Home > Books > Fiction > Crime Books > P Crime Books > Play Dead - Harlan Coben
Available from £2.50 Compare 7 prices
User rating
User rating User rating
4 Reviews

Community Quote

Review of 'Play Dead', a novel by Harlan Coben. I am reviewing the paperback version of this novel, published by Orion books under ISBN 9781409120483. The book contains 518 pages and carries a... more

Compare prices

for Play Dead - Harlan Coben

Similar Offers

for Play Dead - Harlan Coben

User Reviews

for Play Dead - Harlan Coben

Rating Summary based on 4 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Star
    2

Detailed rating

  • Characters
  • How does it compare to other works by the same author?
  • How does it compare to similar books?
  • Readability
  • Story
  • 2.5
  • 1.8
  • 2.0
  • 3.3
  • 2.0
  • 28 of 28 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages If you like to read Jackie Collins this could suit you

    Disadvantages Disadvantages predictable plotting, one dimensional characterisation, poor writing style

    Having selected this novel from a pile of offerings by this author, I wish I had bothered to read the introduction before checking it out of the library. It begins like this: “Okay, if this is the first book of mine you’re going to try, stop now. Return it. Grab another. It’s okay. I’ll wait.” Coben goes on to explain that he wrote the book 20 years ago and has not edited it since. He states that it is flawed and implies that it is rather poorly written, but reassures the reader that he still loves this book. I hadn’t read anything by him before so I thought that I’d still give this a whirl ... more
  • 41 of 41 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of brittle1906

    Level 7 brittle1906

    Member since 05/03/2005

    Reviews written: 492

    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Despite the author's warning, a great read!

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Not as sharp as following novels from the author

    Review of 'Play Dead', a novel by Harlan Coben. I am reviewing the paperback version of this novel, published by Orion books under ISBN 9781409120483. The book contains 518 pages and carries a cover price of £7.99. Genre:- Crime. I belong to a local book swapping group and this novel was among a batch I received at a recent 'trade in' session. The Plot Former model and successful fashion designer Laura Ayers is on her honeymoon. She and her sports superstar husband, David Baskin, are blissfully happy. They had married quietly in Australia as Laura's mother had taken a vehement dislike to the ... more
  • 35 of 35 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of gothic_moon

    Level 7 gothic_moon

    Member since 23/09/2005

    Reviews written: 510

    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Easy enough to read, a few twists, easy to visualise scenes

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Too drawn out in parts, elements of cliche, weak ending

    I've read and reviewed a few Coben novels now and consider him to be one of my favourite authors. Unfortunately, because this was one of his far earlier pieces, it doesn't have the same flair as the rest of what I've read and so it's not really one I'd recommend. Upon opening the book I noticed an introduction to the book itself that was written by Coben. He tells us not to read this if it's the first book of his we've ever picked up; It was written over 20 years ago when he was in his early twenties, just starting out as a 'naïve' writer. None the less, I picked this up before knowing this ... more
  • 7 of 8 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of splendid23

    splendid23

    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Good summer beach read

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Preposterous plot

    The synopsis of the story is quite simple. Laura Ayars, ex-model now successful business woman, has it all including the perfect basketball playing husband. Until he mysteriously dissappears on their honeymoon. The police believe David Baskin (sport super hero) drowned. Did he commit suicide or is there something more sinister behind David Baskin's disappearance? Laura begins to dig deeper and discovers a past that will destroy her family and tear her own world apart. So far so good. However, I found the gradual outcome of David's disappearance utterly preposterous. At the start of the novel ... more

Product information

for Play Dead - Harlan Coben

Product Details

EAN 9781409120483
Type Fiction
Genre Crime
Title Play Dead
Author Harlan Coben

See more Information

Other Ciao users found the following items interesting

Related Tags

for Play Dead - Harlan Coben