Fade Away (Myron Bolitar, Book 3)

by Harlan Coben

Hardcover, 2008

Call number

MYST COB

Collection

Genres

Publication

Delacorte Press (2008), Edition: 1st, 336 pages

Description

In novels that crackle with wit and suspense, Harlan Coben has created one of the most fascinating heroes in suspense fiction: the wisecracking, tenderhearted sports agent Myron Bolitar. In this gripping third novel in the acclaimed series, Myron must confront a past that is dead and buried--and more dangerous than ever before.    The home is top-notch New Jersey suburban. The living room is Martha Stewart. The basement is Legos--and blood. The signs of a violent struggle. For Myron Bolitar, the disappearance of a man he once competed against is bringing back memories--of the sport he and Greg Downing had both played and the woman they both loved. Now, among the stars, the wannabes, the gamblers, and the groupies, Myron is embarking upon the strange ride of a sports hero gone wrong that just may lead to certain death. Namely, his own.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member reading_fox
The continuing adventures of Mylon Bolitar's Sports representative agency. Mylon who was until his injury a promising basketball star, is recalled to his former team and asked to play in the guise of searching for their star player who has gone missing. Mylong quickly turns up lots of reasons as to
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why he could have gone missing - gambling debts, blackmail, jealous lovers, etc, with the discovery of a body things start to get more erious, but Mylon still can't fathom out which reason was predominent. The ending comes very suddenly with a flash Mylon knew. This is tacky. The plot twists are otherwise pretty good. Fortunately not too much is made of physcopath Win.

As usual the characters are all thin, he bad guys without redeeming features etc, but I didn't spot nay obvious plot holes which is always good.
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LibraryThing member jbemrose
In this book Myron Bolitar return to professional basketball to find Greg Downing. Plus Myron found out that his knee injury was no accent. I like this series of book.
LibraryThing member Joycepa
Myron Bolitar's professional basketball careeer ended before it ever really began with a severe knee injury sustained during a pre-season game. He is therefore astonished when the owner of the New Jersey Dragons, a team headed for the playoffs, offers him a job as a player. But it turns out that
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this is to be a cover for the real job--finding the whereabouts of one of the team's star players, Greg Downing, who has disappeared on the eve of the playoffs. Myron and Greg have a history as rivals going back to their high school basketball days.

Myron and his Philadelphia Main Line Old Family assistant Win immediately run into signs of trouble when they discover blood in the basement playroom of Downing's house. Soon a body shows up, that of a mysterious "Carla", and the puzzle thickens.

Coben is in fine feather with this series installment. Myron and Win are two of the more original "detectives" in the mystery genre, and Coben's comic touch, as usual, really enlivens the story. Win is definitely everyone's favorite sociopath.

The plot is excellent with a gratifying number of twists and turns. The climax is completely unexpected and well-written; the ending, quite appropriately, is somewhat somber and a little ambivalent.

There are aspects of the plot, however, that do not tie up neatly at the end, and that left me uncomfortable trying to figure out just exactly how they actually did fit in to the overall plot. There is a brief and pretty superficial look at the price sports superstars pay for their celebrity status that is crucial to the plot.

As always, Myron and Win are the chief attractions in a highly entertaining--many times truly funny--book. Highly recommended for a good, light read.
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LibraryThing member she_climber
Myron gets another chance at pro-basketball. Great story, great mystery - didn't see it coming until the end. Still wondering what exactly did Win do at the very end. Hurrying to the next one to see if any clues will be revealed.
LibraryThing member MsGemini
This is the 3rd book in the Myron Bolitar series. My least favorite of the series thus far. Although, I did find the book enjoyable and liked the surprise ending. I am looking forward to reading book 4.
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Really really didn't expect some of the surprises in this book. We learn more about the injury which forced Myron to give up playing professional basketball and how he came to terms, or not, with the end of this career. One of the things I'm really enjoying about this series is how the characters
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develop in each book.
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LibraryThing member dspoon
he home was top-notch New Jersey suburban. The living room was Martha Stewart. The basement was Legos - and blood. For sports agent Myron Bolitar, the disappearance of a man he'd once competed against was bringing back memories - of the sport he and Greg Downing had both played and the woman they
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both loved. Now, among the stars, the wanna-bes, the gamblers and groupies, Myron is unraveling the strange, violent life of a sports hero gone wrong, and coming face-to-face with a past he can't relive, and a present he may not survive.
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LibraryThing member meyskens
Another great book in the Myron Bolitar series. What I like about these books are that Myron is just a plain joe trying to make things right. He does not get bought out - he keeps searching till he finds the answer. Coben weaves you in and out of several story lines - keeping the mystery afloat. I
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found it hard to put this book down - had this great sense of urgency to find out who done it. This story takes Myron back in his past to his basketball playing days and there the story begins. Myron is offered a position on his former basketball team, but in taking this position, he is really trying to find where the star basketball player has gone to - he is missing. Through the web Coben weaves - there is murder and of course Myron will prevail and figure it out. I love part of the intro in the book - "Now, among the star, the wannabes, the gamblers and groupies, Myron is unraveling the strange, violent ride of a sports hero gone wrong, and coming face-to-face with a past he can't relive, and a present he may not survive." This is what this book is all about. Enjoy!
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LibraryThing member bribre01
I think this was my favorite Myron Boiltar book so far. I learned more about Myron and his basketball career in this one. Myron is one of my favorite characters, along with Thursday Next. I don't read many series books, but I love this series. I am looking forward to reading book #4.
LibraryThing member irinka87
FAVORITE so far! I have read the first two as well, and just wrapped up this novel! This book has so many twists you keep thinking you know how it will end and you just keep getting surprised!
LibraryThing member unrequitedlibrarian
Tone of language: Tough talk, simple observations, earthy humor convey the harshness of life
Plot twists: A side story unexpectedly becomes key
Characters: Wounded, they speak their own compromised truths
Values: People should not hurt others
Pace: Multilayered backstory involving many characters slows
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the sorting out
Background research: Pro Basketball
Sexuality: Misplaced flirtation
Ending: Desperation leads to unwise behavior
Offensive to any group: Lesbians
Target audience: Everyone

Flaws: Although Myron's thought processes are shared with the reader, we are suddenly excluded from Myron's thoughts when he figures out who the murderer is.
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LibraryThing member buffalogr
Entertaining light reading story: Myron Bolitar is hired to investigate a missing professional basketball player with a gambling problem, in the middle of a nasty divorce from Myron's long-ago ex-girlfriend. This book has so many twists that you keep thinking you know how it will end--then it
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changes in a surprising way. This was my favorite Myron Boiltar book so far--where's #4?.
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LibraryThing member AliceAnna
A decent interlude. Pleasant lead character. Interesting plot. But I'm disappointed in that the book was supposed to have a humorous bent, but I really didn't think it held up to my standards of humor. Overall, enjoyable though.
LibraryThing member jguidry
This is my favorite installment of the Myron Bolitar series. I not only enjoyed the mystery, but also the interaction between Myron and his friends. You truly get to see into Myron's mind. This book got a favorite from me because I loved the ending. It had action, emotion, and even a little revenge!
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Fade Away is the third book in the Myron Bolitar series. Myron is a sports agent and former FBI agent, but ten years ago was a a top NBA draft choice until an serious injury sidelined him in his first preseason game. Myron's former rival, Greg Downing, is now a superstar for the New Jersey Dragons.
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He's also missing and the owner of the team wants Myron to find him. To do that he gives Myron a place as a substitute on the team. When the trail leads to the bludgeoned corpse of a woman last seen with Greg, Myron, and his best friend and partner, Win, find themselves in real trouble. Win has a penchant for violence and he certainly puts it to use in their investigation.

I enjoyed the plot twists involving Myron’s history and the way he has coped with his disappointment over the years. The writing is suspenseful, at at the same time, laugh out loud funny. The characters are all multi-dimensional, and the secondary characters of Win and Esperanza, are some of the best I've ever seen. Harlan Coben is a master of great storytelling and suspense. Myron is a fascinating character and I look forward to continuing the rest of this highly addictive series.
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LibraryThing member shannon.dolgos
Myron's basketball career was cut off before it started when a pre-season game resulted in a severe knee injury that would ultimately crush his professional NBA dream.

A decade has past, and his basketball rival, Greg Downing, has vanished, and Myron is hired to find him. To do so, Myron is drafted
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back into the game. As the evidence unravels, Myron learns more than he expected about his rival, his first love, and himself...
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LibraryThing member LB121100
Good Coban book
LibraryThing member creighley
Myron Bolitar is brought back into the world of basketball and with the people of his past: his ex-girlfriend and nemesis Greg Downing. Greg has disappeared and the team owner wants to know why and where he is.
LibraryThing member ThoughtsofJoyLibrary
Myron Bolitar is a sports agent that is asked to return to professional basketball - the sport that he was abruptly dismissed from due to a knee injury 10 years earlier. He quickly discovers that the invitation is not for his basketball skills, but to go undercover to locate a player that has
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disappeared.

I thoroughly enjoy Myron and his sidekick Win. Together their wit brings about smiles or grins, but Myron's personality can stand on its own. His sarcastic comments add flavor to the story and is what I like most about him. However, the plot in this book (#3) has allowed us to get to know Myron on more of a personal level, and I liked that side of him, too.

The series at this point is dated, but the references are fun and entertaining. Coben came out with the 9th book in March, 2009. It should prove to be interesting to move along in time with the books as I try to catch up.

Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy
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LibraryThing member stephanie_M
Fade Away is so far one of the best novels in this series, that I've read. Not only is Coben really hitting his stride with the characters in this novel, but the twisty-turny plot line kept me enthralled throughout. I listened to this entire audiobook in two sittings, late at night when almost the
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entire house was asleep, and I had no distractions. Boltar's character is so fleshed out, he seems more real than ever to me, and I adore his sarcastic asides and Bon mot's especially. (And the other characters as well. But NOT the way he made fun of the new receptionist, "Big Cindy"...! That was awful, and Coben should be ashamed of his sizeist attitude! I would hope that Coben's attitude towards larger sized women changes before the next novel.)
Anyway, I snickered more than once, and this does not happen often.
Jonathan Marosz is a great narrator, and I hope he narrates more of The Boltar's series. The reveal at the end of the novel was a real wowser, and I am betting that it will keep me, and many, many other readers and listeners coming back for more. I'm very happy that I kept up with this series, through the first couple of novels in it. This novel is the beginning of the pay off. P,ease give this series a try, you won't be disappointed.
4 solid stars, and recommended for other lovers of mystery novels.
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LibraryThing member addunn3
Myron joins a pro basketball team to track down a missing player. Well written plot with the usual host of characters.
LibraryThing member nyiper
I'm working my way through this wonderful series...I'm almost glad I missed it when it first started...I just have a total reading happiness ahead! Myron and Win make a wonderful pair to work through the complicated events that arise, thanks to Coben's terrific imagination.

Awards

Edgar Award (Nominee — 1997)
Anthony Award (Nominee — 1997)
Barry Award (Nominee — 1997)
Dilys Award (Nominee — 1997)
Shamus Award (Winner — 1997)

Pages

336

ISBN

0385342500 / 9780385342506
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