The Boy from the Woods

by Harlan Coben

Hardcover, 2020

Publication

Grand Central Publishing (2020), Edition: First Edition, 384 pages

Description

"The man known as Wilde is a mystery to everyone, including himself. Decades ago, he was found as a boy living feral in the woods, with no memory of his past. After the police concluded an exhaustive hunt for the child's family, which was never found, he was turned over to the foster system. Now, thirty years later, Wilde still doesn't know where he comes from, and he's back living in the woods on the outskirts of town, content to be an outcast, comfortable only outdoors, preferably alone, and with few deep connections to other people. When a local girl goes missing, famous TV lawyer Hester Crimstein--with whom Wilde shares a tragic connection--asks him to use his unique skills to help find her. Meanwhile, a group of ex-military security experts arrive in town, and when another teen disappears, the case's impact expands far beyond the borders of the peaceful suburb. Wilde must return to the community where he has never fit in, and where the powerful are protected even when they harbor secrets that could destroy the lives of millions . . . secrets that Wilde must uncover before it's too late"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member tibobi

The Short of It:

Eagerly anticipated this one but it just didn’t work for me.

The Rest of It:

The Boy from the Woods is the first Coben book I’ve read and as you probably know, he has many. I was curious about his books after watching and enjoying several Netflix shows based on his books. I mean,

I could not get enough of them so when I realized he had so many books available, I decided to try his new one.

The story centers around Wilde, a boy who was literally found in the woods many years ago. As an adult, he’s close to Hester, an abrasive but witty lawyer who also happens to be a popular TV personality. Wilde was a good friend of Hester’s son who died in a car accident so he is more like family than an old friend.

In this story, a girl goes missing. Her classmate is worried about her and since that classmate is Hester’s grandson, she becomes involved as does Wilde, who is kind of a rogue detective of sorts. There is a lot of back and forth about the girl who is missing and then another classmate goes missing. What is going on here? Are the two cases related?

This was a disappointing read for me. The characters are one-dimensional but my main issue was the dialogue. It was so stilted and unnatural. You say this, I say this. You say this, I say this. Plus, the plot was so ridiculous. Before the big reveal, I almost gave up on it because I just didn’t care what happened to any of them.

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this one. I heard good things about it so maybe those readers are die hard fans because I tried to enjoy it and was so looking forward to it but it was choppy and just not good in my opinion.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.

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LibraryThing member norinrad10

Coben's saving grace is that he can flat out write. Over the years - through the Myron Bolitar series and several stand alones - he has created memorable characters that inhabited interesting stories. The Boy from the Woods is the latest, reintroducing some past characters while bringing some new

ones forth. The problem is, their tale is a mess.

So much of The Boy From The Woods defies reality that it's hard to take the book serious. I know that's not the point of a pop culture thriller, but like I said earlier, Coben can flat out write. So his books should command a little more weight than the genre they live in. It's that skill that will keep the reader engaged until the ending of his latest, ignoring the sheer preposterousness of what they are reading until its conclusion..

The plot of BFTW involves a famous TV lawyer, a Trump-like presidential candidate, a boy that once raised himself in the woods only to go on to become a special forces operator with attachment issues, a mother still mourning her deceased husband a decade later who tempers that grief by regularly sleeping with his best friend, and another couple of military guys that are supposed to make you think about the definition of "patriot". It's all one hot mess that can't decide if its a romance novel, a kidnapping tale, a political warning, or a lone wolf thriller, all semi-saved by the authors skill as a writer.

There are worse books to read, but few that bear the name of Harlan Coben as author.

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LibraryThing member joannemonck

Good mystery. A boy found years ago in the woods grows up. He doesn't know who he is or where he came from. But he has a good life although. little over protective and gets involved in the case of a missing girl and later a missing boy. Twists and turns and a good ending. Unexpected.

LibraryThing member maggie1961

I love a good Harlan Coben. And they are all good.
I hadn’t read one recently and missed the thriller combined with sarcasm. Never disappoints. 4 1/2 stars for me.

LibraryThing member jnmegan

Descendants of Poe’s Dupin and Conan Doyle’s Holmes, eccentric investigators with uncanny abilities of perception and intelligence have become ubiquitous in modern detective fiction. These characters are portrayed as having supernatural abilities of observation and deductive reasoning when

solving crimes but are almost completely socially stunted and misanthropic. Their “outsider” status makes them exceptional, but their lack of interpersonal skills makes it difficult for them to operate within established systems of law enforcement. In The Boy From the Woods, Harlan Coben’s latest release, a nod to this canonical character takes the form of “Wilde” —a man whose feral childhood has honed his instincts but reduced his ability to operate in society. The book opens with a news article describing how he was found living on his own for an indeterminate amount of time in the woods as a young boy. With no knowledge of his past or a family to claim him, Wilde’s only connection with people are with those who discovered him and tried to re-incorporate him into their NJ community. Now an adult with a military background, Wilde’s survivalist nature comes in handy when his godson asks him to help track down a missing classmate. Matthew is concerned about this girl and feels guilty for not coming to her defense through many years of ritualized bullying. He enlists his grandmother as well, a well-connected attorney with a strong media presence and hard-earned reputation. Just as this first disappearance is resolved, another one soon follows that may be tied to a prominent family and a controversial political candidate. Wilde and his family become enmeshed in a drama that has huge ramifications, with national security implications and much higher stakes than it at first appears. The Boy From the Woods is an ambitious book, with themes of wrongful imprisonment, rich/white privilege and racism, and threats to democracy resulting from extreme political factionalism. The over-arching question posed by the book is “When do the ends justify the means?” and it addresses the idolization and vilification of the rich and famous. Wilde’s role allows for an examination of vigilantism, especially under circumstances where the system is skewed toward protecting the status quo rather than achieving justice. These are big and timely issues, and Coben does an admirable job balancing these weighty topics with a story that remains gripping enough to maintain entertainment value. The novel may be accused of taking on too many issues and having an excessive number of side plots and exposition, but Coban has the requisite experience and talent to achieve success.

Thanks to the author and Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

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LibraryThing member Susan.Macura

In this latest tale from Harlan Coben, a feral child was discovered in the woods in New Jersey. No one knows how long he was there, but he did manage to befriend another child. He grew up, became known as Wilde and then used his unique skills in the professional world. However, when a teen goes

missing, and then another, Wilde finds himself drawn into the search. Issues of political corruption, bullying, murder, kidnapping and finding family are issues covered in this interesting tale.

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LibraryThing member DrApple

I really enjoyed this book. Coben introduces some great new characters and features some we have met in previous books. I was surprised at the solution to both mysteries, and, as aways, I enjoyed the occasional humor and the attention to detail.

LibraryThing member Carol420

It had the first appearance that it was going to be a story within a story...but even though it was a good story...there never was much more said or explained how the boy found in the woods came to be in the woods in the first place. That part was unbelievable....that a young boy could have

survived the way Wilde did on his own and no one ever saw him or found him. Now the real story of how Wilde helped everyone that he came in contact with in the storyline. That made sense and what really what the book was about in the first place. Readers will see some similarities in the plot to real life events taking place now. I don't know if the author did this on purpose or if it just occurred of it's own accord. Whatever the reason...I had absolutely no objection to it. Another good read for Harlan Coben fans.

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LibraryThing member EllenH

Outcasts in society, disappearance, a little politics, a mystery and a secret at the end that you will wonder what you would have done. Good book!!

LibraryThing member Smcgovern

Missing boy and girl. Wilde grew up in woods and involved in finding them. Easy read for summer

LibraryThing member siri51

Hated this book - only finished it as it was for book club and needed to be discussed. Complicated plot with far too many issues, obnoxious characters both the goodies and baddies, unbelievable back stories of main characters, unconvincing language in dialogues, unnecessary graphic violence.
Liked

the last sentence that Wilde decides to go to Costa Rica but I think he might be back for a whole new book series?

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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife

This was fantastic! I have been a Harlan Coben fan for a very long time. Since finding his work, I have worked my way through his backlist and always eagerly await each new release. I was really excited to start reading this book and had pretty high expectations. Coben did not disappoint! I found

this to be quite the page-turner and was completely entertained until the final page.

This book is a stand-alone but readers who are familiar with Coben's books will recognize one of the key characters, Hester Crimstein. I was delighted to see Hester step into the spotlight. She has been a great character that would show up for a scene or two in various other books but she really shined in one of the leading roles in this book. There were a few nods to other books and characters that Coben fans will appreciate as well.

Hester is a criminal attorney who is well known as a result of her television show. When her grandson asks her to look into the disappearance of his classmate, Naomi Pine. Hester enlists the help of a man she has known since he was found in the woods as a boy, Wilde. Wilde knows the woods like no one else and tends to look at things in a unique manner and quickly finds himself very involved in the things going on in his small town.

I found this book to be quite exciting. There were several different threads that wove their way throughout the story and I enjoyed seeing how everything fit together. I love the way that Coben is able to keep me guessing until the very end and this book was no exception. I do have to say that a couple of things felt a little too convenient but that would be my only complaint and it is very minor.

I would highly recommend this book to others. I had a great time with this book. I thought that the characters were well done, the mystery was captivating, and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. I cannot wait to read more of Coben's work and hope to see more of Hester and Wilde in future books.

I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing.

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LibraryThing member Linyarai

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 371
On Sale: March 2020
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction
Stars: 4/5

From the Publisher:

A man whose past is shrouded in mystery must find a missing teenage girl before her disappearance brings about disastrous consequences for her community… and the world

beyond.

Thirty years ago, Wilde was found as a boy living feral in the woods, with no memory of his past. Now an adult, he still doesn’t know where he comes from, and another child has gone missing.

No one seems to take Naomi Pine’s disappearance seriously, not even her father-with one exception. Hester Crimstein, a television criminal attorney, knows through her grandson that Naomi was relentlessly bullied at school. Hester asks Wilde-with whom she shares a tragic connection-to use his unique skills to help find Naomi.

Wilde can’t ignore an outcast in trouble, but in order to find Naomi he must venture back into the community where he has never fit in, a place where the powerful are protected even when they harbor secrets that could destroy the lives of millions . . . secrets that Wilde must uncover before it’s too late.

I received an early reading copy of this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. I feel that the publisher’s blurb was more exciting than the actual story, but the plot still sucked me in enough that I read the book start to finish in an afternoon. I would give it 4/5 stars. I never felt that the characters were truly in danger, though there was a strong sense of “what happens next” that kept me going. The characters were lively and likeable and I would definitely like to get to know them better. The ending certainly had a twist that I didn’t expect, though I’m not sure that I enjoyed it. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t a resolution that I felt was the most fulfilling. It was my first time reading Harlan Coben and I look forward to checking out his other works.

This also worked for the "A Character Who Is A Senior" part of my 2020 reading challenge.

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LibraryThing member jfe16

A teen girl relentlessly bullied in school, a hotshot criminal attorney with a popular television show, an apparent kidnapping, dangerous lies, divisive political machinations, long-held secrets . . . . what ties all of them together?

Despite an over-abundance of obnoxious characters, the enigma

surrounding the boy left in the woods some thirty years earlier lies at the heart of this tale. However, the twisty subplot with its story of wealth, power, entitlement, politics, and fake news overshadows this intriguing mystery, leaving readers to decide when [if ever] the ends justify the means.

The narrative addresses many current-and-substantive issues, but all at the expense of Wilde’s story. With no resolution on his backstory, could another Wilde book be in the works?

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LibraryThing member mojomomma

Wilde, the now grown feral boy and his best friend's mother, Hester--a brash TV lawyer are called in to look for a run away girl in Hester's grandsons class. Eventually, another boy goes missing. Are they linked? They are at opposite ends of the high school social spectrum. Does the popular

privileged boy fall in love with the bullied girl. Ah, no. Entertaining enough, but it was obvious that the families security team was involved. I would have enjoyed more Hester and less Wilde.

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LibraryThing member techeditor

Harlan Coben’s books are such a pleasure to read, all of them, including THE BOY FROM THE WOODS. Even better, Coben does not shy away from including characters who are capable, smart, and gutsy senior citizens. This is unlike most other popular fiction, as if anyone over 40 could not be

interesting.

No spoilers: the boy from the woods, Wilde, is a grown man now, looking into the disappearance of a teenager at the request of the teenage son of Wilde’s best friend, the now-deceased son of Hester. You’re probably already familiar with Hester if you’ve read any of Coben’s other books, especially those in his Myron Bolitar series. She is the lawyer who has made appearances in Coben’s books for years. In THE BOY FROM THE WOODS, Hester is now a senior citizen and one of the main characters.

As usual in Coben’s books, THE BOY FROM THE WOODS has so much going on. Another teenager, same age, same school, also goes missing. Hester and Wilde both become involved in these cases, which are first one thing, then another, then another. Somehow, a politician who works with the father of one of the missing teenagers is also involved, and that’s another story. There are twists and turns and more to the stories right to the end.

I wonder if I missed something, though: what about the guy in Sing Sing?

THE BOY FROM THE WOODS is a standalone book. I’ve read suggestions that Coben make this the beginning of a new series with Wilde. But it looks to me like Coben made that unlikely. Still, he did leave something about Wilde hanging in the wind. That's not like him.

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LibraryThing member buffalogr

This was a disappointing read for me. After beginning with a high school drama, and then stuffing it in my ears at every chance, I became disenchanted with the story. Wilde (the grown up boy in the woods without a job nor an income source) tracks the kidnappers of a high school girl. Then, he

becomes enmeshed in a huge national security thing. I almost put it down, but then [thankfully] it ended. Yuck! I'm not enamored with the characters nor the story--so, if there's a second, I won't bother.

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LibraryThing member RobertaLea

I love a good Harlan Coben mystery/thriller. And, as usual, I think I know where it's going and how it might end, and BAM, it all changes and it's not what I expected...it's better. I thought the closure was so open-ended it needs a sequel.

LibraryThing member rmarcin

Really 3.5 stars
I always enjoy Harlan Cohen’s books, and I love how he mentions characters from his other books in his novels.
In this one, Wilde, who had been rescued from the woods where he has been living alone as a child, is asked by the mother (Hester Crimstein) of his dead best friend to

help her solve the disappearance of a young girl, Naomi Pine. Hester’s grandson, Matthew, felt guilty about the way he treated Naomi, and wanted Hester to look into her disappearance.
Coinciding with this storyline is a political candidate’s campaign, and the possibility that he is evil, so his competition wants to take him down by digging into his past.
The story is well written, but I thought the ending was a bit too pat and corny.
#TheBoyFromTheWoods #HarlanCobenI

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LibraryThing member CasSprout

Another outstanding book from Harlan Coben. His characters are so interesting and this book has so many delightful twists.

LibraryThing member thekellyfamily

Outstanding book -- well developed characters and a great read. This is my first time reading Coben and now I am hooked!

LibraryThing member nyiper

Absolutely fantastic book!!! I just wish I still had it ahead of me to read!!! I felt as though I was reading current news when it came to Rusty. Was coven writing about where we were in history, in 2020 and right now, fitting it into this incredible novel?? His writing is so full of

moment-by-moment happenings, providing the reader with incredible visual and emotional details. Wilde is an incredible character, along with Hester. I just wish I didn't have it finished!!!!

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LibraryThing member OnniAdda

It was just too much

Every cliche,red herring, " unexpected" twist and big reveal has happened at least twice in this book. The title of this book should have been "Rusty : Was my involvement necessary?" Even when it wasn't about Rusty,it was about Rusty.But I digress, Wilde a middle aged man, was

found in the woods as an a boy is the titular character behind this missing person mystery.A young girl (Naomi) misses and his task is to find her. A simple premise until Rusty (a presidential candidate) and the Maynards' sideline the whole dynamic. Treats Naomi's disappearance as a hindrance from finding Crash,the Maynards' son. She was bullied by Crash and his friends. Ok,but where is Crash? Her father is probably an alcoholic and abusive forwards her. OK, BUT WHERE IS CRASH!? The characters,the plot,the climax and the pacing was very underwhelming and predictable. It's presented as a high stakes affair but it's not. There were no consequences, for anyone. I wanted to like it but I just couldn't.

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LibraryThing member alanteder

Bourne to be Wilde
Review of the Brilliance Audio audiobook edition (2020)

Harlan Coben sets the scene here for what is likely to be a continuing character as there is a major loose end left in the plot by the time the book ends. Fortunately, the character Wilde is intriguing enough to live up to

that possible extension. Found as a lost boy in the woods at a young age he becomes somewhat of a survivalist also adept with technological tools in a post-military service career as in investigator. His origin is a mystery though there perhaps isn't exactly the amnesia of the Ludlum Bourne series. There was enough of parallel though that I couldn't resist using it in my lede.

The narration by Steven Weber was excellent in all voices.

It was surprising to see that such a recent release as The Boy From the Woods (March 2020) was already an Audible Daily Deal on October 6 2020 but it was certainly good marketing to give the book such a push after the more faithful fans had already snapped it up.

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LibraryThing member Madison_Fairbanks

Fiction mystery. Engaging.

Fewer