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bif

(22,710 posts)
Fri Mar 1, 2024, 12:22 PM Mar 1

Are all Harlan Coben stories the same?

I've watched a couple mysteries based on his books on Netflix recently. I enjoyed them but they seem pretty similar plotwise. Someone goes missing. While investigating, several other deaths occur. We find out the first person discovered someone skimming money from an organization and he/she was going to rat them out. The other deaths aren't related.

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FSogol

(45,488 posts)
1. One of the problems with popular fiction is the athour is pressed into telling the same story over and over.
Fri Mar 1, 2024, 12:27 PM
Mar 1

Fans get mad if something changes.

TwilightZone

(25,471 posts)
2. Yes and no. The books are more varied than the series.
Fri Mar 1, 2024, 12:29 PM
Mar 1

The Myron Bolitar series of books follows a pattern by design, because they're based on the same character and similar situations. His standalone books are more varied.

So, some of them follow a pattern, but it seems that the Netflix series makes this a lot more overt.

Response to bif (Original post)

TwilightZone

(25,471 posts)
5. A lot of people have co-written with Patterson.
Fri Mar 1, 2024, 12:59 PM
Mar 1

I don't recall seeing Coben ever being mentioned as one of them.

Do you have a source? I'd be interested in learning more about it.

NCDem47

(2,249 posts)
7. Yes! And I love all the Netflix series for it.
Fri Mar 1, 2024, 01:10 PM
Mar 1

I just came across them in the last month and binged them all. They make entertaining watching. But yes, there is a repetitiveness that sets in when you watch them back-to-back. Don’t forget about the detective and their sidekick!

“Safe” twist ending literally made me gasp. I was disturbed by “The Stranger” ending. I figured out “Stay Close” earlier than I thought I would. “Fool Me Once” really pushed the limits of plausibility.

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