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 book. I say this type of book, not this type of genre (or other genres for that matter.)

What is really important here is the story. And, oh nelly, is this one a doozy. Striped down, THE WOODS is nothing more than a murder mystery. But Coben ratchets it up a bit, adds seemingly unrelated storylines and enough McGuffins to make even the best reader stumble on their way to the conclusion. (Sadly, I am not one of those fortunate readers that can say: “I figured it out by page such and such.”) There is Paul Copeland, the protagonist, county prosecutor for Essex County, a widower who has a daughter, and a relentless workaholic; then there is Lucy Gold, an alcoholic college professor with a dark secret. These two make up the main characters. The twenty or so other characters really only add flavor to the story. You see, twenty years ago, while at camp, four grisly murders took place, and Paul and Lucy have been haunted by these events ever since.

Now this is where Coben shines. Instead of playing it straight, Coben adds in storylines of charity fraud, missing persons, rape, politics, the KGB, and paranoia. Sounds convoluted. And it probably would be convoluted if Coben gave the reader a chance to breath, but he never does. The pace of the story doesn’t allow it. At break-neck speed, the narrative travels through numerous locales and characters to paint a mystery that is worth the five or six hours needed to read the book.

I will say that some of the scenes are corny, and Coben does do a bit of proselytizing when given the chance, but overall, this is a great way to let the written word entertain. Don’t seek deep messages or mind-blowing ideas in this novel—they aren’t there. And maybe some of the characters could have used a bit more time in the spotlight. But the plotting (and I’m not usually a stickler for plot) is fun and deftly executed.

Read this book for what it is: unabashed, over-the-top entertainment at its finest.

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