The Innocent, by Harlen Coben

This review is based on the Books on Tape audio version of the novel.

I'd classify The Innocent as a thriller, built around uncovering the details of the backstory. It isn't a mystery, really, although there are murders to be solved and culprits to be caught. The main character is an ex-con, imprisoned due to accidentally killing someone during a frat-house fight. At first a reader would think that the story is about how the ex-con fits into society again, and recovers a normal life.

In fact, the ex-con is one of the more normal characters in the novel, but the details of all that come to light only throughout the story. There were some twists at the end that seemed a bit forced, but that didn't detract from the overall story.

The writing style is good, and characters are all distinct individuals. There are a number of stereotypes used, but the characters are clearly more than just stereotypes, and are likeable despite it. The reading was also well done, and added quite a bit to my enjoyment.

While I don't normally read this type of story, I've had to expand my reading horizons to find books on CDs to enjoy while commuting a couple of hours several times a week, and in this case I'm glad I took a chance on the novel.