From the Back of the Book "For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night his wife was taken. The last night he saw her alive. Everyone tells him it's time to move on, to forget the past once and for all. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. A message has appeared on his computer, a phrase only he and his dead wife know. Suddenly Beck is taunted with the impossible - that somewhere, somehow, his wife is alive ... and he's been warned to tell no one." Strengths I found David, the protagonist, to be a likeable character that I could trust throughout the book. I did feel sorry for him and his roller coaster of a situation regarding his wife. The initial story of he and his wife celebrating their anniversary with an annual tradition and having that venture take a horrible, deadly spin was extremely realistic. We live in a world full of crazies and Coben's detail and realistic depiction of the scene was both good and bad in that I wanted to keep reading despite the sick details put into the killing. Throughout the Tell No One, I felt like I was in David's mind and along for the emotional ride he encountered. At the beginning of the novel, Dr. Beck receives an email from an unknown sender yet he is drawn in and opens it because of the subject line: "E.P. + D.B. /////////////////////" (19). The subject line recreated a tree carving that David and his deceased wife had done. It was made up of their initials and a "/" for each of their years together. In David's mind, no one else could have possibly known about the tree carving except for his wife, so he is dragged into a series of emails with specific information that lead him on a long journey to solve a mystery very close to his heart. Various characters and plot lines are created to thicken story. As the book progresses, mobsters and criminals become involved, along with family members from David's and Elizabeth's families. Initially, I would question how and why a character or set of characters would be introduced, but would find the answer out later as David uncovered clues mostly on his own. The strengths in this book outweigh the weaknesses. Weaknesses The title of the book Tell No One is a tad contradictory. While I feel a guilty about the little spoiler, I think it deserves to be mentioned. David does confide in a character close to him about his wife potentially being back in the picture. When he did this, I flipped the book over to reread the cover and make sure I had the title right. David does not retell the specifics, like the codes or communication tactics, but the fact that he did tell someone and there were not any repercussions bothered me. Recommendation I would recommend this to someone looking to read a detailed, quick read. The language Coben writes with is accessible and easy to navigate. Readers who enjoy John Grisham or David Baldacci would catch a break with this book, as it is not heavy in court- or police-related jargon and references. Tell No One centers around a murder mystery, too, so readers who enjoy books full of mystery and/or murders would enjoy this book. I often felt like I was reading a Criminal Minds episode as David used tactics shown on that show to get the answers he wanted to know surrounding his wife's murder. Why Did I Read This Book? This book was recommended to me by one of my students. Right off the bat, she said, "I think you would like this book." It just so happened that she was able to put the book in my hands as well, so it left no excuse for me to get started.
I took my student at her word and read the book quickly. I did have multiple long sitting arrangements throughout the fall with responsibilities associated with standardized testing and flights to conferences. My student was correct; I really liked Tell No One. It was a shelf worthy book with memorable characters and a complicated yet provoking plot line. I am also able to count Tell No One for the following reading challenges:
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The Avalanche of Books
As an educator and avid reader, I am constantly hearing about books. I feel like I am being chased by a giant, rolling avalanche of titles and authors. Rating System
5 books - New fave! Read it now!
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December 2017
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