I'm a huge Harlan Coben fan but this one has to be my least favorite book by him so far but it just may possibly be my fault since I didn't read The Boy from the Woods before I read this.
I did feel as though there were too many characters, like it was hard to keep track of who's who at times and towards the end I was starting to lose interest in finding out who Wilde's biological parents are.

Loved this sequel to the boy from the woods. This had some twists and turns and it was absolutely delightful!

Everybody knows the saying—and maybe, most people even believe—“there’s no such thing as bad publicity”.

I’ve never considered myself “everybody”, though… and have always found it to be a patently ridiculous truism. (Seriously, it doesn’t take that active an imagination to envision plenty of scenarios in which “bad” publicity would be the polar opposite of “desirable” or “beneficial” for anyone.) And, hilarious jokester that she is, Fate even decided to put me smack in the middle of some very bad publicity, a few years ago, just to make really sure I’d never think otherwise. [Thanks, Fate. Really, got the memo. We’re good.]

But back to “everybody” (else). What happens to someone who genuinely believes that any publicity is good publicity… until the moment they find out how very wrong that can be? Harlan Coben explores that—and a whole lot more—in his latest thriller, The Match.
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Wilde is one of those people who marches to his own beat, full stop. Following his (undoubtedly) memorable introduction in (Coben’s preceding book) The Boy from the Woods (which I haven’t read), the man who mysteriously appeared out of nowhere, all those years ago, a sort of “wolf-boy”—a child with no memories of anything other than living on his own in the woods of upstate New York—remains something of an oddity, a loner… and most definitely someone more comfortable with his beloved forest than with any concrete jungles.

And yet… the man with no early memories also feels an irresistible pull to find out something about his past: where did he come from? Who were his people, and how on earth did he end up all alone in the wilderness? (Can he “go on” without finding the answers to these questions? Of course; he has a handful of friends [aka the people who found him] if/when he feels the need for some sort of tether or belonging… but there’d at least be something nice in knowing a little bit more.)

So, he does what we do, now—sends his DNA off to a find-out-about-yourself site, to see if there are any matches.
And, voilà, there are. A couple of them, in fact. Someone who seems, miraculously, to be Wilde’s birth father(!), and another relation, a semi-distant cousin.

After a less-than-illuminating meeting with his father [but honestly, what could anyone reasonably expect, after some three-and-a-half-plus decades of not being in contact with each other?], Wilde attempts to reach out to the cousin [figuring the person closer to his own age might have more intel on matters].

And that’s when things get really interesting… because the cousin, after having found himself in the very brightest of limelights, as a celebrity (in the whole, now-otherwise-completely-ordinary-people-can-suddenly-be-celebs-when-they’re-REALITY-show-faves! genre) who was once a media darling, but—following an epic scandal [Very Bad Publicity, of the absolute worst kind]—has become a media pariah (of equally-epic proportions). In fact, the cousin’s shame is so monumental that it’s made him pull a disappearing act, like he were a famous magician, going “poof!” into thin air.

As Wilde seeks to unravel the mystery behind his cousin’s disappearance—not just where he is, but who, at heart, he is now/was before the whole reality thing, and how things went downhill so quickly—Wilde discovers that he’s far from the only person (or group) looking for the maligned man. Rabid reality fans, local police, a federal alphabet group (or two), and a sketchy dark web entity—known only as “The Stranger”—are all on the manhunt, as well.

Someone will find this missing link to Wilde’s still-unknown past… but will it be Wilde, who only wants to talk (and possibly help) his newfound relative… or will it be someone who wants to make him pay, either in a court of law, or even, worst-case scenario, with his life?
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I knew, when setting out to read The Match, there was a chance I’d be sitting behind the eight ball, not having read the prior book setting up the characters and Wilde’s situation. I also knew, though—after years of reading him—that Coben is one of those storytelling masters undoubtedly up to the task of getting me up to speed, even without benefit of the first book. [And yeah, if you haven’t already guessed, I was right. Reading The Boy from the Woods first would be the ideal way to go, here, but I had zero difficulty figuring out the backstory.]

The Match is a deliciously-engrossing, twisty, ripped-from-the-headlines kind of tale, that sets off at a brisk little jog, before diving into a marathon, and ending with a photo-finish-worthy, all-out sprint. [Apparently I need to… run more?] Reading it, I had no idea where, exactly, things were going… and even less, where they’d end up. [Saying that in the best way, in case it wasn’t clear.]

As much or more than the intricately-plotted suspense, though, I really appreciated Coben’s commentary pertaining to the vicissitudes of celebrity [or “celebrity”, when dealing with “reality” stars] in the twenty-first century, the lengths people will go to, to try and achieve it, and the myriad potential downfalls available to those who taste it. His observations—carefully interwoven with the tale, itself—are thoughtfully considered and absolutely on-point.

The Match—like, frankly, anything from Harlan Coben—is an easy (and hearty) recommendation. It’s an of-the-moment thriller not soon forgotten.

Now, enduring the wait until a filmed version of it comes to Netflix..! ;)

~GlamKitty

Listen, I know this is a thriller/mystery series for dads, but I had a lot of fun. It was a bit ham-handed as it tried to exist as a standalone book separate from the other one (like, you can read this without reading the first one, but you'll probably like the characters a lot more if you read the first book) so much of the dynamics between them was repeatedly explained, but honestly, it wasn't so bad! I really REALLY enjoyed the DNA science angle. It constantly kept me guessing and I haven't read a book like that before. I didn't even find the doxing plotline to be cringeworthy, either, which is a real achievement for a novel to appropriately handle the internet. I did feel like it leaned a little heavy into cAnCeL cUlTuRe which makes my skin crawl, but I recognize I am not the target demographic for this book. All-in-all, it was fun to read, and truly surprising to me. I had a good time!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the second in a series and I recommend starting with book one. I was so intrigued by Wilde in the first book, I’m ecstatic that we get to read more of his story! It was nice to connect with the characters again and I loved every aspect of this book. It was fast paced and full of thrilling twists and turns, yet full of heart and emotion. Not an easy task to pull off but the author did a fabulous job.4.5 ⭐️

Harlan Coben can always be counted on for fast paced thrillers. This one was a bit slower for me, it took me a bit to get into it. Once I was, it went quickly.

Adoption, dna, a vigilante group and a man who was raised alone in the woods are all components of this thriller. I was left guessing to the end. Sometimes the threads were a bit hard for to follow.

Still, Coben never disappoints!

As a young child, Wilde was abandoned in the woods. Fortunately, he was rescued, but he grew up knowing nothing about his family, where they are, or how he ended up alone. His few memories are shadowy at best.

Now Wilde has decided it’s time to find out more about his past and he registers on a DNA website which unexpectedly provides a match. The journey he takes to connect the dots of his family history is compelling, interesting, and convoluted.

This is the second book I’ve read by Harlan Coben. The first was the The Boy From the Woods, which is a lead up to The Match. Both are excellent, well-written, and hard to put down. And, although The Match could be read as a stand-alone, I would recommend that the two books should be read in order.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Mr Coben’s latest book. Thank you for an enjoyable reading experience!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Such a page turner! I loved getting back to Wilde who I felt was more rounded out as a character in this book than his previous The Boy From The Woods.

So because Wilde knows nothing about why he was left in the woods (but brief, not making sense flashes of memory) and in the hope of d finding his mother and father update his DNA to a site. He gets a match but whoever matches him quickly deletes his info. Wilde can't let it go and hat to find out who it is and what they know.

Throw in a crazy reality show, a vigilante group that meets out punishment as they see fit, and trust after twist..... This book was a wild ride.
The reveal of a killer shocked me but it really shouldn't have.

This is the second book in the Wilde series and Mr Harlan Coben does not disappoint. Although it felt like there was a lot happening in this book - isn't there always? - the twists and turns were fantastic. You keep guessing until the very end with whodunnit and admittedly, I didn't see the ending coming... The characters are amazing - I loved getting to know more about Wilde and getting more Hester (LOVE her!), and I really enjoyed meeting the various other characters including Wilde's "family". The ending was very well written and tied things together perfectly and I can't wait to see what will happen next.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and finished it with 24 hours. The story was very interesting with the geneology research and family connections. There seemed like there was always something happening which kept the book moving. But the characters are what make this series so good. Love all of them!

Seriously, can I just give this all the stars???

From the first page to the last, I was absolutely riveted. This is a wild and mysterious ride and I just loved it.

I found myself deeply invested in our DNA mystery and even more invested in our relationships. (I have to admit, though, that there was one character I would NOT forgive!)

Looking forward to more in the series and really wishing this book wasn't over!

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC copy of this book available to me.

Yet another solid book from Harlan Coben, this second-in-series book has the protagonist searching for (genetic) family via DNA search services, and ending up with a mystery involving modern game shows and social influencers. Coben even manages to tie this book into one of his earlier standalones in a very satisfying way. (No, I'm not going to give that little tidbit away.) The ending of this book lays out possibilities for more books in this series, which what we call "a good thing".

Ahh! This book was amazing. This was my second book by Coben and my new favorite of his. After reading this book, I realized that it was a “book #2” but I enjoyed this without that knowledge. Super fast paced, based along the premise of an ancestry match (which really is what had me intrigued)
Highly recommend!!

DNF @ 40% - I really could not get into the writing style. I wanted to like this one so much, but I’m starting to think Coben’s style just isn’t for me. I might pick this one up again in the future to try again, but if you’ve read their other books, definitely give this one a go!!! the popularity of it alone is amazing!

As I write this review I’m crossing my fingers that this won’t be the last of Wilde and Hester and Laila… I can literally count with one hand how many authors can come out with a new novel and every time gets better and better! That is Harlan Coben. On the top of my list. Finally, Wilde, the boy from the woods gets his story revealed and I am so so happy how this novel ended. Hester and Wilde was the best interaction here. I simply can’t say enough things about this novel because, yes, is so good. Thank you so much for the copy! ALL THE STARS!

Wilde wants to find out who he is and where he came from. He was found as a young boy, in the woods of New Jersey. He tries domestic life, but prefers his Ecopod out in the woods. He submits his DNA to several websites and, suddenly, there is a match. It appears he is related to Peter Bennett, a reality TV star, who met his wife during a show and they had a fairytale life until someone told a lie and destroyed the marriage and drove Peter to suicide. But...did it really happen? If millions of people do not see you commit suicide, did you? Wilde begins to investigate Peter's life, which leads to a rabbit hole of deceit and lies. Who is killing people associated with Peter Bennett and why? Another well-written adrenaline ride from Coben.

Harlan Coben rocks and Wilde is one of his best creations ever.
Wilde, The Boy from the Woods, stars again in The Match.
Picking up where TBftW left off, but a few months later, we follow Wilde as he tries to find out where he came from and who may be family.
After a DNA website sends him a message from a potential relative, named PB, Wilde also discovers who my be his father.
Even more strange is the elusive PB.. who turns out to be a huge reality TV star whose star has fallen.
Throw in the seamy side of reality tv, a visit from an earlier Coben book The Stranger, greedy people, FBI agents and a killing spree and you can’t put it down.
We still have all of favorites, Hester, Matthew. Oren and Wilde’s lovable adopted sister and your have a great book.

This book brings the return of Wilde, a unique character introduced earlier in the series - the boy who was found in the woods as a child. Now an adult, he has yet to find out who his parents are or how he ended up in the woods. In keeping with the times, Wilde submits his DNA to an online family search database, which generates two familial matches. One of the matches appears to be a cousin who reaches out to Wilde. He is in trouble and Wilde decides to try to help him. The result is a complicated story that exposes complex relationships and criminal activities, as well as some unique insights into the world of reality TV. Wilde and his mysterious background provided an intriguing basis for storyline, helping readers better understand Wilde's behavior and lifestyle choices. I really enjoyed the book, although I must say that it was less fast-paced, with a slightly different feel than other books I have read by this author.

Published by Grand Central Publishing on March 15, 2022

The Match uses reality TV as its hook. The story imagines a show that is a cross between The Bachelor and Survivor, a show apparently inspired by Pat Benatar’s classic song, “Love Is a Battlefield.”

Peter Bennett was a popular participant in the show. He wooed and conquered Jenn Cassidy. They became a popular reality TV couple. Their fame led to endorsement deals and countless freebies. Accusations that Peter roofied and slept with his Jenn’s sister put an end to his marriage and to his TV popularity. Sexually assaulting your in-laws doesn’t earn “likes.” Peter disappeared after his followers chose not to believe his denials. All of that is an interesting background, particularly for reality TV fans who understand that reality TV is completely divorced from reality.

At some point, Peter contacted Wilde through a DNA-match site. Peter and Wilde both submitted DNA samples to the site, which determined that they are close relatives. Wilde, a character Harlan Coben premiered in The Boy in the Woods, was apparently left in the woods as a small child. He has no memory of how he got there. He’s never explored his ancestry but people who are close to him have repeatedly nagged him to figure out how he came to be abandoned and how he survived. Peter’s message — a message that Wilde didn’t see because for months he was off on a frolic of his own — suggests that Peter is in trouble and needs Wilde’s help.

In addition to reality TV, the story is driven by the theme of cyberbullying. Peter is a natural target of trolls who feel justified targeting anyone they decide to dislike. Coben adds a twist to that theme by imagining a vigilante group of hackers called Boomerang. Boomerang punishes trolls and online bullies, sometimes by doxing them. Boomerang members do not know the identities of the other members. When the members notice that some of the trolls they took action against have been murdered, Boomerang enters crisis mode.

Coben usually constructs decent plots. The Match is one of his better efforts. Its about as credible as the plots of most modern thrillers (not very) but multiple killings and multiple clues about the killer keep Wilde (and the reader) guessing. The ending is a bit contrived but Wilde at least finds a plausible answer to a key question about his origin.

While Coben isn’t a great prose stylist, his limitations are less noticeable in The Match than in some of his other books. He gives his characters snappy dialog and keeps the plot moving. Wilde is an unsurprising character. He raised himself in the woods, so he prefers to be alone unless he’s having sex. That’s an easy personality to image but it such a limited personality that characterization isn’t a draw for the Wilde novels. That begins to change at the end of novel, so the next book (if another one is coming) might broaden Wilde's horizons. My preference would be for Coben to write another Myron Bolitar novel, but I can’t bend the man to my will, so we’ll just have to see what he does next.

RECOMMENDED

Harlan Coben’s books are intricately plotted and often have premises or plot twists that are kind of … out-there? But his books are fun to read and give me the feeling that he has a great time writing them.

After reading the first few pages of The Match I was like … huh? The main character was found, as a child, wandering in the wilds of New Jersey.(I didn't know NJ has wilds. Also,I learned there was a prior Wilde book that I didn’t read. Though I don't think you need to have read it to understand this one, you might want to.

Wilde is looking for his family and puts his DNA on a database. When he finds what seems like a match, he reaches out to the person and they meet. The man admits to being a close relation, but explains that he isn’t quite ready to upend his family with the news of Wilde’s existence and needs some time. This is when things get weirder. The guy has since disappeared. Another person contacts Wilde with their DNA match. There’s a reality TV angle. People start getting murdered.

I followed it all pretty well. The DNA connections between different characters did get confusing for me, and I hope the actual book comes with a family tree.

In sum: classic Harlan Coben and a lot of fun to read!