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.

Feisty lawyer Hester Crimstein is a great character. Many different interwoven plot strands, keeps you guessing right till the last page. My first Coben novel, but not the last.

Yet another good read from the pen of Harlan Coben, never disappoints. New strange mysterious hero but not spoilt by making him into some sort of super hero just strange with a story of his own to tell which no doubt we find out more about in the next of the series because no doubt there will be a follow up to this one. The theme of this story is believable and throws doubts about the truth you read, see and hear true lay makes you think, and there’s a twist in the tale in fact two. Overall well worth reading

I absolutely loved this book. It was quick to get into and I genuinely didn't want to put it down until it was finished.

Another great story from Harlan,fast paced and full of twists. Didnt
see the ending coming at all!
Hester is a great character.

I thought i knew what to expect going into this but wow was i wrong. Harlan Coben delivered an exciting and complex story that kept me gripped. So much so i stayed up till the early hours of the morning to finish it. Wilde is a great character and i loved his relationship with his godson Matthew. The story was fresh and compelling and could have been plucked from the headlines. I hope to read more about Wilde in future books.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book but felt the title was a bit misleading as although Wilde- the boy from the woods- features heavily the story is not really about him and how he came to be alone in the woods.
That said it is a great read with a great plot and many doubts thrown in about motives and what is really happening with the missing teens along with some stinging repartee from Hester.
As a longtime fan of Harlen Coben this latest did not disappoint!

I am a Harlan Coben, own all of his books and have reread most of them. Being approved for this new title was fantastic and I was hooked from page one.
This book showed a previous character Hester Crimstein lawyer extraordinaire and introduced Wilde, The boy in the woods. Wilde’s best friend was Hester’s son and she keeps in touch with him. When her grandson approaches her as a school mate is missing Hester asks Wilde have a look. Wilde has an exceptional skill set but his investigation causes some people to become worried and then a second child goes missing.
I also liked the references to characters from previous books.
This was a fantastic read and had me hooked from page one. I finished it in two days and was then a bit lost because it was finished. Can’t wait for the next book!
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheBoyFromTheWoods #NetGalley

Thirty years ago, a child was found in the New Jersey backwoods. He had been living a feral existence, with no memory of how he got there or even who he is. Everyone just calls him Wilde. Now a former soldier and security expert, he lives off the grid, shunned by the community – until they need him. A child has gone missing. With her family suspecting she’s just playing a disappearing game, nobody seems concerned except for criminal attorney Hester Crimstein. She contacts Wilde, asking him to use his unique skills to find the girl. But even he can find no trace of her. One day passes, then a second, then a third. On the fourth, a human finger shows up in the mail. Now Wilde knows this is no game. It’s a race against time to save the girl’s life – and expose the town’s dark trove of secrets.

So this pains me to write this, it really does, but I did not enjoy this latest offering from Coben. It is sorely lacking Coben's magic touch of humour and wit. I am going to say it early and get it over with but bring back Myron Bolitar.

Anyway, back to this read and the plot is okay, although I was bored and the plot description gives a false impression of events. I probably would have enjoyed this more had there been some humour throughout. I adore Coben for bringing entertainment and laughs to a thriller and I just missed this throughout.

Wilde is a very interesting character and I enjoyed the bits with him in, however he has a fascinating backstory that I did not think had been fully explored. A book focusing more on Wilde would have been much better in my opinion.

'The Boy from the Woods' is okay but nowhere near my favourite read from Coben and I was left disappointed. Fingers crossed for the next offering.

Thank you to NetGalley and Century for an advance copy.

Another brilliant book from this talented author. A unique story with many twists and turns. It is fast paced and draws you in from the start. Definitely recommend.

Another exiting page turner by Harlan Coben. This is another one that didn't disappoint. How does Harlan Coben deliver time and time again with each book fresh and new ideas.

This one is about Wilde a name given to a boy found in the woods of which no one seems to know anything about. Adopted and befriended by a family and much later out of the armed forces joined up with an adopted sister,to form an investigation business. Contacted by his dead friends son Mathew concerned about a young girl being bullied at school ,a class mate of Mathew,who has now disappeared.

Soon things start getting twisted and turned and all is certainly not what is seems. The reader is lead through bad old deeds resurfacing ,political skulduggery and kidnap ransoms.

Breathless stuff. A great read fast moving.

This is a very carefully crafted story which will keep you reading up to the unexpected ending. Wilde,the main character,was found in the woods as a boy with no apparent family yet he could read and had survival skills. Now a respected adult,he is crucial to solving the mystery of the disappearance of two teenagers who might or might not be together. All the characters are believable,from the teenagers to the self- entitled posh folk. As you would expect from this author,it is written to hold your attention and there is no unnecessary description. I strongly recommend it.

If I could give this book a million stars I would. Tremendous. As per the norm with Harlan Coben, who just gets better and better. Loved it. I love Hester and I loved the character of Wilde. Brilliant xx