Harlan Coben on Missing You and his next series: “A little more of a ghost story”

In total, Harlan Coben’s novels have been released across approximately 54 different locations worldwide, and translated into various languages such as Korean, Japanese, and Persian, among others.

Despite potential delays due to translation and distribution, the process might stretch over years before foreign viewers can enjoy it. However, he expresses excitement about “Missing You” airing on TV, as when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day, a simple click of a button at Netflix will make this show available in 190 countries worldwide. He appreciates the international scope that this aspect brings to it.

Geographical spread is significant in another way when it comes to Coben’s TV work.

The story of “Missing You,” originally penned in 2014 and now adapted, shifts the narrative from a New York detective grieving her deceased father and lost lover to an English setting. This change is due to the author’s partnership with Manchester-based producer Nicola Shindler, who has previously moved his novels “Stay Close” and “Fool Me Once.” Both of these works have achieved global acclaim as Netflix’s highly-rated series, with viewership exceeding 98 million.

Coben, aged 63, mentions that he’s collaborated on multiple books with Nicola and her team. In discussing how a book gets adapted for screenplay, we emphasize making it unique to the writer, which can involve relocating the story to places like England. However, I’ve got upcoming projects set in Poland and Argentina. A significant amount of effort is invested in determining where each book should be placed.

Instead of accepting TV money and producing credits while working from home on their next book, some authors prefer to engage actively in the screenwriting process. However, Harlan Coben is eager to be an integral part of the television team. As he puts it, “In British shows like Missing You, I’m deeply involved.” In contrast, with foreign-language productions, his involvement tends to be less hands-on.

From the very beginning, the adaptations of Harlan Coben’s works have been characterized by linguistic versatility. His initial foray into screenwriting was with Ne le dis à personne, a film based on his book Tell No One, followed by Une chance de trop (No Second Chance) and Juste un regard (Just One Look), both produced for French television.

The reason behind my strong connection with France is because I’m an American writer who sells more of my work outside the U.S., so I’ve always had a significant bond with European audiences. Initially, Tell No One was intended to be a major American film, but I wasn’t satisfied with the script. Meanwhile, Guillaume Canet persistently contacted me with ideas for the book, and eventually, I managed to regain the rights. Over time, I found a niche in producing shows in Europe, and now Netflix has expanded that global reach.

Coben’s extensive portfolio in television production has led some to recognize him primarily as a TV showrunner instead of an author. One reason why authors often find TV appealing is that the medium provides an unlimited number of hours for storytelling. These adaptations, much like books, can stretch as long as necessary. Some might consist of eight episodes, while others could be five.

Additionally, while traditional network TV adheres to set time slots for programs, streaming platforms such as Netflix function much like books with varying chapter lengths. In other words, episodes on these Netflix shows can range from 39 minutes to over an hour, offering the freedom and versatility that is truly enjoyable.

As a seasoned movie reviewer, I must confess that revisiting my previous works isn’t always a pleasure for most authors, as second thoughts about scenes or plots can creep in. However, Harlan Coben is an exception. “Reexamining my old work is like stepping into a time machine,” he says. “There are definitely instances where I find myself asking, ‘What was I thinking there?’ Re-reading stories from a decade or more ago isn’t typically enjoyable, but for me, it’s a unique opportunity to understand the evolution of my craft.

It’s fortunate that I get to re-experience it as if seeing it for the first time through the perspectives of newer producers and writers who still find it impressive. Occasionally, due to the passage of time, I can’t recall all the details of the plot. In the case of “Missing You,” there was a part of me thinking, “Why are you here?” I could remember the ending clearly but had forgotten the specific roles certain characters played.

Adapting hit suspense novels for television can pose a conundrum: viewers who’ve read the books might recall the cleverly concealed solutions. “In some cases, such as ‘Missing You’, if my memory is hazy about certain parts, I hope theirs is too? Typically, I add an additional twist for TV. However, ‘Missing You’ has four distinct twists, so let’s hope you don’t remember them all completely. In the television adaptations, it’s often the emotional impact of the twists that resonates, feeling moved by the characters’ predicament.

In the novel Missing You, Rosalind Eleazar’s character assumes the role of a detective who encounters her long-lost fiancé’s photograph on a dating app, 11 years after his mysterious disappearance. Unexpected comings and goings frequently drive the narratives in Harlan Coben’s works: his first novel, Play Dead (1990), opens with the vanishing of a sports agent; in Tell No One (2001), a man gets an email from his deceased spouse; Long Lost (2009) and Home (2016) involve missing individuals who miraculously resurface; while Think Twice (2024) starts with a man who has been dead for three years becoming the FBI’s chief suspect in a recent double murder.

Indeed, that’s understandable. I have a fondness for writing stories about missing individuals,” Coben explains. “I find missing people more intriguing than those who are murdered because, with the former, there’s still a glimmer of hope. I don’t want to delve too deeply into psychology here, but there’s an element of wish-fulfillment in it. Both my parents passed away at relatively young ages—younger than I am now—and I miss them dearly. A lot of the themes in my books about people returning or reappearing are rooted in this question: What if they were still alive? What if they could witness these moments? These emotions foster a sense of hope within the narratives.

Sure thing! Here’s how we can rephrase the original sentence in a more natural and conversational tone:

“Absolutely, modern technology has certainly added an interesting layer to traditional mystery plots. It’s fascinating, though I wouldn’t consider myself tech-literate. I’m not super familiar with it all, but it’s hard to deny its presence in our daily lives. For instance, if someone goes on a date today, they’re probably going to look the person up online. If that didn’t happen, it would feel unrealistic, just like writing a book in the 1980s without mentioning a landline phone. It makes me curious about all the ways technology can be used – for example, a nanny-cam to keep an eye on your child or someone installing spyware on their kid’s computer to monitor them. What kind of possibilities does that open up?

After completing each story, Coben finds himself drained, with no more ideas left. He fears that his creative well has run dry. However, if an idea does come to him while working on a project, it gets incorporated into the current work, explaining why his stories are often filled with intricate plots and unexpected twists. Having just finished a book, he’s currently at a loss as to what his next move should be.

Due to his current dual career in both page and screen projects, he sometimes finds himself questioning where to best apply a fresh concept: “It’s a matter of feeling. Recently, I wrapped up filming a series called Lazarus alongside Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin [set for release later this year on Amazon Prime]. This was an original idea that initially struck me as a novel, but it transformed into a TV series in my mind. It’s more of a ghost story with strong visual elements.

It’s only natural for him to transition between physical books and digital screens, considering that our generation of writers were immersed in television and cinema from a young age. In interviews, we are often asked about the influential books that shaped us. However, it’s important to acknowledge that our upbringing with TV shows and movies might have been as impactful as classic literature such as Dickens, which is bound to leave its mark on our work.

2025-01-07 04:35

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