Win, Harlen Coben

Through 11 books, whenever sports agent and occasional righter of wrongs Myron Bolitar has found himself in over his head -- either legally or perhaps in a situation where more forceful measures apply -- he's called out to his college friend, Windsor Horne Lockwood III. Win has enough money to take care of most situations, enough skill with his fists and feet to handle the rest and just about zero scruples of how, when and how much of either of them he applies to a situation. Coben opened 2018's Home with a segment from Win's point of view and has decided to offer at least one complete novel that way, 2021's Win.

A painting, stolen from Win's family many years ago on a night when his uncle was killed and his cousin kidnapped, has resurfaced in the home of a New York City recluse -- but only because said recluse himself has been found murdered. Some other evidence at the scene connects the Lockwood family to this urban hermit and makes FBI agents interested in Win and his cousin as suspects in the murder, although it's just suspicion at this point. When the hermit is discovered to be one of a radical group whose early 1970's attempt to bomb a building caused several deaths, Win's own former FBI mentor joins the probe. That case, we learn, has haunted the man for years and if he has to hang either Win or his cousin out to dry because of it, he will. Win needs to figure out how the hermit got the painting, how it may connect to his uncle's murder and where the rest of the radicals may be, almost 50 years later.

The Bolitar books have benefited greatly from Coben's deft hand at smart-alecky and funny dialogue and banter, both from Bolitar himself and between the two friends. Win's near-narcissism, cynical nature and his supreme confidence (OK, arrogance) make him a good verbal sparring partner with the more earnest and hopeful Bolitar. The love of violence Win displays might almost suggest a high-functioning sociopath and you'd think that an entire book from this view wouldn't work. But with just a few tweaks Coben is able to make it work quite well. We learn Win is more damaged than deranged and his seeming lack of empathy comes more from a single-minded pursuit of his goal and willingness to do what it takes to see his sense of justice satisfied than from true sociopathy. Having never delved deeply into Win's family in any Bolitar book Coben can use that background to humanize his character and give him dimension beyond his "Myron's sidekick" role.

And of course, Win is funny as all get-out.

Coben seems to relish the chance to write with a new voice and from inside someone else's head. Rather than Myron Bolitar or the kind of suburban everyman or everywoman that he's spoken through before, Win brings a unique take on the world that seems to challenge Coben to bring a much better game than he has for several of his more recent standalone books, and to create a much more fun adventure with twists that you actually might not see coming. Win is easily his best book in many years.

Much of the blurb about Win suggests it's the first of a series and if so, it will be interesting to see if Coben can maintain that quality as he moves into more stories about the billionaire socialite who moonlights as a seeker of justice at all costs -- who doesn't dress up in a costume when he does so.