Review: Win by Harlan Coben

 

My rating is a hover between a 3 and 4 star. I've been completely honest about my bias towards Harlan Coben. He's one of my favorite authors. His mystery thrillers are always fast paced with a protagonist that usually has all the odds against them. Win Lockwood is not in the same position as many of his other leading characters. Win has money to burn and is almost a Bruce Wayne-Batman type figure. He's out to right the wrongs and injustices of the world and has the money to boot. The only difference is Batman doesn't usually kill the villain. Win doesn't care one way or the other...

I digress... but you've been warned. I love Coben's writing so, essentially I lean towards a favorable rating of his work... but... (imagine me shaking my head in shame and embarassment). I'm on the fence with this read.

Starting with the basics, enter Win Lockwood. In the first few pages he's painted as a playboy, billionaire vigilante hellbent on imposing justice on those who have escaped the long-arm of justice. He's immediately undeniably likeable (hence my Batman comparison). He's a 1 percenter that looks out for the little guy... but not really.

Skip ahead and we find out Win is great friends with another Harlan Coben staple, Myron Bolitar. Those who know Coben know that Bolitar was the catalyst for much of Coben's success. Bolitar is a former basketball player turned sports agent that investigates murders. Hence, the little guy against the big bad unknown that I've come to love about Coben's work. Yet, in all honesty, I've maybe read only one Myron Bolitar installation. My love for Coben wasn't dependent on that dude... I digress...

Well... Win gets word that a precious family heirloom is found among the belongings of a fugitive from the 60s or 70s (I'm not sure nor does it really matter... or maybe it does...) who was responsible for the tragic deaths of innocents after throwing a molotov cocktail protesting some sort of green initiative or what have you from those times. The 50s-70s were a tumultuous time for people and social consciousness reined supreme. Suffice it to say, a political statement turned deadly and Win is on the heels of the 6 involved in the crime.

Why does Win care about the crime involving the murdered man found to be in possession of his family's Vermeer painting? Well... Win believes this painting may lead him to the person who murdered his uncle and abducted and raped his cousin years earlier.

So... yes!!! We have a story of revenge? Right?

Wrong... kinda... but not really... but kinda...

Before I get into my issues with this read, I'll begin by saying I was hooked from page 1. I've said that many times... but the phrase is always accurate. I was reading a few other reads and trying to pass the Spring 2021 semester when I told myself I was only going to read a couple sentences. I was bored with my current reads and saw the release date for Win was approaching and figured that Coben's reads are usually fast so... let's go.

Before long, I was engrossed in Win's life. The privilege, the money, the jet-setting, and the bad-assery of it all had me hooked. And then... I was pulled away from the read. Although I repeatedly came back to read more, I grew more annoyed with Win.

Those who read many novels understand that the easiest hurdle to remove from the any-man is means. The means to book a flight at last minute or have the time to casually issue their own form of justice on a whim. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a little more socially aware nowadays of the disparity of classes, but ultimately, I became annoyed with Win. All his money, privilege, and arrogance became annoying.

I'm not trying to make this review racial or controversial. Generally, my reviews are based on how a novel makes me feel. But as Coben forces an ending that neatly wraps up Win's debut novel, I realize I didn't like him. The very things that attracted me to him on page one annoyed me by the end of Win. There were no obstacles for this man. The one obstacle he encounters leads to a quick recovery (not surprising since he's rich and can afford great doctors). He's just so damn... lucky. Rather, he's always winning. He wins at everything... and.... I want him to be more human.

I want him to be more plausible. He's even a friend of the police. WTF!!!!!!

Does his privilege and money know no bounds?

NOPE.

Yet, I love Coben's writing. Win isn't a favorite and after writing this review, I realize this is more of a 2-3 star book. Sure, the story is captivating and interesting from page one. A total page turner... Yet... aren't there enough Batman stories? I didn't even get into how this narrative is provided by someone who isn't even all that likeable after awhile.

My apologies. I simply feel this novel ignores that we're tired of the rich and their problems. I prefer the every-man of Coben's past novels suggesting that against all odds, the truth might set us free.

Copy provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley

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