How to Be a Better Human
How to Be a Better Human

Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? | from Better In Person

September 7, 2026

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5 min read

Does It Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories?

Harlan Coben's books have sold 90 million copies, and he has produced 12 series on Netflix. But when host Steven Dubner tells him that reading several of his thrillers in a row left him feeling "on edge," Coben's response is revealing: he doesn't aim to disturb readers, but to give them something they can't put down. "I want this to be the book that you go to bed at 11 o'clock and say, I'm just gonna read for 10 minutes. Next thing you know, it's four in the morning, and you're a little delirious and you're kind of happy." The key distinction he makes: "It's easy to stir the mind. It's easy to stir the pulse, but it has to stir the heart."

The Mechanics of Suspense Without Gore

Coben is explicit about what he avoids. "I have no interest in action movies or action things. I'm not big on violence or gore. I never have them in my books." Instead, he makes action sequences internal — written from the perspective of what a character is thinking as events unfold. "It's not like 'his hand.' It's what you are thinking: oh my God, this fist is flying at me. What am I going to do? That fucking hurt."

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:08) **What Makes a Thriller Writer Tick?** - Harlan Coben and Steven Dubner discuss the writer's desire to unsettle readers and the mechanics of crafting suspense.
  • 2 (09:00) **The Long, Low-Pay Grind to Success** - Coben details his early career as a mid-list author making very little money and the mindset that kept him going.
  • 3 (13:02) **Amherst Classmates: David Foster Wallace and Dan Brown** - Coben shares anecdotes about his famous college peers and the early signs of their talent.
  • 4 (17:36) **The Writer's Eye: Research vs. Observation** - A discussion on Coben's "lazy" approach to research and how he finds the perfect detail to bring a scene to life.
  • 5 (22:08) **The Grab-Bag Game: A Twisted Mind at Work** - Dubner tests Coben with everyday objects to see how his thriller-writer brain works.
  • 6 (23:11) **The Writing Process: Insecurity, Stuckness, and Discipline** - Coben reveals his internal struggles and the strategies he uses to overcome writer's block.
  • 7 (24:46) **Imposter Syndrome Fuels the Work** - Coben discusses how self-doubt and fear are essential drivers for a successful writer.

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Guests on this episode

Harlan Coben Steven Dubner

Show Notes

Harlan Coben doesn’t think so. The mega-best-selling author talks suburbia, impostor syndrome, and what he learned from his college friend David Foster Wallace.


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