Title:	The Boy from the Woods
	Author:	Harlan Coben
	Published:	March 17, 2020, Grand Central Publishing
	No. of Pages:	384
	Cover Price:	$29.00 Hardcover, $14.99 Kindle

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The Boy from the Woods by bestselling author, Harlan Coben, is a bit different from the norm, but no less fascinating. He takes the mystery of a boy who is found in the woods with no hint of his origins, and fast forwards to 30 years later where the grown boy, known as Wilde, helps find a missing teenager who attends school with Hester Crimstein’s grandson, Matthew. Hester is a minor character from Coben’s previous books – she is a tough attorney, and since she was a neighbor (before selling her home to her son and daughter-in-law) to the mega-wealthy Maynards, who are key players in this novel, is hired to represent them. Coben inserts phrases from previous novels that readers who haven’t read them won’t understand, i.e., Crimstein answers the phone with “articulate.” This means nothing to first-time readers, but plenty to those who are die-hard fans and have read everything from this prolific author.

The Boy from the Woods holds several mysteries, and the teenage girl who is missing, Naomi Pine, is one who has been bullied in school by those who are part of the popular clique. Matthew, whose father was killed in an automobile accident ten years prior, is part of that clique, but he is worried about her and isn’t one of them who is guilty of bullying.

Coben is a master storyteller, evidenced by the fact that he is one of the top bestselling thriller authors in modern literature. This novel, is no exception, but doesn’t include the obligatory dead body in the beginning. Because Crimstein hasn’t been a key character in previous novels, Coben does an excellent job of developing her into a likeable, tough player, and her role in solving the mysteries of the novel is significant. Readers will probably hear from her again, as well as Wilde, since his origins aren’t clear and it is a mystery needing answers.

Since Coben is a favorite author of many, this novel is highly recommended. It’s well-written, and has enough mystery to keep readers interested.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.