'I always want to write better than I have before'

Best-selling author Harlan Coben shares his passion for writing thrillers and his joy at seeing the characters brought to life on screen

-  KENZI DEVINE

He captured the nation’s attention with the Netflix screen adaptation of his thriller, Fool Me Once – and Harlan Coben tells us he’s got plenty more where that came from. The thriller writer has penned an impressive 34 books to date, and has a five-year deal with streaming giant Netflix, with eight of his books already adapted into miniseries and more in progress.

“I don’t actually write books thinking they will be ‘good for TV’. It’s never been the way I do things, as I don’t think that’s good,” he admits. “But it is amazing seeing them come to life through that form. When taking characters from the page to the screen, you have to let go – they aren’t going to be the same as in your head from writing them, and shouldn’t be.

“I try to keep it just vague enough so you can create your own image from the book. I often change up some of the writing to fit the actor in the script.”

The 62-year-old New Jersey native is the creative mind behind series such as Stay Close, The Stranger and Safe, and has worked with stars including Richard Armitage, Amanda Abbington, and Dame Joanna Lumley, who take his characters so brilliantly from page to screen.

Another actress who made one of Harlan’s roles her own – to worldwide acclaim – is Michelle Keegan, who fronted Fool Me Once as leading lady Maya Stern.