Summer Reading - "The Woods"

I've started several books, but I haven't gotten further than the first couple of chapters.  All I wanted to do this summer was read and watch movies, and I'm hardly doing either one!  So I was getting some books I've been wanting from Paper Back Book Swap and came across "The Woods" by Harlan Coben.  The description was intriguing, so I decided to get it.  It arrived right before we left for a quick out-of-town trip, so I threw it in my suitcase in case I had time to read.  Of course, when we're on a trip, I always read a lot more and get on the computer a lot less! 

The book's protagonist is haunted by the death of his sister 20 years before, presumably a victim of a serial killer at a summer camp when they were kids.  The story follows Paul Copeland as new information about his sister's disappearance comes to light and he learns more about his family.  Interestingly, Coben writes in the first person, but the reader is a participant in the narrative, as the text is written as though the narrator were speaking directly to the reader.  The pace of the writing was also good, making for a fast read.  Suspense, plot twists, and interesting characters make for a great mystery thriller.

The only issue I had with this book was the ending.  The book is considered a stand-alone book, but Coben leaves an end untied and an opening for a follow-up book.  In a stand-alone novel, I prefer the ending to end the book, not leave me wondering.  This is not a major issue, however, considering that the rest of the book was well written and fun to read.