Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of No Second Chance

No Second Chance
No Second Chance
Author: Harlan Coben
Audio Books swap for two (2) credits.
ISBN-13: 9780142800171
ISBN-10: 0142800171
Publication Date: 4/28/2003
Edition: Abridged
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 22

4.1 stars, based on 22 ratings
Publisher: Penguin Audiobooks
Book Type: Audio CD
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

107 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed No Second Chance on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE READ... I finally found an Author I LOVE.. I will be looking for his books.. Super writing, keeps you on the edge at ALL TIMES ( from the first few paragraphs to the very last page )
reviewed No Second Chance on + 81 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
One of Cobens best. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book. If you like Coben you are going to love this book.
my2luvsemmyandmally avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 758 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
If a book is written by Coben you can't go wrong!!!
He is tops in suspense & never fails to please!
5+++ stars
cyall8tr avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 44 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
THIS MAN KNOWS HOW TO KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT
I read this book with trepidation. Recently having read my first Harlan Coben book Tell No One and recommending it to everyone, I feared my initial enthusiasm might be in vain. My worry was unfounded. Again Mr. Coben proves he knows how to grab you and not let go until the rollercoaster ride has mercifully ended. What a storyteller!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 85 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Wow! Another great book by Coben. I love his characters' sarcastic ways. I never saw the end coming on this one!! No spoilers.. Must read to find out!! Enjoyed it & didn't put it down until finished!!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 39 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
A fast moving murder/kidnapping mystery that kept my interest.
bears1 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This one kept me guessing until the end. Great read.
Fulltimer avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 179 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is the first book by this author that I have read. It has so many twists and turns you are kept off balance. You are sure you know what is going on and then they change course again.
spOOnman avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 51 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
One of his very best
sarah5775 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 386 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This was the first book I ever read by Harlan Coben, and it introduced me to a great thriller writer! Not only did the story keep me guessing until the end, but I came to care deeply about the characters. I highly recommend this book.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 51 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I practically read this book in one sitting - I couldn't put it down! It sucked me in from the very first chapter. The action and suspense kept coming, and I couldn't wait to see what was about to happen next. It kept me guessing, right up until the final pages. I will definitely be checking out more of Harlan Coben's books - he might just be my new favorite author.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 41 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Excellent Book! Can't put it down!!!!
esjro avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 947 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Harlan Coben's standalone books are so great that I have to pace myself - I only read one every so often as a treat because I don't want to get through them all. No Second Chance does not disappoint - I read through this 400+ page book in two sittings.

The book opens with a bang (literally). Marc Seidman is shot and winds up in a coma in the hospital. He regains consciousness to learn that his wife is dead and his infant daughter is missing. Marc's wealthy father in law is contacted with a ransom offer, but he is warned not to contact the authorities. They do so anyway, so when the exchange goes wrong Marc decides he must pursue the killers/kidnappers himself in order to get his daughter back.

No Second Chance is full of the usual Coben twists and turns. I was a little disappointed that I guessed one aspect of the ending, which was a first, but it did not make this book any less enjoyable or suspenseful. Like his other books, most of the chapters of this one are in first person, and the reader will find his or herself rooting for Dr. Seidman.
myanniecat avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 218 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoy all of Coben's standalones, but the Myron books remain near and dear to my heart.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
MY FAVORITE AUTHOR
reviewed No Second Chance on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent!
jules72653 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on
Helpful Score: 1
Compelling mystery with more twists and turns than a curly noodle!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 115 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Absolutely love this author. Great mix of suspense, romance and mystery to keep you hooked from page to page. Highly recommend.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 209 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Get shot and then chase after the shooters only to find that you are not as popular as you once thought you were.
wordyone avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 112 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A taut, fast paced thriller, that kept my attention from beginning to end.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 103 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Your wife has been killed. You have been left for dead, your six month old daughter is missing. What would you do? Dr. Seidman makes it his mission in life to prove he is not guilty but the road is full of twists and turns. My first Coben book but not my last.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I found Harlan Coben just last year and have read every single book he has on the market. I love his writing and the way he builds his characters. It is an absolute pleasure to read his books in order and see their progression.

If you're looking for a quick, good, fun read, this is the book for you.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 55 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent story - keeps you guessing until the end!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 26 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Harlan Coben is an outstanding writer!!! And this book is definitely one of his best, right up there with "Tell No One". Fast paced, twists and turns, you definitely can't predict the end of this one. I'd give it 10 stars if I could!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great page turner.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Thought it was really good...keeps you guessing.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent Book. If you enjoy Patricia Cornwell and David Baldacci you will love this book.
reviewed No Second Chance on
Helpful Score: 1
FROM FRONT COVER: If you contact the authorities, we disappear. You will never know what happened to her. We will be watching. We want two million dollars. Go home and wait. There will be NO SECOND CHANCE.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is a great book. Harlan Coben never lets you down.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 52 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Marc Seidman awakens to fine himself in an ICU, hooked up to an IV,his head swathed in bandages. Twelve days earlier, He'd had an enviable life as a successful surgeon, living in a peaceful suburban neighborhood with his beautiful wifr and baby he adored. Now he lies in a hospital bed, shot by an unseen assailant. His wife has been killed, and his six-month old daughter has vanished. But just when his world seems forever shattered, something arrives to give him new hope: a ransom note.
CowgirlFromHanna avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great book! Christine
Iluvgoldens avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 104 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Another winner for Coben....I just love his books!!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Hard cover book. I love his work. Good book.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 5 more book reviews
If you like mysteries, you must read him!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 9 more book reviews
Very fast paced exiting thriller.
KansasSunflower avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 329 more book reviews
Coben is a master.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 72 more book reviews
Shot twice by an unseen assailant. Dr. Marc seidman lies in a hospital bed. HIs wife has been killed. His six month old daughter as vanished. but when the ransom note arives. It gives Mark one chance to bring her home alive. Then something goes wrong, and Marc spirals into a world of shock and surprise of hope and yearning, where nothing is as it seems.....
reviewed No Second Chance on + 121 more book reviews
This Author I really like. So far nothing I have read is about the same main person. A bit involved at times, but it seems life would likely be involved given his scenerios.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 72 more book reviews
Not A Myron book, but excellent in its own way. A change for him.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 203 more book reviews
Anyone who's read any Coben book and enjoyed it will like this one too.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 26 more book reviews
Shot twice by an unseen assailant, Dr. Marc Seidman lies in a hospital bed. His wife has been killed. His six-month-old daughter has vanished. But when the ransom note arrives. It gives Marc one chance to bring her home alive. Then something goes wrong, and Marc spirals into a world of shock and surprise, of hope and yearning, where nothing is as it seems.
swamprat avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 38 more book reviews
This was my first book by Harlan Coben - it won't be my last. A good book!
Char avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 135 more book reviews
Shot by an unseen assailant, Dr. Marc Seidman lies in a hospital bed. His wife has been killed, his 6 month old daughter has vanished. But when the ransom note arrives, it givs Marc a chance to bring her home alive. Then something goes wrong.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 11 more book reviews
I really liked this novel even better then The Innocent! Talk about a cliffhanger!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 6 more book reviews
I loved this book. Lots of twists.
justreadingabook avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 1726 more book reviews
Exciting, intense and twists and turns.
Never disappointed with a Harlan Coben book!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 53 more book reviews
This is the first book of Coben's I have read. I loved it! I couldn't put it down. It is well written and very hard to figure out what will happen next. I can't wait to read more of his books.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 4 more book reviews
good book
reviewed No Second Chance on + 15 more book reviews
Very good.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 36 more book reviews
A good thriller with an unexpected ending.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 111 more book reviews
This is a great mystery. Harlan COben always gives you a roller coast ride in every book, and this is no exception. A very well written, to-notch book.
WhenPigsFly avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 56 more book reviews
Mr. Coben is a best-selling author receiving praise from all sorts of sources. He is deservant of the praise -- he is a fine author writing sharp. deeply interesting stories with keenly defined characters, both good and evil. Highly recommended!!
Jim614 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 3 more book reviews
A fast moving book. I like Coben's style.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 9 more book reviews
Good book, keeps you guessing right up to the end
reviewed No Second Chance on + 50 more book reviews
Harlan Coben never lets his readers down! From the very first page you are absorbed, and it is a roller coaster ride from there on in. Loved it!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 8 more book reviews
Very good of its kind. ****
cyall8tr avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 44 more book reviews
THIS MAN KNOWS HOW TO KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT
I read this book with trepidation. Recently having read my first Harlan Coben book Tell No One and recommending it to everyone, I feared my initial enthusiasm might be in vain. My worry was unfounded. Again Mr. Coben proves he knows how to grab you and not let go until the rollercoaster ride has mercifully ended. What a storyteller!
hagen007 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 27 more book reviews
This book was really good. One of those books that you stay up until 3:00 am to finish! And that's exactly what I did.

Sue H.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 36 more book reviews
This is my second Harlan Coben book. Loved, loved, loved it. Quick read!
whodunit1951 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 7 more book reviews
Coben just can't MISS! Every one of his books are spellbinding! This one is a page turner with twisted plots right up to the last page. You will find yourself holding your breath! I only wish he would write faster ..I'm now waiting for his latest!
BoyzMommy avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 4 more book reviews
Very gripping. My second Coben book, and makes me want to read more.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 130 more book reviews
Great Harlan Coben thriller!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 71 more book reviews
Wow this book kept me on the edge of my seat and I didn't expect the way it ended though somewhat; however, it threw me for a loop. I love this author's work.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 26 more book reviews
Dr. Marc Seidman has been shot twice, and is in the hospital. His wife is dead and his 6-month old daughter is missing. The ransom note comes and he has one chance to bring his daughter home alive. Then something goes wrong.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 33 more book reviews
Excellent! Love all his work!
Booklover57 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 44 more book reviews
I couldn't put this down....!! Even had me crying at the end. A great page turner!
buzzby avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 6062 more book reviews
I was on the edge of my seat all the way through (I had to sleep on my side for a week because of the indentation). All his books are good, but this was the best.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 18 more book reviews
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat
gigi avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 355 more book reviews
No Second Chance was my first experience with the author, Harlan Coben. While this is a very serious suspense novel, I found that I enjoyed his self-deprecating sense of humor as much as the excellent told story. We are privy to all of the innermost thoughts of the main character, Dr. Marc Seidman; his doubts and insecurities as well as his almost super-human capabilities when it comes to getting his baby daughter back from the kidnappers who killed his wife. Corben introduces some very interesting characters in this book, that I won't soon forget.
FriscoOBX avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 601 more book reviews
great book. coben keeps you on your toes all through the book! worth the read.
Lissa avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 224 more book reviews
Shot twice by an unseen assailant, Dr. Marc Seidman lies in a hospital bed. His wife has been killed. His 6 month old daughter has vanished. But when the ransom note arrives it gives marc one chance to bring her home alive. Then something goes wrong, and Marc spirals into a world of shock & surprise, of hope and yearning where nothing is as it seems.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 7 more book reviews
Hard to put this one down. Keeps you guessing until the very end!!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 31 more book reviews
Excellent. Couldn't put it down.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 98 more book reviews
ANOTHER FANTASTIC READ BY COBEN.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 102 more book reviews
Harlan Coben books are always good reads. this was hard to put down.
IndulgeYourself avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 100 more book reviews
Harlan Coben never fails to deliver a suspenseful, edge of your seat, page-turner. I really did not figure this one out until it was all revealed at the end. I totally enjoyed this thriller.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 33 more book reviews
Very intense read. I couldn't put it down.
goldilocks2005 avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 104 more book reviews
WOW! Awesome book! Great suspense, characterization and plot. Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors and he never fails to please!!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 72 more book reviews
So good I bought it twice (and if this copy's taken, I have another one at home...)
reviewed No Second Chance on + 49 more book reviews
a fast, exciting read
reviewed No Second Chance on + 314 more book reviews
One of my favorite authors.He writes with twists and turns.A great mystery -- always a page turner.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 7 more book reviews
Love this writer, he keeps you in suspense. Great story, easy read.
sealady avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 657 more book reviews
From Publishers Weekly: "Supercharged by a father's fierce drive to rescue his kidnapped daughter, Coben's third stand-alone thriller proves far more gripping than his second, Tell No One. Marc Seidman, a plastic surgeon near New York City, wakes up in a hospital to learn that he has been gravely wounded, his wife shot dead and his infant daughter, Tara, snatched. The ensuing narrative, which shuttles between third person and Marc's first person, covers more than a year in Marc's hunt for Tara and climaxes twice with his fumbling of payments in response to ransom demands, plunging him into despair. A smartly drawn supporting cast supports Marc in his quest, including an old girlfriend-an ex-FBI agent-who reappears in his life; Marc's lawyer, who's also his best friend; a cop/FBI duo who for a while suspect Marc of engineering the snatch and ransom demands; and a working-class hero who joins forces with Marc near the end of his hunt and steals every scene he's in. On the villain's side lurk several shady folk, including a psychopathic former child star and her hulking boyfriend. The plot is overly complicated, and there's a revelation at book's end that veteran thriller readers will have sussed out long before. Those flaws matter little, though, in the face of the emotional onslaught of Marc's gut-wrenching, self-questioning, relentless narration, which will carry readers like a tidal wave through the novel's twists and turns. What Coben's thriller lacks in originality, it makes up for in sheer vigor; few browsers or dippers will put this down." Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 533 more book reviews
Supercharged by a father's fierce drive to rescue his kidnapped daughter, Coben's third stand-alone thriller proves far more gripping than his second, Tell No One. Marc Seidman, a plastic surgeon near New York City, wakes up in a hospital to learn that he has been gravely wounded, his wife shot dead and his infant daughter, Tara, snatched. The ensuing narrative, which shuttles between third person and Marc's first person, covers more than a year in Marc's hunt for Tara and climaxes twice with his fumbling of payments in response to ransom demands, plunging him into despair. A smartly drawn supporting cast supports Marc in his quest, including an old girlfriend-an ex-FBI agent-who reappears in his life; Marc's lawyer, who's also his best friend; a cop/FBI duo who for a while suspect Marc of engineering the snatch and ransom demands; and a working-class hero who joins forces with Marc near the end of his hunt and steals every scene he's in. On the villain's side lurk several shady folk, including a psychopathic former child star and her hulking boyfriend. The plot is overly complicated, and there's a revelation at book's end that veteran thriller readers will have sussed out long before. Those flaws matter little, though, in the face of the emotional onslaught of Marc's gut-wrenching, self-questioning, relentless narration, which will carry readers like a tidal wave through the novel's twists and turns. What Coben's thriller lacks in originality, it makes up for in sheer vigor; few browsers or dippers will put this down.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW
reviewed No Second Chance on + 27 more book reviews
No Second Chance is yet another of Harlan Coben's terrifying explorations of the worst of fears--Marc Seidman wakes in hospital after narrowly surviving a shooting in which his wife died and their baby daughter went missing. The handover of a ransom from his rich in-laws goes wrong and Seidman realises that he is not only without wife and daughter--and the sister who may have been an accomplice--but he is also the principal suspect. The reader knows even more than Seidman just how much jeopardy he is in--Coben does a brilliantly disturbing job of introducing us to a pair of psychotics who are in charge of the ransom plot and who plan to take Seidman and his in-laws for another ride into insecurity and hell. Marc turns to the one person he thinks can help him--the ex-girlfriend who still has a place in his heart and used to be a senior Federal agent. The problem is that Rachel comes with baggage, and enemies, all of her own...
reviewed No Second Chance on + 76 more book reviews
One of Coben's best books. He holds your attention from the first page and you are always in for a surprise in the end! I can't wait to read more of his books.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 30 more book reviews
An amazing suspense novel. My first introduction to this author and I immediatly fell in love. I couldn't put this book down, and even read it at stoplights! 'Nuff said.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 25 more book reviews
A fast paced book with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed this book.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 18 more book reviews
This book is a page turner with several twists. Good mystery.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 37 more book reviews
Harlan Coben never disappoints. If you like fast-paced suspense, this is another great read.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 160 more book reviews
Excellent suspense.
twosey avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 52 more book reviews
Kept me guessing until the end
reviewed No Second Chance on + 49 more book reviews
Wow - it's a good thing I'm a fast reader because I literally couldn't put this down. Harlan Coben is my favorite thriller writer - I love a fast-paced book with an intricate plot and lots of twists. This book has it all!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 223 more book reviews
Very good book, continuous action with lots of twists and turns. One of Harlan Coben's best!
reviewed No Second Chance on + 110 more book reviews
Really good read.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 14 more book reviews
I love everything Coben writes and this no exception. Almost as good as "Cut and Run".
Planetbee avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 32 more book reviews
A good mystery. There is a lot of twists and turns in the plot, and characters that keep you guessing while trying to figure out what is actually occurring.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 711 more book reviews
You will not be able to put it down! It is a white-knuckle thriller and a story about the emotional bonds that define our lives. Shot twice by an unseen assailant, Dr. Marc Seidman lies in a hospital bed. His wife has been killed. His six-month-old daughter has vanished. But when the ransom note arrives, it gives Marc one chance to bring her home alive. Then something goes wrong, and Marc spirals into a world of shock and surprise, of hope and yearning, where nothing is as it seems.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 107 more book reviews
Loved it! This book is so fast paced and hooks you in from the first sentence! The ending was a surprise! I recommend this book to anyone!
saber avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 159 more book reviews
This book, while it has a complex plot and is well written, did not have a protagonist that gained my loyalty or sympathy at all. I had just finished "The Innocent" by the same author, which was much better.
reviewed No Second Chance on
Great read!
eadieburke avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 1639 more book reviews
Book Description
When the first bullet hit my chest, I thought of my daughter...

Marc Seidman awakens to find himself in an ICU, hooked up to an IV, his head swathed in bandages. Twelve days earlier, he had an enviable life as a successful surgeon, living in a peaceful suburban neighborhood with his beautiful wife and a baby he adored. Now he lies in a hospital bed, shot by an unseen assailant. His wife has been killed, and his six-month-old daughter, Tara, has vanished. But just when his world seems forever shattered, something arrives to give Marc new hope: a ransom note.

We are watching. If you contact the authorities, you will never see your daughter again. There will be no second chance.

The note is chilling, but Marc sees only one thing-he has the chance to save his daughter. He can't talk to the police or the FBI. He doesn't know whom he can trust. And now the authorities are closing in on a new suspect: Marc himself. Mired in a deepening quicksand of deception and deadly secrets-about his wife, about an old love he's never forgotten, and about his own past-he clings to one, unwavering vow: to bring home Tara, at any cost.

Both a white-knuckle thriller and an emotionally powerful tale about the loyalty of old friends and the bond between parent and child, No Second Chance is another masterpiece.

My Review
Harlan Coben's books are always very entertaining and this one was no different. With lots of quirky characters, interesting plot and fine writing, this book was an enjoyable read. I do have one complaint in regards to a character's behavior acting in what I thought was a bit unbelievable but you have to read it for yourself and see what you think. Even with this one flaw, the book twists and turns and keeps you guessing until the end. If you never tried Coben's books, I think you should. I certainly look forward to my next book written by him.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 21 more book reviews
This is a very good book. I watched the series on Netflix by the same name but it was entirely different than the book. Both were very good, but I think I like the book better.
debs avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 649 more book reviews
Within 2 pages into this book, I couldn't put it down. Harlan Coben is a terrific writer (with the Myron Bolitar series); this book is not part of that series but is is just as good. His storytelling is top-knotch; you feel like you really know the characters, and are drawn into their lives. You just can't wait to hear what's going to happen to them next.
reviewed No Second Chance on + 158 more book reviews
Husband read on a long flight; I haven't read it.
Linda avatar reviewed No Second Chance on + 770 more book reviews
Shot twice by an unseen assailant, Dr. Mark Seidman lies in a hospital bed. His wife has been killed. His six-month old daughter has vanished. But when the ransom note arrives, it gives Marc one chance to bring her home alive. Then something goes wrong, and Marc spirals into a world of shock and surprises, of hope and yearning, where nothing is as it seems....
reviewed No Second Chance on + 127 more book reviews
A great read!