Synopsis: In the shocking new thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Run Away, 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.

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.

Review: I hadn’t read a Harlan Coben novel in years, so I was very pleased to get into this story.

A young girl disappeared, twice. If her first disappearance was just a stunt, the second one is harder to understand. Naomie is a girl who is harassed at school and her life is far from easy. But when Wilde, the boy who was discovered in the forest when he was a little boy, is asked to find the little girl, he may well find himself in a story that is completely beyond him. When a second child from Naomi’s class disappears, everyone wonders if there is a connection. And what if this disappearance also sets the stage for a much more complex and complicated story.

It’s a rather dense novel, and if at times I had a little trouble following it all, having the impression that it was a sequel (is it a sequel?), I had a good time. The characters are quite different from what you can find and I was curious to find out the truth to understand all the secrets they were hiding.

Quite a nice novel!

8 thoughts on “The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben

  1. Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer

    You have me curious and I crave this type of story more in colder months.

  2. blodeuedd

    And I have never read one, but maybe I should 🙂

  3. Sophia Rose

    Oh yes, I do like the sound of this sort of mystery. The blurb hints that Wilde and Hester have a past so I’ll check and see if something came before this one. Great review, Melliane!

    1. Melliane

      yeah that’s why I was wondering about that

  4. Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

    Harlan Corben is definitely high on my list of authors to one day read.

  5. Greg

    I haven’t read this author but I do like a story with lots of secrets. 🙂

  6. Anne - Books of My Heart

    I really enjoy Harlan Coben. His books are intricate and twisty with well-developed characters. I don’t think it is a sequel.

  7. Carole Rae

    Huh. That is confusing!

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