It's official. Reese Witherspoon is all set to make her writing debut. The actress will co-author a thriller novel with international bestselling author and TV creator Harlan Coben. Harlan is the writer of several popular thriller books including Fool Me Once, Shelter and Stay Close. Reese made the announcement on Instagram on Wednesday. Sharing an image with Harlan, the actress wrote in the caption, “I'm beyond excited to share that I'm co-writing my very first thriller with # 1 bestselling author Harlan Coben! As a massive fan of Harlan's work, I can't believe he agreed to co-author a novel with me. I'm either the most persuasive person alive or the idea of this book is just TOO GOOD! Maybe both ?? I honestly can't wait for you all to read it!”
The yet-to-be-titled novel has been acquired by Century at Penguin Random House UK. The book will be released in hardcover, internet and audio formats worldwide in the fall of 2025. There are already plans to adapt the story for the big screen, reported The Mirror.
In a statement, Reese Witherspoon said, “To say I am a fan of Harlan's body of work is a massive understatement … the fact that he found my idea for this thriller intriguing enough to want to partner with me on it as co-author is a dream becoming a reality. Scheming with Harlan on how to thrill audiences with mysterious characters and complex narrative twists and turns has already been more fun than I can describe. I can't wait for everyone to read what we have been imagining.”
Harlan Coben shared that he has been a Reese Witherspoon fan for years and collaborating with her has been a “rewarding” experience. He said, “I've been a huge Reese Witherspoon fan for years. Be it acting, producing, creating, and even book-club selecting, Reese's instincts about storytelling across all media are unrivalled. Once we began discussing her idea, there was no turning back. Collaborating with Reese has been a pure joy and so creatively rewarding. I could not be more excited about putting this novel out into the world.”
Famously known for her roles in films like Legally Blonde and Walk the Line, Reese Witherspoon has been part of several shows like The Morning Show, Little Fires Everywhere and Big Little Lies. The actress established her own media brand Hello Sunshine in 2016, which focuses on telling women's stories across various platforms. She also runs a book club named Reese's Book Club.
Meanwhile, Harlan Coben is a bestselling novelist. With over 40 million copies in print worldwide, his suspense thrillers have been published in 46 languages and have topped bestseller lists in over a dozen countries. He is also the creator and executive producer of several television shows like Fool Me Once, Stay Close and The Stranger.