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81st out of 3,368 books
—
7,798 voters
The Woods
by
Harlan Coben
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 subsid
...moreHardcover, 404 pages
Published
April 17th 2007
by Dutton Adult
(first published 2007)
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Oh Harlan, you were exactly what I needed. But before I begin, let me say that this was my first Harlan Coben experience. I'll more than likely read more of his stuff. Bear with me as I explain myself.
Okay, the writing was nothing spectacular; there were even times when I winced as he described something by using the item. Example: The great oak stood like a, well, great oak. Yes, this type of writing appears more frequently than I liked, but the writing is really not an issue with this type of...more
Okay, the writing was nothing spectacular; there were even times when I winced as he described something by using the item. Example: The great oak stood like a, well, great oak. Yes, this type of writing appears more frequently than I liked, but the writing is really not an issue with this type of...more
With a debt of gratitude and writing credit to Michael K. Brett-Surman's dinosaurs, from which I stole the format and a good many of the words from page 150.
For D. Pow.
Hackosaurus Rex
Field Notes:
Hackosaurus Rex exemplifie...more
For D. Pow.
Hackosaurus Rex
Field Notes:
HAK-oh-SAW-rus REX
Tyrant Hack-Novelist
a.k.a. Harlen Coben
6 feet (1.8288 metres)
Psi Upsilon Frat Boy
Friend of Brownosaurus Dan
Current Holocene
North America (New Jersey, USA)
Edgar Award winner; Shamus Award winner; Anthony Award winner; never short listed for the Man Booker Prize.
Hackosaurus Rex exemplifie...more
Jul 15, 2008
Stephanie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who loves a good page turner
Recommended to Stephanie by:
Mom
This was my first Harlan Coben book and I thought it was just fabulous! I'm not huge into "mysteries" or "thrillers", but when I do sit down with one this is the type of story that has everything I want in a "page turner" - short chapters, quick dialog, twists and turns, and narration that was surprisingly funny at times (case in point, after annoying a police officer and a prosecutor both in a matter of hours the main character concludes, "I had itched an ass this morning and now I had burned a...more
After his return to Myron Bolitar with PROMISE ME, Coben went back to standalone thrillers with this one. It was good, although I had some doubts about the characterization. I couldn't quite believe everything I read, even though the facts were consistent. I suspect that Coben knew that if he had done more to make the characterization of certain characters consistent and clearer, then it would have telegraphed the ending. But at this pace, who really cares about characterization. It's only in re...more
I liked this book because it was a "couldn't put down" kind of book. I wanted to keep reading it to find out what's going on now.
Paul Copeland is a County Prosecutor who along with his parents and sister Camille,were from Russia and moved to the US when Paul was 4 yrs old. In the present day-Paul is a widower and has a 6 yr old Daughter. Go back 20 yrs,when Paul was a teenager who helped out at a camp that the rich kids as well as the not to well off kids would spend their days in the summer. B...more
Paul Copeland is a County Prosecutor who along with his parents and sister Camille,were from Russia and moved to the US when Paul was 4 yrs old. In the present day-Paul is a widower and has a 6 yr old Daughter. Go back 20 yrs,when Paul was a teenager who helped out at a camp that the rich kids as well as the not to well off kids would spend their days in the summer. B...more
Another great book by Mr. Coben. This one takes place at an old summer camp where 2 teens were murdered and 2 more disappeared. Twenty years later, Cope solves the mystery with the help of his former love, Lucy.
My favorite quote:
"She tried to figure out her own life philosophy and came up with something she once heard a rock star - Eric Clapton, she thought- say in an interview about not being a big fan of, uh, people. She wasn't either. She preferred - as ridiculous as it sounded- being with he...more
My favorite quote:
"She tried to figure out her own life philosophy and came up with something she once heard a rock star - Eric Clapton, she thought- say in an interview about not being a big fan of, uh, people. She wasn't either. She preferred - as ridiculous as it sounded- being with he...more
Less often you come across stories that leave you with a strange feeling...the type where you don't know whether to feel good about the story or bad... whether you can single out one person as an antagonist..a bad person...someone who triggered the unfortunate events...
After reading the book, I feel the same. I can't single out one bad person...cant find one single person on whom I can put the blame for creating such havoc. Because basically none of these characters were bad. The situation that...more
After reading the book, I feel the same. I can't single out one bad person...cant find one single person on whom I can put the blame for creating such havoc. Because basically none of these characters were bad. The situation that...more
Now this was an excellent book!
So many twists I didn't see coming. I thought the characters were upbeat and seemed completely real. The plot was great. At first, it seemed to me that it was going to be a typical suspenseful thriller, but the twists in the plot made it more, especially the ending. Did not see that coming!
Excellent!
So many twists I didn't see coming. I thought the characters were upbeat and seemed completely real. The plot was great. At first, it seemed to me that it was going to be a typical suspenseful thriller, but the twists in the plot made it more, especially the ending. Did not see that coming!
Excellent!
The Woods, by Harlan Coben, B-plus, narrated by Scott Brick, produced by Brilliance Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
This book will definitely make my top ten for the year. This is one of Coben’s stand-alones, and I prefer it to his series.
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 Cope...more
This book will definitely make my top ten for the year. This is one of Coben’s stand-alones, and I prefer it to his series.
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 Cope...more
I started this one on my lunch break yesterday. So good. There's a lot of dialogue, which makes the 400 pages fly by, and a mystery that's extremely, well, mysterious. It's written in first person, which usually I don't like, and was still just the tiniest bit annoying here, but it didn't get too much in my way. The main character is a county prosecuter who is prosecuting two rich white boys for raping a black girl. The boys' fathers sic private detectives on him to dig up dirt on him, which, it...more
Nov 07, 2008
Ed
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Thriller Fans, Coben Fans
Shelves:
crime-fiction,
reviewed
Coben keeps getting better and better.
I read this novel while on a 24 hour trip from Las Vegas to Hong Kong. I could not put it down. The suspense is complete. The characterizations are excellent. The plotting is superb. The story is believable, though fictional, because we have all been in families so we know all families have secrets.
The secrets may not be as violent as the ones in this story but they can be as destructive as these are.
Coben does a masterful job of bringing us along as the pr...more
I read this novel while on a 24 hour trip from Las Vegas to Hong Kong. I could not put it down. The suspense is complete. The characterizations are excellent. The plotting is superb. The story is believable, though fictional, because we have all been in families so we know all families have secrets.
The secrets may not be as violent as the ones in this story but they can be as destructive as these are.
Coben does a masterful job of bringing us along as the pr...more
I bought this on audiobook to listen to in the car and I found myself being happy to be in traffic jams because I didn't want to hurry home, it was that good!
This is the story of Paul Copeland, a county prosecutor, who has a blast from the past when a dead body turns up. Twenty years before, at a summer camp, four teenagers are murdered and buried in the woods while Cope (Paul) is supposed to be on gurad duty. Instead he is having a bit of a fumble with his girlfriend Lucy and one of the teenag...more
This is the story of Paul Copeland, a county prosecutor, who has a blast from the past when a dead body turns up. Twenty years before, at a summer camp, four teenagers are murdered and buried in the woods while Cope (Paul) is supposed to be on gurad duty. Instead he is having a bit of a fumble with his girlfriend Lucy and one of the teenag...more
Harlan Coben does it again...gets you so wrapped up in the suspense & the story that you just can't put the book down. The main character Paul is a prosecutor who has a past that he'd prefer to forget...being at summer camp 20 years ago when 4 campers disappeared (one being his sister) and 2 were found dead, the other 2 never found. In the present day framework of a trial that seems to be taken straight from the headlines of the Duke lacrosse players case, the past slaps the prosecutor in th...more
Apr 22, 2008
Naomi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Naomi by:
Omar Aziz
Shelves:
воображение,
расслабления
A friend gave me this book as a parting gift. It was intended as a 'in-flight' book but didn't quite make it as having started it, I couldn't rest until I had finished it. What attracted me most to this book was the characters - wholly believable and human with flesh as well as bones. Paul Copeland's dilemma of ethics (tell a lie to save a friend/leave the past buried or dig it up etc) was thought provoking and caused true thrill, mostly because these are questions we all face (though perhaps in...more
I went to summer camp as a kid and was scared of the woods at night. Rightfully so, going by the way Harlan Coben played on those fears with a twist.
I'm a Coben fan. His style is easy to read and quick paced. I never feel like he's hitting me over the head with information, either. In a lot of mysteries/thrillers I have a sense of what's coming next, but in this book I didn't. Nicely done. He kept my interest page after page.
I'm a Coben fan. His style is easy to read and quick paced. I never feel like he's hitting me over the head with information, either. In a lot of mysteries/thrillers I have a sense of what's coming next, but in this book I didn't. Nicely done. He kept my interest page after page.
This was definitely a page turner...got to end, though and not sure that I'm thrilled with it. However, the actual experience of reading it was spell bounding. Going to try another one of his novels soon.
Opinião no blog http://howtoliveathousandlives.blogsp...
Este é um mistério encerrado profundamente nas brumas do passado. Um enigma que tem atormentado Paul Copeland, uma personagem complexa e com quem o leitor cria empatia imediata. Aliás, a maioria das personagens apresentam uma grande complexidade, com passados obscuros e segredos bem escondidos.
Para além do mistério principal, este livro encerra nas suas páginas outras temáticas pertinentes como a ética, a espionagem, a corrupção… A componen...more
Este é um mistério encerrado profundamente nas brumas do passado. Um enigma que tem atormentado Paul Copeland, uma personagem complexa e com quem o leitor cria empatia imediata. Aliás, a maioria das personagens apresentam uma grande complexidade, com passados obscuros e segredos bem escondidos.
Para além do mistério principal, este livro encerra nas suas páginas outras temáticas pertinentes como a ética, a espionagem, a corrupção… A componen...more
This book kept me of the edge of my seat every time i read it. The suspense and mystery made me want to keep reading it. This book has many characters involved with different things. The book did a good job letting the readers know the background information very well. It also tied everything together. This book is about Paul's struggles and adventure of trying to find out what really happened to sister. He is in search for his sister Camille who disappeared with 4 other people in a camp ground...more
Paul Copeland er offentlig anklager og i gang med at føre sag mod to rigmandssønner for voldtægten af en ung stripper. Samtidig med at sagen kører bliver Paul imidlertid stillet ansigt til ansigt med fortidens spøgelser, da liget af en tidligere kammerat dukker op – myrdet for få dage siden, trods at han har været formodet død de sidste 20 år. Paul begynder derfor at grave i den gamle sag for at finde ud af, hvad der egentlig skete på sommerlejren i skoven for 20 år siden, da to unge mennesker b...more
Paul Copeland is a county prosecutor in New Jersey. He is also a widower with a young daughter. Twenty years ago he was a counselor at a camp where there was a multiple murder. He had abandoned his post to be with his girlfriend and meanwhile four teenagers, two boys and two girls had also left the cabin for the woods. The bodies of two of the teenagers were later found and the others were presumed dead as well. One of the presumed dead was Paul's sister Camille. His family never got over it. Hi...more
Harlan Coben has written one of the best mystery novels I have ever read. Two decades ago, our main character Paul Copeland, lost his sister. She and three other kids went into the woods one night at camp and we're never seen again. Two bodies were discovered and two remain missing. Unfortunately, for Copeland his sisters body was one of the two never found. The disappearance of the kids was no accident it is revealed how they were in fact murdered.
After twenty years has passed Paul Copeland is...more
After twenty years has passed Paul Copeland is...more
Downloaded from Audible.com
Narrated by: Scott Brick
I have always liked Harlen Coben's novels. Having said that, prior to this novel, it's been years since I read any of his books. After having a listen, I wonder why its been so long. It's gotten some pretty poor reviews but I can't see anything wrong with it. It engaged my attention and held it until the end - and really, that's what I want from a book/story.
Twenty years prior, six teenagers went into the woods surrounding a summer camp but onl...more
Narrated by: Scott Brick
I have always liked Harlen Coben's novels. Having said that, prior to this novel, it's been years since I read any of his books. After having a listen, I wonder why its been so long. It's gotten some pretty poor reviews but I can't see anything wrong with it. It engaged my attention and held it until the end - and really, that's what I want from a book/story.
Twenty years prior, six teenagers went into the woods surrounding a summer camp but onl...more
"El bosque" es el primer libro que me leo del novelista americano Harlan Coben, uno de los escritores de novela negra más vendidos actualmente. La novela desde luego entretiene muchísimo, consigue ser absorbente y avanza a muchísima velocidad, consiguiendo esto con la utilización de descripciones concisas sin muchos alardes y de diálogos rápidos que duran páginas y que hacen que narración sea dinámica. Además tenemos un personaje central muy bien dibujado y que de vez en cuando tiene pinceladas...more
Harlan Coben is a master story teller. A word of warning ...if you have pressing issues do not start reading this book. You will not put it down until the very last page.
Paul Copeland is the county prosecutor for Essex New Jersey.Two decades ago, four teenagers one of whom was Paul's sister, disappeared in the woods at a summer camp at which Paul was a camp counseller. Two bodies were found murdered not one of which was his sister.
Cope, as he is known,is a man in mourning - for his sister - for...more
Paul Copeland is the county prosecutor for Essex New Jersey.Two decades ago, four teenagers one of whom was Paul's sister, disappeared in the woods at a summer camp at which Paul was a camp counseller. Two bodies were found murdered not one of which was his sister.
Cope, as he is known,is a man in mourning - for his sister - for...more
So after reading a book I was not really into I was ready to dive into my next book with a fury...and it wasn't hard with this page turner that kept me up and made good use of my extra day light saving hours..So I must say I was well on my way to making this a strong four star book because I liked it man..It was well written and cleverly mysterious enough to make you so curious to know what was really the truth and what in the world happened at camp that night twenty years ago...This is the stor...more
Harlan Coben- The Woods (Signet Books 2008) 4.25 Stars
Paul Copeland’s sister died in the woods outside of their summer camp, along with three other people, twenty years ago. Only two bodies were ever found; his sister’s body was not among them. Now as County Prosecutor he has a huge career case he is fighting to win, and he must still find time to raise his six year old daughter by himself, after his wife’s death. When one of the supposed dead actually turns up as a murder victim, he must figure...more
Paul Copeland’s sister died in the woods outside of their summer camp, along with three other people, twenty years ago. Only two bodies were ever found; his sister’s body was not among them. Now as County Prosecutor he has a huge career case he is fighting to win, and he must still find time to raise his six year old daughter by himself, after his wife’s death. When one of the supposed dead actually turns up as a murder victim, he must figure...more
Cheat Sheet for Writing A Harlan Coben novel:
-an event that happened a long time ago that affected the lives of the loved ones
-one pretty hip guy who is quick with wit and sarcasm
-main character must be a professional white male who helps inner-city black characters-it's ok to throw out all stereotypes possible, as long as the main character justifies it by performing his civic duty of helping them out
-add a ballsy female side-kick, and give her at least one manly characteristic (if she's no...more
-an event that happened a long time ago that affected the lives of the loved ones
-one pretty hip guy who is quick with wit and sarcasm
-main character must be a professional white male who helps inner-city black characters-it's ok to throw out all stereotypes possible, as long as the main character justifies it by performing his civic duty of helping them out
-add a ballsy female side-kick, and give her at least one manly characteristic (if she's no...more
this is the first and so far, only harlan coben book that I couldn't get into. I'm not sure what it was, but I just wasn't interested in the characters, or plot. I usually read his books in 4 days or less, only putting them down to eat, sleep and work, but this one... I just didn't. I honestly have not even finished it yet, and I started reading it about three years ago. I read a little less than a third of it before I put it down to read something else that interested me more at the time. The n...more
So, I know there are loads of Harlan Coben fans out there. I get why people like him. He’s a straight-up writer, lots of dialogue and characters and plot threads to keep you busy. Coben’s the sort of writer you read when you’re looking for something fast-paced and, dare I say it, fluffy.
The Woods has a convoluted plot that concerns Paul Copeland, County Prosecutor. Twenty years ago his sister, Camille, went missing (presumed dead) along with three of her friends while they were all at a camp for...more
The Woods has a convoluted plot that concerns Paul Copeland, County Prosecutor. Twenty years ago his sister, Camille, went missing (presumed dead) along with three of her friends while they were all at a camp for...more
I would likely go 3.5 stars if that were an option, and after wrestling rounded up rather than down. I have come to enjoy Coben's writing style over the past year and love both the Mickey and Myron Bolitar series. This was a pleasant change up both in story line, plotting and pacing as well. It was nice to read one his stand alone styles to see some of the versatility in his writing style, as I found this much different than his series that I have gotten hooked upon.
The book starts a little slow...more
The book starts a little slow...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan Coben: The last sentence haunted me | 2 | 24 | Aug 23, 2011 02:39am | |
| Goodreads Indonesia: Buku si plontos Harlan Coben ada juga yang nerbitin | 2 | 19 | Aug 14, 2011 01:25am | |
| This book made #4 on TOP 10 THRILLER NOVELS... | 1 | 57 | Apr 02, 2009 08:26pm | |
| sloppy seconds | 1 | 61 | Aug 20, 2007 06:35pm |
With over 50 million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben’s last six consecutive novels, SIX YEARS, STAY CLOSE, LIVE WIRE, CAUGHT, LONG LOST and HOLD TIGHT all debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and lists around the world. His first Young Adult novel SHELTER was just released in paperback, and the second in the Mickey Bolitar series, SECONDS AWAY, was released on September 18th....more
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“You don't worry about happiness and fulfilment when you're starving.”
—
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May 11, 2011 03:34pm