When I discovered that the character Sami appears in Harlan Coben’s previous novel, Fool Me Once, I felt compelled to revisit my original review. To my surprise, Sami was not a character I particularly liked, and Fool Me Once did not rank among my favorite reads by Coben. With that in mind, I approached Nobody’s Fool with somewhat lowered expectations.
However, I found this novel to be a fun and completely different experience. Perhaps it was the vibrant ensemble of characters surrounding Sami, particularly his students, who truly captured my heart. I would love to see them featured in their own ensemble novel—they brought a wonderful dynamic to the story!
The concept of Nobody’s Fool was intriguing, and I must say it was executed brilliantly. This time, I found myself warming up to Sami; he felt more relatable and endearing throughout the narrative. I was genuinely rooting for him as he navigated a thrilling mystery and fought for the truth and at times, his survival—quite a shift from my feelings in Fool Me Once. Importantly, you absolutely don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one; I highly recommend diving right in.
Overall, Nobody’s Fool offers a fantastic blend of suspense, compelling characters, and an engaging storyline. I appreciated how the plot unfolded; it kept me on my toes and ensured that the twists and turns were anything but predictable. It was a captivating ride from start to finish!