Book Review of Win by Harlan Coben

This one hits the justice and vengeance themes. No redemption. I’m not sure there is redemption for Win, whose full name is Windsor Horne Lockwod III. The character of Win is both fascinating and revolting. He’s a vigilante, so that part I like. Unfortunately, we only see one act of vigilanteism in the very beginning. We hear about some in the past, but the rest of the book is more of a mystery. And he’s excessively wealthy. Picture Batman without the costume and chasing everyday bad guys. Psychologically, he’s close to the Batman depictions in shows like TItans.  

Small spoiler here. A recluse turns up dead and a painting belonging to Win’s family along with Win’s suitcase are found in the man’s house. Of course, Win is the initial suspect, but that doesn’t last long. His long-time friend and former FBI agent PT is pulled back into the fold and enlists Win to help him find the real killer. A crime from the 1960’s by a radical group of college students is the backdrop of much of the story, as is another crime in the mid 1990’s involving Win’s family. The story becomes a very twisted view of a very rich family. The twists and turns worked well. Several times I thought I had it figured out, but then things went slightly differently.  

Back to Win as a character. I pictured Johnny Depp several times when Win was talking, so if it ever goes to screen, there’s the main actor. But his sexual proclivities I didn’t think really added to the story other than to show him to be totally amoral. At least the sex was, for the most part, off page.   

I reviewed a similar story last year featuring a character named Pax Arrington. Both are wealthy. Both spend their time catching bad guys. But Win wins. Had to work that in. His character is much deeper, complex, and evocative.  

Already commented on the sex in the book. Violence is not over played. Some profanity. Only one instance of the F word. Quite a few varieties of the S word and D word.  

As it’s the first review of 2022, Win sits atop the list at #1. We’ll see if anyone unseats it. Last year’s winner started at #1 and stayed there. And no, Win is not a better book, in my opinion, than The Water Keeper. That one is still a must read. 

Book Rankings for 2022: 

#1 – Win by Harlan Coben

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