The Match: Wilde, Book 2

So many twists and turns in this book! I got lost a few times because I would pay the book down for a few days while finishing another. That just means that someday I will read this one again and pick up the missing pieces.

Like all of Coben’s books, this one has lots of twists. I didn’t read a Boy in the Woods but I really liked the main character. I wanted more of him and Laila’s story. I think there will be another book and I would gladly read it to catch up with these characters. I wasn’t able to guess the killer or the situation so it stayed interesting the entire time.

While I like Harlan Coben a lot, I only gave the pilot to this series, “The Boy From The Woods,” 4 stars because I wanted the book, referred to as Wilde #1, to tell me more about its main character, a man called Wilde, who thirty-five years ago was found as a child living a feral existence in the forest woods of New Jersey’s Ramapo Mountains. Yes, New Jersey has mountains.Thankfully, “The Match” answered most of my questions (who Wilde’s parents are, why he was abandoned and left alone in the woods, etc.) thanks to online DNA database searches Wilde used, reluctantly at first, to unlock the secrets of his ancestry.In this second book in the series, referred to as Wilde #2, Wilde learns about a second cousin, Peter, who was a contestant on a TV reality show similar to the Bachelor, and goes to Las Vegas to meet his biological father, Daniel, a construction worker who didn’t even know he had a son. Because Daniel had casual sex with a number of women abroad, he could not help Wilde identify his mother.With the help of his foster sister, Rola (a hacker of sorts), and Hester (a TV criminal attorney from Wilde #1), Wilde then continues his research into his ancestry, during which he gets caught up with a secret vigilante group—called Boomerang—committed to punishing cyberbullying trolls that use sensitive information to harass people. Boomerang is so secret that even its members don’t know each other and go by the animal names Panther, Polar Bear, Kitten, Alpaca, Lion, and Giraffe when they meet on Zoom calls to discuss a troll and degree of punishment.When one member of Boomerang is murdered, it appears that a serial killer is at work—and that Wilde could be the next victim.I found “The Match” to be a great story with a lot of interesting information about influencers and social media bullying and trolls. I’ve never watched one of those reality shows where one person is given a list of romantic interests from which he/she must choose a partner, and I seriously doubt that I ever will having read this book.I was pleased that Wilde finally met his mother, Sofia. I was also pleased with the way things turned out between Wilde and Laila, the widow of Hester’s son (David) and Wilde’s best friend. But I was disappointed that Hester did not learn what happened when Wilde was involved in a car accident years ago that killed David. That tragic connection between Wilde and Hester should have been elaborated on. Perhaps there will be a Wilde #3. I hope so.

This is a sequel to "The Boy From the Woods" and though it has its own separate story, there is enough carry over from the first book that you really shouldn't read this one on its own or first. There is a serious amount of character development on Wilde's part, and I wonder now if there will be a third book in this series. It's a possibility, but I can also see it being just two books with the way this ended. There are some twists and turns and for a minute here and there I had a hard time following all the family tree issues, but overall I didn't want to put this down, and I think I actually enjoyed it a little more than "The Boy From the Woods" because I felt like the ending was a little less tidy.Steven Webber's performance for the audiobook was outstanding once again, and he is easily my favorite narrator from what I've listened to so far. He's the main reason that I listened to these books in the first place, but I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and mystery as well. The ending of this one was more satisfying than I expected, and if this is it for Wilde, I'm glad I was able to come along for the ride.

First, do not even think of reading The Match until you have read The Boy From The Woods. Which is great for you because The Boy From The Woods is terrific. Second, The Match is a little confusing and you have to use x ray (or at least I did) to remember who is who but having said that, the book is great. It is the continuing story of Wilde, Hester, Matthew, David and Laila. Both stories let Harlan Coben explain the pitfalls and horrors of the Internet and Social Media. The use of Social Media to hurt people and attack people is told in both stories. The horror of bullies who are either in your face or on your computer is told in both stories. Harlan has a gift.Personally I think that both books should be required reading for parents. You have to know what your children have to deal with so that you can possibly help them. In the old days, when I was a kid, bullies were big kids who were in your face for your lunch money. Now it is anyone with fingers and a knowledge of coding and the internet who can create enemies and anger and lies about you and hide. There is no stopping the lies because you have no idea on the internet what is true and what is a lie.I have read other books about the horrors of Social Media but The Match does a great job of scaring the heck out of you knowing what evil is out there.

An awful lot of characters to keep track of, not to mention the technicalities of DNA genetic testing. I enjoyed the main character and the first novel. Decent plot twists.

Muito bom

Really unusual characterisation resulting in a fast moving and fluctuating storyline with an expected twist at the end. I particularly like the up to date basis of the story especially relating to TV 'real life' shows and social media. Fascinating but unpredictable and scary at the same time. Enjoyed the book immensely for that reason.

Très bon livre.

Me ha gusto incluso más que la primera parte. Un autor que nunca decepciona.

Super spannend. Gut geschrieben, glaubwürdig. Ich habe das Buch an einem Wochenende durchgelesen.Der Plot behält die Spannung bis zum Schluss.