Tony Hill and Carol Jordan
crime fiction
Series · mystery
Myron Bolitar
The Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben has 12 known books (12 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with Deal Breaker (1995).
- Books
- 12 known books (12 novels)
- Published
- 12
- First published
- 1995
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Mystery & Crime
Start here: Deal Breaker (1995)
— then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Deal Breaker
Deal Breaker opens the Myron Bolitar series in 1995, introducing Harlan Coben's former-basketball-star-turned-sports-agent and his dangerous best friend Win, and establishing the ripped-from-suburbia hook that would win the series the Edgar, Shamus and Anthony Awards. It runs 381 pages. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Deal Breaker - Book 2:
Drop Shot
The second book in the Myron Bolitar series, Drop Shot was published in 1996, between Deal Breaker and Fade Away, continuing Harlan Coben's mix of sports-world corruption and suburban secrets alongside the moralistic Myron and coldly pragmatic Win. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Drop Shot - Book 3:
Fade Away
The third book in the Myron Bolitar series, Fade Away was published in 1996, between Drop Shot and Back Spin, part of the run of early entries that won Harlan Coben the Edgar, Shamus and Anthony Awards. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fade Away - Book 4:
Back Spin
The fourth book in the Myron Bolitar series, Back Spin was published in 1997, between Fade Away and One False Move, keeping up Harlan Coben's template of a sports-agent mystery rooted in ordinary suburban and family life. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Back Spin - Book 5:
One False Move
One False Move follows Back Spin and precedes The Final Detail in the Myron Bolitar series, published in 1998 as Harlan Coben's breakout run of award-winning mysteries continued at a steady one-a-year pace. Alternative text for cover: Cover of One False Move - Book 6:
The Final Detail
The Final Detail followed One False Move in the Myron Bolitar series, appearing in 1999 with Darkest Fear coming next, another entry in Harlan Coben's fast, funny, emotionally weighted run featuring Myron and his blue-blood partner Win. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Final Detail - Book 7:
Darkest Fear
Darkest Fear followed The Final Detail in the Myron Bolitar series, appearing in 2000 with Promise Me coming next -- the last entry before Coben paused the series for several years to focus on his standalone thrillers. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Darkest Fear - Book 8:
Promise Me
At 431 pages, Promise Me is the eighth entry in Myron Bolitar, published in 2006 after a real-world gap since Darkest Fear, bringing Harlan Coben's sports agent and his dangerous friend Win back for a new case rooted in suburban secrets. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Promise Me - Book 9:
Long Lost
At 379 pages, Long Lost is the ninth entry in Myron Bolitar, published in 2009, three years after Promise Me and continuing Harlan Coben's template of ordinary suburban life concealing old secrets. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Long Lost - Book 10:
Live Wire
At 384 pages, Live Wire is the tenth entry in Myron Bolitar, published in 2011, part of Harlan Coben's long-running series balancing Myron's moral streak against Win's cold pragmatism. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Live Wire - Book 11:
Home
Home follows Live Wire and precedes Think Twice in the Myron Bolitar series, published in 2016 after Harlan Coben's long hiatus spent writing standalones, bringing Myron and Win back essentially unchanged for longtime fans. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Home - Book 12:
Think Twice
Think Twice (2024) is the most recent Myron Bolitar book covered here, following Home after another long real-world gap, and giving Harlan Coben's fans one more case for a sports agent and his dangerous best friend Win in a series still ongoing. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Think Twice
Key facts about the Myron Bolitar series
The Myron Bolitar series has 12 books on our list. Since all 12 are out now, you can read the whole list today.
Start with Deal Breaker, since it opens the publication order in 1995. Drop Shot is book 2, from 1996. Fade Away is book 3, from 1996.
Back Spin is book 4, from 1997. One False Move is book 5, from 1998. The Final Detail is book 6, from 1999.
Darkest Fear is book 7, from 2000, while Promise Me is book 8, from 2006. Long Lost is book 9, from 2009.
Live Wire is book 10, from 2011, while Home is book 11, from 2016. Think Twice is book 12, from 2024.
Each title links to its own page, while the list keeps them in date order. Each book page shows its dates and editions. The catalogue marks it as ongoing, yet no next book has a date so far.
The books came out between 1995 and 2024, while their length runs from 347 to 480 pages. That is a run of 29 years.
Harlan Coben has 38 books on our list. Additionally, they write Mickey Bolitar and Wilde. We shelve the books under mystery.
About the Myron Bolitar series
Myron Bolitar is a former basketball star (his pro career ended in a single career-destroying knee injury) turned sports agent, running a small Manhattan agency with his eccentric best friend Win -- Windsor Horne Lockwood III, a preppy blue-blood millionaire who is also, quietly, one of the most dangerous men in the genre. Myron's clients are athletes and entertainers, which pulls him into cases involving sports-world corruption, missing persons, blackmail and old secrets resurfacing, but Harlan Coben built his breakout series on a specific hook: mysteries rooted in ordinary suburban and family life, where the person who did it is someone's neighbor, coach or high-school sweetheart. The tone mixes genuine emotional weight with fast, funny banter, especially between the moralistic Myron and the coldly pragmatic Win.
The series made Coben's name and won the Edgar, Shamus and Anthony Awards across its first few books, establishing the template -- ripped-from-suburbia secrets, a breakneck final-act twist, a hero who can't leave well enough alone -- that Coben would later use in his many standalone thrillers. After a long hiatus (Coben spent the 2010s focused on standalones), Myron and Win returned in Home (2016) and Think Twice (2024), older but essentially unchanged, for longtime fans who never stopped wanting one more case.
Frequently asked questions
How many Myron Bolitar books are there?
There are 12 novels as of Think Twice (2024).
What order should I read the Myron Bolitar books in?
Publication order, starting with Deal Breaker. Myron's relationships and backstory build across the series, and later books reference earlier cases.
Is the Myron Bolitar series finished?
No new book is currently announced after Think Twice (2024), but Harlan Coben has returned to the series multiple times after long gaps, so it isn't considered over.
What is the Mickey Bolitar series?
It's a YA spin-off (Shelter, Seconds Away, Found) following Myron's nephew Mickey, set in the same world and connected to the Myron Bolitar novels, but it's a separate series.
Do I need to read Harlan Coben's standalone thrillers first?
No. Coben's many standalone novels are unrelated to Myron Bolitar aside from sharing his suburban-secrets style; the Myron series stands entirely on its own.
If you like the Myron Bolitar series
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