Inside Gone Before Goodbye: How Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben co-wrote their new suspense novel

Summary

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Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club

Episode: "Inside Gone Before Goodbye: How Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben Co-wrote Their New Suspense Novel"

Date: October 28, 2025
Host: Danielle Robay
Guests: Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben
Location: Apple SoHo Store, NYC (live recording)

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Episode Overview

This episode celebrates the release (“pub day”) of "Gone Before Goodbye," the highly anticipated, first-ever collaborative suspense novel from Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben. Host Danielle Robay moderates an energetic, in-depth conversation (recorded live) centering on the creative partnership between two powerhouse storytellers. The discussion explores the origins of the book, the thrill and vulnerability of collaboration, crafting a layered female protagonist, the intersection of grief and suspense, and what it means for a story to finally belong to readers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Leap Into Collaboration

• Reese’s Motivation & Nerves (06:53)

  • Reese shares her shift from acting to authorship:

    "As an actor for so many years, I would always walk into other people's stories.... This was the first time I had an idea for a character."

  • She admits feeling nervous pitching her idea to Harlan, someone she greatly admires and who had never previously collaborated with anyone.
  • On pitching to Harlan:

    "I thought he was going to give me notes and say, ‘here’s some really great thoughts and good luck.’" (09:02)

  • Harlan recalls being wary but quickly realizing they were riffing productively, not just note-taking.

• Harlan on Ground Rules (09:24)

  • The writing process: It was just the two of them, with no assistants or ghostwriters. They set out wanting this to be "the best thing we do."
  • Harlan:

    “There’s other guys who are that collaborative guy. I’m just... not me. … There wasn’t even a note taker in the room. It’s only gonna be you and me.” (09:33)

Crafting an Addictive Thriller

• First Line Aim (07:58)
  • Harlan:

    “We wanted you to get right in the story right away. … We want this to be the book that tonight you take to bed at 11 o’clock, and you think you’re going to read for 10 minutes, and next thing you know, it’s 4 in the morning and you’re cursing us out, but you’re also deliriously happy.”

• Research Deep Dives (10:42)
  • Reese admits she’s “nerdy about research,” reading memoirs of war surgeons, delving into trauma surgery, and exploring the ethics of longevity clinics in Dubai.
  • Reese’s personal connection:

    “My dad was a military surgeon in the Air Force... my mom was a military nurse... I grew up kind of around a lot of army surgeons.” (11:53)

  • The protagonist Maggie is rooted in these environments and real-life influences.

Creating a Female Lead Unlike Any Other

• Inspiration & Intention (18:27)
  • Reese:

    “I’d never seen a woman in kind of a James Bond world and be the lead. … But I’d never seen her be kind of this very intuitive, skilled person who navigates a really difficult situation.”

• Authenticity Over Likability (19:10)
  • Harlan:

    “She doesn’t have to be likeable or nice. … She has to be real, and then people will relate to her.”

  • On her escape tactics:

    “She’s thinking the same way we would be thinking. … We wanted that experience for the reader.”

• Avoiding Physical Descriptions (19:58)
  • Harlan intentionally keeps Maggie’s appearance vague so readers can project their own image (and to resist the predictability of adaptation).

    “If you write a book thinking, Oh, this is gonna make a great movie… it’s the kiss of death. … We have to give the people the best of the book experience.”

Layering Real Women's Experiences

• Everyday Contradictions (21:02)
  • Reese shares a real-life incident (comforting a young woman in a bathroom), inspiring a scene in the book. She emphasizes that Maggie always leads with care and safety—no judgment—reflecting a female doctor’s likely mindset.
  • Reese on wardrobe dilemmas:

    “It’s the worst day of her life… she wants to wear practical shoes… look put together… but can’t wear black. … The kind of mental math you have to do as a woman before you walk into any situation in the world.” (21:54)

  • Harlan delightedly admits to “using every word of this in the book.”

Blending Writing Styles & Signature Twists

• Harlan’s Twists, Reese’s Perspective (23:40)
  • Reese:

    “He was like, ‘No, we’re going to bury this story, and you’re going to think one thing, and then... I’m gonna give you the biggest shock.’ … There’s a scene with a tattoo in it... All my girlfriends called me when they read it.”

  • The team balanced Reese’s “linear” thinking with Harlan’s love for misdirection and cliffhangers.

Trusting Instincts & Vulnerability

• Taking Risks (25:13, 27:34)
  • Harlan:

    “We’re both a little terrified right now… People won’t love this book or it’s something new. ... When you write a novel, you can’t hide.”

  • He compares it to being a solo athlete—no one to blame, total ownership.
  • Reese on trusting instincts as a woman and creator:

    “Being brave enough to call somebody who’s amazing at what they do and go, ‘Would you ever think about this?’ … I’ve become more bold as I’ve gotten a little older.” (27:41)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Storytelling Partners:
  • Harlan: “We both became completely obsessed. We both shared this vision of wanting what we want out of this story. … Sometimes when you get in a room with someone, either it happens, or it doesn’t. I think we both knew right away this was going to happen.” (09:24)
• On Research Authenticity:
  • "It’s not the thing that happened, it’s how he felt about it." — Reese Witherspoon (10:58)
• On Grief:
  • Harlan: “This is a novel that deals with grief a lot… we both wanted to explore that as well.” (11:26)
  • Later: “Grief is not something that you fully recover from. … To me, it’s like losing an arm. … I’m hoping…you accept and understand that.” (41:13)
• On Instincts and Agency:
  • Reese: “...everything you kind of need is inside of yourself. You just sometimes have to dig deep.” (42:09)
• On Letting the Readers In:
  • Harlan: “If you write a book and no one reads it, it’s not a book. … When you read it…a whole new Maggie and Pork Chop and Nadia... come to life in your head, different from everybody else's.” (34:06)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• Introduction to Collaboration & Book Release – 06:42
• Reese on Transitioning from Actor to Author – 06:53
• Why Harlan Said Yes to Collaborating – 09:24
• Research Deep Dive & Reese’s Personal Connection – 10:42, 11:53
• Discussing the Heroine Maggie – 18:27
• Character Building: Making Maggie Real – 19:10 – 20:36
• Wardrobe as Character Development – 21:49
• Twisty Writing Process Explained – 23:40
• Trusting Instincts and Creative Vulnerability – 25:13 – 28:47
• The “Bookmark” Segment: What's Inspiring Them This Week – 33:29
• Rapid Fire Literary Speed Read – 36:30
• Aubible Production and Favorite Audiobooks – 38:30
• Most Fun/Memorable Characters (Porkchop!) – 39:53
• “One Small Truth” for Readers – 41:13

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The “Bookmark” Tradition

• Reese’s Bookmarks:

  1. “A story on Apple News about a man who fell in love with his grief bot” — paralleling book themes.
  2. “Elderberry Wine” by Wednesday — a song she shares with her loved ones.

• Harlan’s Bookmarks:

  • Hugging actor Sam Claflin on premiere day.
  • The overall joyful experience of seeing the book released and awaiting reader reactions:

    “A book is the Berkeley tree in the woods. … If you write a book and no one reads it, it’s not a book. … It was ‘gone before goodbye’—it’s not a book until you read it.” (34:06)

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Literary Speed Round Highlights

• Gone Before Goodbye’s Imaginary Theme Song:

  • "Since You’ve Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson (36:48)

• A Book That Shaped Their Worldview:

  • Reese: The Measure of Our Success by Marian Wright Edelman.
  • Harlan: Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman (37:51)

• Most Fun Moment Writing Together:

  • Harlan: Pitching the “super dark” ending and riffing on the character Porkchop.
  • Reese: Falling for the endearing character Porkchop, inspired by real-life figures and accidents of naming.

• One Hope for Readers:

  • Harlan: That readers feel the realness and complexity of grief.
  • Reese: That they realize “everything you need is inside yourself.” (42:09)

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Concluding Thoughts

• On Reader Ownership: (34:06, 41:13)

  • The story now belongs to readers; each reader will create their own version of Maggie and company.
  • Grief, secrets, and agency are heartfelt themes, with the goal to break readers’ hearts and empower them.

• On Trying Something New: (27:34)

  • Reese and Harlan both advocate for creative risk at any stage of life:

    “You are never too late. I’m not going to be an NBA player anymore. That dream’s over. But anybody out here could be a published writer or write a screenplay or direct a movie.” — Harlan

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Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is lively, encouraging, and unguardedly honest—blending literary “geeking out” with warmth, humor, and deep emotional insight. Listeners are repeatedly made to feel included—as fellow club members, aspiring storytellers, and readers whose participation makes the book itself real.

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Memorable Quotes

• “This is not a goodbye—it’s a bad pun!” – Danielle Robay (36:11)
• “If you can verify your name is Porkchop, you get a book.” – Reese Witherspoon (40:33)
• “We hope to break your heart.” – Harlan Coben (41:13)

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For those inspired to leap into storytelling, or simply hungry for a deeply twisty, character-driven thriller, this episode delivers insight, motivation, and a peek behind the curtain of two creative greats at work.

Transcript

[Danielle Robay]

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[Harlan Coben]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Harlan Coben]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Harlan Coben]

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[Danielle Robay]

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[Harlan Coben]

By Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Danielle Robay]

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[Harlan Coben]

Diapers, Gerber puffs and Gerber pouches.

[Danielle Robay]

And save $5 when you buy $25 or more on participating products. Offer ends November 4th. Restrictions apply.

[Harlan Coben]

Offers may vary.

[Danielle Robay]

Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details. Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club is presented by Apple Books. Hi, I'm Danielle Robay. Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. This week we have what might be a peak bookmarked conversation about a peak bookmarked book. Okay, it has joy, it has suspense, it has surprises, it has a strong female lead and it has best selling energy. And did I mention it has the one and only Reese Witherspoon. We are sharing a live bookmarked podcast recording that took place recently at the Apple SoHo store in New York City and it's a conversation between Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben, the collaborators and co writers of the thriller of the season Gone Before Goodbye. We got to talk to them on their actual pub day and because we announced pub days on the show, I just want to share why they're such a celebration. Also, because my mom called me one week and asked me what a pub day was. So pub day isn't just a release date. It's when a story leaves the author's hands and finds its readers. After months or sometimes years of writing, rewriting, editing, it is the moment that an author's story stops belonging to them and starts belonging to everyone. It's ready to be loved and shared and savored. So before we get into this episode, I am really curious, have you stayed up all night reading Gone Before Goodbye yet? Because you know I told you I was up until 2am I could not put it down and I'm dying to know what you think. So send send me a little voice [e-mail] that's bookmarkedesbookclub.com and if you share yours, I'll share mine. Okay. In the meantime, if you're looking for a conversation that will inspire you to take a leap to try something new while sending chills down your spine, you are in the right place. Let's turn the page with Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Covenant. Thank you so much. Welcome everyone. It's so exciting to do this live at this gorgeous space at the Apple SoHo store in New York City. With our partners at Apple Books, we are celebrating the release of Gone Before Goodbye. It's the first collaborative suspense novel by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben and and if that's not exciting enough, it is actually their pub day. Their book is out into the world. It's official. So now you can officially say that you were here at the beginning. Rhys and Harlan have shaped how millions of us read, watch, and experience stories. Riis has built hello Sunshine into a storytelling powerhouse. Her book club alone has turned over 70 titles into bestsellers and adaptations. And Harlan, his books have sold over 80 million copies, and he's one of Netflix's most adapted authors. Whew. What do you get when two of the most influential storytellers in the world join forces? Well, I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy, and I can tell you, you get something totally unexpected and a little dangerous. You also get a heroine who is both relatable and aspirational. So Maggie McCabe is a brilliant army combat surgeon, and her life starts to unravel. After tragedy and the loss of her medical license, she's thrust into the world of the ultra wealthy. And I'm not going to spoil anything. It gets pretty twisty from there. So please give me a big New York City warm welcome to Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coven.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Thank you, Danielle. That's awesome. Thank you so much.

[Danielle Robay]

I always say welcome to the club, but it feels sort of silly because it's your club, Reese.

[Reese Witherspoon]

But it's different. It's different being an author. You know, as an actor for so many years, I would always walk into other people's stories. So the script was already ready or it was based on a book that was already written. And this was the first time I had an idea for a character. And I thought, okay, I'm going to give it to Wei. I'll give it to somebody and have them write a movie or something. And then I thought, wait a second. Why don't I try? I've worked in worlds where I've watched people do this. I've read so many books. I was a huge fan of Harlan Coben, and I read all his thrillers, and I thought, well, why don't I give it a shot, you know, and try to write up myself?

[Danielle Robay]

You're always pushing forward into this stuff that feels so scary for so many people. I love that first line. It gave me chills when I read it. You guys wrote. I don't hear the scream. I always feel like you remember your first everything, like your first concert, your first first kiss. I'm not going to ask you about your first kiss, but that first line made me feel like you guys wanted to say something. Harlan, what were you trying to make the reader feel at that moment.

[Harlan Coben]

I think we wanted you to get right in the story right away. Both Rhys and I are storytellers. And while a lot of fancy things we'll talk about today, we also want this to be the book that tonight you take to bed at 11 o' clock and you think you're going to read for 10 minutes.

[Danielle Robay]

Yeah.

[Harlan Coben]

And next thing you know, it's 4 in the morning and you're cursing us out, but you're also deliriously happy. You know that feeling when you're immersed in a book and you can't put it down? It's kind of your whole world. We both love feeling that. And the idea that we may give that experience to somebody else is the coolest feeling in the world.

[Danielle Robay]

I heard you both at Shine Away this weekend. And Reese, you said that you called Harlan and you had this amazing idea and you kind of pitched it over the phone. Yeah, but I was scared.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Why? I don't know. Because he's never collaborated with anybody before and I was asking him basically to let me into his secret thriller writing world. And that's really private for a lot of authors and artists. So the fact that he even just, you know, entertained the idea and then I had to go and pitch my heart out to him and it was. It was great. It was scary too. But he was so receptive and so open to it. And he immediately started scribbling notes. And I was like, what's he doing? Does that mean he likes it or does he like it? And I thought he was going to give me notes and say, okay, well, here's some really great thoughts and good luck. And then I said at the very end, after we talked for like an hour.

[Harlan Coben]

Yeah.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I was like, does that mean. So does that.

[Harlan Coben]

We were riffing. I wasn't just writing notes, we were riffing back and forth. I'm like, okay, what if we take her and do this? And then she would go, well, and then over here and I'm doing this. And it was hours long. And at the end of it, we just were like, oh, yeah, this is. There was no question in my mind. I was already totally in. I. I was wary when Reese first called, just because I'm not that guy. I don't. I'm not the collaborative guy. There's other guys who are that collaborative guy. I'm just. That's just not me. And I didn't want it to. I didn't want anything that was gonna be gimmicky or anything else. So Rhys and I set ground rules right away. We are going to write every word of this book. There's not even a note taker in the room. It's only gonna be you and me. We have to be obsessed. This has to be the best thing we did. We do. And we both became completely obsessed. We both shared this vision of wanting what we want out of this story. And so when we started saying the idea, I was like, dang, that's good, man. I can do something with that. And so, you know, we started right away. That's how it. You know, we just did Kelly Clarkson's show, and Kelly was saying, sometimes when she gets in a room with somebody else to write a song, either happens or it doesn't happen. I think we both knew right away that this was going to happen.

[Danielle Robay]

Was the riffing sort of indicative of your collaborative process? Were you using notes? Did you send voice notes? What was that like?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah, we sent. We sent a lot of text messages. And I'm kind of nerdy about research. So I read all these put it kindly memoirs about war surgeons and their trauma surgery. And this guy was like, doctor, and he got shot in the head while he's driving. And he was like, great. What do you want? And I was like, it's not the thing that happened. It's how he felt about it. And so it was really fun doing the research on longevity clinics in Dubai and trying to figure out cutting edge technologies that were just on the cusp of happening, whether that was, you know, certain kinds of AI, plastic surgery.

[Harlan Coben]

We want to explore grief. I mean, also, that was the other thing that we talked a lot about. This is a novel that deals with grief a lot, and we both wanted to explore that as well.

[Danielle Robay]

I was curious about your research process because the details were so vivid. It felt inside baseball in a really fun way to read. I'm shocked that it was memoirs and it was such a deep dive. Reece, I heard that it was a little bit inspired from your dad as well.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah, my dad was a military surgeon in the Air Force. So the first five years of my life, I grew up on a military base in Germany, and my mom was a military nurse in the Air National Guard. So I grew up kind of around a lot of army surgeons, and they would all talk at dinner parties at our house. But these surgeries, you know, helping soldiers coming back from conflict. And I learned a lot about just their dedication to helping save lives. But also, I thought it'd be really interesting to put a character like that in a morally kind of vague world. So the ultra wealthy who can buy private surgery or figure out how to get an organ donation. That's maybe not the most ethical thing. And then put this really principled character in that the crossroads of that she.

[Danielle Robay]

Was living in the contradictions a lot. Which was interesting to read about. I want to dig into Maggie, the protagonist more. She's a surgeon, she's a soldier. She's caught between her husband Mark and their friend Trace. And we actually have a clip from the audiobook. And Rhys, we get to hear your voice. Oh my God, can we play that?

[Reese Witherspoon]

I haven't heard this yet. Easy to say. They she, Mark, Trace created World Cures alliance for purely altruistic reasons. That had been a good story. Three combat doctors who saw a need and eschewed the comforts of home to save the needy and revolutionize healthcare. But that felt too much like spin to Maggie. It's not that you aren't genuinely concerned about your patients. You acutely are or don't believe in.

[Danielle Robay]

Your mission they did. But the terrible secret, the secret she and Mark at Trey shared is that you do it to be special. Oh, that's a good note to end on you. Let's be real Life happens. Kids spill, pets shed and accidents are inevitable. Find a sofa that can keep [e-mail] Starting at just $699, our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out so you can say goodbye to stains and.

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[Reese Witherspoon]

Well, part of what Harlan and I talked about was I'd never seen a woman in kind of a James Bond world and be the lead. I'd always seen a girl in a James Bond movie, sort of in a bikini or stirring her drink and plenty of the poison in it. But I'd never seen her be kind of this very intuitive, skilled person who navigates a really difficult situation. And I thought, well, that's who would I would be. If you put me in one of those movies, I'm not going to be able to shoot the bad guy or punch a guy out, you know, but I would use what I had to my advantage. So that was something we talked about before we even began.

[Harlan Coben]

We wanted her to be real. I said, therese doesn't. She doesn't have to be likable or nice or kind or any of that. She has to be real, and then people will relate to her. And I think that's what we tried to do. Like, she's not beating up six guys to escape. There's a scene when she goes out on the. On the roof and just have no idea how she's going to get out of it and hope she does it in a realistic kind of way. She's thinking the same way that we would be thinking you are. In her head. We wanted that experience from the reader very much.

[Danielle Robay]

Speaking of in her head, we know so much about her interior life. I know that she is loyal. I know that she likes her showers hot and her whiskey neat. And after 333 pages, I have no idea what she looks like. I don't even know her hair color. Yeah. Was that purposeful?

[Harlan Coben]

Yes. We want you to put. I always kind of do that with leads. That's a TV or movie experience to see exactly what the person looks like. One of the things Rhys and I discussed, we often get the question about an adaptation, and maybe it'll happen, maybe it won't, but the book has to be the book. If you write a book thinking, oh, this is going to make a great movie or tv, it's the kiss of death. We want the. As you said, you get that interior life. You can't get that in a movie. It's different. So just different experience. I'm not saying one's better than the other, but we have to give the people the best of the book experience. Then we can worry about when we add. If we adapt, we worry about all of that later. And Reese and I both understood that.

[Danielle Robay]

Early on, I was casting in my.

[Harlan Coben]

Head, of course, so was I. But that's beside the point.

[Danielle Robay]

I don't think I'm allowed to ask you, but maybe after I will.

[Harlan Coben]

Okay.

[Danielle Robay]

One scene, Rhys, that really stuck with me, flipped the girl in the line at the bathroom sort of stereotype on its head. It was almost like a wink to women. Were parts of Maggie inspired by women you knew for sure?

[Reese Witherspoon]

And I'd have these interactions and I'd call Harlan immediately. I was on vacation somewhere, and I actually saw a very young girlfriend of an older man crying in a bathroom. And I gave her comfort and without judgment. And we talked about being safe. And I called Harlan. I was like, that's the scene that we need to have. It's not especially a female doctor. She wouldn't bring her judgment to it first. She would bring this feeling of care and safety, particularly if it was her patient. So I was always trying to lay a woman's perspective over the character as well.

[Harlan Coben]

There was one time when I asked Reese very early on, well, what would Maggie be wearing to go to this event? And I figured it would be like, you know, two words in dress. And she went on a semi rant, which I'll ask her to do for you now.

[Danielle Robay]

And.

[Harlan Coben]

And I'm literally like, slow down. I'm using every word of this in the book.

[Reese Witherspoon]

So tell them I should find this in email. But it was like, it's the worst day of her life, and she has to figure out what to wear to a party that honors her mother. And she wants to. She's in her sweatpants, but she wants to sink into the ground. But she wants to wear practical shoes so that she can walk and feel comfortable. But she also wants to look put together and like, she has her life together. But she can't wear black because it's not a funeral. But she shouldn't wear navy blue. Well, maybe navy blue, but it can't be too long because that would be too formal and it can't be too short because that would be too provocative. And you don't want to threaten other women. And the mental math.

[Harlan Coben]

I'm watching all the women nod as you go, as you say all this, right?

[Reese Witherspoon]

And that's not even to mention her hair or makeup. Like, you're like, oh, am I going to wash my hair? Am I going to make this blowout last? Like the kind of mental math you have to do as a woman before you walk into any situation in the world. And that was a whole other layer we had to put. And I kept saying to Harlan. Okay, well, she's going to go to a ball in Russia. Where's she getting the clothes? She walks into a nightclub in Dubai. What's she wearing? And how did we get. And we have to really work out the logistics of, like, where would she get a brand new outfit? But it was. It was kind of cool, too, because I always wanted to make sure that wasn't a barrier for her and that we addressed it in a way that women would go, what's she like? It's the first thing you would think. What's she gonna wear?

[Danielle Robay]

It's the first thing we would think.

[Harlan Coben]

And those decisions also inform the character.

[Reese Witherspoon]

So it really does.

[Harlan Coben]

Everything has to do work. More than one thing can't just be a description or a theme or a setting. All of those things have to inform each other. And that's what I think. One of the things we learned in this experience.

[Danielle Robay]

So we learned that Maggie is based on a lot of real women. Harlan, I've heard you say that. There's a lot of you in your books. Reese, do you see Harlan in this story?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And then I start, well, first of all, he's known for his epic twists. And you just. I was so lucky. I got to have a front row seat because I think very linear. Linear. I think, oh, there's the character, there's the conflict. We have to resolve it. And he was like, no, we're going to bury this story, and you're going to think one thing. And then probably a third into the book, I'm gonna give you the biggest shock. There's a scene with a tattoo in it where you first see a tattoo. And all my girlfriends called me when they read it. They were like, the tattoo? And you expect me to go pick up the kids. I'm reading this in carpool and I'm flipping out.

[Danielle Robay]

So it's like that.

[Reese Witherspoon]

He would put that in there, and that was like, genius. And then he kept doing that. So it was always like, we had it all mapped out, but he would pulse out information in this cliffhanger way. And it was. It was fascinating to watch.

[Danielle Robay]

You really don't expect the tattoo thing to mean it's a really good turn. There's a big theme in this novel of trusting your instincts. And there's a moment where Maggie finally trusts hers. And Rhys, you have that now very famous speech where you talk to everybody about women in action films and you say, like, as if a woman wouldn't know what to do. Yeah. Is there a story that both of you are comfortable sharing about a moment where you trusted your own instincts. And it really changed something for you.

[Harlan Coben]

Deciding to do this with Reese Witherspoon.

[Danielle Robay]

That's a great answer.

[Harlan Coben]

That was. It was, you know, I will say, because it was nerve wracking. And I think for both of us, we've had some. We've had some success in our careers and to. And to sort of. We're taking a risk. We're both a little terrified right now. I mean, we are really. People won't love this book or it's something new. And forrese touchware, you're writing a novel. You can't hide when you write a novel. And yet there's such a thrill. One of the things I was just saying in the back room, Therese, that I really look forward to for her if we ever do an adaptation. Whenever I get to do an adaptation is that first day I go on set and I watch all these actors and actresses and the cast and crew are bringing it to life. And I think to myself, I had this little idea in my house in New Jersey, and now all these people bring it to life. And now you get to have that. You've never had that before.

[Reese Witherspoon]

No, I've done it for other people.

[Harlan Coben]

Yes. Now you'll be able to sit there going, wow, I had this little idea.

[Reese Witherspoon]

And that would be so crazy.

[Harlan Coben]

It's such a cool thing. And so I'm so happy to share that with Rhys.

[Reese Witherspoon]

That's so cool.

[Harlan Coben]

So to share that experience with her.

[Danielle Robay]

What do you mean when you say that you can't hide behind a novel? Because I think most people would expect the opposite. You feel like you can't hide behind nonfiction.

[Harlan Coben]

Oh, no. Well, for example, if you're an actor, you can blame the script. If you're a script, you blame the actor. There's a million other people working on it. You know, it was the producer's fault. It was. It was the studio's fault. There's a lot of people to blame. This is us. We got no one else to blame. You can blame us or love us for this. And I personally love that. It's one of the things I love about being a novel writer. It's like you're, you know, you're a golfer with no coach or tennis player. You can't go blaming anybody else. There's no referees here or anything like that. So I'm scaring you.

[Reese Witherspoon]

So this is fun.

[Harlan Coben]

So this is. This is. This is a new thing, and it's fun and it's. It's exciting. And I love the fact that at our age or whatever, not that I'm a lot older than Reese, but that we're willing to still do new things. And it's reminded me one of Reese's first book picks. We say this, I think, to inspire people. One of her main ones was when the Crawdad Sings by Delia owens. She was 70 when that book came out. You were never too late. I'm not going to be an NBA player anymore. That dream's over. But anybody out here could be a published writer or write a screenplay or direct a movie. It's never really too late. And this is kind of a reminder to us to always keep pushing ourselves too.

[Danielle Robay]

Reese, did trusting your instincts come naturally to you? Or is it something that you've harnessed over the years?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Well, I think it got better. I mean, I was a very nervous young woman when I first started in the movie business because as I said before, my parents were in the medical field in the military. They thought I was nuts. They were like, what are you doing? You're, you're picking this unstable path. And for a long time I thought I was going to be a doctor. So I started making movies when I was 14. But I had to just keep. Well, first of all, I just had to keep going. And a little success starts to build on itself and you start to build confidence. Right? But confidence came from doing and sometimes failing, but learning from my mistakes, but then learning a little bit better, doing a little bit better, making better decisions, better partnerships, being brave enough to call somebody who's amazing at what they do and go, would you ever think about this? You know, I think sometimes I think about that for women too. Being brave enough to make that call, that first move is really hard because you think, why me? Like, why would I ever. But you never know, you know, So I think it, I, I've become more bold as I've gotten a little older.

[Danielle Robay]

I like hearing that.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah.

[Danielle Robay]

I'm only in the seat because I took a shot and made a call.

[Reese Witherspoon]

You're the best, Danielle. We just love having you.

[Danielle Robay]

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Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions. Restrictions may apply. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton we spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and with characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you? In the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for lazy weekend mornings with a book. Breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like the books we cherish, cotton weaves meaning into our everyday moments. Moments like following four adult daughters as they navigate love, loss and the legacy in the Most Fun We Ever had by Claire Lombardo, all while curled up in soft cotton joggers or Sinking into the island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. A story that spans generations, forbidden love and a fig tree that remembers everything wrapped in a hand stitched quilt, each thread holding its own kind of memory. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com@just roll they believe the kitchen is where joy lives with their refrigerated dough. There's no fussy proofing, no hours of waiting. Just big smells, big smiles and that first irresistible flaky bite. They do the hard part so you could skip straight to the fun. Just Roll Puff Pastry is made with non GMO high quality ingredients ready to roll with parchment paper straight from the fridge. No thawing, no stress, just golden bakery worthy layers every single time. With Just Roll, every bake is simple. From savory show stopping appetizers to sweet dessert masterpieces, this is a fresh way to bake. Familiar but better find Just Roll Puff Pastry in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or visit justroll.com to near you Apple Books is the best place to read Listen to or discover the books you love without a subscription right on your iPhone. And now there's a very exciting heads up for listeners. Apple Books is the official audiobook and ebook home for Reese's Book Club. So it's easier than ever to explore each monthly book pick, plus author curated collections and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks. You can set goals and track your reading progress, get great recommendations for your next read, or listen and enjoy it all on the go, wherever you are. You can even share your books with up to five family members at no cost. Again, no subscription required. Visit Apple Co Reesapplebooks to find out more. That's Apple Co Reese AppleBooks and Read or listen to Reese's current pick and browse past selections today on Apple Books. So we have a bookmark tradition and we always ask our guests something that they've bookmarked this week. It could be a song, an Instagram post, something that they've shared with their best friend. What have each of you bookmarked this week?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Wow, that's a great question. I have two things that came to mind. Do you want me to go first?

[Harlan Coben]

Please.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Okay. First was actually a story on Apple News about a man who fell in love with his grief Bop. And I was like, okay, we wrote about that and it came true. So that was kind of crazy. And the second, this is just so random, but this song by this band called Wednesday and it's called Elderberry Wine and I listen to it every single day and it just puts me in the best mood. And I've sent it to my children, I've sent it to all my best friends and it's just one of those random things.

[Harlan Coben]

This whole week has been, it's been crazy. I have a release on another service that I'm going to premiere of in a few minutes called Lazarus with, with Sam Claflin and Bill Nigh. And so I saw Sam Claflin this morning on a TV show and got to hug him from surprise him on the show. And so I bookmarked that. And really just the whole, this whole experience with Reese is it's, you know, we've been doing this for a long time, but now it's like come to a head. It's like we've been planning this and thinking about this. I think two years ago we probably first started and then a year to write the book. And all the people that we've run across who have helped us, many of whom are here. So everything about this week has been about the joy of having this book. You know, to me, a book is. It's the Berkeley tree in the woods. If a tree falls and no one hears it, does it make a sound? If you write a book and no one reads it, it's not a book. This was gone for, you know, gone before. Goodbye is not a book yet. It's not a book until you read it. And then when you read it, a whole new Maggie and Pork Chop and Nadia and all these characters come to life in your head, different from everybody else's. You have a special, like one on one relationship with us or two on one, I guess, relationship with us. And that's still the part that jazzes me and she's in different. All of your heads. And we're going to have that experience now. It's finally booked now, finally that tree is formed and the sound you are hearing. And so that's the thing that really excites me about this week. And that's the thing. I'm going to bookmark to bring it all back. Bookmark this week.

[Reese Witherspoon]

That's a great question.

[Harlan Coben]

That is.

[Danielle Robay]

We ask every week. I love that.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I love it.

[Danielle Robay]

Rhys, I heard you have some exciting, exciting collaborations between Apple Books and Reese's Book Club coming up, including a free book drop program.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I know, you guys, this is really starting. I mean, I just, I just kind of recorded an announcement that we're going to put out in a couple of days. But starting in a. In the next month, Apple is going to give away a thousand copies of our book, our Reese's Book Club pick, to lucky people out there who sort of weigh in. So that's exciting.

[Danielle Robay]

That's really exciting. Yeah. Can we get a clap for that?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yay.

[Danielle Robay]

Love when people give away free books. I know. Okay, so I know you guys gotta get gone, but this is not Goodbye. It was a bad pie. I'm sorry. We have a little speed read, so we're gonna put 60 seconds on the clock and I'm gonna see just how many rapid fire literary questions you can get through.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Oh, God. Is this a task?

[Harlan Coben]

No one told me there was going to be a task. As long as I'm glad it's not math.

[Danielle Robay]

But still, it's not math. I promise they're fun. Okay. Three, two, one. If gone before Goodbye had a theme song, what would it be?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Since you've been gone.

[Harlan Coben]

Okay, that's good. Since you began.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Kelly Carson.

[Harlan Coben]

There we go. Yeah, that's good.

[Danielle Robay]

A book that's better to listen to than to Read this one.

[Harlan Coben]

That's an easy one. Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine. Read it. It's one of the best audiobooks you will ever hear. I know I'm losing some time on the clock here, but it's important. You gotta listen to.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Thank you.

[Harlan Coben]

Actually, I read a part where Reese and I was literally going like this. I started to cry a little bit. Like, one of the sad scenes is really cute. So go ahead. Yeah, I am. Go ahead.

[Danielle Robay]

I also love that Chris Pine voices the beginning, and it's like a bait and switch because the story's really more about Maggie.

[Harlan Coben]

Right.

[Danielle Robay]

It's great. Okay. What book shaped the way you see the world?

[Harlan Coben]

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Kogan. Now available on hardcover.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Oh, my God.

[Harlan Coben]

And on Apple Books.

[Danielle Robay]

Harlan, I'm gonna kick you out of the game.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I would seriously say the Measure of Our Success by Marian Wright Edelman. I read it when I was 18. It's a beautiful letter she wrote to her sons on their 18th birthday. It's really gorgeous.

[Harlan Coben]

I'm gonna pick my very first mystery novel, which is called Are youe my mother? By P.D. eastman. Everybody remember that little bird falling out?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah.

[Harlan Coben]

And then he thinks his mom's a dog and a cat. That thing was scary ass, wasn't it? I think a giant shovel picks up the bird at the end. I'm gonna go with that.

[Danielle Robay]

I'm gonna have to read that. I've never even heard of that.

[Harlan Coben]

Are youe My Mother? By pd. You never heard of Are youe My Mother? Who raised you'd. Seriously, everyone here who has not read Are youe my mother? By PDs only you. Oh, my gosh.

[Danielle Robay]

All right, Harlan, I'm gonna go crawl into a hole now.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Thank you.

[Danielle Robay]

What's your favorite audiobook to recommend to new listeners?

[Reese Witherspoon]

I mean, he just said God goodbye. I have to say, Matthew McConaughey, listening to his new book. His voice is just so hypnotic to me. And I also really love just hearing him ponder and find the words. He's a fantastic performer.

[Harlan Coben]

I also love memoirs, celebrity memoirs read by the person I just did, Barbra Streisand, which took me about seven years to get through it.

[Danielle Robay]

Literally.

[Harlan Coben]

It's about 48 hours long. And you can hear she's going off script, just going on wild tangents. But it was so fun.

[Danielle Robay]

We're all waiting for Reese's My Memoir.

[Harlan Coben]

We'll be waiting a while. She's got fiction.

[Reese Witherspoon]

You just take me for wine. We'll have wine early enough you'll be like, I don't need to read a book.

[Danielle Robay]

I'll take you up on that. Okay, what was the most fun you had writing the book together? Was there a particular chapter, a moment, a twist?

[Harlan Coben]

Maybe when I first pitched to you the very last paragraph ending, and I said to her beforehand, I go, are you really? Are you? Do you want to go super dark with this ending? And she's like, oh, yeah. But, you know, she started off very nicely and then I corrupted her. I think she became super all of a sudden, she's coming up with, why don't we do? And she's come up with the vicious ideas like, whoa, whoa, calm down. But I really, that day was kind of fun when we were discussing the ending, and then we changed the ending.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Also, I think when he told me about the character Porkchop. And Porkchop, when you read it, you're going to fall so deeply in love with this character who is like a 6 foot 5 guy from New Jersey. I'm just saying somewhat like the person sitting to my left, but he's just so endearing. It's a great character.

[Danielle Robay]

Also, I've never heard of a character named Porkchop before. It was so memorable.

[Harlan Coben]

We actually have now run into two because Nate Burleson today on CBS told us he has an uncle named Porkchop.

[Reese Witherspoon]

He does.

[Harlan Coben]

And I based him off an artist named Porkchop in Asbury Park. And then I wanted to change his name to something else. Like, we just thought Porkchop would be a good temporary name and then we couldn't come up, like, Wolf. No, that's terrible.

[Reese Witherspoon]

You know what Apple should do? Give a free book to everyone really named Porkchop.

[Harlan Coben]

That's right.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Like, if anybody really, like, you can verify your name is Porkchop, you get a book.

[Danielle Robay]

It's a brilliant idea.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I love it.

[Danielle Robay]

And if you've walked through life with the name Porkchop, you deserve a free book.

[Reese Witherspoon]

You need some free book.

[Harlan Coben]

We're hoping people are going to name their child Porkchop. Girls, boys, everything. We want it all.

[Danielle Robay]

So this book is about secrets and grief and what's left unsaid. What's one small truth or life lesson that you hope readers carry with them? After turning the last page.

[Harlan Coben]

We hope to break your heart. I mean, serious for one moment. I lost my parents at a young age, and the grief of losing them affects everything that I do and a lot with what I was trying to channel here in the grief here. And I think it's a healthy outlet for. To accept and understand that grief is not something that you fully recover from. To me, it's like losing an army. You're going to function in life. Your life could still be happy, but that arm's not growing back. You're going to learn to use your right arm more and all that. And I'm hoping. Wow, that was really. I'm sorry I brought the room down with this answer, but that's sort of what I'm thinking about when I. When you mentioned that.

[Danielle Robay]

Thank you for your real answer.

[Harlan Coben]

You're tired of me joking.

[Reese Witherspoon]

That's why he writes so beautifully in such a deep, evocative way about grief. You know, it's very real and it's. It's beautifully written. Um, I would say there's a part in the book where Maggie is in a really tough spot and she doesn't know what she's going to do. And she says, my instincts kicked in. I didn't know when they would. I knew there would be some point, but they did and it completely saves her. So I would say everything you kind of need is inside of yourself. You just sometimes have to dig deep.

[Danielle Robay]

It's a beautiful note to end on. Thank you both so much. Thank you, Daniel. Thank you, Reece Harling. Congratulations on pub day and to everybody, don't forget to grab your copy. Available today on Apple Books. Cheers to an unforgettable collaboration. Thank you. Okay, friends, before we wrap today's episode, I'm bringing back our monthly audiobook recommendation segment brought to you by Apple Books. It's called Turn up the Story. Apple Books editors are always reading and listening so they can bring you the best new books. And every single month, including brilliant new voices. This month, Apple Books editors are spotlighting a book called Maggie or A Man and a Woman Walk into a Bar by Katie Yee. In this poignant debut novel, a Chinese American woman's life is thrown into total chaos after she finds out that her husband is having an affair and she has breast cancer. During date night at a restaurant, the unnamed narrator's husband Sam drops the bombshell that he's leaving. But despite the pain and misery that follows, the narrator finds solace in a few ways. In the Chinese folklore inspired bedtime stories she tells her kids, in the advice she gets from her wonderful best friend Darlene, and in keeping the news of her cancer diagnosis a secret from her ex. Apple Books editors loved the chapter free non linear structure here, which reflects the nature of memory and the messiness of life. So those who enjoy the portrayal of strong female friendships in books by Taylor Jenkins Reid or the big questions posed in works by Katie Kitamura will love this defiant and memorable novel. For a limited time, you can get the audiobook of Maggie or A Man and a Woman Walk into a bar for just $9.99 only on Apple Books. And if you're curious about what inspired ye to write this courageous debut, you'll find that too. Head to Apple Co debutlistens to listen in. And while you're there, don't miss the full collection of debut audiobooks that the Apple Books editors love, all chosen with bookmarked listeners in mind. And if you want a little bit more from us, come hang with us on socials. We're at Reese's Book Club on Instagram, serving up books, vibes and behind the scenes magic. And I'm Danielle Robay, R O B A Y Come say hi and DM me. And if you want to go 90s on us, call us. Okay? Our phone line is open, so call now at 1-501-291-3379. That's 1-501291-3379. Share your literary hot takes, book recommendations, questions about the monthly pick, or let us know what you think about the episode you just heard. And who knows, you might just hear yourself in our next episode. So don't be shy, give us a ring. And of course, make sure to follow Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your shows. Until then, see you in the next chapter. Bookmarked is a production of hello Sunshine and iheart Podcast Cast. It's executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and me, Danielle Robaix. Production is by Acast Creative Studios. Our producers are Maddie Foley, Brittany Martinez, Sarah Schlied. Our production assistant is Avery Loftus. Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutter are the executive producers for Acast Creative Studios. Maureen Polo and Reese Witherspoon are the executive producers for hello Sunshine. Olga Kaminwa, Kristin Perla and Ashley Rapaport are associate producers for Reese's Book Club. Ally Perry and Lauren Hanson are the executive producers for iHeart podcasts. Today's episode is brought to you by Cotton. We spend a lot of time with stories, hours curled up with dynamic plots and characters who feel like friends. What if the story isn't just in your hands but also in the world around you, in the fabric that's holding you close? Cotton is that timeless companion. Soft sheets for a lazy weekend morning with a book, breezy dresses for afternoons spent reading in the backyard. It's the fabric that can be tossed in the wash without fuss. It's about ease, comfort and caring for yourself and the planet. Just like books we cherish, cotton leaves meaning into everyday moments. Next time you settle in for a chapter, slip into something cotton. Not just to read the story, but to feel it. Cotton the fabric of our lives. Learn more at thefabricofourlives.com@just roll they believe the kitchen is where joy lives with their refrigerated dough. There's no fussy proofing, no hours of waiting. Just big smells, big smiles and that first irresistible flaky bite, its tiny hands helping unroll the dough. It's laughing over a slightly wonky cinnamon swirl. It's pulling golden puffed layers out of the oven and hearing that perfect crispy crackle. They do the hard part so you could skip straight to the fun. Just Roll Puff Pastry is made with non GMO high quality ingredients ready to roll with parchment paper straight from the fridge. No thawing, no stress, just golden bakery worthy layers every single time. With Just Roll, every bake is simple. From savory show stopping appetizers to sweet dessert masterpieces, this is a fresh way to bake. Familiar but better. Find Just Roll Puff Pastry in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or visit justroll.com to find a store near you Apple Books is the best way to read or listen to the books you love without a subscription right on your iPhone and a heads up for listeners. Apple Books is the official audiobook and ebook home for Reese's Book Club so you can discover every exciting pick plus author curated collect and more all in one place. Open the Apple Books app to explore a world of books and audiobooks. You can set and track your reading goals and get great recommendations for your next read or listen again. No subscription required. Visit Apple Co Reese that's R E E S E AppleBooks to find out more, get ready to power up your play with Nintendo Switch 2. Power up the visuals with 4K support.

[Harlan Coben]

And a bigger, more vivid screen. Power up the fun with exclusive new.

[Danielle Robay]

Games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong bonanza Nintendo Switch 2 all together anytime anywhere. Games rated E to E10 plus games.

[Harlan Coben]

And systems sold separately compatible TV required for 4K display.

[Danielle Robay]

This is an iHeart podcast.