Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

From Goodreads: 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 they 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?

I read the horror book Duma Key by Stephen King last month and laughed off the walking dead, they didn't scare me. But this book by Harlan Coben, with the teeneage boys and suicide and drugs, scared the bejeezus out of me. Listening to the parents worry about their son as he slips away from them into a world of drugs made me physically ill - stomach in turmoil, muscles tense, it was frightening. There was more than one storyline and when the narration would switch from the reckless teens to the sadistic killer, I would breathe a sigh of relief, "yes, let's chop this lady into small pieces" THAT I can handle. It's all about perspective isn't it? Tween now Teen has such struggles with depression and self-injury and experimentation with drugs - this book just captured the parent's misery (my misery) of worrying about your child and feeling helpless. Having gone through two suicidal instances with Teen this fall, I really wondered if I could make it through this book, but I did; Harlan Coben keeps things moving at such a fast pace that it just keeps you listening. I did only give it four stars on Goodreads because the preachiness of the whole "Should you monitor your kids using technology?" debate was tiresome and the multiple plot lines coming all together was a bit of a stretch - but overall this was a fast paced thrilling read, but perhaps, a bit too close for comfort for me.

The audiobook challenge is hosted by Teresa at Teresa's Reading Corner, click on the logo to see my progress.










I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!