I remembered reading another book that Harlan Coben had written. Perhaps that one read was enough for me to know this is an author to look out for. That’s one of the reasons why I picked this book, the other being the blurb that piqued my interest.
Drop Shot begins at the US Open, where Duane Richwood, tennis’ hottest new prodigy, is playing against an opponent ranked much higher than him, and beating that opponent comfortably. Myron Bolitar, his agent, watches on from the player’s box. It is towards the end of the match that a shot is heard, and Myron, investigating the disturbance, comes across the victim, Valerie Simpson.
Valerie Simpson used to be one of the best tennis players around, but something changed all that. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but she had tried calling Myron earlier, but not got through to him. He feels a certain responsibility, perhaps wondering if she had reached him, would she be alive. And so he investigates into the murder on his own. As he looks into Valerie’s past, he unexpectedly opens more threads. Many people who come into the investigation don’t want him to continue poking into it. And when Duane Richwood, his client, seems to be involved, what will Bolitar do? Continue unearthing the past, or think of his client’s future?
Drop Shot was a very engaging read. It begins by setting the scene in the first chapter, and brings a twist toward the end. I could guess that something of that sort would happen, but the twist still surprised me a bit. I liked the character sketch of Myron Bolitar too. He’s an agent, but he seems to look at what is best for his client’s game, rather than looking to rake in money. He’s upfront, honest, and has a conscience. And yes, he’s very persistent. From the secondary characters, I liked Win’s character a lot. Coolly confident, and very dangerous… in a way, he’s similar to Myron, and in another way, he’s the complete opposite. The other characters like Esperanza and Jessica, I’m sure, will play important roles in other novels.
Mixing sport and crime made this book a fun read. Maybe my one grouse with the book would be that I could predict the ending before it happened, but it’s not a major grouse. And the cover art doesn’t do justice to the book either. It doesn’t feel like the cover art of a murder mystery. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I reread it? I think so. Not perhaps as good as the book I picked up long ago, but definitely worth reading.
A Score Of 8 Out Of 10
| Title: Drop Shot | Series: Myron Bolitar #2 |
| Author(s): Harlan Coben | Genre: Crime Fiction |
| ISBN/ASIN: 9781409150558 | Publisher: Orion Publishing |
No payment was taken for this review. The views expressed here are mine, and they remain uninfluenced and unbiased.
(© Vinay Leo R. @ A Bookworm’s Musing
2nd January 2018)
