Took me a wee while to get into this book but I persevered and made it to the end. I didnt love it but ended up enjoying it well enough. I have read a lot of Harlan books but not familiar with this series. Enjoyed Wolfe's character and the posh spoiled boy, nice intertwining storyline.

The story starts with a boy who has been living in the woods for many years, they call him Wilde for obvious reasons. When he came out of the woods he became a soldier and after leaving the services he set up a business as a security consultant. During this time he worked with Hester Crimstein, a child goes missing a Hester brings Wilde in to help. Great thriller with all the surprises you expect from Harlan Coben.

In 1986 a couple of hikers in the Ramapo Mountain State Forest found a boy who, it seems, had be living wild. He was unschooled and had no memory of life before the the forest. Jump forward thirty-four years and the man that was this boy has grown into an intelligent, educated man who has operated as a private investigator. In fact, Wilde, as he’s now known, set up his own company in partnership with his foster-sister some while back. He now lives in portable accommodation in the forest in which he was found. He has trouble sleeping in large structures so this existence suits him.

Hester Crimstein is a lawyer and a television personality and when she learns from her grandson, Matthew, that a girl in his class has gone missing she turns to Wilde for help. Wilde is known to Hester through his friendship with her late son who was tragically killed in a road accident. Naomi Pine, the missing girl, had been a victim of bullying at the school and Matthew, although not an obvious participant in this, may have been peripherally involved. Soon Wilde’s investigations start to turn up a spider’s web of links and possible motives for Naomi’s disappearance. Before long the whole affair has grown legs and has potential implications for a huge range of people up to and including a politician with aspirations of ascending all the way to the White House.

I found this to be a really slow burner and I was something like three-quarters of the way through before I became really interested in the outcome. The the only character fully developed here is Wilde: I bought into his personal story and found that my interest picked up whenever he was centre stage. Hester, Matthew, Naomi and the rest failed to convince me, each being either under-developed or what felt like a caricature of someone we’ve all seen on television or in the popular press. And the story itself really doesn’t pick up any pace until the final section. The denouement, when it comes, tidies up all the loose ends a little too neatly, somewhat in the style of a made for television movie.

I’ve read better books from this author and though I never felt I wasn’t going to complete reading the whole story I wasn’t champing at the bit to pick it up again at any stage – except when it was edging close to it’s climactic ending. There’s a lot going on here and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one made into a film at some point, but it won’t be my favourite mystery of the year.

When you're an author as prolific and inventive as Harlan Coben you set extremely high standards. I have read most of his books and love the red herrings and thrills that are synonymous with this excellent writer.

With this book, I am in 2 minds. Firstly, it's well structured, has great characters and lots of twists and turns, it's also well concluded. However, for me, it is also a tad 'flat'. The 'boy from the woods' of the title, is someone who was discovered as a child, having been living in the woods, alone, for a good few years. This element of the story isn't satisfactorily concluded and I can only imagine he'll turn up in a future book and more will emerge.

Having said that, it's an easy, enjoyable read, as one would expect. Perfect holiday / beach or plane reading and an overall 3* 'good' read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for my honest review.

I can't believe I have never read a Harlan Coben book before. I understand now why he's so popular. The Boy from the Woods is an exciting thriller. It is multi layered with numerous twists and turns. I couldn't put this book down. Definitely going to read more of this author's books.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

Harlan Coben never fails to produce a brilliant book. I have read most of the authors books and this one is as good as all of the others. A page turner, interesting plot and well developed characters. All ends were tied up by the finish so all in all, as I said before, a brilliant book.

Excellent fast-moving and tense thriller with so many twists and turns you can't even tell who the good and bad guys are at first! With one exception -'the boy from the woods', or Wilde as he is known 30 years on; he is a super- independent alternative 'liver', thinker and hero.

A bullied kid goes missing; there are hints that the 'privileged rich kids' at school are involved. Then one of the rich kids vanishes. ~Things take on an even more sinister tone when an amputated finger is sent, with a request that certain personally damaging tapes are released.

Heroes, anti-heroes, politics, extremists, idealists and sub plot after sub plot. For me this was unputdownable. Fantastic characters - loved Hester Crimstein who made me laugh out loud at times (although on occasion she could be too clever), Wilde is very charismatic and fascinating. I look forward to more stories around him. But I'm left wanting to know what happened to Raymond Stark...

This is a standalone novel by author Harlan Coben.
I have read many books by this author and loved most of them especially the Myron Bolitar series but recently I have found some of his books hit or miss. This unfortunately was not a hit although I can see there are many positive reviews. There were certainly some high points but for me not the normal high standard I expect from one of my favourite authors.

Thirty years ago, a child was found in the New Jersey backwoods. Everyone knows him as Wilde as he has no memory of how he got there and no knowledge of who he is. He is now a security expert, left alone by the local community and only contacted when they need him.
When a child goes missing nobody appears to be concerned except for criminal attorney Hester Crimstein. She contacts Wilde and asks him to use his skills to find the girl. With no sign of the missing girl the attention escalates when a human finger arrives in the mail.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Random House UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I actually really liked this book it had me guessing quite a lot though I did figure out who the “bad guy” was early on, I’d have liked to have read more into Wilde’s backstory or was hoping to delve into his past and figure out where he came from but alas it wasn’t to be (hopefully there’s a second book in store 😉)...very fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat, a wicked little read and a must buy

This book kept me guessing from start to finish. The pace is relentless and the plot is rewarding which is what I have come to expect from Harlan Coben's writing. Having said that, I was (pleasantly) surprised by the ending and am very much looking forward to the next instalment in this series.

What’s it About? The new Harlan Coben - about a man, discovered in the woods as a child and shrouded in mystery, a missing girl and then a missing boy and a insalubrious presidential candidate.
What I liked I am such a fan of a good thriller and this was good. Full of twists and turns and red herrings and a long cast of intriguing characters. It was no Tell No-One but you can't deny Harlan Coben is good at what he does.
What I liked Less It was no Tell No-One and I felt it fell short of the mark somehow. I wasn't as on the edge of my seat as I wanted to me. I expected more and I got less.

What you'd expect from Harlan Coben. Fast-paced, unpredictable but filled with eminently believable characters.
It starts wth a story about a boy - around 7 years old- found running wild in the woods. Subsequently adopted and given the name Wilde we meet him again living a solitary life, as a young man, in the Appalachian mountains some 30 miles from Manhattan. A girl goes missing in this same area and many of the novel's characters get drawn into searching for her. The mystery of what really happened, the interaction between the participants and how Wilde becomes involved all provide dimension to the underlying backstory. Clever twists prevent this novel being formulaic in any way whatsoever and Coben's great writing is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages.

30 years ago, Wilde, was found in the woods, with no identifiable home or family.

30 years on, he becomes involved in a case for Hester Crimstein, esteemed criminal laywer, mother of his oldest friend and Grandmother to his Godson, Matthew.

When Matthew reaches out to his Grandmother for help with a missing classmate, who has been bullied, Hester calls in Wilde to help.

Throw in a wealthy family a politician with secrets they want to keep hidden, and this book keeps you turning the pages!

I recently tried to work out how long ago I'd read my first Coben - maybe it was Tell No One, ten years ago? Except that was before my time on Goodreads so I can't know for sure. That's all besides the point. He's still got it. This is yet another book that grabs you and won't let go.

A girl goes missing. No one seems to care except defense attorney's Hester Crimstein's grandson who calls her up, asking for help (nb. Hester has appeared as a side character in previous Coben's, so it's nice to get more of an insight into her life). She asks Wilde to help search for her.

Wilde is the boy from the woods (although the story isn't actually about his past, title aside), all grown up. Discovered living feral as a young boy, and later becoming best friends with Hester's (now-deceased) son, he now lives on the edge of society. That's where he'd like to stay, but he's intrigued by this case of Hester's. Something isn't right about this missing girl...

He uses all of his (nearly ridiculous) feral-learnt super powers of tracking etc to investigate, but he has no idea where it's going to lead him...

The story was intriguing and went in directions I didn't expect. Wilde is a really interesting character and I'd definitely like to read more books with him as the lead. I'll be back whenever Coben's next release comes out...

I am a big fan of this author so was delighted to get this on Netgalley.

I may have to be bold and say this is my favourite one yet! I ripped through it so quickly, it sucks you right in and when you think you know what’s happening it pulls the rug out from under you and changes angle.

Wilde is an interesting character you want to know more about and is complemented perfectly by Hester you I for one want to be!

Fast paced, well written thriller.

Harlan Coben's novel is a fabulous thriller that takes a little while to work out where it is going, there are numerous threads and a particular highlight is the range of characters from the endearing to the boo hiss variety, set in Westville, New Jersey. The eponymous boy from the woods is Wilde, a feral child, approximately aged between 6-8 years old, discovered surviving alone in the woods with no memory of who he is or where he came from. No-one ever claimed him or came forward with information on who he might possibly be, placed with foster parents, who excelled at school, joined the military, taking part in numerous secret missions, only to leave to work in the private security and investigations sector. His past has made him a loner, with a non-negotiable need to spend time in the woods where he now lives, and unsurprisingly he has issues when it comes to intimacy and connecting with others.

Naomi Pine is a school girl having to endure never ending intensive daily bullying and abuse that the teaching staff never confront, until one day she disappears. Matthew never challenged the bullies but he is worried when she no longer attends school, so much so that he asks his grandmother to investigate. His grandmother just happens to be the larger than life character, the 70 year old widow Hester Crimstein, a famous TV lawyer with some great one liners, still grieving the loss of her son, David, and romantically drawn to Westville Police Chief, Oren Carmichael. One of the main instigators of Naomi's bullying is the entitled rich kid, Crash, the child of the famous Dash and Delia Maynard. Aside from Wilde, there are two other major ex-military men in the story, one in charge of security for the Maynards and there is Saul Strauss, now an activist lobbying for Dash Maynard to release incriminating secret tapes of Rusty Eggers, a divisive politician campaigning to become president. As Crash is abducted, Wilde is hired to find him whilst searching for Naomi as well.

This is a powerful thriller that reflects many strands of contemporary American politics, the deplorable controversial tactics deployed to obscure issues and prevent the truth having any impact, the secrets and lies of the rich and powerful that they will do anything to stop becoming public. The star highlight is the indomitable and colourful Hester, finally beginning to get over the loss of her husband, Ira, close to Wilde since he was a child and a friend of her beloved son, David. She dominates any scene she is a part of, a true believer in upholding the law, even when it doesn't work. Coben's touches on issues of the nature of contemporary politics, the influence of the rich and powerful and on ethics, integrity and morality. I love this twisted thriller, where little is as it appears, with the slow and expert reveals in a compulsive and riveting narrative. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC.

I love Harlen corben. His books are escapist fun and this was no different. I just thought the story was a bit convoluted when it didn't need to be but a must read.

The Boy From The Woods may be my favourite Coben novel yet and that’s saying something because I’m a huge fan. Nobody writes twisty thrillers with brilliant characters quite like this author- for whatever reason I engaged even more with this one, likely down to its two main protagonists Wilde and Hester.

The story itself is pacy, addictive and very intelligent- something I’ve come to expect when picking one of these up and I have yet to be disappointed. The Boy From The Woods fairly rocks along, totally unpredictable and ultimately hugely satisfying. There’s absolutely more to come from Wilde and I’m happily anticipating what may come next…

However this is also a contained story with characters you root for and ones you’d like to stab in the eye with a pencil (just me? Ok then..) and I barely drew breath first page to last, never quite sure where it was heading but dying to find out. Harlan Coban always works with the grey area of morality and the yin yang between Wilde and Hester is pitch perfect.

A clever, involving plot and a right old page turner. What more can you ask for?

Highly Recommended.

Immediately I feel we are in hands of slick professional crime story writer .. iin charge! Plotting is good, and range of characters, especially Wilde who plays a solitary figure, with a strange past of isolation and survival. Entangled with his note dead best friend's family he gets involved helping the teenage son out with cruel games at school. But more is at stake. Really engaging, good entertainment .. done in shorthand , vigorous style.

The Boy from the Woods’ is the first Harlan Coben novel that I’ve read. Obviously, I’ve heard plenty about this crime writer – 70 million books sold worldwide - and so was curious to see whether or not I would become a fan or continue to pass him by in the future. It’s the latter.
Many praise Coben’s plots, his characterisation and the way in which he highlights topical issues. However, whilst he’s a fluent enough writer who can take his readers down blind alleys and weave in a good number of sub-plots, his characterisation is more comic book than psychologically convincing. The eponymous hero of this tale is named ‘Wilde’ – he emerges from the woods as a child, having become civilised and socialised through his secret friendship with a lawyer’s son of similar age and learning how to read through watching television in the houses of occupants at work – as if!
Now a pretty normal adult (how did that happen?), albeit with super-human tracking powers, a techie wizard and a penchant for the woods, Wilde becomes involved in looking for two missing teenagers. If you like extremely far-fetched, then you may enjoy this novel. However, even putting this fantasy superman character to one side, I found it difficult to believe in most of the others. Kidnapped bully Crash and his super rich parents are no more than caricatures; abused Naomi is given the role of victim and thereafter vanishes and, whilst television personality lawyer Hester’s one-liners are amusing enough, her burgeoning relationship with police officer Oren does little to transform her into a plausible woman.
I enjoy crime fiction as much as the next person but, in order to be convinced, I need to read of incidents and people that feel real rather than from the land of James Bond.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.