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At the start of this disappointing stand-alone from bestseller Coben (Promise Me), Paul "Cope" Copeland, acting county prosecutor for Essex County, N.J., and Lucy Gold, his long-lost summer camp love, are still haunted by a fateful night, decades earlier, when their nighttime tryst allowed some younger campers, including Cope's sister, to venture into the nearby forest, where they apparently fell victim to the Summer Slasher, a serial killer. Cope's intense focus on a high-profile rape prosecution of some wealthy college students shifts after one of the Slasher's victims, whose body was never found, turns up as a recent corpse in Manhattan, casting doubt on the official theory of the old case. Cope's own actions on that night again come under scrutiny, even as the highly placed fathers of the men he's prosecuting work to unearth as many skeletons as possible to pressure him into dropping the rape case. Less than compelling characters fail to compensate for a host of implausibilities. Hopefully, Coben will return to form with his next book. (Apr.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationPaul Copeland is a county prosecutor working on a difficult case when two policemen arrive and take him to the morgue to identify a body. The case sets up echoes from Paul's past, forcing him to relive 20-year-old events and the day that destroyed his innocence. When he was a teenager, Paul was at a summer camp with his sister. He neglected his duties, instead rendezvousing with a girl, and in the end what started as a prank resulted in four deaths. Haunted daily by his actions, Paul now sees an opportunity for redemption. Can he sort out what really happened on that fateful night? The exploration of ordinary people with life-shattering secrets is a common thread in Coben's novels. Instead of this premise becoming stale, though, he has created another surprising and emotional story that will remain with the reader long after the last page is finished. One of Coben's best, and a necessary purchase. [See Prepub Alert, LJ1/07; Mystery Guild, Literary Guild, BOMC, and Doubleday Book Club main selections.]
—Jeff Ayers
Debuting in 1995, the series that cemented Coben's reputation revolves around Myron Bolitar, a wisecracking sports agent who always finds himself getting into trouble, via his clients or his own past. What's endearing about these books is Coben's willingness to have fun as he spins a story. He might poke fun the yuppie wardrobe of Bolitar's partner, Win, or his gal Friday (and sometime female wrestler), Big Cyndi's, tendency to wear "more makeup than the cast of Cats." There's a slight boys' club air to the series, but it's more frat house than locker room -- or more appropriately, rec room, since Bolitar finds himself still living at his parents' in his early 30s.
Sports-averse readers should not avoid the Bolitar books; in the end, sports play only a peripheral role in the story, which is primarily about the mystery. Given this, it's not surprising that Coben has called William Goldman's Marathon Man one of his favorite thrillers and has cited Philip Roth and Alfred Hitchcock as influences.
And yes, there's certainly life beyond Bolitar! Coben has crafted a number of superb stand-alone thrillers filled with tortuous twists and turns and peopled with characters you can't help but root for. In a 2001 interview, the author stated, "I love a book that sneaks up behind you at the end and slaps you in the back of the head." Ultimately, that describes everything in Harlan Coben's oeuvre.
Coben advises aspiring writers thusly: "Write. Don't take classes. Don't join workshops. Don't listen to me," he told the Charlotte Austin Review. "Just write. Oh, and cut. Cut a lot. You're probably not editing yourself enough. Then rewrite. Then rewrite again. Repeat. Like with shampooing."
Coben says his mother was his best literary inspiration in an interview with the Page One literary newsletter. "We'd go to the old Barnes & Noble in Manhattan (back then, if you can believe this, I think there was only one) and spend the entire day. We didn't have much money back then and we almost never bought toys -- but we were always allowed to get whatever books we wanted."
In our interview, Coben shared more fun facts:
"I once worked as a tour guide in the Costa del Sol of Spain."
"I pretty much only wear Lilly Pulitzer ties because my best friend owns the company."
This was my first Harlan Coben novel. I came across it as a B&N Bargain Book and so glad I did! I am officially putting all of his books on my list. The story itself was interesting but there was never a dull moment. Not once did I get bored. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next all the way to the very end, even when I thought there was nothing else to surprise me with. The characters were all likeable but flawed making them very real and easy to relate to. I can always tell when I love a book if I can't leave it alone. I got through 1/2 the book on the first day & finished it up a few days later. Even during favorite tv shows I would find myself sneaking in some reading because I just couldn't stop! Loved it & can't wait to read more by Harlan!
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 8, 2007
Harlan's books have always been part Andrew Vachss wannabee with a suburban New Jersey twist. His heroes are not tough guys but jewish lawyers and he usually writes so dynamically well you buy all the coincidences and last minute appearances to get to some rather remarkable conclusions. I've loved all his previous work. Not this time. This time you can see the end coming real early on. I won't spoil it but if you've read Harlan before you will be very surprised when you guess correctly and he does NOT whisk the answer away like a magician. Worse, the 'hero' of this tale is just a bit too much of an Alan Alda lefty for me to buy as a real he man whenever Harland decides he should have backbone. Worse, the man is hardly above being a total fraud and hypocrite, often resorting in his own investigations into twenty year old misdeeds to tactics exactly the same as those he abhores in those he is attempting to prosecute. I found this comparison both ridiculous, typically hypocritical and awful writing construction. In short the main character is an unsympathetic hypocrite who does one thing to those he chooses to prosecute but sees no problem in employing their scorched earth tactics for his OWN ends. And this time, his use of characters from previous novels seems too much a throwaway practice. I didn't give him one star because I love all his previous work and I couldn't ever give him NO stars because, quite frankly, we are not offered that choice.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.My first Harlan Coben book. Great suspense, great characters and great humor at the right spots. If you pick it up, you wont put it down. This book made me a Harlan Coben fan instantly and wanting more.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 2, 2008
This story was very interesting until the last fifty or so pages. Was Coben under time constraints to finish this book? The ending was certainly contrived and most disappointing. This novel didn't match his other works.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.i actually bought this one on CD to listen to at work but found that i couldn't stop listening when work was over. i had to take the cds in my truck to listen on the way home...and i was totally blown away by the end...i thought i had the ending figured out but then Harlan threw me for a loop i never saw coming
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 15, 2009
This is the first novel by Harlan Coben I have read. A friend suggested this author and what a GREAT read!! I am hooked!! I will be purchasing more of Harlan's work. I was drawn in to the story, characters, and the twists and turns that they went through. I was not able to put the book down!! The ending was a surprise.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a fun read that has two stories within one. The subplot involves a rape case similar to the Duke athletic incident a few years ago. The plot reminds me of summer camp as a youth or going camping. Regardless, take the time to read this...it's a quick read. The author's style is simple and much of the book contains dialogue between characters which makes for a quick page turner.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I thought this was one of his best, really enjoyed it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 1, 2009
A fast read with surprising twists that kept me guessing. I have always liked Harlan Coben and actually found this book at a Church book sale. I was excited to buy it (a whole $2.00) and couldn't wait to read. I would definitely recommend this book. ---K---
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 23, 2009
I'am a fan of Harlan Coben's books. I like his style of writing. Intriguing, thrilling, lots of interacting plots in the story. His characters take on their own personality's. The Woods offers psychological intrigue as well as a little romance, danger and murder...the book has it all wrapped into one and just when I thought I had it all figured out...surprise! That's another thing I like about Coben's books...he keeps me glued to the very end! I read this and it was passed along my family members and everyone loved it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I loved this book...I never saw the ending coming and I loved it. True suspense and true mystery. Fantastic
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 1, 2008
I heard most of this novel on an audiobook, then finished the last few chapters in the book itself. The author weaves a convoluted tale of family secrets, ex-KGB thugs, sexy female detectives, and a variety of colorful characters. There is also a subplot, almost better than the primary one, about a rape trial. Plenty of red herrings are thrown out as to who really murdered teen-aged campers in the woods twenty years ago, and I confess to being surprised at the final revelation. An enjoyable book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 27, 2008
I just finished reading â¿¿The Woodsâ¿ and all I have to say is WOW! I often get bored with books because I can never find and book that keeps me interested. This book was such a page turner I could never put it down. I found myself trying to figure out the mystery as I read on. I never even got close to what really happened in the end.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 15, 2008
This was another great book by a GREAT author. His books always pull you in and force you to keep reading. I read this one in 2 days! You just want to keep finding out what happens next.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.At a summer camp, with their counselors preoccupied with one another, four teenagers snuck into the woods at night never to return. Two were found dead (Doug Billingham and Margot Green) two vanished, but are assumed dead (Gil Perez and Camille Copeland) all victims of the Summer Slasher serial killer. No one was caught as two families mourned their loss but were able to obtain some closure with funerals the other two families didn¿t even have a body to inter. --- Though the guilt lingers as he was one of the counselors, two decades later Paul ¿Cope¿ Copeland has somewhat moved past the loss of his sister Camille, whose body was never found because of another tragedy. The Essex County prosecutor mourns the loss of his wife to cancer, but more important he is a single father raising a six-year-old daughter Cara. However, the past returns when a murder victim in Manhattan turns out to be the male missing teen Doug. Cope needs to know the truth even as he works a high visibility rape case. He meets up with the other neglectful counselor from that fateful night, his first true love Lucy Gold, who also feels the guilt of failure. --- Though very exciting as the audience wants to know whether Camille lives and if yes why did she fail to contact her family, there are too many distracting side-plays involving the lead couple that takes away from the prime suspense. The story line is action-packed and will hook readers who will want to know where Harlan Coben is taking them. With a final slam dunk twist that will stun and please readers, THE WOODS is an exhilarating investigative thriller. --- Harriet Klausner
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 23, 2012
"You really mean it", she mews as she steps out of the dense forest lining. Her blue eyes were glowing with warmth.
•{Frostpaw
Anonymous
Posted May 23, 2012
Yes i do mean ur not clingy and i realy lik u (/) panther
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Posted May 17, 2012
Great charachters and story
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KrissMB
Posted May 8, 2012
Really enjoyed the book.. I had a hard time putting it down.. So many twists and turns.. Have now read a second book by the author and enjoyed that one, too...
As I try to tell everyone I meet and talk to: MEN GET BREAST CANCER, TOO.
auntylala
Posted March 29, 2012
First book I read by Harlan Coben, and I found it to be enjoyable.......a little predictable, but enough action and twists to keep me interested....
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
Twenty years ago, four teenagers at summer camp walked into the woods at night. Two were found murdered, and the others were never seen again. Four families had their lives changed forever. Now, two decades later, they are about to change again.For Paul Copeland, the county prosecutor of Essex, New Jersey, mourning the loss of his sister has only recently begun to subside. Cope, as he is known, is now dealing with raising his six-year-old daughter as a single father after his wife has died of cancer. Balancing family life and a rapidly ascending career as a prosecutor distracts him from his past traumas, but only for so long. When a homicide victim is ...