Fade Away: A Myron Bolitar Novel [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Harlan Coben (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2004

A New York Times Bestselling Author

The home was top-notch New Jersey suburban. The living room was Martha Stewart. The basement was Legos - and blood. For sports agent Myron Bolitar, the disappearance of a man he'd once competed against was bringing back memories. Now, among the stars, wanna-bes, gamblers and groupies, Myron is unraveling the strange, violent ride of a sports hero gone wrong.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wisecracking sports agent Myron Bolitar returns with style in his third mystery (after Deal Breaker and Dropshot). This time, Myron is given a chance to return to professional basketball after being sidelined by a heartbreaking injury 10 years ago. No, the owner of the New Jersey Dragons doesn't want Myron to play. He wants him to use his skills as a onetime FBI undercover agent ("the worst kept secret in the continental United States") to find a missing player and former rival. The hunt for the absent player turns up an ugly web of complications that include a dead body, blackmail, a nasty custody suit, out-of-control gambling and thugs intent on revenge. Myron finds himself dragged in deeper than expected as the case stirs unresolved issues from his own past. With the help of his lethally loyal pal Win, he untangles the mess with bravado and not a little personal pain. Coben writes a fast-moving narrative in a style witty enough to keep pace without straining too hard.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review

"Fast action, snappy dialogue . . . [an] enjoyable read."
-- Toronto Star (UNKNOWN )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 500 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; 1 edition (June 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786265515
• ISBN-13: 978-0786265510
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,878,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Harlan Coben is the bestselling author of sixteen previous novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers "Long Lost" and "Hold Tight." Winner of the Edgar Award, the Shamus Award, and the Anthony Award, Coben lives in New Jersey with his family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Four and a half stars..., April 30, 2007

By 

Cynthia K. Robertson (beverly, new jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fade Away (Myron Bolitar Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've read a few Harlan Coben books recently and I have thoroughly enjoyed his Myron Bolitar series. In Fade Away, he definitely raises the bar and moves from being not just an entertaining mystery writer, but also a well-written one.

Myron Bolitar is a 32 year old lawyer who runs his own sports agency. At one time, he was one of the top college players in the country. But after being drafted by the Celtics, he blows his knee out in a preseason scrimmage and his potential career is history. Now, the owner and general manager of the New Jersey Dragons want him to find one of their stars, Greg Downing, who has gone missing right before tournaments are to begin. In order not to raise suspicions, they place Bolitar on the team so that he can better investigate what has happened. Downing and Bolitar have been in competition since they were in high school, and it wasn't always about basketball. Bolitar finds many reasons for the possible disappearance of Downing that range from compulsive gambling to possible murder.

When I first started reading Coben, I thought the characters were a little too much like Robert Parker's Spenser and Hawk. But I've come to appreciate them on a new level. As a person who has played and coached basketball, Coben is right on in his observations about the game and the players. In describing Bolitar's complicated relationship with Downing, he says "there is a special bond between competitors. Kinda like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. You become defined by one another. It was like that with Greg and me. It was unspoken, but we both knew the bond was there." TC, the other Dragon star tells Bolitar about the price of being a star. " The real price is you ain't a person anymore. You're just a thing, a shiny thing like one of these Benzes out there. The poor brothers think I'm a golden ladder with goodies at every step up. The rich white boys think I'm a fancy pet."

The plot in Fade Away is also much more intricate than usual, and the ending has a stunner of a surprise. I never saw it coming. The one thing that kept me from giving it five stars is that the plot line where Bolitar is recruited to play is a big stretch. Otherwise, this was a pretty awesome book.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HARLAN HAS DONE IT AGAIN!, June 14, 2000

By 

A. Nelson "reloaly" (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fade Away (Myron Bolitar Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

First and foremost, I do NOT consider myself a reader of mysteries, UNLESS of course, they are written by Harlan Coben. "Fade Away" is a wonderful example of what a writer can do with character development in a book series. With each book, we learn a little more about Myron Bolitar and what makes him tick - and we always like what we learn. This is the third of Coben's "Myron Bolitar" mysteries that I have read and each one just gets better. By now, I have learned to not try to figure out whodunnit before Myron does, because I will fail misrably. Coben tosses you red herrings like you were a performing seal at SeaWorld. And you will gobble each one up, with enthusiasm! Honestly, I resist the urge to read all of the Bolitar novels at once (even tho' I own them all). Coben's books are like Godiva Chocolates. You love them so much you just hate to gulp them down all at once.

26 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, February 15, 1998

By 

Carol Donaho "Carol Donaho" (Livingston, Tx USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fade Away (Myron Bolitar Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Being an avid reader of mysteries, I am thrilled to find an author such as Coben to add to my list of must-reads. Thanks to Amazon.com's recommendation, I first read Fade Away, then scampered to the computer to order the rest of Coben's books. Even if you aren't a sports person, this book will be a joy to read and hard to put down. His characters are interesting and just neurotic enough to be believeable. The reader instantly likes both the hero, Myron, his best friend, the anti-hero, Win, as well as Myron's assistant and girl friend. The plot is intricate and you wonder if it will all be tied together at the end. This is one of the best mysteries I've read in a long time. Try it - you won't be disappointed!