Editor Reviews:

Product Description:
#1 bestselling author Harlan Coben asks that provocative and terrifying question with his fifteenth thriller. How much do parents really want to know about their kids?

#1 bestselling author Harlan Coben asks that provocative and terrifying question with his fifteenth thriller.

#1 bestselling author Harlan Coben has become an unstoppable force in suspense fiction. His most recent novel, The Woods, spent more time on the New York Times bestseller list than his previous books and sales reached his highest levels to date. His latest page-turner, which is about just how far parents will go to protect their kids, is destined for the top of every bestseller list.

Tia and Mike Baye never imagined they’d become the type of overprotective parents who spy on their kids. But their sixteen-year-old son Adam has been unusually distant lately, and after the suicide of his classmate Spencer Hill—the latest in a string of issues at school—they can’t help but worry. They install a sophisticated spy program on Adam’s computer, and within days are jolted by a message from an unknown correspondent addressed to their son: “Just stay quiet and all safe.”

Meanwhile, browsing through an online memorial for Spencer put together by his classmates, Betsy Hill is struck by a photo that appears to have been taken on the night of her son’s death . . . and he wasn’t alone. She thinks it is Adam Baye standing just outside the camera’s range; but when Adam goes missing, it soon becomes clear that something deep and sinister has infected their community. For Tia and Mike Baye, the question they must answer is this: When it comes to your kids, is it possible to know too much?

Rating : - Good thriller that goes too many places
This book starts with an emotional bang. Parents Mike and Tia Baye are very concerned about the behaviour of their son Adam. They have tried to reach out to him but he is acting out, runs away for days and they are at their wits end. Also playing a factor is the fact that his best friend recently committed suicide. Mike and Tia decide after much deliberation to put a spy program on Adam's computer so they can monitor his actions. All characters here are written very realistically and emotions and actions totally ring true.

We get to see inside the lives of many families - the Bayes, the family whose son committed suicide and a single father raising a daughter. All this family emotion provides suspenseful heartfelt action enough to carry the book. It expertly addresses many issues families must face in day to day life. But we have added in a string of senseless murders that are taking place. At first the addition of this is fine and the characters involved in this plot line are also well realized. I found the first 3/4 of this book superbly written but the last 1/4 lost some steam. As the murder mystery part wrapped itself up it seemed to totally take the focus off the family issues and story lines which were the strongest part of the book. Much effort is given into bringing a conclusion to the familial story lines as well but the in the first 3/4 of the book all actions rang true but the wrap up looses steam and the emotional intensity provided earlier. It is a little unsatisfying.

I recommend this book but wish the high quality in the beginning remained for an explosive ending - both emotionally and issue wise. The book raised so many issues of what actions family members should undertake so strongly and then seemed to wrap things up with a formulaic ending.