In this 10th book in the 'Myron Bolitar' series the former basketball star, and current proprietor of MB Reps, is enlisted to help a retired tennis player. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowing the characters is a big plus.
*****
Myron Bolitar was set to be a professional basketball player when a knee injury scuttled his career. So Myron went to law school and became a sports agent.
Myron is currently the co-owner of MB Reps, a New York agency that represents sports figures, actors, and musicians. Myron is aided in this endeavor by his partner Esperanza; his office manager Big Cyndi; and his financial advisor Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win)....all of whom are VERY colorful characters.
In addition to getting his clients jobs and negotiating their contracts, Myron fixes his clients' problems. So it's no surprise when retired tennis player Suzze T comes to him for help. Suzze T is married to rock legend Lex Ryder, expecting a baby, and happily posting updates on Facebook.
Suzze T is mortified when someone writes 'NOT HIS' (meaning not Lex's) under her baby news, and wants Myron to discover who posted this malicious lie. Myron is also tasked with smoothing things over with Lex.....who's gone incommunicado.
Myron tracks Lex to a nightclub, and after speaking to the rocker, happens to spot his sister-in-law Kitty, which is a shock. Kitty skedaddles before Myron can speak to her, though he tries to give chase.
Myron's brother Brad married Kitty sixteen years ago - over Myron's vociferous objections - and the couple ran off and didn't come back. As it happens, Kitty had been a tennis star before she absconded, but was dethroned by the underhanded machinations of Suzze T.
Myron puts two and two together and concludes that Kitty wrote 'NOT HIS' on Suzze T's Facebook page.....for revenge.
The story gets complicated from this point as Myron tries to reunite Suzze T and Lex; make amends with Kitty and Brad; and deal with gangsters who have their fingers in the drug trade and music world. On top of that Myron's feisty 74-year-old father has a heart attack - leaving his loved ones in dread of the outcome.
This book isn't one of Harlen Coben's best efforts (IMO). The story is padded with excessive violence, overwritten scenes, and annoying characters. I especially disliked entitled twin teenage boys who are walking thesauruses of naughty/degrading language. I wanted to stuff their mouths with rags.
On the upside, there are some fun scenes, like the evening Esperanza - a bombshell who once wrestled under the moniker 'Little Pocahontas' - has to get dowdy Myron into a nightclub;
And the time Big Cyndi runs around New York City in a Batgirl costume, or wears enough rouge to paint a van....and no one even raises an eyebrow.
Win also plays does his part, doling out violence in his usual uppity patrician manner.
Still, unless you're a big Myron Bolitar fan, you won't miss much if you skip this book.
I read all the books in this series and found they got more violent as the series went on. I do love Esperenza and Big Cindy though. Nice review Barb.
ReplyDeleteThank you Carla. 😊🌹🌺
ReplyDeleteI don't like when authors over-rely on violence. It's not good writing IMO.