Win (novel)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Investment, Securities |
| Headquarters | Manhattan , United States |
| Owner | Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III |
Win is a 2021 mystery and thriller work authored by American writer Harlan Coben. This novel, following eleven installments in Coben’s Myron Bolitar series, is the first to prominently feature Myron’s affluent and enigmatic close friend, Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III, as the central character. It represents the second occasion readers encounter Win’s perspective through a first-person narrative, initially introduced in the 2016 Myron Bolitar installment Home.
Plot summary
In a luxury apartment in Manhattan, an elderly recluse is discovered murdered. The FBI reaches out to Win after two items connected to the Lockwood family are found at the scene: a stolen original painting by Johannes Vermeer and a suitcase bearing Win’s initials. The deceased, Ry Strauss, was part of the Jane Street Six, a clandestine group responsible for a 1970s firebombing that resulted in seven fatalities.
Utilizing his personal ties, considerable fortune, and distinctive sense of justice, Win initiates his own probe. He interviews his cousin Patricia, who discloses that she was kidnapped as a teenager and compelled to pack the suitcase discovered in Strauss’s apartment. Win’s investigation focuses on the remaining members of the Jane Street Six while unearthing family secrets despite resistance from his father.
Simultaneously, a vigilante attack on an abusive basketball coach leads to significant consequences that nearly endanger Win’s life.
Main characters
- Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III: affluent proprietor of Locke-Horne Investments & Securities; initially introduced as Myron Bolitar's close companion and assistant
- Windsor Horne Lockwood II: Win's father who transferred control of the family enterprise to him
- Patricia Lockwood: Win’s cousin and daughter of Aldrich, Windsor II’s late brother
- PT: former FBI agent with ties to Win and involved in the original Jane Street Six investigation
- Kabir: Win's personal assistant
- Ema Wyatt: high school senior; daughter of Win and actress Angelica Wyatt
Reviews
A BookPage critique emphasizes that in Harlan Coben’s gripping Win, the protagonist uses his privileged upbringing and fighting abilities to evolve from sidekick to lead role, presenting a darker and more strategic viewpoint compared to earlier Bolitar novels. The origin story introduces a novel narrative voice marked by misanthropy.
According to What's Better Than Books, Win is described as "long overdue, eagerly awaited, and highly gratifying" for devoted Coben readers. In contrast, Robert Dex from the Evening Standard warns that the depiction of an unemotional vigilante with extensive wealth and self-importance may not resonate with all audiences over nearly 400 pages.