Drop Shot - Harlan Coben

Myron Bolitar returns in Harlan Coben's Drop Shot. This time around Myron has a client who is playing in the U.S. Open when a possible future client is gunned down. When Myron starts to investigate he is sure there is a connection between these two tennis greats, but he can't quite pinpoint what it is.

Once again, Coben had me laughing every day. The interaction between Myron and Win is priceless. They are so different, but as Win states, that's why they work. If they were more alike they wouldn't be able to get along. Win is a truly unique character. I've not encountered another character like him. He fits into stereotypes on the surface but at the same time he's breaking those suckers wide open. He isn't necessarily a likable character except for that fact that he's always protecting Myron. His assassinations are those of disdainful characters, but his joy in killing is a bit on the creepy side. And he often comes across as not caring. Maybe Coben changed that a tad bit in this novel, though, with the ending.

The family theme comes out a lot more in this novel, I thought. I especially liked the episode when the young boy comes over to play basketball with Myron and soon all the neighborhood kids are playing. Myron seems to thrive in this atmosphere, and an affinity for children is presented. And of course there is the strong times between Curtis and his mother. A stark contradiction to that is the family dynamics of Valerie's family.

I did figure out a little of the ending early in the novel. Since I was listening on audio book, I found myself yelling at Myron a few times telling him what he was missing. However, Myron trumped me in the end by figuring out the whole mystery! :)

This novel was definitely a "drop shot"!