Book #43 - Stay Close

I have enjoyed Harlan Coben's books and when I saw Stay Close on the library shelf, I grabbed it. This is a little different for him, with a female character being the main storyteller. She's a suburban Mom with a past. A former stripper that left the life without telling her husband, she is drawn back to Atlantic City by a murder.

When she was a stripper, a former boyfriend/client that abused her was killed. She ran away and left the life. However another person was recently killed, on the 17th anniversary of the murder. As she goes back to try and understand what happened, and to try to come to terms with the life she misses, but is glad she left, a twisted plot comes about.

A former lover also has come back. He's a photographer, and when he takes a picture of the scene on the 17th anniversary, he's mugged. He realizes that he's stumbled onto something and sends the picture to the police.

A detective, that still hasn't let the murder go after 17 years gets the picture, and wonders what is going on after another killing. He soon realizes that there are more than 2 murders, in fact, one a year. He digs in, as does the former stripper, and we have a few wild days in Atlantic City as they try to separately unravel the mystery.

It's a little gruesome, but not gory, with lots of twists and a surprising ending. Worth the read if you like the other Coben novels.