Harlan Coben was nominated for an Edgar award for “Shelter,” the first in the Mickey Bolitar series, and “Seconds Away” is just as absorbing*.

    In this second book, Mickey is getting ready for basketball tryouts*, yet still wondering about his father’s death and his work saving children with the Abeona Shelter. When his friend Rachel is shot in the head and her mother killed, Mickey has a more pressing mystery to solve.

    Spoon, Ema and Mickey are back at the lunch table, trying to puzzle out* what happened to Rachel. Mickey trusts no one else, especially not his Uncle Myron, who is assigned to be a bodyguard for a famous movie star filming in town.

    The only thing he and Myron seem to have in common is their love for basketball. They share in the excitement when Mickey is asked to try out for the varsity* team.

    Although Rachel’s injury was only a graze*, she warns Mickey against getting involved.

    He ignores her, determined to help. He digs into her secrets and uncovers more about his family and even Ema’s.

    The strength of this series lies in the twists*, not only in the plot, but also with the characters. The mystery surrounding the death of Mickey’s father moves forward in a surprising way, with Myron agreeing to help him get his father’s body exhumed*.

    A couple of adults try to tell Mickey to stay away from Rachel’s family, but he and his friends try to save her despite danger. Mickey persists* until the end of this mystery, only to find himself at a painful crossroads. (SD-Agencies)