Reese Witherspoon announces debut 'suspense' novel
Oct 03, 2024
Washington [US], October 3 : In an exciting development for literature and fans alike, Reese Witherspoon is set to make her debut as a published author.
The announcement, made by her and Ben Sevier, president and publisher of Grand Central Publishing, reveals that Witherspoon will collaborate with renowned author Harlan Coben on a new suspense novel.
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This forthcoming novel is based on an original concept from Witherspoon, who expressed her enthusiasm in a statement:
"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," she said, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
She added that brainstorming with Coben about how to captivate readers with intricate characters and plot twists has been "more fun than I can describe."
Coben, who has written numerous bestsellers and created various popular television adaptations, also shared his excitement about the collaboration.
"I've been a huge Reese Witherspoon fan for years," he said, adding, "Once we began discussing her idea, there was no turning back. Collaborating with Reese has been a pure joy and so creatively rewarding."
Despite this being her first novel, Witherspoon is not new to the literary landscape.
In 2016, she founded the media brand Hello Sunshine, which aims to spotlight women in storytelling across various platforms.
Additionally, her Reese's Book Club has helped several selected titles achieve bestseller status and adapt into successful screen productions, including 'Daisy Jones & The Six' and 'Little Fires Everywhere'.
Witherspoon also took to Instagram to share her excitement, humorously noting, "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??"
The North American rights for the novel were secured by Sevier in collaboration with literary agents from CAA and the Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
The book is set for publication in fall 2025, with simultaneous releases planned for the U.K. and Commonwealth territories through Century, a division of Penguin Random House UK.
Sevier commented on the collaboration, stating, "Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben working together is a powerhouse collaboration that I wouldn't have dared to dream up. It is clear that their book will be supercharged by the combination of their enormous storytelling gifts."
In addition to his successful writing career, Coben has created and produced various television adaptations, including Netflix's 'Fool Me Once' and 'Stay Close'. He is also set to debut new series on Netflix and Prime Video.