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones bass player) was doing the same. Polanski was a bit late to the party in the late 70s & got hunted out of the country, though.

Sexual mores are definitely a moving target. A really good book on the subject is Napolean's Privates. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jim]

The phone call to Win was neat. Last time I read this book, I didn't catch its significance. Win is an integral part of Coben's Myron Bolitar series that begins with Deal Breaker. Myron is an ex-jock sports agent who keeps winding up playing detective with Win as his left hand man. Win is somewhat overdone, but excellent.

[Jim]

I finished it. This was an excellent read again, although I kind of knew what was coming. The first time was better, but this time I could appreciate the foreshadowing & clues better. I've also read most of the Myron Bolivar series, so I appreciated Win more.

[Agnieszka]

First sorry for the style of this this post but I didn't want to wait longer to write down my thougts. Unfortunatelly I'm dealing with another bougt of depression for a few weeks now and struggle to concentrate and express my thought.

I finished this book on Tuesday and loved it's writting style. Since it was book of the month in this group I expected more action and was very dissapointed it was 'just a normal thriller' heavy on drama and low on action. The beginning was a little too slow and convoluted for my taste and I'm not sure I'd finished it were it not an audio I listened to while doing other things - especially since I struggled with most of the characters.
Up until the last 10 or 15% of the book it was more of a 4* book but changed my mind in the end because of some great twists at the end I partially didn't see comming but those were worth all the previous aggravation for me.
After reading Jim's comments I expected more scenes with Win in the last third (which I realised now was my error and nothing Jim can anything for). Despite the very few glimpses I liked this character and hope he gets more scenes in the Myron Bolitar series.
All in all I'm glad I read this book - my very first by this author - and plan to read more, especially since my father lend me a few over Christmas and my library has some more - unfortunatelly only a handfull of them in English. Next one for me will be either Fool Me Once or the Polish edition of Tell No One I'm not sure yet.

@Jim,
One of the book my father lend me is #3 in the Mickey Bolitar series (and my library has the previous two, one even in English :-)!) After looking into the Myron Bolitar series I noticed it was published first. Are you familar with the new (YA thriller) series and can you say if it contains any spoilers reagarding the original series? I really hate spoilers.

[Jim]

Agnieszka wrote: "...Are you familar with the new (YA thriller) series and can you say if it contains any spoilers reagarding the original series? I really hate spoilers."

I'm not familiar with any YA series he wrote, but of the dozen of his books that I've read, 7 have been in the Myron Bolitar series & 1 was a Mystery Writer's of America anthology that he edited. That leaves quite a few unread, but I only get what I can from my library in audio. I like his work, but I'm not as into his stuff as I am Donald Hamilton, Richard Stark, or John Sandford. I buy their books.

That said, except for Coben's first book, Play Dead which got 2 stars, I've rated them all as 3 or 4 stars which is high praise for me for this sort of book. Most mysteries only get 3 stars from me. They're enjoyable, but forgettable, so to even get 4 stars, they have to be very logical & twisty, really pack a punch.

I hate spoilers, too. I highly recommend reading the Bolitar series in order or else you'll run into a lot. They really build on each other both in plots & character development.

I'm very particular about reading series in order. If you ever get into Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series/universe, I highly recommend using the chronology several of us pieced together in my review of the first book, The Black Echo. You can find it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Yes, it is a LONG review & there are a lot of comments. Piecing together the proper chronology of all the short stories was difficult, but we managed it. It also contains links to all the books, including anthologies that have the short stories.

[Agnieszka]

Thank you Jim!