The Boy From the Woods by Harlan Coben

This week, I listened to The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Coben.

I have read two other books by this author and really liked them, so I jumped at this one too. I have read Home and Missing You.



About:

"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. 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.

Intheshockingnewthrillerfromthe#1NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorofRunAway,amanwhosepastisshroudedinmysterymustfindamissingteenagegirlbeforeherdisappearancebringsaboutdisastrousconsequencesforhercommunity...andtheworld.

ThemanknownasWildeisamysterytoeveryone,includinghimself.Decadesago,hewasfoundasaboylivingferalinthewoods,withnomemoryofhispast.Afterthepoliceconcludedanexhaustivehuntforthechild'sfamily,whichwasneverfound,hewasturnedovertothefostersystem.

Now,thirtyyearslater,Wildestilldoesn'tknowwherehecomesfrom,andhe'sbacklivinginthewoodsontheoutskirtsoftown,contenttobeanoutcast,comfortableonlyoutdoors,preferablyalone,andwithfewdeepconnectionstootherpeople.

Whenalocalgirlgoesmissing,famousTVlawyerHesterCrimstein--withwhomWildesharesatragicconnection--askshimtousehisuniqueskillstohelpfindher.Meanwhile,agroupofex-militarysecurityexpertsarriveintown,andwhenanotherteendisappears,thecase'simpactexpandsfarbeyondthebordersofthepeacefulsuburb.Wildemustreturntothecommunitywherehehasneverfitin,andwherethepowerfulareprotectedevenwhentheyharborsecretsthatcoulddestroythelivesofmillions...secretsthatWildemustuncoverbeforeit'stoolate.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."

Because of Wilde's connections and abilities he has developed from taking care of himself and his military background, he is really good at hide, seek and find. Several people ask him to help with various things in this book; find the missing girl, find the other teen, find out who killed someone a long time ago...but not all of these people like him very much. That makes an interesting dynamic. Except the women in town. Several of them like him alot.

Meanwhile Wilde is trying to find out where he came from in his free time. He submitted a DNA test to a genealogical company and looks like he has a match. 

This story is very multilayered and complex.There is alot going on in this story. While I still agree Harlan Coben is an excellent author, I honestly had some trouble following all of the threads in this story. Was it because I was listening to it and not carefully enough? Is it the time? I am pretty distracted and out of my routine with this "shelter in place". (Oh, kind of like Wilde.) 

If you like this author, I would recommend it. I guess I didn't like it as much as the other two books I read. Probably just me. I also had a different ending in mind.

Here is the author's website if you are not familiar with him.

https://www.harlancoben.com/

I would love to hear what you thought about this book.