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Harlan Coben has written some of my favourite crime novels, but lately, his books have been hit or miss for me. This may be due to changes in my reading tastes and not the fault of the author. The last one I read, 'The Boy From the Woods,' was a disappointment and don't believe I even finished it. This was better with ongoing suspense and a complex plot. However, I was never deeply engaged and was slow to return to it whenever I put it aside.

The main character is billionaire Windsor Horne Lockwood III. He was a devoted and helpful sidekick of Myron Bolitar, who had a previous series of his own. As this book has #1 in its title, I assume it is the start of a new series. I found him to be a deplorable person, arrogant, rude, narcissistic, smug and entitled. I was entertained by his inner dialogue, as he seemed aware of how others viewed him but did not care. He is highly skillful in martial arts and can act viciously towards his opponents and enjoy violence. To get information needed to solve a crime, he is not above resorting to extreme violence or bribery. He knows that his great wealth will give him immunity from legal proceedings. He has few friends. His greatest emotional attachment seems to be with Myron, and he is becoming acquainted and forging ties with his illegitimate daughter. He will go to great lengths to cover up family transgressions and uphold their reputation.

The complicated plot involves past crimes that may be connected. Decades ago, two priceless paintings belonging to the Lockwoods were stolen, a Picasso and a Vermeer. His uncle was shot, and his daughter, Patricia Lockwood, Win's cousin, was kidnapped by two men. She was held in the notorious, secluded House of Horrors for 5 months before escaping. 7 to 9 young women were held at the same location at various times, raped, tortured and murdered. None of these crimes were ever solved. The plot also focuses on The Jane Street Six. These were early 70s hippy anti-VietNam War protesters. They firebombed a building, and some deaths resulted from this act. They vanished and are either using assumed names or have since died.

The body of a hoarder who lived like a hermit has been discovered. Win is summoned to the crime scene because the Vermeer was found in the dead man's apartment and a suitcase bearing Win's initials. The murdered man is identified as Ry Strauss, a leading figure in the 1970s act of domestic terrorism. Win now has immediate cause to protect his family while discovering connections to the House of Horrors and the art theft. There are many twists, confessions, and revelations before we find out the truth. Will Win go into vigilante mode to punish the guilty, or will his loyalty lead him to a coverup of what he learns?

I believe many readers of complex, twisty crime novels will enjoy this book and should not be deterred by my review.