When I started this book I really didn’t like it, so I read some other reviews and one reviewer said he found Harlan Coben books hit or miss. I thought yeah that’s right but then realised it isn’t for me, it’s the Myron Bolitar books I don’t really enjoy but his stand-alone novels I really enjoy. So when I discovered that the Win in this book was associated with Myron I knew the type of book it would be and the character Win did nothing for me. He is rich, old money rich, he has his own jet, flash cars, anything and everything at his disposal.
When one of his stolen paintings is recovered in the flat of a man who everyone thought had died, a man who was part of an incident 20 years previous that saw the deaths of innocent people, Win takes an interest. Soon he has all sorts of unwanted attention and the more he uncovers, the more lies he finds.
This is the start of a series and I can see the appeal for some readers but for me it will only be his stand alone novels I will be reading.

#netgalley #win

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I was excited to read a new book by Harlan Coben. I've enjoyed a lot of his work in the past, especially the Myron Bolitar titles, and was pleased to be given the chance to join this world again albeit from a different pov as this book (and the series to follow) is about Win, not Myron.

Coben's book are always fast-paced and full of twists and turns and this one didn't disappoint. I honestly couldn't predict where the plot was going and how the different narratives would join up in the end. Brilliant, brilliant writing :)

Having read quite a few of Harlan Coben’s books about Myron Bolitar I was a bit dubious that I would like this thriller with Win in the main role as he has always seemed quite a 2 dimensional non likeable character in the Myron books and indeed quite annoying at times with his ‘Articulate’ comments and violence. However after thinking 1 chapter in that I was not going* to enjoy this new thriller I was suddenly hooked. Initially I struggled with the writing style and it did take a little while to get to appreciate this more focussed Win.
It was as usual fast paced with quite a few twists and turns and it was a great read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book.

Warning - gushing review ahead!

As a long time reader and fan of Harlan Coben novels, Win is a familiar character to me. I was so excited when I heard that there was going to be a book (and a series?? please a series!!) focusing on Win. I wanted to read this book with no interruptions and I managed to read it in a day. I really didn't want it to end, even as my eyes were struggling to stay open.

If you have ever read any of the Myron Bolitar books you will know Win - Windsor Horne Lockwood III. Win is Myron's best friend, his right hand man who pushes the limits of the law. His name, his money and his reputation get him along way and gets him results. I wouldn't want to agree with him that is for sure. His family and Myron come first, loyal to a fault. He come across as rough and arrogant, but deep down he is insecure and troubled. Being from old money brings its share of problems as well, I absolutely loved getting to know more about him, and understanding a bit better why he is like he is.

This is a case that is personal to Win. A recluse, hoarder, an old man is found murdered in his penthouse apartment in New York. Police ask Win to come to the crime scene as they have found something that belongs to his family - a painting that was stolen many years ago. As he starts to look into why and how this man had the artwork, he discovers links to another family event that has never been solved. The more he looks, the more somebody wants him to stop.

The twists in this story were just fantastic. At no time did I guess what was going to happen next and the ending blew my mind . Harlan Coben is a master storyteller, his books are addictive and always leave you wanting more. That is why he is one of my all time favourite writers, and I will buy his books without reading the blurb.

If you have never read a Coben book - why? You seriously need to amend that and get reading - there are so many fantastic books for you to catch up on. While Win is a character from the Myron books, this book can be read easily as a standalone. That being said, it will make you want to grab the other books.

A massive thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for approving my request for this early copy. Do yourself a favour and grab this book.

Heiress Patricia Lockwood comes from a wealthy, the family who have a country estate. Whilst a robbery is taking place at the estate Patricia is kidnapped and kept locked in a cabin for months, where she was abused. In New York City on the Upper West Side a man is found murdered in his apartment, the police find two items in the apartment that had come from Patricia’s family home. This man is very private no one visited him how has he got these two articles? One a valuable Vermeer painting the other a suitcase with the initials WHL3 engraved on it. How do the FBI get to the bottom of this.

I love Harlan Coben and I love Win and I absolutely loved this book. I loved hearing more about one of my favourite characters and the story was mind blowing as always xx

This is the first Harlan Coben I have read in quite some time and I enjoyed it. Win was always a character I found fascinating so this was always going to be a good read for me. I enjoyed learning more about him, learning his back story and the way he approached this investigation. Action was well described leaving my imagination to fill in any blanks. This book is well worth the read, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

3.5/5

I enjoyed this read. It was pretty fast paced and Win (as a character) was developed quite well throughout. My only gripes would be that the plot twist whilst came as a bit of an eyebrow raiser, it didn't shock or have the impact on me. I also didn't feel the same connection to Win as I would, say someone like Alex Cross etc.

I would definitely read a follow on story to see where the series goes though.

Review has been posted on goodreads

This is the first time I have read one of the books from his Myron Bolitar series and I have only just realised what I must have missed.
A hermit-like hoarder is discovered murdered in his exclusive penthouse and a priceless, stolen painting is displayed on the wall.
The murder victim is soon linked not only to an art heist but to a terrorist incident years earlier, where there were several victims. The art work is owned by the wealthy Lockwood family and their son Win becomes involved in trying to discover the mystery of the original theft and tracing a second masterpiece which has not been recovered. The murder of his uncle and the abduction and abuse of his cousin also motive his search for justice.
This was a fast paced, exciting story. I was gripped from the beginning and hooked until the ending, which was totally unexpected. At the end, everything came together perfectly, but I had not anticipated any of it.
I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

'Win' is the start of a new series by Harlan Coben, featuring a character who has only been a side feature in the Myron Bolitar series. Windsor Horne Lockwood III, was born into a rarified world - rich and priviledged, where access to people and places was provided simply by giving his name. Yet, Win continues to walk a think line, between this and a very different world - one in which he is a vigilante. In this darker world, Win investigates and delivers the judgement himself, without any requirement for a judge or judy. And he does not stop to think of the potential reprocessusions. I found some elements of the Marvel comic character, DareDevil in this aspect of Win - he seeks out injustice and meters out his form our retribution. And similar to DareDevil, Win has spent years, travelling and training to ensure that he is capable of fighting and winning.
Onto, the main story, over twenty years ago, Win's cousin Patricia was mysterious kidnapped on the same night that her father was murdered. Meanwhile, two priceless paintings were also stolen from the family. These seemingly unrelated events have remained unsolved until now. When a recluse is found murdered in his penthouse apartment, on the rather exclusive New York's Upper West Side, the FBI reopen their investigations and Win finds himself and Patricia at the heart of those halfgotten events.
Relying on his, apparently relentless personal resources, Win launches his own investigations and soon begins to regret digging up the past as many skeletons start to fall.
Although the overall story was interesting, I found it difficult to warm to the character of Win, as he seems unable to think beyond his own needs and wants. For example (and this is not a spoiler as it occurs in the opening pages), he attacks 'Teddy' without considering the potential fallout - or considering discussing the legal ramifications of the case against Teddy. It is Win's lack of judgement that lead me to be suspicious of his behaviour thoughout the novel and at times, I did wonder if the reader could trust his viewpoint - of course, this also, worked as it meant, that I kept reader to see what Win would do next!
I would be interested in reading a followup book to see if there is any sign of character development.
Summary: Fun and easy read.

I’m a huge fan of Harlan Coben’s work and Win is up there with the best. Win is short for Windsor Horne Lockwood lll and he is best known as the powerful, very rich and slightly sociopathic best friend of Myron Bolitar who has had a series of books written about him. I was thrilled to discover that this novel is written from Win’s perspective and was about his life.

Twenty years ago Win’s cousin, Patricia, was kidnapped and her father was murdered. After some months she escaped her captors who were never identified. In the present day a recluse is murdered in his New York apartment. Amongst his belongings are a piece of artwork which was owned by the Lockwood family and a suitcase which belonged to Patricia. The cases have to be linked and Win, using his power, resources and connections beings to investigate. As he looks into the cases sub-plots being to emerge including five missing hippies, a vigilante bombing and an organised crime family seeking revenge. There’s a lot going on and Coben blends the action with all his usual skill. As the story develops Win is forced to confront some long held family secrets.

Win has everything you would expect from a novel by this author; an artful plot, plenty of clever twists and turns, lots of action and smart narrative. Whilst Win has always been an intriguing character in previous novels, he has always lurked in the shadows, he now has the limelight all to himself and it was fascinating to learn more about his personality and, dare I say it, some of his insecurities. It’s a straight 5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a big fan of Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series in which Win was a minor character, a rich friend of Myron who helped in various investigations.
In this book Win is the main protagonist and narrator and although Myron is mentioned he does not appear. At first I was not sure how this would work and whether Win really deserved his own book but after a few pages I was well and truly hooked!
Wyn is not an easy character to like, he has many idiosyncrasies and he does not always follow the legal route with the result that some of his decisions are morally questionable. However he understands this character trait, himself and tries to explain it in the first person narration. He gives the impression of being slightly psychopathic but in a positive way as he harnesses these traits to work for the common good.
This book looks into Win’s family background and encompasses the investigation of a homegrown terror plot which took place in the 1970s. Win also looks into the murder of his uncle and the kidnap of his cousin Patricia which also happened round about this time.
Win is a great lead character, he’s not exactly likeable but he does try to do the right thing. He is also extremely loyal to those he truly cares about including Myron and his own biological daughter Ema. He likes to right wrongs but not necessarily within the boundaries of the law.
This is a great read and hopefully it is the first in a new series as I’d certainly like to see more of Windsor Lockwood III.
I raced through “ Win” in a couple of days and recommend to all crime thriller fans and Harlan Coben enthusiasts. If you’ve read the Myron Bolitar books that’s fine but this book is really a stand alone so no prior knowledge required.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

For years, Harlan Coben has written about Win from Myron Bolitar's perspective, and left readers wondering about who he really is. This book is everything that fans of the MB series have ever wanted in that it is entirely in Win's voice and we finally, finally get an insight into what lies beneath the surface. As always, here is an excellent mystery with all the twists and turns any Harlan Coben fan would expect, plus those extra, heart-wrenching details that make you love Win even more than ever. I have always said that picking up a book about Myron and Win is like setting down to hear old friends talking and this is just like that - listening to a dear, beloved friend talk while you sit, awestruck, at the tale they're telling.
This is what makes Harlan Coben's books special - why they sit above the rest for me - the heart and soul of them. He doesn't just write a mystery; he creates characters that etch a mark right in my heart and he makes me care so intensely that I grieve each book when I finish it.
I would strongly advise reading the Myron Bolitar series before reading Win....or read them all afterwards then read Win again, but read them all and you will not be disappointed.

Harlan Coben never let's the reader down. The back story for Win. Family dynamics and history that explains Win mindset. His thirst for justice that is not always legal. How Win is coping without Myron and the new relationships he is forging. Compelling reading and I look forward to hearing from more of the characters introduced in this book.

Having watched The Stranger on Netflix and never having read a book by Harlan Coben I thought I would give this new series a go. It reminded me very much of a 1970's sort if anti hero TV Series.
I must say I totally loved this character (though I know some will not) and I hope that there are more to come and hopefully a Netflix series.

I'm a fan of Harlan Coben and particularly the Myron Bolitar series which Win is also a frequent character, and it was with interest how a book devoted to Win as a main character might be.

The humour and plotlines were there but I'm afraid the characterisation of Win felt a little a little too much of a cliché to me, a little too 'James Bond' in style - from a humour perspective.

Four stars from me as this was only a minor glitch in what is a very good series of books.

Win is a pretty unlikeable character - monied, privileged, arrogant and with a propensity for violence. He tends to act without much thought for the consequences and has no qualms in using people to achieve his aims. Perhaps his one redeeming feature is that he does tend to act for the good, and is aware of his emotional shortcomings.

He metes out justice to a man which results in him tangling with the mob and being drawn into a case closely concerning his family - the murder of his uncle and abduction of his cousin twenty years ago. A murky world is revealed as a man dies and a painting and suitcase belonging tothe Lockwood family is found in his apartment. The clues are handled very well, allowing the reader to learn in stages alongside Win as he tries to find out what happened to some young terrorists, and how they were involved, if at all, in his family's tragedy.

Its well written and very readable. I just wish Win was a little more endearing!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Century for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book that focuses on Win, who is the best friend of Myron Bolitar in another series of Harlan Coben books. I was so excited to receive a free advanced reader copy of this not only because I absolutely love Harlan Coben books but because I love the character of Win and I was so excited to see him feature as a main character.

First and foremost, this book has everything that you may have come to expect from a Harlan Coben novel, its got plenty of twists and turns, an unpredictable ending and lots of funny witty comments. More than that it’s nice to have an insight into Win’s innermost thoughts, his character is very grey which some people may not like or agree with but I find that there is something so inherently likeable about him, possible because it feels like even when he’s doing the wrong thing he’s doing it for the right reasons or possibly because his close relationships and loyalties redeem him for the darker sides to his personality. If this is the first book that you’re considering reading of Harlan Coben then it can be read as a stand-alone and if you’re already a fan then I highly recommend it just to be able to read more of Win. As always Harlan has written yet another brilliant book and I’m already excited for the next chapter of Win’s story!

I haven’t read a Harlan Coben book for a while.. Win is a likeable character and there is a humour running through the book despite its dark subject. It is a stand alone book however there were many references to his friend Myron Bolitar which I found rather unsettling. I enjoyed this book and will go back to find some Myron Bolitar books

An absolutely brilliant book, lots of twists and turns. The main character was one of those that I couldn’t decide whether I liked them or not, I really think Harlan Coben is such a fantastic writer, and he really gives his characters depth. I got to the point where I was going without sleep to read, so that’s when you know the book is a good one!
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this, I’m really glad I did.