He is known as Wilde, the boy from the woods.
Discovered living a feral existence in the Ramapo mountains of New Jersey, he has grown up knowing nothing of his parents, and even less about his own identity.
Until now.
When a match on a DNA database puts him on the trail of a close relative - the only family member he has ever known - Wilde thinks he might be about to solve the mystery of who he really is.
Only this relation disappears as quickly as he's resurfaced. Undaunted, Wilde continues his research, becoming caught up in a secret community committed to exposing anonymous online trolls.
Then one by one, people start to die, and it soon becomes clear that a serial killer is targeting this secret community.
And that the next victim could be Wilde himself ...

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own hone\st voluntary review.

This was my first read by Harlan Coben and I will be going back to the first book now and certainly to previous others. What a great read this was!!!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Firstly, I would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

I hadn’t realised that this was a sequel as it worked well as a stand alone story. It was only when I read other reviews that I discovered this was the case. If I had known I probably would have read the previous one first.

However, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book. It is the continuing story of the The Boy from the Woods and his quest to try and find out the truth about his childhood. It is a complicated story and you have to keep your focus, but it is well worth reading.

I have long been a fan of Harlan Coben and this book didn’t disappoint,

I’d read The Boy from the Woods some time ago, so I was delighted to be given an ARC of The Match (Wilde #2). I knew I would enjoy it and I certainly did.

Wilde is an enigma of sorts, found as a small child wandering in the woods; why, what had happened, where were his parents and so on? This then is the basis of the story as Wilde tries to find answers to these questions. He reaches out to DNA sites.

Amongst this search, there is murder, mystery, suspense and so many questions. I will admit that I was confused while trying to work out how certain ‘blood ties’ were possible, but then maybe I’d missed something? However, it was an interesting and intriguing look into how ‘finding relatives’ was possible these days.

I loved the writing style, as always – fast-paced with an easy flow. I liked Wilde because he is such an honest, worthwhile person despite his origins, and it was also good to see other familiar characters. There are plenty of twists and turns as the mystery builds and I really enjoyed this.

Not one to give spoilers, it’s difficult to say much, nevertheless, I loved this story – the writing, the plot and the pointers to today’s complicated world and possibilities. It’s a great crime thriller but with so much more going on. Definitely engaging and entertaining.

Highly recommended.

I wasn't aware that this was a sequel when I requested it, thankfully it works fine as a stand alone.
Once it got going it really packed a punch and I really enjoyed it. My first Harlan Coben book, I'd happily read more now!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced ebook.

Harlan Coben is one of my all time favourite authors. I was thrilled to get this arc. This is a follow up book to the The Boy From the Woods which I appear to have completely missed although the Hester Crimstein character rings a huge bell, she must have appeared in other Coben books. It’s not a name you forget easily. Not to worry, it reads fine as a stand alone.

Wilde (the boy from the woods) is now 40-42 years old and is very keen to find any family he may have. He has sent his DNA to a genealogy site and there appears to be a match to his father. Wilde meets with him but the man, Daniel Carter, is very cagey and immediately deletes his accounts. There is also a weaker link to what is probably a cousin or half brother, PB. As Wilde looks into PB he opens a can of worms.

PB seems to be a man called Peter Bennett who rose to fame in a reality TV dating show where he married a woman called Jenn. After a couple of years, and with no child in sight, the couple sank into obscurity and suddenly a scandal was revealed about Peter and he was trolled mercilessly on social media.

Meanwhile, and unrelated to Wilde, an online vigilante group calling themselves “boomerang” which exists to “punish” internet trolls has been asked to look into the trolling of Peter Bennet. It decides to take no action but one of its members provides information to a external party who goes on a killing spree.

How do all these threads fit together and does Wilde end up finding his parents and learning why he was abandoned in the boys as a young boy? You’ll have to read the book to find out! I loved it. It was very entertaining. Harlan Coben has a talent for taking ordinary people and putting them in extraordinary circumstances where their mettle is tested in the extreme. Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

THE MATCH is book that doesn't disappoint. The rest of the story about Wilde, THE BOY FROM THE WOODS. However I believe you really need to read both books consecutively! Hester Crimstein is back, too. Harlan Coben is a master storyteller at the top of his game.

Could not put it down. Harlan Coben is my favorite author. First you need to read the boy from the woods (Wilde series book 1) which is a fantastic book! I was so excited to get the Arc for The Match (Wilde series book 2). This book was so good. Pretty much read it in a day. The way Harlan can just keep your interest/curiosity going in a book is fantastic. So many things going on. So much to the story. We learn lots about Wilde in this book. Did I mention I love Wilde! I also love Hester, Laila and Matthew’s characters. I really hope there are more books in this series. Well done Mr. Coben!

This is the sequel to The Boy From the Woods. I absolutely love the main character Wilde and hope more books involve him. It’s a fast paced action packed story that kept my attention. It had a lot of different elements but they were easy to follow and it all tied together nicely at the end. I loved it and fingers crossed there is another in the series released soon!

What a ride. I couldn't put this book down. I love Wilde as a character, his trauma is palpable in every move, yet he's always trying to be a good person and to do what he can for the people he cares about. Hester is a joy and I really need her to have her own series. Although this is the second book technically in the Wilde series, there's absolutely no need to have read The Boy From The Woods (although you should, as it's awesome, but I think this one is better!) and this works as a standalone with all the background you need. You also don't need to have read any of the Myron or Win books; Hester is a side character in some of them, as well as some of Coben's other books. I just love seeing connections.

Wilde is finally getting somewhere with his search for how and why he was left abandoned in the woods as a child. He's DNA matched with his father. It seems like a dead end, but things are never that simple, and soon he's dragged into a situation surrounding a missing relative who also happens to be a massive reality TV star, a serial killer, lies and drama.

This book is satisfying from the start to the end both from an action point of view, and from wanting Wilde to get answers and find his own peace. It's full of thrills and twists, with a very satisfying ending. The only thing I'm sad about is it seemed to be over so quickly - I read it in a single day and wish it had been longer. Five stars from me.

Wow Harlan Coben knocks it right out of the park! What a great thrill ride with so many twists and turns. I absolutely loved the characters. I had exact faces to go with each one. An intricately woven plot with an expert delivery. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Harlan Coben has done it again, another brilliant read. I was absolutely engrossed in this book from start to finish, by the end I was sat on the edge of my seat literally. With the usual twists and turns that we now expect from Mr Coben and he certainly didn’t disappoint.

I was delighted to see that this was another book with Wilde in it, after having read and loved The Boy From The Woods where readers were first introduced to Wilde, who had been found to be living in the woods at a very young age, no one knew where he had come from, or how he had survived he had been called,Tarzan or Mowgli, Wilde doesn’t remember much from his early years except for breaking into empty properties looking for food and somewhere warm to sleep. Wilde finds it hard to trust but once he does he will protect you for life. It’s also good to see Hester Crimstein back with her wit, Hester is an Attorney, she had known Wilde since he was very young he had been best friends with one of her sons David who had died in a car accident which Wilde blames himself for. Also Laila, David’s widow and her son Matthew, Wilde’s godson.

Wilde hadn’t been in touch with anyone for just over a year, Matthew approached his gran saying he was worried about him. She agreed to go visit and get him to visit Matthew. Wilde had submitted his DNA to a Gene website trying to find out if he could trace his parents he had had a hit which was possibly his father unfortunately when he checked back the account had been deleted, so Wilde had called on people he knows to see what they could find out for him. There was also a possible other hit with a relative which could lead to answers as to who his parents were. When Wilde finally checked his phone after being away for so long there was a message from this other possible match but the message didn’t sound great. With only the initials PB to work with Wilde was going to have his work cut out tracking them down. But it’s a good job he knows people.

It’s great to see Wilde’s character developing, this book involves reality television shows, underground computer groups, along with some other government organisations. I really am hoping that Mr Coben will be writing more with these characters as there are still some open things in this book that could lead to more. Please!

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Centurypublishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest fair and unbiased review.

Another thrilling read from Coben. You are pulled into the storyline quickly and held til the end. Following Wilde through the trials of trying to find his real family, seeing how he deals with his adopted family and friends is gripping and tense. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m hooked. I loved the style of writing and how much the plot twisted and turned.

The match is a follow on to a previous book however I had no trouble reading it as a stand alone. Wilde was discovered in the forest fending fir himself as a young child. No knowledge was known why he was left alone, how long he’d been alone and who he was. This story picks up wilde as an adult. After entering his dna into an ancestry website and receiving a match a change of events unfolds that takes wilde on many different paths.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Harlan is one of my favourite authors, so to get this book as an ARC was amazing. Ive only ever read one bad book by this author…. This one is a great book, characters feel real and that you are one of them.

This was great follow on with the characters from’The boy from the Woods’. Wilde, said boy, is trying to come to terms with his current life and trying to investigate his past. Wilde enters his DNA online and gets two hits. One hit disappears and the other he reaches out to only to find they have disappeared. Wilde follows the clues to try to help and also to get some answers.
It was a great thriller and I love the characters. I love Hester Crimstein who started in the Myron Bolitar books, it feels like catching up with family. Wilde is equally a very likeable character.
Can’t wait for the next book either in this series or any Harlan Coben book.
Thanks to Random house UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheMatch #Netgalley

OMG I absolutely loved this book!! I haven't read the first book in the Wilde series and I honestly didn't even know there was one prior to reading so that didn't matter!! Brilliantly written and had me gripped - I couldn't read it quick enough!

Harlan coban is amazing wow what a read! Full of twists & brilliant plot & characters as always. I would highly recommend this book.

My thanks to Random House U.K. Cornerstone Century for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Match’ by Harlan Coben in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sequel to his 2020 novel ‘The Boy From The Woods’ that introduced Wilde, who thirty years previously had been found living feral in the back woods of New Jersey. He now is a security expert who chooses to live off the grid only interacting with a small circle of trusted associates.

Wilde knows nothing of his past and in order to learn more he sent in a sample to a DNA database. He received two matches. One account disappears almost immediately and the other turns out to be the star of a reality show, who disappeared after being hounded by internet trolls and may have taken his own life.

Still, Wilde uses his skills to try to track down these relations seeking answers. In doing so he comes across a secret group committed to exposing anonymous online trolls. Yet there’s another player in the mix, taking things even further. Bodies start mounting up.

I had enjoyed ‘The Boy From the Woods’ very much and had hoped for a sequel. So was very happy about ‘The Match’. It proved a brilliant, page-turner, consistent with his other novels. I wonder if there will be a Wilde No 3? The ending provides some answers but also poses more questions.

Definitely recommended.

This is a Harlan Coben book, so what's not to like? Another great story told with the expected, and unexpected, twists and turns.
As a young boy, Wilde was found wandering in the woods. No-one knows who he is, or how he came to be there. Now an adult, Wilde decides to enter his DNA into a genealogy site to try and get some answers.
Wilde is a fabulous character. A loner with a big heart, a strong sense of loyalty and a keen mind.
Beyond this I find it difficult to summarise the plot as it's so complex. Engaging and thought provoking - Harlan Coben is a genius!