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4.5 stars rounded up.

I didn’t bother reading the blurb for this book - if Harlan Coben wrote it I want to read it. But when I found out that “Win�� referred to Windsor Horne Lockwood III of the Myron Bolitar books I was delighted. I’ve always loved the Win character, he makes me laugh! And now he is getting his own series, I couldn’t be happier.

When Win’s former FBI mentor, known as P.T. calls Win to a crime scene he is perplexed but he goes anyway. A man, yet to be identified has been killed in one of the penthouse apartments of an exclusive residential hotel. He is a hoarder and there is stuff everywhere but the reason for Win’s visit is hanging on the wall. The original Vermeer painting that was stolen, along with a Picasso, 20 years ago during a short loan from the Lockwood mansion to their exclusive college. How curious! Also present, and more troubling, is a personalised and monogrammed leather suitcase that had been given to Win by an aunt. He hated it so gave it to his cousin Patricia. The suitcase disappeared in a separate incident, also many years ago, when two men broke in to uncle Aldrich’s house, killed him and abducted Patricia after telling her to pack a suitcase (the suitcase). Patricia returned to civilisation after 6 months and helped police locate what was to become known as ‘the hut of horrors��. Evidence was found of numerous victims before Patricia who had been held, raped, tortured and killed. Understandably she doesn’t like to talk about it.

Now Win is interested as he doesn’t want any blowback for his cousin, no suspicion that she, or indeed himself, may be considered suspects. But when the identity of the dead man as one of the Jane Street Six is uncovered it rather awkwardly ties together three separate crimes, and as far as Win is concerned, that’s not coincidence! The Jane Street Six were hippie protesters from the 70s who were going to throw Molotov cocktails at a building to make a political point, but one of the missiles went astray and caused a bus to crash, killing 5 or 6 people. They were labelled terrorists and the public were baying for their blood but they effectively disappeared from sight. So naturally he makes it his mission to find out what is really going on and how all these very old cases are related.

Well you how it goes - nothing is ever as it seems and Win finds some very dirty secrets lurking in the past. I loved the book, I loved the tone of the book, I love the Win character and can’t wait to read more of his escapades. Actually he reminds me very much of Aloysious Pendergast from another book series. I imagine Win would drive some people nuts with his very blunt way of talking and his answering the phone by saying “articulate�� but I find it all rather endearing. This book will appeal to all thriller and mystery fans and, it’s the first in a series. Thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Harlan Coben for providing a copy to review. My opinions are my own.