Who is Harlan Coben?
Harlan Coben was born in Newark, New Jersey. He lives with his wife, a pediatrician, and their four children. When Harlan first started writing, he wrote exclusively about a sports agent, Myron Bolitar. Readers and critics alike loved these Harlan Coben audiobooks. Readers claimed it to be an unputdownable page-turner, with a hint of comedy that resonated with everyone. After his seventh book in the series, he started having big ideas that didn’t fit the Myron Bolitar series. He created something new. His book “TELL NO ONE” became the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling and the most decorated thriller of the year.
Well-known actor and voice artist Steven Weber narrates many of Coben’s audiobooks, and the talented Scott Brick brings the characters to life with his narration. Coben won the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards – the first author to win all three.
What is the Genre of Harlan Coben’s Writings?
Harlan Coben is an American mystery and thriller writer. Many people, not just in the U.S. but internationally as well, cherish and love his books. Some consider his books “Fool Me Once” and “The Woods” some of his best works. He even made a second Bolitar series. The “Mickey Bolitar series. Harlan Coben was the first writer in over a decade to be invited to write fiction for the New York Times op-ed page. His books have over 75 million copies in print worldwide, and many people are also reading them online. He has books published in 45 languages so they are accessible worldwide.
What are the Best Audiobooks by Harlan Coben?
The list of Harlan Coben’s novels and books can be pretty long because he is very productive as a bestselling author. Here are the best Harlan Coben books that are must-read or must-listened:
- Gone for Good
- Tell No One
- Caught
- The Woods
- Fool Me Once
- The Stranger
- Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood Series)
- Deal Breaker
- Don’t Let Go
- Just One Look
- The Boy from the Woods
- Unabridged
- Missing You
- Live Wire
- No Second Chance
Here are the brief overviews of the top 5 Coben books:
1. Gone for Good
“Gone for Good” was Harlan’s fourth stand-alone novel. It was published in April 2002. You can find it at your public library, Barnes & Noble, or grab an ebook on Amazon-Audible, Kindle, Indiebound, Powells, or iBooks. “Gone for Good” achieved the status of a New York Times international bestseller.
This one among Harlan Coben audiobooks is a thrilling story about a man Will Klien searching for his brother, who was his hero when they were children. The search for his brother spirals when they find a girl Will once loved brutally murdered in her family home, and his brother becomes the prime suspect. Will searches for his brother, a killer, and the truth. It’s a story of love, not just love between lovers but between friends and family members. “Gone for Good” fills the reader with suspense, making their heart flutter with excitement.
The consensus is that” Gone for Good” is a great book and a must-read for thriller, mystery, and romance enthusiasts. USA Today said that “the story had more plot-twists and turns than an amusement park.”
2. Tell No One
Harlan Coben’s first book, “Tell No One” was an instant sensation and New York Times bestseller. Before this book, Harlan Coben gained recognition for his books about the sports agent Myron Bolitar. The series was already a best-selling series, and “Tell No One” did not disappoint his fans. It was published in June 2001 after Harlan had an idea that didn’t fit the Agent Bolitar series.
“Tell No One” is a novel about betrayal, redemption, love, and loss. The story starts with Dr. David Beck and his wife celebrating the anniversary of their first kiss. Tragedy strikes when his wife, Elizabeth, is abducted, brutally murdered, and left in a ditch. Dr. Beck never truly recovers from his loss.
3. Caught
Caught is one of Harlan Coben’s audiobooks, published in 2010. It’s available in the U.S. and the UK. This novel’s subject is a little different than his others and could be triggering for some. This book may be a little harder to acquire locally, but it is on Amazon and Audible.
When a high school student Haley Mcwaid goes missing, the community is shocked. Haley is the captain of her lacrosse team and is headed off to college. She has loving parents and is a jewel in her community. So when her mother wakes up one morning and realizes she hasn’t come home, the community is sent reeling as time goes on with no word and no new leads.
4. The Woods
Published in April 2007, Harlen Coben’s “The Woods is a story about family loyalty and the dark secrets that some families carry with them. This thriller is full of suspense and mystery. Four teenagers go into the woods; two are found dead, and two have gone missing, never seen or heard from. This story follows our main character, whose sister was one of the missing teens. We follow him as he tries to piece together the mystery, always feeling like he’s missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. The plot twists and the buried secrets all come to life as the main character looks for his long-lost sister. This plot makes it a book that’s hard to put down.
Most bookstores, as well as Amazon, Kindle, iBooks, and many other ebook platforms, carry this book for easy access to readers. Netflix recreated “The Woods”; they changed the original story and gave Polish history.
5. Fool Me Once
Fool Me Once is one of Harlan Coben’s audiobooks and AMC turned it into a series, so if this plot sounds interesting, you can watch it and read it. Once again, Harlan Coben creates a world that no one resists. Fool Me Once was published in March 2016. It follows the story of Maya, a special ops pilot whose husband recently died. He didn’t just die, though; he was murdered. Only two weeks after the murder, while Maya is at work, she sees her two-year-old daughter playing with her recently deceased husband on her nanny cam.
It’s a mystery thriller you won’t be able to put down. With this book, Harlan Coben proved that he’s not running out of great ideas anytime soon. With over a decade of international bestsellers under his belt, he is writing and producing multiple Netflix series; Harlan Coben never disappoints his readers. Every book is a live wire.
