David and Cheryl Burroughs are living the dream – married, a beautiful house in the suburbs, a three-year-old son named Matthew – when tragedy strikes one night in the worst possible way.
David awakes to find himself covered in blood, but not his own – his son's. And while he knows he did not murder his son, the overwhelming evidence against him puts him behind bars indefinitely.
Five years into his imprisonment, Cheryl's sister arrives – and drops a bombshell.
She's come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park. The boy in the background seems familiar – and even though David realizes it can't be, he knows it is.
It's Matthew, and he's still alive.
David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible – save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night.
I've not read many novels by Harlan Coben, although I've thoroughly enjoyed the ones I have read. His latest offering, I Will Find You, is no exception, and I'm thrilled to have been offered a copy for review.
It starts with David, who has spent the last five years in prison, found guilty of murdering his own son. You might think that someone who is innocent (and no con has ever claimed THAT before) might put up more of a fight, but David feels that he has failed in his role as a father and that it doesn't matter where he is or how his time is spent – as far as he's concerned, his life is already over. Despite the verdict, David has many unanswered questions about that night – questions that he is unable to answer having little to no memory of what happened. Has he blocked out the memory of this horrific act? Was he so drunk that the memory is gone? Or has he been set up all along? It's a brilliant premise and I settled in, fully prepared for the whirlwind tour that Coben was undoubtedly about to take me on. I wasn't disappointed.
David is immediately a sympathetic character. We meet him in prison serving time for a crime that he didn't commit, and I couldn't believe that he had murdered his own son despite the somewhat damning evidence and witness testimony that resulted in a guilty verdict. I don't believe that time in prison is ever easy, but David has had a particularly rough experience, having been assaulted by his fellow inmates and finding that the guards are prepared to look the other way. This all helps to set him up as a character to root for despite the flaws that become apparent as we get to know him. I think that his sense of hopelessness is understandable, and it makes his subsequent transformation all the more enjoyable as he rediscovers his raison d'être. While such transitions can feel a little forced in some novels, I felt that it was appropriate in this case as David finds that he may have something to live for after all.
The catalyst in this novel is a visit from his sister-in-law, Rachel. Having refused all visitors for so long that no one even tries to see him anymore, her visit is a shock to David, and almost as shocking as the news that has prompted her visit. In reviewing her friend's holiday photos, she has spotted a boy in the background who bears a remarkable similarity to David's son, Matthew. Rationally, they both know that the chances of this child being David's son are slim to none, and yet the resemblance is undeniable. This sliver of hope is enough to give David the motivation that he needs to finally seek answers to the questions that he has and to find out the truth about what really happened to Matthew and who set him up for his son's murder. He just needs to get out of prison first…
I really can't say anything else about the plot without spoiling it for others, but what follows is a fast-paced and action-packed tale that sweeps the reader along for one hell of a journey. As fans of Coben – from either his novels or the various Netflix dramas – will know, he likes to throw in plenty of twists to keep the reader on their toes and I could only guess at what might happen next. I Will Find You is no exception to this, and if the novel relies on coincidence and stretches the realms of plausibility in places, I'm willing to forgive it in this instance as I was hooked from the beginning and the novel didn't let me go until the final page. It's a fun, gripping, and occasionally OTT read, told in Coben's usual engaging style.
As you might expect, the novel comes with some larger-than-life characters, and it would be remiss of me not to mention FBI agents, Max Bernstein and Sarah Jablonski. I'll admit that I found them a little irritating at first, although I warmed to them considerably as the novel progressed. To say that they – and Max in particular – have their idiosyncrasies is putting it mildly, and while their somewhat comedic double act grated at first, I came to appreciate the light relief that they brought to the novel. And it's clear that they are very good at their jobs, although Sarah seems to be the one to follow the rules whereas Max seems willing to go off-piste if his instincts take him that way. It raises an additional element of hope that David might find some support, despite his actions.
I Will Find You is a brilliant fast-paced thriller. It does require the suspension of disbelief, but it's an incredibly fun novel that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend whether you're familiar with Coben's work or looking for somewhere to get started.
I Will Find You is published by Century and is available now in hardback, digital, and audio formats. Huge thanks to Becke Parker at PR Collective for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Disclaimer – I received a copy of this novel for review. This has in no way influenced my opinion.
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