If you have not read any of Harlan Coben’s work, “Caught” is an excellent beginning in building a lifetime of love for this writer.
The book, which focuses on the very serious issue of pedophilia, is done in a careful and observant way. Coben begs the readers to ask what happens when that pedophile is someone you know and love — your father, uncle, brother or best friend?
In beginning the book, there are different stories going on that make the readers feel like protagonist Wendy Tynes is the most lackluster of the bunch. However, as the readers continues forward, we find that her character evolves as we begin to see her past and her refusal of redemption towards certain people.
After accepting an assignment from her boss, Tynes goes forward with a sting operation that would capture a pedophile and place him in the television spotlight for the entire world to see. The show entraps pedophiles, and in this case that predator is Dan Mercer, a local community member who works with children.
Following the show, the court finds Mercer innocent of pedophilia charges because the evidence found in his home is obstructed by lack of legality. To Mercer’s dismay, his innocence is still tested by not only Tynes, but also the whole community. Tynes, too, deals with the negative aspect of losing the case: She is fired from the position at the network but refuses to give up on the story.
Mercer has no immediate family other than his ex-wife and is what one would call strangely solitary. Everyone feels he is guilty, and according to the blogs online, there is no doubt that someone will take justice into their own hands.
Tynes, even after being let go of her position at the network, decides to delve further into the story by meeting Mercer. He explains to her that he was set up, and though she goes into meeting him with reservation, she attempts to get his account.
From there, the novel grows even more intense as readers come to find that Mercer may be telling the truth. The possible setup, however, is a whole other story in itself and best left to the reader to unravel.
The novel has a few main stories that focus on Mercer’s past and his fight for innocence, Tynes’ loss of her husband to a drunk driver named Ariana Nasbro, and the McWaid family’s hope to find their missing daughter, Haley. One commonality among those stories that make this novel whole is that each one of them is about forgiveness.
There are definite twists and turns in this book, most of them for the better. Though not all of the stories end in happiness, there is resolution for everyone. Tynes may be the great protagonist in the novel, but even Mercer has the last words that manage to remain with the reader in a positive way.
Rating: W W W W W
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