In The Match, Harlen Coben revisits Wilde, the character introduced in 2020’s The Boy in the Woods, and Wilde’s attorney Hester. As set out in the previous thriller, Wilde was found as a feral boy living on his own in the woods with no recollection of how he came to be there. Wilde’s survivalist instincts later served him well in the military and in security, but his home remained in the woods. The Match begins with Wilde’s innocent attempt, through DNA-matching sites, to locate his biological parents. Other plot lines include the mysterious and intrigue-filled disappearance of reality show star Peter Bennett, a secret group of internet hackers who exact vengeance against internet bullies, and a serial killer. By the end, all of the plots have connected. I’ll say no more about the plots except they are compelling with twisty turns. I couldn’t put down this page-turner and was surprised as the layers unfolded. The novel also takes a look at the fraud behind reality shows and the culture that loves them. Oh, and there’s romance, too. It’s an extremely entertaining novel with great pace, dialogue, and action. There are a few twists at the end that arguably are implausible, but I didn’t have a problem with them. Here’s what Sun-Sentinel says:
