The Woods

By: Harlan Coben

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES!

The bestselling author and creator of the hit Netflix drama The Stranger takes listeners into the heart of family loyalty in this twisty thriller that proves that the darkest secrets are often closest to home.

Paul Copeland, a New Jersey county prosecutor, is still grieving the loss of his sister twenty years ago - the night she walked into the woods, never to be seen again. But now, a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to the disappearance. The victim could be the boy who vanished along with Paul's sister. And, as hope rises that his sister could still be alive, dangerous secrets from his family's past threaten to tear apart everything Paul has been trying to hold together....

©2007 Harlan Coben (P)2007 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

“[The Woods] might just be the best thing Coben has written...A gripping story, filled with fine characters and dark secrets.” - Chicago Sun Times

“A lively, fast-moving entertainment, jam packed with the bizarre plot twists that are his stock in trade.” - The Washington Post

“Another surprising and emotional story that will remain with the reader long after the last page is finished. One of Coben’s best.” - Library Journal

Good story with a couple of plot lines and depth of characters.

It was difficult to get into due to the rise and fall of the reader’s voice. I probably would not want to listen to another book read by him.

Great Listen

In my opinion the story was well written, the narrator was very good, and if you lived in the 60's & 70's during the cold war and wide drug use it is all very feasible.

Fun legal mystery, fades at end

I enjoyed this mystery / courtroom drama. The main character, Cope, is a DA trying a fraternity rape case. At the same time, people connected to the case are looking Cope's past for skeletons, and the murder of his sister at summer camp with him 20 years ago comes to light again. The novel did a good job moving between the stories. I found myself caring about the main character, and engaged in the plot. This novel fell short in two ways for me. One, I did not love Scott Brick's narration. I have enjoyed him in the past, but Brick is best when the book is a first person narrative from start to end. This switches off from Cope at times, and the narrator's voice does not change enough from character to character. He also overdid the emotion at times. Still, he has an engaging voice and is easy to listen to. My other criticism is the ending. It was so far fetched that the ending was just too much. Until the ending, though, I was enjoying this quite a bit, and I rate this as an above average mystery.

Best for putting you to sleep!

The story was ok, not one of Coben's best, but the narration was a total snooze. Truly, I fell asleep every time I listened to this. Scott Brick droned on and on. I couldn't listen to it when I was driving! It did the trick for getting me to sleep each night, though.

Coben's characters had potential, but I had to suspend disbelief a bit. Could anyone get into college, yet alone become a university professor, with an assumed identity? Could a private investigative agency cause as much havoc as the one in this story? As with many of Coben's stories, logic was stretched in an entertaining and engaging way.

Pick up this listen if you are looking for the perfect replacement for sleeping pills. It works, and you won't be groggy in the morning!

Another good Harlan Coben

As usual Harlan Coben can keep you interest from the beginning to the end. If you don't have the book, it's well worth the credit, or at a discount price....

The Woods

This was my first audio book by Harlan Cobin and I loved it. The storyline was first rate and kept me guessing as to who did what. A great read. I highly recommend it.

The Woods is the best Coben book I've read.

It's a top tier mystery for this avid mystery lover. Tightly woven and believable.

Pretty predictable

If you've read or listened to any Coben before then you pretty much know what's gonna happen here.

Good to kill some time.

One of the Best Mysteries!

Any additional comments?

Great twists and turns, interesting characters and story development! I was not able to take but short breaks from this excellent listen! It is definitely one of those 'listen from the edge of your seat' books! Outstanding narration and captivating mystery! Very well done!

I almost never give five stars

However, this book wouldn't let me go. Excitement, hope, and mystery 'til the very end.