MISSING YOU, by Harlan Coben

A stand-alone novel by the award-winning (every kudo you could think of) master of the "soft-centered" thriller. A new genre description for me, but one that makes a lot of sense when it comes to Coben's low-key but intense style of writing. Eighteen years ago, Kat Donovan's cop father was murdered. His killer, a contract assassin, went to prison for life. Kat, devastated by the death, was then dumped by the love of her life, Jeff.  Now, nearing forty and a police detective, Kat learns the killer is dying. At the same time, her best friend signs her up for a dating service. One of the first faces she sees is Jeff's: windowed, with one teen-aged daughter, looking for love. But not, apparently, Kat's: he writes on the chat line he's moving on to a new life. This triple-threaded story weaves these two elements, plus a determined but troubled young man who's convinced his mother has been abducted by her on-line date. Complex, soft around the edges but solid steel in the center (wait. maybe it ought to be steel around the edges but soft in the center?), this is the kind of novel you'll read in one sitting. I did exactly that. It's a 5, another Coben triumph.
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