For decades, Harlan Coben’s award-winning mystery and thriller novels have graced the New York Times Best Sellers list.
But after recently signing an exclusive five-year deal with Netflix, the author’s already successful career has skyrocketed.
The streaming platform has already transformed six of his novels into hugely popular Netflix Originals, and there’s plenty more to come in the pipeline.
These binge-worthy series have attracted a whole new set of fans to Coben’s books, and luckily for them, there are plenty to choose from.
Harlan Coben’s Books: The Complete List
Harlan Coben has written a whopping thirty-three novels in his career so far, with 75 million copies in print around the globe.
But with so many books to his name, where do you begin with this exciting author?
If you’re new to Coben’s work, then his Myron Bolitar series is the perfect place to begin. But the author also has a large collection of standalone novels and some spin-off series to explore, too, and in this post, I’ll introduce you to them all.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | The Myron Bolitar Series | • Publication date: January 1, 2021 | Check Price |
 | The Mickey Bolitar Series | • Publication date: July 12, 2016 • Reading age: 12 - 14 years | Check Price |
 | Win (2021) | • Audible release date: March 16, 2021 | Check Price |
 | The Wilde Series | • Audible release date: March 17, 2020 | Check Price |
 | Harlan Coben’s Standalone Novels | • Print length: 562 pages • Publication date: September 28, 2010 | Check Price |
1. The Myron Bolitar Series
In 1995, Harlan Coben published the first installment of his hugely popular mystery-thriller series, Myron Bolitar, and readers were instantly hooked.
Myron is the author’s most developed and beloved character by far. At the start of the series, a knee injury forces this once big-time NBA player to leave his glory days on the court behind him.
But rather than quit the world of sports for good, he decides to set up an elite-level agency for his fellow superstar players.
Bolitar is hotheaded and competitive, but he also has a generous spirit and a big heart, and he finds himself helping his clients in some pretty unexpected ways.
In the dark underbelly of professional sports, murder and mystery abound, and Myron quickly becomes the guy to call upon when things get hairy.
This fast-paced series is packed full of action, intrigue, and suspense, and just when you think you know where the story is heading, Coben skillfully throws in a surprise to make your jaw hit the floor.
There are 11 titles in the series, and in order to get the most out of these page-turning books, it’s best to read them in publishing order.
The Myron Bolitar Series in Publication and Reading Order
- Deal Breaker (1995)
- Drop Shot (1996)
- Fade Away (1996)
- Back Spin (1997)
- One False Move (1998)
- The Final Detail (1999)
- Darkest Fear (2000)
- Promise Me (2006)
- Long Lost (2009)
- Live Wire (2011)
- Home (2016)
Bonus Read: The 10 Best Fantasy Audiobooks (Standalone & Series)
2. The Mickey Bolitar Series
After enjoying years’ worth of success with his Myron Bolitar series, Harlan Coben decided to give one of the book’s lesser-known characters a little limelight of his own. Enter Mickey Bolitar, Myron’s quick-witted and super sharp young nephew.
At 6ft 4, Mickey towers above most of his friends, and just like his famous uncle, he’s a formidable force on the basketball court. However, he’s also inherited his uncle’s good nature and generous spirit, and he can’t help but go to extremes to protect those he cares about.
But at the start of the series, the teenager’s life is in chaos. His father has passed away, his mother is in rehab, his girlfriend is missing, and his once happy childhood seems to be over. So, with nowhere else to go, he moves in with his superstar uncle and begins a fresh start at a brand-new school.
Being the new kid isn’t easy, but Mickey is smart, charming, and resourceful enough to overcome the bullies who try to target him. And with his equally intelligent and fiercely loyal new friend Spoon by his side, there’s no adversary he can’t handle.
Harlan Coben wrote this three-part spin-off series with a younger audience in mind. That being said, his endearing protagonist is a wise way beyond his years. And adults, too, have been equally gripped by these action-packed reads.
So, even if you’re a full-fledged grown-up, if you enjoyed the original Myron Bolitar series, I highly recommend you give the Mickey Bolitar books a try.
The Mickey Bolitar Series in Publication and Reading Order
3. Win (2021)
Following on from the Myron and Mickey Bolitar books, Coben has a brand new book featuring Myron’s billionaire best friend, Windsor “Win” Horne Lockwood III.
Myron’s trusty and extremely wealthy sidekick is already a familiar supporting character, and in the 2016 series conclusion, Home, much of the story is told from Win’s perspective.
But in this 2021 thriller novel, he takes center stage again when he becomes embroiled in a high-profile FBI investigation.
A man has been found murdered in his luxury New York apartment, and among his possessions is a suitcase inscribed with Win’s own initials.
While the FBI conducts their inquiries, Win decides to do some digging of his own; after all, he has even more money and resources at his disposal than Feds do, and for him, this case is personal.
But his search for the truth about this mysterious man leads him to uncover some shocking secrets about his own family, secrets that his father would rather remain buried forever.
There’s just one book in the Win series so far, but Harlan Coben has hinted that this could be the beginning of a brand new saga, so stay tuned for more to come.
4. The Wilde Series
Harlan Coben’s recent two-part series begins with the case of the missing teenager, Naomi Pine. But the only one who seems interested in finding the girl is celebrity lawyer extraordinaire Hester Crimstein.
Crimstein’s investigations lead her to Wilde, a mysterious man with feral roots who grew up alone in the wilderness of New Jersey’s Ramapo Mountains. Even to this day, he has no idea who he is or where he really came from.
But Wilde’s tragic past could be the key to finding Naomi Pine, so he teams up with Crimstein to revisit the painful shadows of his early years and bring the girl back to safety.
In the second installment of the series, Wilde finally begins to solve some of his own mysteries as he delves deep into the DNA archives to find his family.
Against all odds, he finds his biological father, but his discovery unearths more questions than answers and leads him into a dark and dangerous world of a serial killer. And if Wilde doesn’t act fast, the next victim on the list could be him.
The Wilde Series in Publication and Reading Order
5. Harlan Coben’s Standalone Novels
As well as his gripping series, Harlan Coben also has plenty of standalone mystery-thrillers to explore. And even if you’ve never read the author’s work before, you might be familiar with some of the titles below.
Six of these books have been adapted into Netflix Originals, including The Innocent, The Woods, and The Stranger. And with a planned total of fourteen TV adaptations on the cards, we can expect plenty more to come.
So, if you’re curious about the novels behind the smash-hit Netflix series, or you simply want to explore some more of Harlan Coben’s unpredictable murder mysteries and gripping thrillers, make sure to check out the titles below.
- Play Dead (1990)
- Miracle Cure (1991)
- Tell No One (2001)
- Gone for Good (2002)
- No Second Chance (2003)
- Just One Look (2004)
- The Innocent (2005)
- The Woods (2007)
- Hold Tight (2008)
- Caught (2010)
- Stay Close (2012)
- Six Years (2013)
- Missing You (2014)
- The Stranger (2015)
- Fool Me Once (2016)
- Don’t Let Go (2017)
- Run Away (2019)
Conclusion
Harlen Coben is one of the leading mystery-thriller authors of today, and thanks to his newfound Netflix fame, more and more readers are discovering his edge-of-your-seat, page-turning titles.
Are you already a Harlan Coben fan? If so, which books are your favorite, and which would you like to see adapted into a hit TV series next? Drop me a comment in the box below, and let me know your thoughts!
Meanwhile, if you’re ready to explore some new authors in the mystery-thriller genre; then I’ve got some great recommendations for you.
Readers who love Harlan Coben’s books also rave about Don Winslow, author of The Power of the Dog, as well as Linwood Barclay, S.L. Phillips, and Lisa Gardner, just to name a few.
And for even more TBR inspiration, check out our Hooked to Books guides to the best murder mystery books of all time and this list of the most gripping mysteries and thrillers ever written.