50 pages 1-hour read

Harlan Coben

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Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Myron is a former college basketball star whose athletic career ended suddenly due to a severe knee injury. He channeled his competitive energy into running a sports agency and acting as an amateur private investigator. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, he relies on both his imposing physical presence and his deep emotional intelligence to handle volatile situations. He operates with an intense desire to protect vulnerable people, frequently bending the law to help his loved ones.

Key Relationships

Best friend of Win Lockwood III

Fiancée of Terese Collins

Uncle of Mickey Bolitar

Son of Al Bolitar

Son of Ellen Bolitar

Former business partner of Esperanza Diaz

Win is a highly intelligent financial investor possessing an immense family fortune. He operates with a cold, calculating logic that sharply contrasts with his best friend's emotional approach to investigations. He actively enjoys using lethal violence against criminals and feels absolutely no remorse for ignoring legal boundaries. He completely avoids emotional romantic attachments, preferring brief encounters while traveling the globe in his private jet.

Key Relationships

Best friend of Myron Bolitar

Cousin of Brooke Baldwin

Cousin of Rhys Baldwin

Brooke is an affluent and physically resilient woman married to a problematic businessman. She faced intense public scrutiny and suspicion due to her stoic demeanor following the abduction of her six-year-old son a decade ago. She possesses a commanding presence and prioritizes finding the truth about her missing child above everything else.

Key Relationships

Wife of Chick Baldwin

Mother of Rhys Baldwin

Mother of Clark Baldwin

Nancy is a fiercely protective mother struggling with the devastating consequences of a decade-long tragedy. The trauma drained her emotional resources and ultimately destroyed her marriage. She aggressively guards her family's privacy against an intrusive media circus while managing her ex-husband's volatile behavior.

Key Relationships

Ex-wife of Hunter Moore

Mother of Patrick Moore

Mother of Francesca Moore

Patrick is a sixteen-year-old boy who vanished alongside his friend during a kindergarten playdate. After ten years missing, he surfaces in a London criminal operation. He exhibits severe emotional distress and remains highly guarded around adults asking questions about his captivity or his missing friend.

Key Relationships

Son of Hunter Moore

Brother of Francesca Moore

Childhood friend of Rhys Baldwin

Fat Gandhi is a dangerous criminal operating out of a heavily guarded London arcade called Adventure Land. He utilizes advanced hacking skills to run underground scams while exploiting vulnerable teenagers for profit. He views human life purely as a financial commodity to trade.

Key Relationships

Captor of Patrick Moore

Adversary of Myron Bolitar

Adversary of Win Lockwood III

Supporting Characters

Rhys is Brooke and Chick's son. He vanished from his own home while under the supervision of a teenage au pair. His current status remains completely unknown following the sudden reappearance of his childhood friend.

Key Relationships

Son of Chick Baldwin

Brother of Clark Baldwin

Childhood friend of Patrick Moore

Chick is a wealthy businessman burdened by a history of embezzlement and insider trading. He harbors deep resentment toward his wife's extended family and the ongoing police investigation. He actively prioritizes his own reputation while lashing out aggressively at those attempting to help.

Key Relationships

Husband of Brooke Baldwin

Father of Rhys Baldwin

Father of Clark Baldwin

Hunter is Nancy's former husband. Their marriage collapsed under the immense strain of their son's disappearance. He isolates himself from the ongoing media spectacle and relies heavily on alcohol to cope with his circumstances.

Key Relationships

Ex-husband of Nancy Moore

Father of Patrick Moore

Father of Francesca Moore

Terese is a former television news anchor currently building a new phase of her journalism career. She provides Myron with crucial emotional grounding and highly objective perspectives on his cases. Having survived the loss of her own child in the past, she uniquely understands the long-term impacts of grief.

Key Relationships

Fiancée of Myron Bolitar

Clark is a junior at Columbia University. Growing up in the shadow of his brother's highly publicized abduction deeply affected his childhood and isolated him from peers. He relies heavily on his shared experiences with his roommate to process their unique family traumas.

Key Relationships

Son of Chick Baldwin

Brother of Rhys Baldwin

Roommate of Francesca Moore

Francesca is a college student sharing a New York apartment with Clark. She experienced severe neglect as her parents' marriage fractured following the kidnapping a decade ago. She struggles intensely to process the sudden media attention surrounding her family.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Nancy Moore

Daughter of Hunter Moore

Sister of Patrick Moore

Roommate of Clark Baldwin

Mickey is a highly talented high school athlete currently living with his grandparents due to his own family instability. He possesses a strong investigative drive similar to his uncle's. He eagerly utilizes his youth and technological skills to gather information that adults cannot access.

Key Relationships

Nephew of Myron Bolitar

Boyfriend of Ema

Grandson of Al Bolitar

Grandson of Ellen Bolitar

Ema is Mickey's highly resourceful girlfriend. She actively assists the investigation by using digital tools, social media tracking, and covert surveillance tactics. She approaches problems logically and comfortably bends rules to gather necessary evidence.

Key Relationships

Girlfriend of Mickey Bolitar

Daughter of Angelica Wyatt

Esperanza is a former professional wrestler who successfully transitioned into a highly effective legal career. She operates as a partner at the sports agency and uses her sharp intellect to support Myron's investigation. She currently faces an aggressive and draining custody battle with her estranged husband.

Key Relationships

Former business partner of Myron Bolitar

Friend of Big Cyndi

Estranged wife of Tom

Big Cyndi is a physically imposing former wrestler who currently works at the sports agency. She provides enthusiastic support to her friends and readily assists with ground surveillance tasks when Myron asks for help.

Key Relationships

Best friend of Esperanza Diaz

Employee of Myron Bolitar

Al is a dedicated family patriarch who closely follows his grandson's high school athletic career. He provides crucial emotional stability for his family and frequently reflects on the heavy responsibilities inherent in parenting.

Key Relationships

Father of Myron Bolitar

Husband of Ellen Bolitar

Grandfather of Mickey Bolitar

Ellen is a warm, deeply caring mother who maintains an exceptionally close relationship with her adult son. She eagerly steps in to provide a stable, loving household for her teenage grandson during a difficult time.

Key Relationships

Mother of Myron Bolitar

Wife of Al Bolitar

Grandmother of Mickey Bolitar

Vada is a Finnish citizen who worked as an au pair for the families a decade ago. She fled the country shortly after the kidnapping to escape the brutal media spotlight and intense police questioning. She currently attempts to live quietly under a different name.

Key Relationships

Former caretaker of Patrick Moore

Former caretaker of Rhys Baldwin

Neil is a former high school basketball coach who successfully transitioned into law enforcement. He served as the primary detective during the original kidnapping investigation. He freely admits the case contained glaring inconsistencies the police could never fully resolve.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Myron Bolitar

Tom is a wealthy individual involved in a bitter divorce proceeding. He aggressively challenges his wife for child custody using his family's considerable financial resources to intimidate her.

Key Relationships

Estranged husband of Esperanza Diaz

Zorra is a highly trained former intelligence operative working as hired muscle. They assist the investigation by tracking elusive individuals across international borders using specialized skills.

Key Relationships

Associate of Win Lockwood III