Hold Tight

By: Harlan Coben

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 12 hrs

Publisher's summary

Mike held his son's hand and told him to "hold tight", and he could feel the little hand dig into his. But the crush got bigger, and the little hand slipped from his - and Mike felt that horrible panic, as if a wave hit them at the beach and it was washing his baby out with the tide.

The separation lasted only a few seconds, 10 at the most, but Mike would never forget the spike in his blood and the terror of those brief few moments.

Tia and Mike Baye never imagined they'd become the type of overprotective parents who spy on their kids. But their 16-year-old son, Adam, has been unusually distant lately, and after the suicide of his classmate, Spencer Hill - the latest in a string of issues at school - they can't help but worry. They install a sophisticated spy program on Adam's computer, and within days they are jolted by a message from an unknown correspondent addressed to their son: "Just stay quiet and all safe."

Meanwhile, browsing through an online memorial for Spencer put together by his classmates, Betsy Hill is struck by a photo that appears to have been taken on the night of her son's death...and he wasn't alone. She thinks it is Adam Baye standing just outside the camera's range, but when Adam goes missing, it soon becomes clear that something deep and sinister has infected their community.

For Tia and Mike Baye, the question they must answer is this: When it comes to your kids, is it possible to know too much?

©2008 Harlan Coban (P)2008 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

"Parents will find this compulsive page-turner from Edgar-winner Coben...particularly unnerving." ( Publishers Weekly)

What Might Have Been

I really liked the premise of this book - kids and parents and computing. How worried the parents are and the moral choices they must make. But I found the unrealistic intertwining of the lives of all the characters too contrived. At the end I remember thinking, "Are you kidding me? This could have been so good!!!"

That said, it will probably be made into a movie. Isn't that why we all read? Most movies these days stink.

This book could have been great.

One of Coben's best

An intriguing tale with interesting characters. So often in thrillers, the plot seems contrived and the characters act with little or no connection with reality; frequently they're whiny and difficult to root for. Coben's "Hold Tight" avoids that whining while his characters are under stress, and their actions seem reasoned and realistic; even Nash, an admitted "crazy," is intelligent and calculating, and makes some interesting observations on the human condition! Recommend this read (or listen, in my own case)!
Scott Brick as narrator is good, though I've come to want to hear Richard Ferrone narrate everything after all the Sandford audiobooks listened to over the last several months!

My favorite Coben book to date...

This book is very well done. The performance was spot on by Scott Brick. He's one of the better narrators. You can judge that by the sheer number of books he's narrated. I've read other Harlan Coben books and this is by far my favorite. No spoilers.... but the entire novel is thought provoking and important in toady's technical world. Loved it!

Captivating, suspenseful and down to earth.

Where does Hold Tight rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It kept me hooked up to the very end without loosing interests. Each time i came back to listening to it, it was effortless and pleasant. When I drove it kept me going... I did not even mind the traffic and all that what you hate when you drive to work in Chicago.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was not that complex but it was dynamic enough to make it a good audio book. Too complex plots are, are more often than not, unsuitable for audio books. You don't get lost in this story.

What does Scott Brick bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Sure! He gives a nice performance. Makes the story alive!

Any additional comments?

A good thing to kill time when on a treadmill or jogging or in traffic commute.

Horribly good.

Listening to this as a parent n grandparent it was very scary. So scary that although my main listening time is at night when I waken n would rather vanish into the world of fiction than my neurotic worrying mind, Harlan Coben had me listening to this book during the day. It got so intense I listened in the car and the morning I only had 1hr n 20 min to go I chased my husband out of the bedroom because I could not not find out how all the storyline ended. OMG. Coben once again brought them all to a completely satisfying ending.

a little winded

I enjoy Harlan Coben's books, this one had the great twists & turns but it also had a lot of information I didn't care to hear about. It is one of the few times I wished I had the abridged version.
The narrator is okay after I get used to him, he always makes me think of Paul Harvey.

Very Entertaining, but Mildly Predictable

If you are looking for a lot of reader surprises, this is not the book for you. I really enjoy Harlan Coben's sports books, but this is not as interesting. It does go into questions of how much freedom should a child have to protect his own secrets? Are his parents entitled to know everything about his life or can he keep part of his life as his own, without intrusion from his parents? This book reminds us that parents do have a certain responsibility to protect their children and that sometimes mean intruding on the private side of their lives. I always like Scott Brick as a narrator and he is up to his usual standard in this book.

Couldn't stop listening!!!

Another thrilling Coben book. I would suggest to have a note with each persons name because there are a lot of characters. Great read!

Another Great Story by Harlan Coben

Absolutely loved the story and looked for every opportunity to listen. Scott Brick is one of the best readers I've ever heard. I can't tell you my favorite part of the story without giving away a surprise! but I can tell you the performance was phenomenal I promise you will enjoy this book

Enjoyable !

I love when Coben takes ordinary people and their ordinary lives and twists them all into drama, suspense, and the unexpected. Scott Brick does an awesome job with the narration - here's a narrator who knows his stuff!