The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Corben
I have 14 Harlan Corben books in my Fiction Library, many featuring Myron Bolitar, and I have generally enjoyed his creative plots. I have also seen a few of the Netflix mini series based on one or other of his books, and they are also good. So I did not hesitate to pick up a copy of his 2020 book The Boy From The Woods from one of my local second hand shops. The blurb sounded interesting
Thirty years ago, Wilde was found as a boy living feral in the woods, with no memory of his past. Now an adult, he still doesn't know where he comes from, and another child has gone missing.
No one seems to take Naomi Pine's disappearance seriously, not even her father-with one exception. Hester Crimstein, a television criminal attorney, knows through her grandson that Naomi was relentlessly bullied at school. Hester asks Wilde-with whom she shares a tragic connection-to use his unique skills to help find Naomi.
Wilde can't ignore an outcast in trouble, but in order to find Naomi he must venture back into the community where he has never fit in, a place 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.
Well, it's an understatement to say that I was underwhelmed. Perhaps Corben was just trying too hard to develop a clever plot but, to my mind, it all came out as pretty silly. Sure, not all plots are watertight but this book had more holes than a sieve. Or perhaps it was a case of pushing out a new story to satisfy the publishers and/or fans.
This Goodreads review sums up my thoughts
I really can’t believe this was written by the same Harlan Coben that wrote so many books that I loved and gave 5 star reviews. To be honest, I can’t believe I even finished it, but I wanted to see if it got any better. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
It did at least leave me with a few questions that made me think it might be worth continuing the story to see where it went, so I got an ebook version of the sequel The Match and read it. Well, another waste of my time and another ridiculous premise.
If I enjoy a book, it stays in my library, even if I am unlikely to ever revisit it. This book will not stay in my library but will be quietly deposited into one of the free libraries in our many shopping centres. Perhaps someone else will enjoy it. I didn't!
Not recommended!
