Think about your last family dinner. Someone probably passed the potatoes and someone else rolled their eyes about politics. Now imagine that your cousin had a secret bank account. Your uncle had a fake ID. And your grandma? She knew everything but never told you. That’s “Run Away.” It’s a heart-pounding reminder that every family has a locked drawer—and sometimes, you need to pick the lock to save someone you love.
Coben also makes you care about the bad guys. One of them is a woman who runs a “wellness clinic” that is clearly a cult. She smiles, she offers tea, and she has a pet chicken. You’ll hate her, then you’ll kind of understand her, then you’ll hate her again. That’s good writing right there.
A Little Story to Seal the Deal
I once lost my wallet in a taxi. I panicked for hours. I called the taxi company, the DMV, and my mom (who blamed me for being “too careless”). When I got the wallet back, everything was still inside—except my favorite photo. It was weirdly unsettling. That tiny missing photo haunted me for weeks. That’s exactly the feeling “Run Away” gives you. A missing daughter. A dead first love. A photo you can’t find. Coben takes that tiny, unsettling feeling and stretches it into a full-blown, addictive ride.
So, yes. Pick it up. Or listen to the audiobook (the narrator has a great voice for sarcastic dads). Just don’t blame me when you’re up until 2 a.m., pacing your living room, muttering, “What happened to Henry, Simon? TELL ME.”
