Reese Witherspoon to co-write debut novel with Netflix hit Fool Me Once author Harlan Coben

Book lover Reese Witherspoon is set to release her first novel - with the help of a very accomplished author.

The Oscar winner, 48, has penned a new thriller in collaboration with #1 international bestselling author and TV creator Harlan Coben, the man behind the novel that inspired the smash-hit Netflix series Fool Me Once.

Selina Walker, publisher of Century at Penguin Random House UK, has announced the acquisition of Witherspoon and Coben's book today, with the title set to be published globally in autumn 2025 in hardcover, ebook and audio editions. Not only that, a screen adaptation of the story is already in the works.

The novel marks Witherspoon's debut in the literary world and is based on her original idea, while Coben brings his experience from writing dozens of number one bestsellers, promising inventive storytelling and signature twists that his millions of readers have come to expect. The pair have been developing the concept, creating characters, and writing pages over many months of collaboration.

Witherspoon expressed her excitement about the acquisition, stating: "To say I am 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."

Coben shared his admiration for Witherspoon, saying, "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."

Legally Blonde is best known for her roles on the big and small screen, including Emmy award-winning TV series Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere and The Morning Show. In 2016, she founded Hello Sunshine, a media brand that prioritises women's stories across various platforms including television, films, podcasts, audio storytelling, and digital series. Hello Sunshine also hosts Reese's Book Club.

Harlan Coben, a #1 Sunday Times bestselling author, is one of the world's leading storytellers. His suspense novels have been published in forty-six languages and have topped bestseller lists in more than a dozen countries, with eighty million copies in print worldwide.

Coben is also the creator and executive producer of several television shows, including Netflix adaptations of his #1 global hit Fool Me Once, Stay Close, The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good, Hold Tight, and The Woods, as well as the Amazon Prime series adaptation of Shelter. His upcoming TV series include Missing You and Run Away on Netflix, Lazarus on Amazon Prime and many more in development.

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