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Windsor Horne Lockwood III � a dubious antihero with very personal visions of justice and the fine distinctions between legality and morality

Arising out of Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar universe, Windsor Horne Lockwood III is a mythical near superhero, operating with the guidance of his own moral compass and very personal distinctions between right and wrong. He is willing to spend his vast wealth and exert his talents for violence, murder and mayhem however he sees fit to make his will and decisions come to pass in a manner that recalls Edward Woodward’s 1985 portrayal of THE EQUALIZER.

With WIN, author Coben brings WHL III out of the shadows and showcases him operating on his own behalf � recovering a pair of priceless Vermeer and Picasso paintings belong to his family, solving a murder in which that family is implicated because his suitcase was recovered in the murder victim’s apartment, and dealing with the 21st century resolution of a decades old mystery of domestic terrorism dating as far back as the Kent State mass murders and the ironically violent peace protests against the US involvement in the Vietnam War!

Win is not a likable protagonist, not that he cares what anyone thinks about him. The only opinion that matters to him is his own. Consider this brief autobiography that he offers in his own words:

“I grew up in privilege � every human being is snap-judged by their looks. � the fact is, many people detest me on sight. They see the towheaded blond locks, the ruddy complexion, the porcelain features, my haughty resting face � they smell the inescapable stink of old money that comes off me in relentless waves � and they think smug, snob, elitist, lazy, judgmental, undeservedly wealthy ne’er-do-good who was born not only with a silver spoon in his mouth but with a forty-eight-piece silver place setting with a side of titanium steak knives.�

“� I understand this. I, too, sometimes feel that way about those who inhabit my socioeconomic sphere …�

“� I had the financial means, the motivation, the past trauma, the innate skills, the disposition, and perhaps, when I am most honest with myself, some sort of loose screw (or primitive survival mechanism?) that allows me to not only thrive but take some pleasure from acts of violence.�

So, what does a reader take away from that? Well, this reader sees a protagonist that is narcissistic, self-righteous, and self-serving, violent (pathologically so) and very unlikable. The story, once again in this reader’s sole opinion, is not terribly credible AND I look askance at Coben’s portrayal of the abilities of the legitimate police force who seem to have totally forgotten that Win did commit murders in the solution of the crime in question!! What’s up with that? Do they just get swept under the rug and ignored?

I’ll carry on with the Myron Bolitar series, hope that my opinion doesn’t ruin a perfectly good MB series novel in which Win makes an appearance, and definitely forego any future novels in the Windsor Horne Lockwood III series.

Not recommended.

Paul Weiss