Long Lost -- Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben hit the crime field at the dead run with a series of comic crime novels featuring a sports agent named Myron Bolitar. These books were funny, fast, and fun. But Coben had bigger things in mind, like becoming a world-wide bestselling writer. Which he did. His books sell in the millions in countries around the globe.

But now and then Coben returns to Bolitar, as he does in Long Lost. These books aren't like the earlier ones, though. They're more like bestselling thrillers, though they do have a good bit of the humor that made the earlier books so much fun. They also have Win, everybody's favorite psycho sidekick. But they're heavier on the blood and violence, and the plots are "bigger." This one, for example, has a result that will change the world forever," as we're told on the first page.

So here's the deal. Myron gets a call from an old flame on the same day that his current love breaks it off with him (Myron's not lucky with lasting relationships). The old flame is Terese Collins, whom you might remember from an earlier book. If you don't, it doesn't matter. Her husband's been murdered, and she wants Myron's help. Since he's unattached, and since he's also wanted by the cops, he flies to Paris, where things suddenly get very complicated. The plot Myron uncovers might seem a tad far-fetched, but who cares? It's action all the way, with lots of angst and sentiment, too. I always get a kick out of Myron, even in his altered state, and if you're enjoyed Coben's other books, you're bound to like this one, too.