When an author writes a prologue to his first book upon its re-release basically saying “don’t read this, it’s terrible” well, I just feel I have to read it.  It’s sort of a guilty pleasure sort of thing.  Play Dead by Harlan Coben probably wasn’t the best choice for the second book I ever read by the author, but it’s comforting to know that once upon a time someone as good as him could write schlock.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of parts of Play Dead that are good.  The premise to a certain degree is good.  David Baskin is a celebrated basketball star who’s just married his dream girl, super-model Laura Ayars.  While on their honeymoon in Australia, David goes for a swim and never returns.  His drowning is ruled accidental, but Laura is not so sure.  In the meantime, a rookie comes out of nowhere and takes David’s place on the Boston Celtics.

The mystery in Play Dead isn’t half bad.  Although convoluted and a bit hard to believe once all is revealed, it is the best part of the novel.  The problem is the characters.  They are a little too cardboard.  They read like the kind of characters a high school girl will come up with when writing a fairy tale of sorts. Laura is a high-school nobody; the ugly duckling who blooms into a beautiful swan that not only becomes a super-model but develops her own successful clothing line.  She’s what all the “ugly ducklings” in high school dream of becoming, flipping the finger with her success to all those who tormented her in those difficult years.  David isn’t much better in this regard although because of what happens to his character I felt he had a little more depth as the events in the novel play out.  Still, his life reads more like a fairy tale as well.

The supporting characters are equally shallow and unsurprising with a few exceptions.  Laura’s father has a pivotal role and one that I didn’t see coming as the story evolved.  The problem is that these few good parts get lost amid a story that reads more like a high school girl’s dream with a mystery thrown in for good measure.

Coben also didn’t research this all that well.  Since this was his first book, perhaps David should have drowned somewhere more accessible like Florida or even Mexico.  Having part of Play Dead set in Australia, he made glaring cultural mistakes to anyone who’s the least bit familiar with that country.

I give Coben credit for being honest in his assessment of his first book at the beginning.  I don’t know many authors who would do that rather than try to put the best spin on it.  Unless you feel the need to read everything that Harlan Coben has authored, there’s no real reason to check out Play Dead.