Review: Live Wire is the 10th book in the Myron Bolitar series. Myron was an all-star NCAA champion basketball star who after being drafted by the NBA had a career ending knee injury in the preseason. Rebuilding his life he returned to law school and became a sports agent with a knack of helping his clients out of the many jams they manage to get themselves into. Featuring a regular cast of characters he usually teams up with the ever dangerous, extremely wealthy Win (short for Windsor) to take care of those who get in-between those they care about. Win is the go to guy for the dirty work in the books.
Having been in business for a while Myron has expanded his agency to represent all forms of celebrity, not just athletes. When a retired bad girl tennis star is having problems with threats on Facebook, and a rock star husband who is avoiding her Myron decides to help out and save a marriage. Things get tricky when the drugged out wife of his missing brother appears at a club and leads Myron down a conspiracy that spans the years.
The Bolitar books are excellent in the sarcastic humor that exists between the two lead characters and their general attitude towards life. You are loyal without question to your family and friends, but have a good time doing it. Given that is the heart of the books, the relationship between Myron and Win, you really should take the time to start right at the beginning with the series.
Coben began writing with this series and knocked out the first seven right in a row; but around 2000 he expanded into stand-alone works so you have plenty of choices to try him out before getting into the series. I really like Coben’s writing style and find they just fly by – I managed this one in just a few hours. So I can’t recommend enough that you should check out some of his books as soon as you can.
The weakness in the series is the development of the characters beyond Bolitar. Unlike Robert Crais and Joe Pike, I do not think you could have Win centered books as he is too one dimensional and shallow. Major changes to the character would have to be made to make it work. I think his business partner in the agency, former female wrestler Esperanza, might be able to do it and that is a book I would like to read.
FYI - The series was optioned by Fox at one time for a possible series but nothing has come of it yet.
Publisher: Dutton
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 375
ISBN: 9780525952060
Quick Review: 3 Stars out of 5.
Why I Read it: I remember googling Funny Mysteries as it would combine my two reading loves, and Coben fit the bill perfectly.
Why I Read it: I remember googling Funny Mysteries as it would combine my two reading loves, and Coben fit the bill perfectly.
Where I Obtained the Book: At the library.
Synopsis: Over the years we have watched Myron walk a tight rope between sports agent, friend, problem solver and private eye, his big heart quick to defend his client's interests so fiercely that he can't help but jump in to save them, no matter the cost. When former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, encounter an anonymous Facebook post questioning the paternity of their unborn child, Lex runs off, and Suzze - at eight months pregnant - asks Myron to save her marriage, and perhaps her husband's life. But when he finds Lex, he also finds someone he wasn't looking for: his sister-in-law, Kitty, who along with Myron's brother abandoned the Bolitar family long ago. As Myron races to locate his missing brother while their father clings to life, he must face the lies that led to the estrangement - including the ones told by Myron himself. If we thought we knew Myron Bolitar, Coben now proves we didn't.
Author Biography: Bestselling mystery/thriller author Harlan Coben was born in Newark, New Jersey on January 4, 1962. After graduating from Amherst College as a political science major, he worked in the travel industry in a company owned by his grandfather. His popular series featuring the sports agent Myron Bolitar debuted in 1995. Coben's novel Tell No One was turned into the multiple award-winning 2006 French film Ne le dis à personne. He is also the first author to win the Edgar Award, Shamus Award, and Anthony Award.
FYI:
I love Harlen Coben. By the way, I think he is trying to start a new series centered around Myron's nephew (can't remember his name) for teen readers. I hope that doesn't mean the end of Myron. Totally agree about Win.
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