Think Twice by Harlan Coben Summary

Think Twice by Harlan Coben is a gripping thriller where sports agent Myron Bolitar discovers his former client Greg Downing—a renowned basketball coach Myron eulogized three years ago—is alive and wanted for double homicide. Myron and his friend Win must uncover the truth behind Greg's supposed death, navigating dangerous conspiracies, secrets, and lies that stretch back into the past. This fast-paced mystery combines elements of criminal justice, personal betrayal, and complex relationships in a contemporary setting.

Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author born in Newark, New Jersey, who has written 35 novels including the acclaimed Myron Bolitar series. He is the only author to win all three major mystery awards: the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards. Coben's books have been translated into 46 languages and sold over 90 million copies worldwide, with twelve novels adapted for film and television. His signature style features plots involving resurfaced past events, multiple twists, and suspenseful narratives that keep readers guessing.

Think Twice by Harlan Coben is perfect for thriller enthusiasts who enjoy fast-paced mysteries with complex conspiracies and unexpected plot twists. Readers who appreciate detective stories involving personal relationships, moral ambiguity, and explorations of the criminal justice system will find this book compelling. Fans of the Myron Bolitar series will especially enjoy this 12th installment, though newcomers can also dive in as the story provides sufficient context. Anyone seeking a suspenseful page-turner with sophisticated character development and cliffhanger chapters should pick up this thriller.

Think Twice by Harlan Coben is absolutely worth reading for those who enjoy sophisticated thrillers with layered mysteries and morally complex characters. Harlan Coben delivers his signature fast-paced storytelling through short chapters, strategic cliffhangers, and masterful use of foreshadowing and red herrings that maintain suspense throughout. The novel explores timely themes like criminal corruption, the gray areas of morality, and the consequences of past choices while providing an action-packed journey from New York to Las Vegas to Montana. As a continuation of the beloved Myron Bolitar series, it offers both long-time fans and new readers an engaging thriller experience.

The central mystery in Think Twice revolves around Greg Downing, a renowned basketball coach who Myron Bolitar eulogized three years ago, suddenly being alive and wanted by the FBI for a double homicide. Two federal agents confront Myron demanding to know Greg's whereabouts after placing him at a murder scene, shocking Myron who believed his former client was dead. As Myron and Win investigate, they uncover a web of secrets, lies, and a murderous conspiracy that extends back into the past, making their search increasingly dangerous. The question of how Greg faked his death and whether he's truly guilty drives the suspenseful narrative forward.

Think Twice by Harlan Coben explores themes of moral ambiguity and the gray areas between right and wrong, as captured in Win's observation that "We are all contradictions...We want black and white. But it's all gray". The novel examines complex personal relationships including love, betrayal, and family loyalty, particularly through Myron's history with Greg Downing as rivals turned business associates. Criminal justice and the potential for corruption within law enforcement represent another major theme, highlighting how the legal system can be manipulated. The story also delves into how unresolved past events resurface to impact the present, forcing characters to confront choices they thought they'd left behind.

Harlan Coben employs a fast-paced and suspenseful writing style in Think Twice, using short chapters with strategic cliffhangers to create urgency and keep readers hooked throughout the narrative. The story is primarily told from Myron Bolitar's first-person perspective, allowing readers direct access to his thoughts, emotions, and internal conflicts as he navigates the mystery. Coben masterfully uses foreshadowing and red herrings to maintain suspense, planting subtle clues while leading readers down false paths before revealing the truth. The prologue's repeated phrase "It's about preparation and patience" exemplifies his technique of establishing themes that echo throughout the entire story.

"It's about preparation and patience" appears repeatedly in Think Twice's prologue, highlighting the killer's meticulous planning and foreshadowing the complex conspiracy that Myron will uncover.
Emily's reflection "You are always seventeen waiting for your life to begin" reveals the enduring impact of past choices and speaks to the longing many characters feel about roads not taken.
Win's observation "We are all contradictions, Myron. We are all hypocrites. We want black and white. But it's all gray" encapsulates the novel's central theme of moral ambiguity and the flawed nature of every character in the story.

Think Twice is the 12th book in Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series, published in 2024, marking the character's return after an eight-year gap since the 2016 novel Home. The series began in 1995 with Deal Breaker and follows Myron, a former basketball player turned sports agent who regularly finds himself investigating murders involving his clients. Think Twice reunites Myron with his longtime friend and colleague Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win), continuing their dynamic partnership. While the novel references past relationships and history between characters, new readers can enjoy Think Twice as a standalone thriller with sufficient context provided throughout the narrative.

Windsor Horne Lockwood III, known as Win, serves as Myron Bolitar's longtime friend and colleague who partners with him to investigate Greg Downing's alleged return from the dead. Win provides crucial moral perspective in Think Twice, delivering the novel's key observation about human contradictions and the gray areas of morality that define the story's philosophical undertones. Together, Myron and Win form an investigative duo whose complementary skills drive the plot forward as they uncover increasingly dangerous secrets about Greg. Win's character has proven popular enough to spawn his own spin-off series, with the novel Win published in 2021.

Think Twice by Harlan Coben is set in a contemporary timeframe that incorporates modern technology and current social issues into the narrative. The action primarily begins in New York where Myron Bolitar runs his sports agency, but the investigation takes readers on a cross-country journey to Las Vegas and Montana before returning to New York. This fast-paced thriller uses multiple locations to build suspense and expand the scope of the conspiracy Myron uncovers. The contemporary setting allows Harlan Coben to explore relevant themes around criminal justice, law enforcement corruption, and how technology impacts both crime and investigation.

Myron Bolitar and Greg Downing share a complex history that evolved from being deeply personal rivals to unexpected business associates before Greg's supposed death. As a sports agent, Myron represented Greg, a renowned basketball coach, creating a professional relationship built on their complicated past. Three years before the events of Think Twice, Myron gave a eulogy at Greg's funeral, believing he had made peace with their history and moved forward. When federal agents reveal Greg is alive and wanted for murder, Myron must confront unresolved feelings while investigating whether his former rival could truly be a killer.