The Woods

Written by Harlan Coben

Narrated by Scott Brick

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 subside. Cope, as he is known, is now dealing with raising his six-year-old daughter as a single father after his wife has died of cancer. Balancing family life and a rapidly ascending career as a prosecutor distracts him from his past traumas, but only for so long. When a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to Cope, the well-buried secrets of the prosecutor's family are threatened.

Is this homicide victim one of the campers who disappeared with his sister? Could his sister be alive? Cope has to confront so much he left behind that summer twenty years ago: his first love, Lucy; his mother, who abandoned the family; and the secrets that his Russian parents might have been hiding even from their own children. Cope must decide what is better left hidden in the dark and what truths can be brought to the light.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Apr 17, 2007
• ISBN: 9781597376419

Harlan Coben

With more than seventy million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous suspense novels, including Don't Let Go, Home, and Fool Me Once, as well as the multi-award-winning Myron Bolitar series. His books are published in forty-three languages around the globe and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries. He lives in New Jersey.

Reviews for The Woods

[darrol_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good story exploring how protecting family members can go so wrong.

[adam.currey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first Harlan Coben novel, and it won't be my last. A great mystery thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end.

[dunsh01 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Woods was recommended to me by another Harlan Coben fan. Without a doubt this has to my favourite so far out of the seven I have read.

I keep thinking I'm going to get sick of the same formula Coben weaves through all his stories.. murder, betrayal, twist. But I get sucked in every time. It really is starting to impact on sleeptime!

In true Coben fashion, this is a fast paced, page turner that is hard to put down. It's not pretentious, it's not literary, its just good old fashioned, strap on your belts for a ride, easy weekend reading. (I suggest weekend because you'll end up reading all night).

As other reviewers have pointed out... scenes are corny, characters are not necessarily well developed (but are likable - or unlikable - enough) and at times the writing isn't even all that great, though not bad enough to distract you from the story.

But as I said - Coben is not pretending to be Dickens. But he is a master of story telling. And like most of his books, "the Woods" packs a great story. If you enjoy fast paced thrillers and suspense, twists that are hard to pick, then you should enjoy this offering from Coben.

[pamv-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought that this was very suspenseful and it sure kept us entertained on a 13 hour car ride!

[pam8enser · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great thriller!

[lilywren · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first Harlan Coben book and it didn't disappoint. If you're a fan of the crime/mystery genre then this one is for you. It's a classic crime/investigation formula that has been trodden many times before. It is predictable at certain parts but nonetheless well written, gripping and enjoyable as prosecutor Paul Copeland goes digging into his past, uncovering family secrets and lies.I'll certainly pick up another Coben book. It reminds me of my distance mid-teenage years when I became obsessed with reading all the Ruth Rendell mysteries there were. I may do the same with Coben especially when he has had the power to get me out of a reading block which has lasted several months.

[dawnlovesbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

i dont usually read thrillers, but this one was written well enough and had enough character development that i was able to enjoy it. had me wondering what really happened all the way up to the end!

[jarratt_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"The Woods" has some nice twists and turns. I liked how the sub-plots meshed well with the main plot. (This is usually done rather poorly in TV dramas.)"The Woods" is about the 20 year-old murder of several teens at a summer camp. Paul, our protagonist, was a camp counselor whose sister was one of the victims. Now, as a county prosecutor, the past comes back in ways he can't imagine.

[rascalstar · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a good murder mystery with plenty of twists. It wouldn't be among my favorite books, but for the kind of book it is, it's well done. I listened to it on CD and the reader lends enough difference to the voices to make it interesting. It's not a profound book, if you will, but it's good entertainment for its genre. I enjoyed it and didn't guess ahead of time how things would really turn out. It wasn't predictable. I did guess that they wouldn't be predictable.

[mskeens_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awsome as usual. With his usual twists and turns it is a great read.

[Georgene Bernatz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Missing persons, family secrets, courtroom drama and plot twists keep the story moving. Excellent narration and suspenseful storyline. I’ll be back for more Coben!

[Cynthia Betz · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not one of Coben’s better reads. Way too convoluted and dark to be believable.

[sisraz5416 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Gave it a 3 just because it started out interesting. But it's amazing how it went from me being unable to put it down to not even wanting to finish it. I actually thought about finding some spoilers online. The ending was mediocre and there wasn't much character building, so I found myself detached and not really caring one way or another by the end.

[Katherine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very well done! Great character development & depth of storyline.

[Anjana Chillumuntala · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good read fast narrative best thriller writer among the latest writers

[Vanessa Gamble · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved how the story lines all came together. Keep me listening when ever I could! I never expected the ending!

[Jean Konrad · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Story is very good. I did not care for the narrator at all.

[Sharon Marie Buckler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just when you think you get it, you don’t! Great book!

[Vicki Merchant · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Harlan Coban at his best. Plausible twists to make for a surprise ending.

[Merna Hartwig · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A thrilling story that keeps you guessing throughout. Loved the intertwining stories that come together.

[Tara Smith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So many twists and turns to get to the end

[Sal Chahin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent narration by Scott Brick of another gripping Harlan Coben book. Highly recommend!

[Rachael Poppins Stodard · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I didn't hate this book, the story was interesting, it just wasn't a style of writing I enjoy, the hard-boiled detective novel. And the characters were kind of one-dimensional.

[brangwinn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this mystery which was basically about missing teenagers. Not having read any others by Corben I had expected more. It seemed over the top and contrived. I really had trouble believing the convoluted storyline. While not my favorite mystery, I didn’t expect the ending of the book and I wonder how things worked out for everyone.

[aprilannamelung · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fast paced suspenseful great murder mystery!

[Pete Wormwood · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Harlan Coben is one of my new favorite authors! All of his books that I have read so far have kept me on the edge of my seat, not wanting to stop reading, anxious for the end so all will be revealed. Can't wait to start the next one.

[David Mumby · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this story. I found myself thinking about it when I was away from it.

[Josh Brandner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was awesome! Kept my attention and I loved the twists.

[AIDAMELIA ESPAILLAT · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The narrator was excellent. Story was very interesting and fast-paced.

[icedream_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I finished this book and realized I just found a new suspense author that I can now go and pick up his books whenever I am looking for a great thriller. The Woods was a great thrill ride with lots of twists and turns and had me hooked on the first page.