Harlan Coben’s best books

Reading lists

Where to start reading Harlan Coben

Run Away

*Soon to be a hit Netflix series starring James Nesbitt and Ruth Jones* 
 
'Run Away confirms one of the world’s finest thriller writers is at the very top of his game' PETER JAMES 
'Coben never, ever lets you down - but this one is really special' LEE CHILD 
'A twisty thriller that’ll keep you up way past any sensible lights out time' HEAT 
 
---------- 
 
YOUR DAUGHTER IS MISSING AND SHE'S MADE IT CLEAR SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE FOUND. 
 
One day you see her, frightened and clearly in trouble. 
 
So you approach her, beg her to come home. 
 
She runs. 
 
And you do the only thing a parent can do. You follow. 
 
Because she’s your daughter, and you’ll do anything to protect her. 
 
EVEN IF IT MEAN RISKING YOUR LIFE TO SAVE HERS. . . 
 
---------- 
 
'Wonderful ... yet another winner' RICHARD OSMAN 
 
'The king of twisty thrillers returns. This is worth turning off your phone for!' CLOSER 
 
'[Coben's] writing and storytelling are firing on all cylinders and the seemingly straightforward tale takes a sharp turn when it's least expected' DAILY MAIL 
 
'A twisty, disturbing and poignant thriller' WOMAN 
 
 
More love for Run Away . . . 
 
'5 full of action, breathtaking stars!' 5-star reader review 
'O. M. G. Holy cow! This is his best book' 5-star reader review 
'A pulse-pounding adrenaline rush, with nonstop action and a high stakes plot!' 5-star reader review 
'What a page turner!' 5-star reader review 
'A fantastically twisted tale' 5-star reader review

A twisty thriller that’ll keep you up way past any sensible lights out time *****.

Run Away confirms one of the world’s finest thriller writers is at the very top of his game.

Coben never, ever lets you down – but this one is really special.

The plot is stuffed with spicy, sharply observed characters and snappy exchanges.

With Run Away, Coben's writing and storytelling are firing on all cylinders.

Few of Harlan Coben’s thrillers are anything less than gripping, but every now and again he writes one that exceeds his own high standards. Run Away is one.

An edge of your seat read from the bestselling crime writer

Run Away is Harlan Coben at the height of his narrative mastery... as a thriller it's a narcotic... unmissable.

I stayed up all night and read it in one pass

The master of the unexpected twist is back with a page-turning thriller that never goes quite where you expect.

Another polished pacy thriller with a smart plot and a strong emotional core from Coben one of the absolute masters of the art.

The award-winning Coben once again gets his hook into you and twists to keep you snared.

In Harlan Coben’s compulsive thrillers, every step the protagonists take to try to get themselves out of trouble creates two new dangers, each worse than the one before

A twisty, disturbing and poignant thriller

Coben’s USP is how families are torn apart by secrets. He is a clever plotter, too, always pulling the rug from under your feet, even – as here – on the last page.

Another perfect domestic thriller from Harlan Coben, who makes the art of the thrill and suspense look so deceptively easy…

Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His thrillers are published in forty-six languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries, with ninety million books in print worldwide. Coben is also the creator and executive producer of global hit TV shows including Fool Me Once and Missing You, as well as the forthcoming Run Away and Lazarus, with many more in the works.

'This one is really special' LEE CHILD 
 
'A twisty thriller that’ll keep you up way past any sensible lights out time' HEAT 
 
"A page-turner readers won’t want to put down.' USA TODAY 
 
______________________ 
 
YOUR DAUGHTER IS MISSING. 
AND SHE'S MADE IT CLEAR SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE FOUND 
 
One day you see her, frightened and clearly in trouble. 
 
So you approach her, beg her to come home. 
 
She runs. 
 
And you do the only thing a parent can do. You follow. 
 
Because she’s your daughter, and you’ll do anything to protect her. 
 
EVEN IF IT MEAN RISKING YOUR LIFE TO SAVE HERS … 
 
______________________ 
 
Praise for Harlan Coben... 
 
'HARLAN COBEN never ever lets you down' LEE CHILD 
'HARLAN COBEN: simply one of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'HARLAN COBEN is the modern master of the hook and twist' DAN BROWN 
'HARLAN COBEN is unbelievably brilliant' RICHARD OSMAN 
'HARLAN COBEN is a GREAT writer' JOHN GRISHAM

Think Twice

There's no such thing as the perfect murder. From the global No. 1 bestselling author and creator of the hit Netflix drama Stay Close comes the unputdownable new Sunday Times bestselling Myron Bolitar thriller. 
 
'He never disappoints' STEPHEN KING 
'Witty, tense, sharp, and paced like a racecar, this one hums' GREGG HURWITZ 
'Had me hooked' COSMOPOLITAN 
'Another gripping tale from the modern master of the impossible plot twist' SUN 
'Deliciously complicated and compelling at every turn' DAILY MAIL 
'Just as twisty as you would expect' TELEGRAPH 
‘This tense thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat.’ Woman Magazine, Best Books 
_________________ 
 
How can a man who’s already dead be wanted for murder? 
 
This is the question sports agent Myron Bolitar asks himself when two FBI agents visit him in New York. 
 
The man they are looking for is Myron’s former client and rival, Greg Downing. Greg’s DNA has been found at the scene of a high-profile double murder, and he is now the FBI’s main suspect. 
 
But Greg died three years previously, Myron says. He went to his funeral and gave the eulogy. 
 
The FBI are disbelieving, and Myron knows he has to find some answers – and quickly. 
 
Could Greg Downing still be alive? 
 
The more Myron and his close friend Win dig into what really happened, the more dangerous their world becomes . . . 
 
Secrets, lies and a murderous conspiracy that stretches back into the past lie at the heart of Harlan Coben’s blistering new thriller. 
_________________ 
 
Readers love Think Twice . . . 
 
'Great writing. Great dialogue' 5-star reader review 
'Harlan Coben does it again!' 5-star reader review 
'Highly recommend' 5-star reader review 
'Loved, loved, loved' 5-star reader review 
'The best one yet' 5-star reader review 
_________________ 
 
'HARLAN COBEN never ever lets you down' LEE CHILD 
'HARLAN COBEN: simply one of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'HARLAN COBEN is the modern master of the hook and twist' DAN BROWN 
'HARLAN COBEN is unbelievably brilliant' RICHARD OSMAN 
'HARLAN COBEN is a GREAT writer' JOHN GRISHAM 
 
Harlan Coben, Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, January 2024 
Think Twice was a top 5 Sunday Times bestseller 26/05/2024

Harlan Coben once again proves to be compulsively readable. Witty, tense, sharp, and paced like a racecar, this one hums. And if you think the maestro of twists and turns has run out of surprises, just wait till you slam into Chapter 40

This is vintage Coben, beautifully constructed, deliciously complicated and compelling at every turn of the page

Another gripping tale from the modern master of the impossible plot twist

This tense thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat

How can a man who’s already dead be wanted for murder? 
 
This is the question sports agent Myron Bolitar asks himself when two FBI agents come looking for his former client and rival, Greg Downing. 
 
Greg’s DNA has been found at the scene of a recent high-profile double murder, and he is now the FBI’s main suspect. 
 
But that’s impossible. Greg died three years ago. Myron went to his funeral and gave the eulogy. 
 
But why would someone frame a dead man for murder? 
 
Or is Greg Downing still alive? 
 
The more Myron digs into this mystery, the more dangerous his world becomes . . . 
____________________________________ 
 
'HARLAN COBEN never disappoints' STEPHEN KING 
 
'HARLAN COBEN: simply one of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'HARLAN COBEN is the modern master of the hook and twist' DAN BROWN 
'HARLAN COBEN never ever lets you down' LEE CHILD 
'HARLAN COBEN is unbelievably brilliant' RICHARD OSMAN 
'HARLAN COBEN is a GREAT writer' JOHN GRISHAM

Nobody’s Fool

*THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER* 
 
Dark secrets from former Detective Sami Kierce’s past comes back to haunt him in the unmissable new thriller from the global No. 1 bestselling author and creator of the hit Netflix drama Fool Me Once. 
'A tense, suspenseful and action-packed thriller' Independent 
'I couldn’t put it down' Lauren Laverne, BBC The One Show 
'Unbelievably brilliant' Richard Osman 
 
__________ 
The present day is hard enough for former Detective Sami Kierce, but his past isn’t through with him yet… 
Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He begins to scream - and then he runs. 
Twenty two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who’s working off his debts by teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. But as soon as he makes eye contact with her, she bolts.For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past. Soon he discovers that some secrets should stay buried... 
__________ 
 
Readers are loving Nobody’s Fool: 
 
‘I was hooked right from the start!’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘Compelling, addictive, and seriously electric’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘Jaw-dropping’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘A heart-pounding thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘This story is genius! So clever and so addictive’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘I couldn't put this one down!’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘Coben is a master’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘Epic!’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘Highly addictive and entertaining’ 5-star reader review 
 
‘A twisty thriller, packed full of suspense, drama and mystery’ 5-star reader review 
 
Praise for Harlan Coben: 
 
'A GREAT writer' JOHN GRISHAM 
 
'Never lets you down' LEE CHILD 
 
'Simply one of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
 
'The modern master of the hook and twist' DAN BROWN 
 
'One of the world's finest thriller writers' PETER JAMES

A tense, suspenseful and action-packed thriller . . . it’ll have you staying up late into the night to find out what happens next

A year after the devastating events that took place in Fool Me Once, a secret from former Detective Sami Kierce's college days comes back to haunt him. Present day is hard enough for Kierce, but his past isn’t through with him yet… 
Sami Kierce, a young college grad backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning, covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of his girlfriend. Anna. Dead. He begins to scream - and then he runs. 
Twenty two years later, Kierce, now a private investigator, is a new father who’s working off his debts by teaching wannabe sleuths at a night school in New York City. One evening, he recognizes a familiar face at the back of the classroom. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. But as soon as he makes eye contact with her, she bolts.For Kierce there is no choice. He knows he must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that terrible day.His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past. Soon he discovers that some secrets should stay buried 
_________ 
 
HARLAN COBEN never ever lets you down - LEE CHILD 
HARLAN COBEN: simply one of the all-time greats - GILLIAN FLYNN 
HARLAN COBEN never disappoints – STEPHEN KING 
HARLAN COBEN is the modern master of the hook and twist - DAN BROWN 
HARLAN COBEN is unbelievably brilliant - RICHARD OSMAN 
HARLAN COBEN is a GREAT writer - JOHN GRISHAM

Home

An un-putdownable thriller from the internationally bestselling author of I Will Find You and Fool Me Once. 
 
'Loved it!' Richard Osman 
'Another instant Coben Bolitar classic' Michael J Fox 
'Coben is a phenomenon' The Times 
'Told at breakneck pace, it glows on the page' Daily Mail 
'To the aficionados of the series, this will feel like a homecoming' Guardian 
___________ 
 
A decade ago, two boys were kidnapped from a wealthy New Jersey home. 
 
Now, one of the boys has been found, wandering the streets of London. 
 
But, home at last, he won’t say a word about what happened to him and crucial questions remain unanswered. 
 
Who took him all those years ago? Where has he been? 
 
And, most of all, where is his missing friend? 
___________ 
 
Readers can't get enough of Home . . . 
 
***** 'Harlan Coben never seems to fail' 
***** 'Gripping' 
***** 'This is Coben's finest' 
***** 'Couldn't put it down!' 
***** 'Tense, clever, funny' 
___________ 
 
Praise for Harlan Coben . . . 
 
'HARLAN COBEN never ever lets you down' LEE CHILD 
'HARLAN COBEN: simply one of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'HARLAN COBEN is the modern master of the hook and twist' DAN BROWN 
'HARLAN COBEN is unbelievably brilliant' RICHARD OSMAN 
'HARLAN COBEN is a GREAT writer' JOHN GRISHAM 
 
Harlan Coben, Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, January 2024

Coben is a phenomenon - the most reliable of American thriller-writers, the least likely to disappoint ... the true mystery is Coben's extraordinary capacity to keep writing such wonderful thrillers

Told at breakneck pace, it glows on the page… Terrifying and unputdownable.

Just   finished the brilliant new @HarlanCoben   novel 'Home'. Myron, Win and the gang are all back, and some of it is even in   London. Loved it!

The skill of Harlan Coben is illustrated by the ease that this novel uncoils, with humour and empathy striating the twisty narrative…. Home doesn’t require a bookmark as it is hard to put the book down once the spine is broken, as your hands will appear glued to the binding.

To the aficionados of the series, this will feel like a homecoming

A decade ago, two boys were kidnapped from a wealthy New Jersey home. 
 
Now, one of the boys has been found, wandering the streets of London. 
 
But, home at last, he won’t say a word about what happened to him and crucial questions remain unanswered. 
 
Who took him all those years ago? Where has he been? 
 
And, most of all, where is his missing friend? 
__________________________________ 
 
Praise for Harlan Coben... 
 
'HARLAN COBEN never ever lets you down' LEE CHILD 
'HARLAN COBEN: simply one of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'HARLAN COBEN is the modern master of the hook and twist' DAN BROWN 
'HARLAN COBEN is unbelievably brilliant' RICHARD OSMAN 
'HARLAN COBEN is a GREAT writer' JOHN GRISHAM

Fool Me Once

THE BIGGEST NETFLIX SHOW OF 2024 STARRING MICHELLE KEEGAN, JOANNA LUMLEY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE. 
 
READ THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL . . . 
 
'The absolute master' RICHARD OSMAN 
'One of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'At the top of his game' PETER JAMES 
'Never lets you down' LEE CHILD 
_______________ 
 
You think you know the truth. The truth is you know nothing. 
 
If your husband was murdered. 
 
And you were a witness. 
 
How do you explain it when he appears on your nanny cam, back from the dead? 
 
You thought you trusted him. 
 
Now you can't even trust yourself. 
 
Dark secrets and a terrifying hunt for the truth lie at the heart of this gripping thriller by the 'master of the double twist' Harlan Coben ... 
_______________ 
 
Readers love Fool Me Once . . . 
 
***** 'This book was such a spine tingling page turner!' 
***** 'The story was fast-paced and very captivating. I couldn't wait to see how everything would turn out.' 
***** 'Any reader who enjoys a cleverly plotted book filled with twists and turns will enjoy this one.' 
***** 'An excellent thriller, packed with taut, edgy suspense, and is certainly entertaining.' 
***** 'What a story. What a plot.'

…adorned with that peerless brand of storytelling he always provides.

Fool Me Once is a perfect example of what makes his work so appealing… When you're writing a story full of twists, nothing is ever the way it seems, and Coben is brilliant in the way he reminds you of this with small references to ambiguities, to yin and yang, things like the opposite interpretations of the Second Amendment, to a school overlooking a graveyard, or receiving lines at weddings and funerals. Reminders that things have different meanings at different times. I won't give away any spoilers, but the climax of the story not only ties things together, but does it in a way that is chilling and maybe darker than anything I've read from Coben…[There is a] brilliant finish.

Coben excels in thrillers about families torn apart by secrets…Typically twisty read with customary Coben shock ending.

This slick thriller examines what you can believe and who you ever really trust… Coben has excelled himself.  This intense and multi-layered story has a very creepy conspiracy.  Exciting, poignant and insanely readable.

Coben hits the bull's eye again with a tale guaranteed to fool even the craftiest readers a lot more than once.

Coben is like a skilled magician saving the best, most stunning trick for the very end.

Coben’s storytelling is as moreish as ever

a top notch thriller…an enjoyable twisty experience where I defy you to predict the ending! A standalone novel that will delighted fans both old and new.

this book was fantastic… Very hard to put down, I most definitely recommend this to thriller fans and I sure that Coben fans will not be disappointed

Another masterful display from the master of smoke and mirrors fiction

There is nothing quite as exciting as a brand new Harlen Coben…Brimming with plot twists, secret lives and untrustworthy confidantes, Fool Me Once centres around Maya Stern…badass and totally cool – she is a heroine you won’t be able to get enough of.

An outrageously stunning read, that takes a tight hold from the outset and continues to squeeze until the shockingly intense end.

As ever, Coben ramps up the tension expertly.

Slick, stylish and – ultimately – beautifully crafted and delivered, Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once is tremendous crime novel of depth, pathos, shocks and surprises that will delight anyone who loves great crime fiction that’s made to make jaws drop in wonder.

Full of twists and turns… a gripping page-turner

Coben remains one of the most reliable thriller writers around and his standalones, like Fool Me Once, make it very easy to entice new readers on board.

I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben and have read just about all his books, and this one surpassed my expectations. This is a very clever and well thought out plot and kept me guessing right up to the very end.

He takes you on a journey so detailed, and with such rich characters, that when the inevitable twist finally comes, it really stings. As the truth about that fateful night is revealed, it will leave you wondering if you can really trust anyone at all. Another must read from Camp Coben.

*Soon to be a hit Netflix series starring Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, Joanna Lumley and Richard Armitage* 
 
You think you know the truth. The truth is you know nothing. 
 
If your husband was murdered. 
 
And you were a witness. 
 
How do you explain it when he appears on your nanny cam, back from the dead? 
 
You thought you trusted him. 
 
Now you can't even trust yourself. 
 
Dark secrets and a terrifying hunt for the truth lie at the heart of this gripping thriller by the 'master of the double twist' Harlan Coben ... 
_______________ 
 
'The absolute master' RICHARD OSMAN 
'One of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'At the top of his game' PETER JAMES 
'Never lets you down' LEE CHILD

I Will Find You

A master of the intricately plotted thriller, I Will Find You bristles with the irresistible storytelling nous that is Coben&rsquo;s purview

Rightly admired for his plotting, Coben pulls off some trademark twists and scores with the screwball exchanges of two FBI agents

I Will Find You takes the heart-pounding action to another level, leaving the reader on tenterhooks until an explosive finale. Coben is a writer at the top of his game and this thriller is one of his best yet

Compelling... A fantastically breakneck prison break/fugitive adventure story

It certainly delivers pace and the requisite sugar rush of excitement

Coben is definitely the master of the page-turner. In fact, he says he hasn't done his job if you don't end up reading his books late into the night. And believe me, dear reader, that is exactly what you will be doing with this novel

Coben is recognised as the master of the modern thriller and this is one you absolutely won&rsquo;t want to miss

This has such a superb opening that you&rsquo;ll lock yourself away so you aren&rsquo;t interrupted whilst reading! The master of Netflix adaptions is on fine form

This is a dramatic suspenseful Coben novel&hellip; a fabulous crime novel with a satisfying resolution

An enthrallingly tense read from start to finish

You can&rsquo;t go wrong with Harlan Coben. If you&rsquo;re after the kind of thriller that has you taking the phone off the hook&hellip; and staying up past any reasonable hour in order to keep turning the pages, then he&rsquo;s your man

Harlan&rsquo;s plots never drop below breakneck speed &hellip; By the end my head was spinning, but it&rsquo;s expertly done, a visual tale that will surely be on screen one day. For now, it&rsquo;s a perfect page-turner

David and Cheryl Burroughs are living the dream - married, a beautiful house in the suburbs, a three year old son named Matthew - when tragedy strikes one night in the worst possible way. 
 
David awakes to find himself covered in blood, but not his own - his son's. And while he knows he did not murder his son, the overwhelming evidence against him puts him behind bars indefinitely. 
 
Five years into his imprisonment, Cheryl's sister arrives - and drops a bombshell. 
 
She's come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park. The boy in the background seems familiar - and even though David realizes it can't be, he knows it is. 
 
It's Matthew, and he's still alive. 
 
David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible - save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night. 
______________ 
 
Praise for Harlan Coben ... 
 
'Unbelievably brilliant' RICHARD OSMAN 
'A GREAT writer' JOHN GRISHAM 
'Never lets you down' LEE CHILD 
'Simply one of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 
'The modern master of the hook and twist' DAN BROWN 
'One of the world's finest thriller writers' PETER JAMES

Reese Witherspoon

Harlan Coben

Savvy, smart and suspenseful -- a thriller combo to relish

Breathlessly accomplished with a plot that surprises and moves in equal measure

Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben have delivered a winner. Gone Before Goodbye is a dynamic, riveting and twisty thriller—complete with a heroine that you’ll absolutely love

Maggie McCabe is on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge. 
 
But now, after a devastating series of personal tragedies, Maggie is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy - as well as absolute discretion.Halfway across the globe, one of the world’s most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfils her end of the agreement.But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself – or she will be the next one who is . . . 
 
Gone Before Goodbye. 
 
 
In Gone Before Goodbye, the unique storytelling talents of Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben combine in one masterpiece of suspense fiction.

Harlan Coben

Praise for Gone Before Goodbye

Savvy, smart and suspenseful -- a thriller combo to relish

Breathlessly accomplished with a plot that surprises and moves in equal measure

Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben have delivered a winner. Gone Before Goodbye is a dynamic, riveting and twisty thriller—complete with a heroine that you’ll absolutely love

Savvy, smart and suspenseful -- a thriller combo to relish

Breathlessly accomplished with a plot that surprises and moves in equal measure

Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben have delivered a winner. Gone Before Goodbye is a dynamic, riveting and twisty thriller—complete with a heroine that you’ll absolutely love

Savvy, smart and suspenseful -- a thriller combo to relish

Breathlessly accomplished with a plot that surprises and moves in equal measure

Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben have delivered a winner. Gone Before Goodbye is a dynamic, riveting and twisty thriller—complete with a heroine that you’ll absolutely love

Books by Harlan Coben

Series by Harlan Coben

Myron Bolitar

Articles featuring Harlan Coben

Where to start reading Harlan Coben

On Dead Good

14 best detective thriller books of all time

9 crime TV shows you shouldn’t miss in 2025

What to read next if you love Harlan Coben

7 must-read books for Fool Me Once fans

Harlan Coben: writing thrillers

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter