The Innocent

By: Harlan Coben

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Some mistakes can change your life forever. For Matt Hunter, that mistake came in one terrible moment when his attempt to help a friend and stop a fight resulted in an accidental death. Matt was convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison. Time that his peers spent in college, Matt endured behind bars.

Now, nine years after his release from prison, his innocence long forgotten, he's an ex-con who takes nothing for granted. With his wife Olivia pregnant, and the two of them closing on a house in his hometown, things are looking up. Until the day Matt gets a shocking, inexplicable video call from Olivia's phone. And in an instant, the unraveling begins.

A mysterious man who begins tailing Matt turns up dead. A beloved nun is murdered. And local and federal authorities, including homicide investigator Loren Muse, a childhood schoolmate of Matt's with a troubled past of her own, see all signs pointing to a former criminal with one murder already under his belt...Matt Hunter. Unwilling to lose everything for a second time, Matt and Olivia are forced outside the law in a desperate attempt to save their future together.

An electrifying thrill-ride of a novel that peeks behind the white picket fences of suburbia, The Innocent is at once a twisting, turning, emotionally-charged story and a compelling tale of the choices we make and the repercussions that never leave us.

Please note: This is the abridged edition. An unabridged version is also available.

©2005 Harlan Coben (P)2005 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"What Coben does best is take readers into his characters’ hearts and minds. His protagonists are just common folks, minding their own business when - bam! - they are drawn into a terrifying world of sordid crimes and mayhem." (USA Today)

"A twist-filled triumph." (Life)

"Intriguing right up to the final chapter." (Associated Press)

This is a great book

This book was incredible. I found myself hanging on by every word. Most of all the narration was done so skillfully it was an art.

As a Harlan Coben

I stumbled onto Harlan Coben several years ago and fell in love with his books. “Six Years” was my first book and would give all fours and maybe a five star rating for that book. I like his writing because he always keeps you guessing and are fairly fast paced. The innocent is an earlier book. You can see him developing ideas and themes for his future series. I’m glad I did listen to this audiobook; gave me some prospective as he grew as an author. His newer stuff knocks it out of the ballpark.

This book had me from the beginning

From the first few mintues I was sucked in. Narration was very good and story was powerful. I felt a whole range of strong emotions that did not let up till well after the story was over.

Excellent book by a superb author.

Another winner!

No one, and I mean no ONE writes hooks like Coben. I have a vivid memory of getting to the end of the first books of his I read and shouting out loud "No way", haha all my family looked at me like I was losing my brain

Impressively Crafted Mystery

This is the first Coben book I have read. I was very impressed by this expertly crafted mystery. The characters were all well developed and believable. The story line was full of twists and turns and had surprises until the last chapter. I would highly recommend this book.