Drop Shot

Media:	Mass Market Paperback
Author:	Harlan Coben
Publisher:	Dell
Release date:	05 February, 1996
Our price:	$7.99

Drop Shot

Average rating: Stars

Another solid Coben effort...

I will be the first to admit that I am a fan of Harlan Coben's work. Myron Bolitar led novels are among my favorites. Bolitar is a well-written character and you generally know what to expect from him. Wise-cracking, hard working and usually quite a bit of fun.

This novel is no exception. With that said, I have given it 4 stars because it was not as good as some of his other work. The story follows Bolitar around as he investigates the death of a potential client (former tennis star player). His current client, a rising tennis star that is making a big splash in the tourney, may be involved or have some knowledge of the dead former tennis player. Now it is up to Bolitar to figure out if there is an relationship between the dead player and is current client. The plot twists a little here and there and Bolitar continues to fight against those that want this case buried (and an older case buried).

The Senator involved and the cover up from years ago of another murder (a murder that may have a connection to the dead tennis player and his current client) left a little to be desired. The details are sketchy and though it is later cleared up somewhat, I wish there were a few more details and a little more info.

The tennis also could have been portrayed better...his current client, the rising tennis star goes through the tourney and we don't know much about this guy's tennis career even though he is rushing through the tourney. A little more backround (has he played in many tourney's before this, is he ranked, etc.) would have made his run in the tourney one that the reader could have been more interested in.

The novel is solid. It is a fun read and will keep you entertained...I just wanted a little more from a good writer and a fun character.

Drop Shot - Harlan Coben

As original as a Xerox machine

This is such an obvious rewrite of Robert Parker's Spenser books I wonder if Parker should either sue for plaigiarism or demand royalties.

You have the wisecracking smartass detective hero with the from-another-culture amoral sidekick and the oversexed professional woman girlfriend who isn't living with the hero (an essential loner) trio as the main characters, but the similarities go way deeper than that.

Some of Myron's lines, like the Jack Lord sequence and his phone jawing with the sheriff could have been lifted straight from Spenser, Win's ability to follow anyone without being noticed is a direct crib from Hawk, two buddies in a gym working out the bags is a blatant Spenser/Hawk ripoff, Jessica's such a copy of Susan Silverman as to be embarrassing, especially in her horniness with Myron, Coben even lifts actual dialogue ("There is that.") from Parker, Rolly the Cop's a stock Parker character, Myron works a case not because he's getting paid but because gosh darn it, it's the right thing to do is a favorite Parker motif, Win cares about very few people but those he does care about he'll do anything for is how one describes Hawk, etc. etc. etc. Too many other filchings to name.

Look, we've all read Robert Parker, if you haven't you need to be reading him instead of this knockoff.

Harlan Coben - Drop Shot

Not as good as Deal Breaker, but still great!

I read this book in one day, and it was great. But at this point I expect as much from Harlan Coben. Drop Shot was not as excellent as Deal Breaker, and I had the ending figured out before Myron. But none the less it is still an exciting, suspensful, and funny novel. I recommend it. And I have already picked up Myron's next adventure, the Edgar award winning Fade Away. I can't wait to get started.
If you pick up this book, which you should, enjoy! :)

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