Harlan Coben is an American writer of mystery and thrillers, born on January 4, 1962, into a Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey. He was raised in Livingston and graduated from Livingston High School with his childhood friend, future governor Chris Christie.
๐ Early Life and Education
Coben studied political science at Amherst College, where he was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity along with Dan Brown. He was in his senior year at college when he realized he wanted to write.
โ๏ธ Writing Career Beginnings
After graduating in 1984, Coben worked in the travel industry in a company owned by his grandfather. During that time he wrote his first book, romantic suspense thriller Play Dead, which was accepted for publication when he was 26 and released in 1990.
๐ Awards and Achievements
Coben has won an Edgar Award, a Shamus Award, and an Anthony Awardโthe first author to receive all three. His books have been translated into 46 languages and sold over 90 million copies.
๐ฌ Screen Adaptations
Twelve of Coben’s novels have been adapted for film and television. His first book to be adapted for the screen was Tell No One, which became a 2006 French film.
๐บ Netflix Deal
In August 2018, Coben signed a multi-million-dollar, five-year contract with Netflix to develop 14 of his novels into series or films. In October 2022, Netflix extended the deal for another four years.
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ Personal Life
Coben lives in Ridgewood, New Jersey, with his wife Anne Armstrong-Coben, a pediatrician, and their four children. His daughter Charlotte wrote two episodes of the TV series Run Away.
| Category | Detail | Year | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | January 4, 1962 | 1962 | Newark, New Jersey |
| First Book | Play Dead | 1990 | Romantic suspense thriller |
| First Stand-alone | Tell No One | 2001 | Adapted into 2006 French film |
| Netflix Deal | 14 novels developed | 2018 | Extended in 2022 |