Harlan Coben has had many of his characters brought to life in super-tense TV dramas, but there’s one that he’s finding it harder to adapt.
His much-loved Myron Bolitar series has stayed on the bookshelf and off the screen for a while.
Thrillers like Fool Me Once, Lazarus, and Stay Close have proven to be hits in the UK.
And viewers are waiting with anticipation for Run Away, starring James Nesbitt and Ruth Jones, to premiere on New Year’s Day.
Netflix have reportedly been working on an adaptation of the popular Myron Bolitar books for TV as of 2022, according to Deadline.
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In the latest episode of mother-daughter podcast Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware, the best-selling author revealed he’s ‘very nervous’ to finally bring Myron to life.
Lennie asked Harlan the question we all want to know: ‘Why isn’t he a TV series yet?’
To which Harlan confirmed: ‘We’re working on it actually, over at Netflix.’
He went on: ‘He’s harder for me to let go of than the standalones.
‘If you don’t like Michelle Keegan in Fool Me Once, it’s one book.
‘If you don’t love Jimmy Nesbit coming out in Run Away, it’s one book, one character. I’ve only written him once. But Myron is my heart, and I’m very nervous about that series.’
The character is based on Harlan himself, albeit with a degree of ‘wish fulfilment’.
Like Myron, Harlan played basketball when he was younger, but he admits Myron is better, and also ‘funnier and smarter’.
Jessie followed up with Harlan, asking who he’d want to play the part, to which he said: ‘That’s the problem, I don’t have a dream Myron.’
The deal with Netflix will see Harlan’s 11-book Myron Bolitar series adapted for an ongoing US-based series.
In 2018 it was originally agreed that the streamer would have access to 14 Harlan titles, but the Myron books were added in 2022, along with his standalone 2021 novella Win.
The book series starts with Myron in his late twenties, leading up to the last book in which he’s around 50.
The character is well-liked by many (including Lennie, who admits she’s ‘in love with him’) and is the central character who finds himself constantly surrounded by mysteries.
After ending his basketball career due to an injury, he becomes an agent representing sports stars. However, Myron turns into something of a detective after becoming privy to multiple cases connected to his clients and friends.
It’s being adapted with the help of Emmy winner David E. Kelly, who was behind Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer, based on Michael Connelly’s novels, according to Deadline.
Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.
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