No Second Chance

By: Harlan Coben

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Marc Seidman awakens to find himself in an ICU, hooked up to an IV, his head swathed in bandages. Twelve days earlier, he had had an enviable life as a successful surgeon, living in a peaceful suburban neighborhood with his beautiful wife and a baby he adored. Now he lies in a hospital bed, shot by an unseen assailant. His wife has been killed, and his 6-month-old daughter, Tara, has vanished. But just when his world seems forever shattered, something arrives to give Marc a new hope: a ransom note.

Both a white-knuckle thriller and a story about the loyalty of old friends and the bond between parent and child, No Second Chance is another masterpiece from an author who writes "suspense at its finest" (Jeffrey Deaver).

©2003 Harlan Coben (P)2003 Penguin Audiobooks and Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Nimble and ingenious." (The New York Times)

"The author doesn’t build suspense. He opens fire." (New York Daily News)

"At times the suspense in No Second Chance is almost painful." (Chicago Sun-Times)

Heart breaking story that you cannot put down

Could not stop listening. Lots of twists and turns, so typical of Harlan Coben. Scot Brick’s narration is on point.

Twists & Turns to the Very End!

I can truly say that this was one of Coben’s best! My favorite read of the year!

Excellent twists and turns

A little confusing times with seemingly random introductions of new characters, but gradually each had their part to play by the end.

Plot bloat

Harlan Coben likes the innocent to twist in the wind. The problem here isn't the twisting, it's that there is no reason for it. Close to half of this book is taken up by the authorities suspecting the hero, who was shot and nearly died as the book opens.

That fact, the near death, eliminates him as a suspect, but not in the mind of one particularly thick FBI agent. We know said hero didn't do it, but we have to put up with the twisting and torturing of this man whose innocence is never in question. Won't give away the ending, but, guess what? He didn't do it, which you know in the first five minutes.

Without that fatal flaw, good story.

Slowest narration ever!

While the story line was fine, the narration of this book was awful. I am not sure why everyone is giving Scott Brick such rave reviews. If he spoke at a pace that people would normally speak, the book would have taken half as long to listen to, would have been easier to follow and would have just been a generally more enjoyable listen. When there is a sense of urgency in the writing, there should be a sense of urgency in the reading. Instead, every single bit of dialogue was dragged out and read way too slowly. It was completely monotonous. I couldn't wait for this book to end.

Not something I would recommend

I was really disappointed at how thick headed the main character was. I started rooting for the bad guys to take him out and end his suffering. There were too many little story lines going on in this book, it was disconnected. I didn't really care at all for this and will really have to debate whether or not I would listen to another one by this author.
I like the narrator, I have listened to several books that he has done so I know the problem here was all storyline.

Wonderful

This is now one of my favorite books. I loved the story and the reader was great. I didn't want it to end. If you are debating on getting this book, don't hesitate any longer. There was action from beginning to end.

Drawn out

Good story but much too drawn out. I listened at 1.5 speed because the performance was so slow.

Wow

Wow this book was beyond amazing . Read it you will not be disappointed, make sure you have tissues

Terrific!

I am a big fan of Harlan Coben and this is my favorite this far. Great listen!