The Stranger

By: Harlan Coben

Narrated by: Eric Meyers

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world.

Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream - a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life.

Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corrine, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corrine's deception, and realises that if he doesn't make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he's stumbled into will not only ruin lives - it will end them.

©2015 Harlan Coben (P)2015 Orion Publishing Group

Powerful realistic plot but gaps

Powerful plot based on realistic family behaviour but gaps that detracted. Language and level of violence suited.
Good character narration

Okay but not great

I pre-ordered this as the book description sounded fantastic but have just finished it and overall the story was quite disappointing.
Started reasonably well but ended up like a film that goes straight to Netflix. Cheesy and lacking depth.
The premise of the story, the stranger, was lost in another story about a man and his wife. No development of the former, what happens to him ?! No conclusion, the end wasn't satisfactory.
I found my attention wandering too many times, bored and actually willing it to move on. Had the narrator not been quite as incredible, I'm not sure it would have held my attention.
I've read/listened to worse I guess. Perhaps my expectations were too high but if that's the case, the book description over sold the story!

Good plot right to the end

I really enjoyed this story. It had pace but also descriptive enough to build a complete picture Also very well narrated

Second Harlan Coben novel and not disappointed, on to the next

Where was the plot?

Very disappointing..no plot. A lazy book.

The narrator should not be used in books with child characters..he uses a sarcastic sounding whine for each child.. Very hard to listen to.

A roller coaster of a story!

This starts of quite slow but soon picks up momentum. Good story - good thriller - well narrated! Give it a listen - you won't be disappointed !

Fantastic performance, good story

Not as gripping as some, but a very good book none the less. The narrator was also very good. Would reccommenf

wow :@ shock face...

harlan cobens best yet. i love how everything slots into place at the stories conclusion like all of his other novels. without giving anything away this one of his saddest novels. I listened to this in 2 sittings because i didnt want to stop listening. An amazing story of intrigue and throws you around in so many directions..I Love the plot ,I love the characters and i love the narrator . so worth a credit :)

what a tangled web we weave.

what a tangled web we weave. When first we practise to deceive!
This is first of all a thriller, that inhabits a very contemporary world, where hackers, apps, cell phones, and computers link all the old human evils,secrets and misdemeanour's for evermore, for everyone that likes to snoop. Welcome to binary hell, welcome to little brothers new terrain.
The story moves fast and relentlessly that is part of the device to make everything hang together. The minutia of daily life is well written and american suburbia, the american dream is as tarnished as a very old coin, the middle class is struggling to keep it together, and so are families, so when someone whispers a secret all kind of weakness appear in the everyday reality of our hero and others and something has got to give.
Entertaining and eloquent, surprisingly thoughtful of the disillusionments of the middle classes of america and jet very much a tale of families trying their best in adversity and complacency.
The narrator was excellent.

Couldn't stop listening

wow!! more twists and turns than a roller coaster. great main character who it was easy to invest in and root for.

very well read, I will definitely look out for this narrator again.

Colombo meets Fargo

The American narrator had a good voice which is sooo important. !
Would make an edge of seat film as everyone appears guilty !
Highly recommend this book on a long car journey !

Dynamic Thriller

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes. If you like a raw thriller with more twists than a roller coaster then you will not be disappointed

What did you like best about this story?

It had so many layers. You think the story is heading in one direction, then it throws you a curve ball. In the end, without a spoiler the ending is 'simple' and in truth it had to be. Anything else would have been a stretch to far.

What does Eric Meyers bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Nothing really, I have a wide and diverse imagination.

Do you think The Stranger needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No....., but I know why your asking.