I Hadn’t Planned To Binge, But… – My Reactions to Netflix’ #TheStranger [No Spoilers]

/ January 31, 2020

Just to confirm here at the start: This post will contain no spoilers beyond what is already known from the TS trailer; I am only describing my reactions to the show, including my rating. There will be no plot twists or conclusions revealed!

When Netflix released The Stranger yesterday morning – after a slight panic because at 9am I could not find it in my app yet – I was planning to watch the first episode, two at most. Because I have a regular life that includes household chores and freelance work. Let me just say this: That didn’t happen! In fact, I more or less binged the whole show in one go, except for three breaks in between with a trip to the post office with quick stock-up of a Pepsi Max and a bag of low cal crisps, a coffee date who can refuse such when the newly grown-up daughter suggests to meet her mother in a uni-break?, and a translation job in the afternoon. That already tells you a lot about the tempo and the quality of The Stranger. I am not a huge binge-watcher. I like to draw out the enjoyment of seeing Richard Armitage on screen by timing a series. Two shows a night – that’s four days instead of just one day of being surprised and delighted by my favourite actor on screen. But it didn’t work out that way. I crammed it all into one sitting – because The Stranger is un-switch-offable TV!

I mean, come on, who can resist those puppy eyes? Rhetorical question

After a short introduction the show started pretty much with the bang that we all know from the trailer. And then it went full-on in building the mystery that keeps you glued to the screen. The action was fast-paced from the get-go, once all characters were established, and Adam’s storyline holds your attention throughout. His family’s story is what moulds the action together, with secondary plotlines keeping you in the dark. Every episode ends with a lethal cliffhanger that makes it impossible to resist jumping into the next episode right away. And so much so that I even skipped over the intro that features the brilliant title music by Irish four-pice Walking on cars. It has become an earworm that has been ringing in my ears since last night. Video makers of the fandom: Here is your chance to make a fabulous fan video of Adam Price’s journey through the plot!

 

The pace of The Stranger is relentless. Yes, there were a couple of moments where the clues were so obvious that I anticipated the later reveals. But those moments are more than balanced by a general suspense that keeps building until half-way through the last episode. In fact, there are many moments of breath-taking surprise, so much so that I audibly gasped (much to the concern of my SO who was watching telly in the same room where I was hunching over my laptop with my headphones in) and spent many minutes of the show with my hands thrown up in horror.

I have read in some reviews that there were too many red herrings in the plot. To that I can only say – what is a thriller supposed to do if not continually throw you off the scent and introduce new puzzles that will keep you in suspense? The point of the show is to take you on the journey of uncovering the truth. If the mystery were as plain as a pikestaff, well, it wouldn’t make for TV drama, would it? Compared to other shows – let’s say BS (although a different genre) – there were no parts of the show where I felt bored. Granted, some of the secondary plotlines may not interest you. As one of the people who came to the show because I wanted to “see my favourite actor do something” (sorry, I just can’t let go of that), Adam’s story was what I wanted to focus on. But the other plotlines are interwoven with his journey, and the central theme of Adam’s quest is never far away and keeps you hooked all through the show. The climax took my breath away, both for the unexpectedness of it all, and for Richard Armitage’s acting. Thank cod for my brain the size of a pea – I had forgotten the spoiler that some nasty tweep had thrown at me way back last year while TS was still in the making.

Speaking of acting: The whole cast is brilliant in their respective roles. I loved Siobhan Finneran’s wry DS and her banter with her younger colleague. Stephen Rea was great as an obstinate old codger (loved that he was given the slight Northern Irish inflections when speaking), and Dervla Kirwan had great chemistry with RA. There was also obvious chemistry between RA and Shaun Dooley as two mates, particularly in an early car scene that had me laugh out loud. The younger actors were fabulous, particularly Jacob Dudman, but also Brandon Fellows as his friend. I wished Hannah John Kamen had had more than just that one facial expression of obscure deviousness, but then again that was dictated by the plot. And Anthony Head was thoroughly dislikeable as Price senior. And I mean that in a good way! Lastly, a shout-out to the casting agents and producers for the show: I really appreciated the diversity in the characters/cast. It looked natural and reflects modern society as it should be reflected.

As for Richard: I don’t think I will be spoiling the show if I say that he played the desperate family man convincingly and with great nuance. Besides the action there are many unrushed scenes where you can watch the surprise, lack of understanding, and terror flitting across his face. It’s sometimes in the mere flick of his lashes, and he has a way of acting with his eyes/gaze, that tells you more about his interior monologue than the words that are spoken. He inhabits Adam, and there was not a moment where I thought “that is Richard Armitage *playing* a character”.

In conclusion: A binge-worthy thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, not just for the drama, but also for your involvement with the central characters. Many moments of utter surprise and cliff-hanging, unexpected twists and turns. Solidly acted throughout, convincingly set in scene. I’m sorry if I sound overly enthusiastic, but The Stranger has everything that I hoped for in BS and didn’t get. I can’t wait to watch this show a second time, and I look forward to discussing it more in depth with you once we are save from spoiling. Five stars from me. 

NOTE: Do approach the comments below with caution. There are vague spoilers beginning to come out in the discussion!

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78 thoughts on “I Hadn’t Planned To Binge, But… – My Reactions to Netflix’ #TheStranger [No Spoilers]”

  1. I was so glad that I had the day off and I was able to binge it with only a short break in the middle. Very gripping story even though I had read the book. I even cried twice, once for a personal reason and at the end because of Richard’s acting!
    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    • Careful with the spoilers, P 😉.
      Gripping is the word. It was just so good, I simply couldn’t stop, despite best intentions. I needed to find out what happened next, and once I did, it pulled me deeper and deeper into the story. It became less and less about watching Richard, and more about following Adam.

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      • Of course. 😊 8 episodes went so fast. Even though I liked Berlin Station it was sometimes hard to watch more than one episode at the time. But with The Stranger it was almost opposite. I wished there had been more episodes! And Richard did amazing job once again! Are you planning to read the book?

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        • Yeah, I can’t believe how fast the whole series went down. Time is relative – and passes so quickly when you are entertained. They could’ve drawn it out a bit longer for me, tbh, and tied up the loose ends a bit more obviously.
          As for reading the book – not sure. I don’t think I will spend money on it tbh. If I pick it up in a charity bookshop, I might.

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        • I agree. What a fantastic, thrilling ride.

          I didn’t read the book beforehand because I wanted to have the suspense of the reveal and I’m not sure I want to read it now. I know they changed a number of things and I am unsure if I want a conflicting version in my mind. For now I’m quite happy to have Adam and Co. existing in my mind exactly how they are in the show.

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  2. That is pretty much my experience. Started to watch early mostly because we’ll be away and too busy with social interactions, so it was either then or wait another long 4 days to indulge. I also share how brilliant the cast and acting was. Stephen Rea <333
    I found the whole thing works a lot better as a show than the book did (for me). I didn't really like the book and found it quite lazy especially towards the end where everything seemed to be done fast and uninterested to just get over with it already. The show didn't do that.

    And of course the Armitage. Gosh! I need to figure out how to do screenshots from Netflix other than taking pictures of the screen with my phone. *shifty eyes*

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  3. As my car isn’t very mobile, (it moves, but reluctantly) i think I’ll download it tonight and burn and binge watch this weekend. Looking forward to it.

    Gotta do SOMETHING as it will be cold and dreary this weekend!

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  5. I’m still cogitating on the Stranger, which I binged yesterday too. I always feel a bit apprehensive approaching a new Armitage project, worrying that my feelings will have diminished but they haven’t – phew. Perfect drop-dead gorgeous as ever (no beard!!!) . His acting was fantastic, subtle and moving and most of the cast were great too. I wasn’t taken as much with the drama – I could have done without the kids’ story line – but it was gripping . I’ll say no more about the plot for the moment! I do feel bit satiated today in retrospect. I miss the weekly excitement of rushing home to watch, e.g. Berlin Station, Hannibal, Spooks etc but that’s my lack of self-control. I’m looking forward to re-watching and trigger-happy screenshotting so perhaps I’ll do it in weekly instalments.

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    • I entirely agree with you on everything you have said, J! There was the worry beforehand – especially after the deflated feeling over BS – that the expectations might be too high. But they were all met, including the gorgeous look of this hawt hawt hawt Middle England, middle-aged but not so average-looking guy 😉 I concur with regard to the kids’ plot. With children of my own at a similar age, such stuff always makes me uncomfortable.
      While I really enjoyed the overload yesterday, it kind of kept me buzzing way after I had gone to bed. Thoughts swirling. And compared with week-by-week releases, it was almost a pity that I indulged in the rush rather than draw it out. But well, I just couldn’t stop. 😂
      The re-watch will be great, though, because I am sure I have missed things in my frenzy…

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      • I did get to rewatch episode one last night (Mr. Kate is trying to finish a book rn, so he ceded the TV) and I thought that rewatching would be less stressful because the unbearable tension of ‘what will happen?’ was removed. Well, not so. Knowing what’s to come is equally as stressful. 😨
        I did, however, already catch a bit of dialogue I had missed the first time around.

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        • I am letting it sit for a little while because I didn’t have the patience to sit through all of it yesterday. I just wanted to fast forward to Adam all the time, and that would mean missing those bits that you mention.

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            • Well, for the “plot” rewatch, you don’t need to watch the whole shebang. You can fast forward to the plot, you know…
              I am actually now on rewatch. Have done 3 episodes this morning. Have to carpe the diem while the SO is out hiking with daughter *hehe*

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  6. I really enjoyed it. Loved the pacing, the tight construction, the cast. Time flew by and I was totally invested in the plot. Richard was fabulous – great acting (spoken and non-, as always). His best role by far as a family man. I’d watch the whole thing again for his performance alone. I’m thrilled that he’ll be seen by so many in a good series on Netflix. I figured Stephen Rea would have a small part and was thrilled that it was in fact a substantive one that he handled beautifully. I agree with your diversity comment and thought that often as I watched.

    All of that said…I was cautious going into this because my sense was that Coben’s books and the film adaptations were competent and solid but a bit formulaic. Having now seen the series – and even though I liked it – I don’t disagree with that assessment. There were things that felt a little cliched, and knowing that Coben just churns these stories out non-stop added to my feeling that some things were too neat and coincidental (though actually I left with more questions about the ending than I’d have liked). Like you I love red herrings, but there were also things I figured out too easily. At some points I felt there were way too many things going on, though I was pleased that all threads were ultimately resolved. What turn out at the end of it all to be the main premises for the whole thing ran a tad shallow for me. BUT even though I feel the need to say all this, the virtues I started out with above far outweigh these issues for me, since my knee-jerk experience was positive and I was really there for the overall rush and twists of the plot (well, and RA, of course).

    Footnotes: Did anyone catch the Coben cameo? Also, Richard said that something from the bio he wrote for Adam – something that came from his own life – ended up in the script. I think I figured out what it is – won’t give details but curious if anyone else noticed this.

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    • Great assessment, Piffle! Fully agree. It was formulaic – but since I hadn’t watched Coben’s previous serialisations (apart from two very suspenseful episodes of “Safe” which I turned off because the kids’ storyline really was too close to me for comfort), it was ok for me. I totally loved The Stranger, but that said, I still found it quite American in parts, despite transplanting the story to Britain. Sometimes Adam just felt a little bit too “vigilante” for my taste. Or maybe not vengeful but taking matters in his own hands and clearly putting himself into danger. That definitely served the fast-paced plot, but was not always fully believable for me.
      I also think you are right about the ultimate/main premise reveal at the end. It still came as a great surprise but it was not quite as big as I had thought it would be.
      The Coben cameo was fun! I had to laugh, though, that they put him in there quite prominently but did not allow him any lines… And like you I am wondering what RA’s own life-experience was that got included in the plot… I actually haven’t got a clue.

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      • Yes, there were more than a few times when I wanted to yell, “You idiot, are you nuts?!” at characters who otherwise seemed sensible but were suddenly doing absurdly risky things. But it was all part of the fun, even if it wasn’t remotely credible.

        If what I think is the life-experience bit is correct, it is more “inspired” by something that happened to him rather than a literal translation. Who knows. Wonder if he’ll ever tell? 😉

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        • I always have moments of internally (or externally) yelling “Don’t you watch TV? This is gonna end badly!” during this kind of show, but I don’t mind it for the most part. If everyone were sensible and called to let the cops handle things, there would be no thriller. 😉

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            • I thought about it and I actually mind it less when ‘normal’ people do the stupid stuff. One could argue that being in such a crazy unusual situation even the most docile lawyer would get desperate and take leave of his senses as it were. 😉

              What I find more grating is when (especially on American cop shows) the person they are trying to arrest comes into view and instead of casually strolling up to them (when the cop in question is in civvies) and clapping some cuffs on them, they yell “Stop! You’re under arrest!” from down the street, prompting the inevitable chase scene. Like c’mon, a trained LEO should know better, but I guess directors like the running bit. 🙄

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  7. Un rôle joué de manière très subtile, avec beaucoup de justesse, beaucoup de finesse, une grande sensibilité , beaucoup d’émotions et une grande physicalité. De la dentelle artisanale de très haute qualité, tissée par un TR7S GRAND professionnel! Du grand Armitage!

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  8. I’m the cheapo who won’t see this until Netflix puts it out on a DVD, and my library buys the DVD, so it will be a while. But I’m so thrilled to hear that it’s good. Whew. Because it has been a long time since he’s been in a good tv show. Out of boredom, I recently purchased Season 1 of Robin Hood. Oh my God, people, how baaaaaaad is that show? I can’t stand it. I’m fast-forwarding through all scenes without RA and, inevitably, I catch a tiny bit of a scene before or after him, and I can’t STAND to watch or hear ANYTHING. Plus, I’m realizing how little he is in it, and that the screen captures I’ve been seeing for years online really are…it. One doesn’t need to see the actual show. His bits are so small, and the shots of him so fleeting, that savoring them as a screen grab is the way to go. I do, however, appreciate that his voice sounds like…Thornton…so there’s that. This is way off topic, but Guylty, I’ve already decided that I’m going to toss this set of 5 DVDs into your pile the next time you want to auction something off and raise money for some worthy goal. It’s the “region” for showing in the U.S. (and it’s in good condition, including the packaging), so I will hold onto it for now, and volunteer to ship it to your winner in the U.S., whenever that is. And thanks to all of you who have made screen grabs of Gisbourne over the years!

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    • i saw Harlan Coben reply to someone on twitter that it’s unlikely to be released on DVD. You could literally subscribe to Netflix for 1 month only (or see if there’s a free trial in US-not in UK at present). Agree on Robin Hood it’s free to watch on BBC iplayer and i’ve watch a bit but it’s a struggle for me!

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    • Yeah, DVDs are probably not happening since it’s a Netflix original and not a show they bought the rights to. They don’t tend to release their original programming on physical media.

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    • LOL, I am sorry had such a bad time with RH. Yep, it’s not exactly the most challenging and accurate of series. But quite entertaining (when you fast forward across all that forest boy crap). Seriously, RA was one of the high points of that show, no doubt. And even though the character isn’t necessarily intended to draw you in (although some of his character development points that way), RA casts his usual spell. The romanticism of Guy’s story is what compelled me – against character (mine and Guy) and against better judgment (definitely mine).
      However, I am always happy to accept any donations 😉

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  9. Where this Series meats “Candlemas Day Festival” = 2nd februar pancakes day!
    This film returns us like a pancake, manipulates us. There is a turnaround, a very surprising reversal. The truth that is revealed as the film goes on, is not at all what we expected. This is often the purpose of police series, the art of the “twist”, but here there is something innovative, very disturbing, destabilizing.

    SPOILERS

    At the beginning the spectator has the impression that what is going to happen is a very disturbing scenario, very extraordinary. But as the balls of wool unravel, the truth that appears could not be more banal, ordinary, too much in keeping with the everyday life of an ordinary person. This realism is destabilizing because it is mixed with incongruity, delirium, madness. Normality borders on excess. Each character behaves like you and me, in a very plausible, logical way. But the result is that at the end, this story is full of various facts which unravel the police chronicle. It is a reflection of life today.
    Something could be written about secrets too….

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    • You have put that really well, Squirrel – it turns out to be “ordinary”, although with a twist even after that. I had all sorts of scenarios going in my head what could be behind all of this. And they were all more spectacular than the actual reveal. But also more unrealistic. In that sense, the show really is about an everyman and his normal life. All of it was very much “possible”. Extraordinary, yes, but still something that happens. (However – whoa, I wouldn’t want to live in the suburbs if that’s what’s going on there 😂)

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      • You have your vision of society, that of a photographer, a translator, a journalist. It is fragmented, surface on certain aspects of current events. That of doctors, firefighters, police, social workers, teachers is not the same because they are in direct, permanent contact with the shortcomings and drifts of the human soul … So that society remains ” clean “, our political and media leaders, protect us, spare us.The disturbing news are also one of the beautiful privileged areas too.
        https://coolinterestingstuff.com/the-shocking-murder-of-the-de-ligonnes-family

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  10. I wanted to binge it but life intervened. I had to bale at 2am. Finished tonight and really enjoyed it . Loved the shift from ordinary life to major creepiness in the settings or even someone’s expression. Terror in the sinister woods also found in blooming suburbs. Noticed Adam didn’t wear leather jackets. I wonder if RA minded.

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    • Well done – and by bailing eventually, you got two days out of it. Another day of new RA – that’s definitely good.
      The show really knew how to keep the viewer in suspense. I loved that. And even the secondary plots kept me engaged because there was always the question whether they were related to Adam’s story or not.
      I wonder which costume pieces Richard came away with 😁

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  11. If viewing it over two days can be called bingeing then, yes, I binged – 3 episodes Thursday night then Friday was 2 + 2 + 1 sessions over the course of the afternoon and evening, finishing up after hubby turned in for the night. Very frustrating dealing with life getting in the way as all I wanted to do was watch it one episode after another! Now I want to watch it again, this time on the laptop and screencap to my heart’s content ha! Richard is absolutely gorgeous (stubble, hooray!!) and I love him in this family man role. Adam’s scenes with his boys are wonderful – heart warming and often humorous.
    It lived up to my expectations – fast paced, lots of twists and turns (having read the book last year didn’t spoil it at all for me), suspense, great cast, and an English setting.
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    PS how long, do you think, until “spoiling” is no longer a worry?! 😉 (screencaps are already appearing on Tumblr)

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    • Definitely bingeing, Mezz 😂. That’s not normal TV consumption 😉. I felt exactly like you – normal life getting in the way and all that. It is just such a joy to see Richard (with stubble, yay!) not just in a scene here and there, but as a main character over several hours. Like a drug!
      Saw the screen caps on tumblr this morning when I did the roundup. I think this weekend is the cut-off point. However, I’ll continue to put a spoiler warning in the post titles when we start talking in depth.

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      • I’ve commented there that I won’t post any screencaps or gifs for another week, that will ease my conscience as I don’t want to rely on the #spoiler tag. I’m certainly ready to talk about it anytime you want to start!
        Richard’s role as Adam is like a drug! I confess to “rewinding” a few scenes and soaking them up. He is now one of my favourite chaRActers, up there with Porter and Lucas. This is the role I’ve been waiting for through the unwatchables and after the disappointment of BS. Who knows, it may bring him more recognition than any other role he’s taken on. He looks like himself as Adam, and Netflix brings a huge audience.

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        • Adam is definitely a great character in fangirl terms. I mean, it’s all there – the successful professional, the nice house, the two cars, the outdoor barbecue. Haha. No, seriously, of course, he is a great family man, has his priorities right (working on a case to protect a tenant from a big construction company), is great with his sons, and seems to be a loving husband. Ok, let’s forget his *one* secret, but otherwise? Not to mention the whole attractive package…
          I would also guess that this role is going to score him plenty new fans. We are READY!!!

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        • This is just one small measure, but his Twitter follower count, which hasn’t budged out of the 227K range in eons (like, a year or two, I swear), jumped from 227.8 to 228.5 between Friday and now. Hardly zillions, but the biggest short-term jump I’ve seen in awhile. Tons of people I know are watching. In short, lots of people watch whatever is on that Netflix home screen! This is definitely one of the more visible things he’s ever done.

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  12. Also ich bin ganz stolz auf mich, weil ich es geschafft habe, das Ganze auf 2 Abende zu verteilen. Hatte eigentlich 3 geplant und bedauere es fast, dass das nicht geklappt hat. Es wäre doch schön gewesen, dass Vergnügen länger genießen zu können.
    Ich muss allerdings sagen, dass ich nach der ersten Folge nur weitergeschaut habe, weil es noch früh am Abend war. Die Folge hat mich nicht wirklich gefesselt und mich auch nicht animiert, weiter zu gucken. Ich war fast etwas enttäuscht davon. Lag, glaube ich, daran, dass im Vorfeld schon klar war, was in der Folge passiert. Aber ab Folge 2 war auch ich gefesselt und konnte fast nicht mehr aufhören. Meine Erwartungen hat die Serie definitiv erfüllt und ich bin begeistert.
    Und ich liebe Adam Price 😍. Von dem würde ich gern mehr sehen. Echt schade, dass das nur ein einmaliger Auftritt war.
    Freue mich schon auf weitere Diskussionen zu TS hier, aber vorher sollte ich es, glaube ich, noch ein zweites Mal sehen, nur zur Sicherheit 😉.

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    • (Ich dachte erst, du schreibst “… Adam Price. Vom dem würde ich gern auch zwei Kinder haben.” 😂)
      Ja, die erste Folge war eigentlich schon vorgegeben. Die Grundhandlung wurde nur etwas unterfüttert. Aber dann ging es echt Schlag auf Schlag.
      Bin beeindruckt, dass ihr alle schon sofort ein zweites Mal angeht. Hat bei mir nicht geklappt. Zu ungeduldig.

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      • Also ich würd auch die zwei Kinder von ihm nehmen 😂. Und dafür freiwillig ganz viel mit ihm üben 😉.
        Ich brauch einfach einen zweiten Durchgang, weil ich beim ersten sicher einiges nicht mitgekriegt habe. Aber damit starte ich frühestens morgen. Heute steht Castlevania auf dem Programm. Meine neue Netflix-Mitgliedschaft muss schließlich gut genutzt werden…

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  13. I’ve watched it in two days and couldn’t stop either after the third instalment. Agree with the kid’s plot, that was uninteresting. Some characters were over the top and unnerving, others were great. It is a well-done work, tense and neatly made. And, as I am not used to psycho/thriller TV shows, I had no clue who is responsible for all this – till the very end.
    Richard made his job well, but I think it was no real challenge for him because he already played similar characters before. The devastated daddy who gives all for the beloved ones is an easy task for him. But he did it well and the tiny bits of normal family life were great to look at. Siobhan Finneran was great. I loved Heidi’s daughter, too.
    Conclusion: Much better than Berlin Station and worth of a second watch. And that means much to me as
    I’ve almost lost contact with Armitagemania…

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    • I didn’t mind the secondary plotlines so much during my first watch because you didn’t know whether or in which way they were connected to Adam’s plot. I have to admit that they are testing my patience right now as I am doing a rewatch…
      I guess you are right that he played the devastated daddy before (Brain film), but somehow I thought this was kind of fresh. He’s been in many thrillers/action-led spy shows, but not as an everyman, so somehow I found this new – and very exciting to see him take on a more mature role where he is actually the lead (as opposed to a supporting character in Brain, or even in BS where he didn’t really get the action and attention he should’ve had). I found him quite convincing.
      I think your last sentence is the greatest compliment – if TS has revived your interest in RA, that says a lot about the quality of the show and the performance of the lead…

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      • I reflected a bit about Richard’s roles and found out that, despite not liking or identifying with him or even the movie, I think, he’s at his best when playing a bit of a menacing character. By using his height and his impact by voice, he shined in North & South, as Guy, in The Crucible, Hannibal and even in My Zoe ( a film nobody likes, but I found him absolutely convincing as the angry ex-husband). In showing a softer side in such strong men he always gets me…
        His ‘everyman and nice’ characters did not convince me at all, because for me he is not an average type and his performances always tend to come across as a bit bland and boring.
        The tortured souls (like Thorin or Lucas or partly Daniel) fit also well, but he should not stress this genre more often.
        There are a few exceptions in his œvre which he thankfully did like Ocean’s 8 or Moving on(slick fraudster!), whereas I can do without comedy, too.
        Every actor hates type-casting but one cannot deny a personal aura and should use it as an advantage. And at last, a performance depends always on the cast-mates and that’s why I liked The Stranger.

        You see, I had a bit of time today and no, I don´t quit an old crush so easily. I am now very curious about his Astrov who I’ll get to see in a few weeks!

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  14. I think we’re gonna need blankets and warm drinks to comfort the newbies dazed by the impact. I could be wrong, of course, maybe it’s me.
    More later, I don’t watt want risk spoilers

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  15. I took three days to view, loved every minute and who cares if there are plot holes in the final outcome, it would have been too cruel to lock Adam up!
    My pulse took a long time to return to normal.
    My poor husband arrived home in the last half hour and had to take a back seat while it finished then he told me the shocking news that his breast pocket of his coat had been slit open( he had been at a militaria fair outside Coventry and according to security he was the third victim, apparently its a pickpocket technique) yikes.
    He didn’t lose anything but he was shocked.

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    • The end really surprised me. I was hoping so much he wouldn’t do what was inevitable. All the more surprising to see the eventual outcome – plothole or not.
      And haha – priorities, right? Hope your husband has recovered from the shock. That would have really shocked me, too – just to think that someone was so close up to me and used a sharp object to slice my pocket…

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    • Spoiler Alert for that article!!!
      I am all for speculation in this instance 😁- although I wonder how much Adam would feature in such a continuation. Unless – SPOILER – it would involve his and Johanna’s attempts at keeping their secret covered.

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        • Nope, all good – I left a big spoiler warning at the bottom of the blog post, so that’s fine. (I might actually edit your comment to put the word SPOILER in there though.)

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        • Well, it would turn into more of a courtroom drama I suspect, so maybe that storyline is not Coben-esque anyway…
          I agree – Coben has never done a continuation, so it’s probably another book of his that will be serialised.

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