I have long been fan of the writing of Harlan Coben. He is the author of over 30 novels and has sales in the region of 75 million. Amongst these is a series of 11 books featuring a charismatic hero, Myron Bolitar. Bolitar is an ex basketball star who is now a sports agent. That is when he is not solving crimes. Bolitar has a wide circle of eccentric and loyal friends who often assist him in this pursuit.
One of the most unusual friends is the shadowy character, Windsor Horne Lockwood III – known as Win to his few friends. Called upon when the going really gets tough, the uber- rich Win seems to have the resources to sort out any problem with the minimum of fuss.
Lockwood is usually kept in the shadowy background of the Bolivar novels and only present via phone calls, or brief appearances, but he is now thrust into the limelight in Corban’s latest novel, Win.
Unfortunately, I think it would have been better to leave Win in the background where he was. Exposed in this book with all his narcissistic tendencies and his partiality to violence, he is not a character I found it easy to identify with, or to feel any sympathy for, regarding his troubles during this story.
The story itself is pure Coben. By that I mean that it is the usual fast-paced rollercoaster of a read and is chock full of plot twists and turns.
A reclusive man is found murdered in his New York apartment. Amongst his belongings, the police find two items: a leather suitcase, and a Vermeer painting, which had been stolen from the Lockwood family many years previously.
The suitcase had disappeared during a robbery at family estate which had also resulted in the abduction of Win’s cousin Patricia. She had been kept in an isolated cottage for months before managing to escape.
The Vermeer had been stolen while on loan to a university for an exhibition.
Win has no idea how the items ended up in the recluse’s apartment, but when the FBI look at him with suspicion, he decides to investigate the case himself – using his own unorthodox methods.
My personal opinion is that Harlan Coben should allow Windsor Horne Lockwood lll to sink back into the murky shadows from where he emerged and stick to more relatable heroes.
However this book, like so many of his previous ones, has become number one best seller. So what do I know? – Keith Millar
Win by Harlan Coben is published by Penguin. ISBN 9781529123852
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