Harlan Coben: Why He Stays Involved in Every Adaptation

Harlan Coben has turned his thriller novels into a television factory. He now has more than a dozen adaptations on Netflix and a true crime series on CBS, TheWrap reports.

But Coben doesn't just sell the rights and walk away. He told TheWrap he stays deeply involved in every project. "I don't want to be the author who says, 'Oh, they ruined it' … if you don't like it, it's me." Some authors prefer to focus on their books, he said, but he tried that route and couldn't pretend he didn't care.

His latest Netflix adaptation, "I Will Find You," pulled 120.8 million views in its first 90 days. That makes it Netflix's fifth most-watched English-language series of all time. Coben called the number "mind-blowing" and said he's been texting the cast to celebrate.

Coben also hosts true crime series "Harlan Coben's Final Twist" on CBS. Season 2 investigates the murder of Betsy Faria. Coben said the real story is crazier than anything he could invent. "If I had written that as a novel … you would probably smash the TV over my head," he said.

Next up is "Myron Bolitar" on Netflix, based on his 12-book series. David E. Kelley and Kyle Long are adapting it as an ongoing series rather than a limited one. Coben said the show will mix mystery with workplace elements, like Kelley's "Boston Legal" or "Ally McBeal."

Coben also released a memoir in September, "Plot Twist: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft." In writing it, he realized that everything he makes up comes from real life — crimes he saw as a child, weird things that happened. He hopes the book encourages readers to create, not just consume.

Coben said he doesn't plan his career. Ideas come to him, or opportunities appear. "'Man plans, God laughs' is one of my favorite expressions," he said.

• CBS
• Final Twist
• Harlan Coben
• I Will Find You
• Myron Bolitar
• Netflix