BookPath
Home/Authors/Harlan Coben/Myron Bolitar Series

Myron Bolitar Series Reading Order.

Quick Answer

Start Myron Bolitar Series by Harlan Coben with "Deal Breaker - Myron Bolitar Book 1", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

This series follows Myron Bolitar, a former basketball star turned sports agent who often finds himself entangled in murder investigations.

Reader's Guide

This series spans 11 main titles released between 2014 and 2017. For the best experience, we recommend following the Publication Order below to preserve key plot reveals.

Is this helpful?
Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "Deal Breaker - Myron Bolitar Book 1"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

Community Consensus

N/A Debate

"The provided Reddit comments are exclusively focused on recommending High Fantasy and Science Fiction series (such as Lord of the Rings, Malazan, Wheel of Time, The Expanse, and Earthsea). There is no mention, discussion, or recommendation of the 'Myron Bolitar Series' or the mystery/thriller genre it belongs to."

Key Reddit Advice

The recommended reading order for the Myron Bolitar Series cannot be found within this dataset.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Myron Bolitar Series conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for Myron Bolitar Series. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "Deal Breaker - Myron Bolitar Book 1" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "Myron Bolitar Series" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Reading Order11 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
Best Start Here
1
2

Drop Shot

Pub: 1996

Plot details hidden until you finish "Deal Breaker - Myron Bolitar Book 1".

Myron Bolitar, a former basketball star turned sports agent, is hired to investigate the sudden disappearance of a promising tennis prodigy. As Myron delves deeper, he uncovers a web of deceit, gambling debts, and dangerous secrets that threaten both the athlete's career and his own life.

3

Fade Away

Pub: 1997

Plot details hidden until you finish "Drop Shot".

Myron Bolitar, former basketball star turned sports agent, is hired to locate a once‑celebrated NBA player who vanished after a scandal threatened to ruin his career. As Myron digs deeper, he uncovers a web of corruption, blackmail, and old rivalries that could destroy more than just a reputation. The novel blends fast‑paced action with a gritty look at the dark side of professional sports.

4

Sharon Takes A Hand

Pub: 2010Optional

Plot details hidden until you finish "Fade Away".

Sharon had been dreaming of this day since her parents died and her uncle assumed her guardianship-five long years ago. But as she steps off the stagecoach in Farmington, New Mexico, life takes another dramatic shift, and Sharon finds herself alone again. Ranch foreman Jason Riordan has the unenviable task of telling this citified young woman that her uncle is dead and she now owns the Lazy H and all the work that goes with it. How will an eighteen-year-old girl ever manage all the duties of running a ranch? As a drought moves in and tensions mount, the questions surrounding her uncle's death loom large. Suddenly, Sharon finds herself the next target of a mysterious gunman. Can Jason find a way to protect the woman he has grown to love?

5

Plot details hidden until you finish "Sharon Takes A Hand".

Myron Bolitar, the former basketball star turned sports agent, is drawn into a dangerous investigation when a former client is found dead. As he uncovers a web of deceit, blackmail, and murder, Myron must navigate treacherous alliances and confront his own past to bring the truth to light.

6

Plot details hidden until you finish "One False Move".

Myron Bolitar, former basketball star turned sports‑agent, is hired by a former NBA player to locate his missing brother. The search leads Myron into a tangled web of murder, blackmail, and old rivalries, forcing him to confront dangerous secrets from his past while protecting those he cares about.

7

Darkest Fear

Pub: 20084

Plot details hidden until you finish "The Final Detail".

Edgar Award-winner Harlan Coben brings us his most astonishing—and deeply personal—novel yet. And it all begins when Myron Bolitar’s ex tells him he’s a father . . . of a dying thirteen-year-old boy. Myron never saw it coming. A surprise visit from an ex-girlfriend is unsettling enough. But Emily Downing’s news brings him to his knees. Her son Jeremy is dying and needs a bone-marrow transplant—from a donor who has vanished without a trace. Then comes the real shocker: The boy is Myron’s son, conceived the night before her wedding to another man. Staggered by the news, Myron plunges into a search for the missing donor. But finding him means cracking open a dark mystery that involves a broken family, a brutal kidnapping spree, and the FBI. Somewhere in the sordid mess is the donor who disappeared. And as doubts emerge about Jeremy’s true paternity, a child vanishes, igniting a chain reaction of heartbreaking truth and chilling revelation. Praise for Darkest Fear “A slam dunk . . . You race to turn the pages . . . both suspenseful and often surprisingly funny.”—People “Terrific.”—Boston Globe “A winner.”—Orlando Sentinel “Fast-paced . . . layered with both tenderness and fun . . . Coben [is] a gifted storyteller.”—Denver Post

8

Promise Me

Pub: 2022

Plot details hidden until you finish "Darkest Fear".

The first two full length romances in the Promise Me series:The Promise Me series proves that dating isn’t easy, and dating while your friends and family are watching? Even worse.When four friends decide to take dating into their own hands and set each other up on dates or just try to push one another in the right direction, things turn dangerous.As the Brady brothers find themselves stuck in the middle of these plans—either by choice, happenstance, or accident—they have to get over their issues and secrets to either fall in line or run away as fast as humanly possible.Mistaken identities, enemies they didn’t see coming, promises that were never meant to be kept, and a reunion no one wanted are just the beginning.~~~~~~~~Read what others are saying about New York Times bestselling author, Carrie Ann Ryan:“Count on Carrie Ann Ryan for emotional, sexy, character driven stories that capture your heart!” – Carly Phillips, NY Times bestselling author“Carrie Ann Ryan’s romances are my newest addiction! The emotion in her books captures me from the very beginning. The hope and healing hold me close until the end. These love stories will simply sweep you away.” ~ NYT Bestselling Author Deveny Perry“Carrie Ann Ryan writes sexy emotional romances that'll make you cry and fan yourself from the heat, especially because of all that sexy ink.”–#1 NYT Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely “Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop! This is definitely going in my re-read pile!” –NYT Bestselling Author Susan Stoker"Carrie Ann Ryan writes the perfect balance of sweet and heat ensuring every story feeds the soul." - Audrey Carlan, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author“Carrie Ann Ryan never fails to draw readers in with passion, raw sensuality, and characters that pop off the page. Any book by Carrie Ann is an absolute treat.” – New York Times Bestselling Author J. Kenner “Carrie Ann Ryan knows how to pull your heartstrings and make your pulse pound! Her wonderful Redwood Pack series will draw you in and keep you reading long into the night. I can’t wait to see what comes next with the new generation, the Talons. Keep them coming, Carrie Ann!” –Lara Adrian, New York Times bestselling author of CRAVE THE NIGHT"With snarky humor, sizzling love scenes, and brilliant, imaginative worldbuilding, The Dante's Circle series reads as if Carrie Ann Ryan peeked at my personal wish list!" – NYT Bestselling Author, Larissa Ione"Carrie Ann Ryan writes sexy shifters in a world full of passionate happily-ever-afters." – New York Times Bestselling Author Vivian Arend“Carrie Ann’s books are sexy with characters you can’t help but love from page one. They are heat and heart blended to perfection.” New York Times Bestselling Author Jayne RylonCarrie Ann Ryan's books are wickedly funny and deliciously hot, with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. They'll keep you up all night!” USA Today Bestselling Author Cari Quinn"Once again, Carrie Ann Ryan knocks the Dante's Circle series out of the park. The queen of hot, sexy, enthralling paranormal romance, Carrie Ann is an author not to miss!" New York Times bestselling Author Marie HarteRead the Entire PROMISE ME Series:Forever Only OnceFrom That MomentFar From DestinedFrom Our First___Topics: Contemporary Romance, Tattoo Romance, Dangerous Romance, Second Chance Romance, Erotic Romance, Steamy Romance, Grief, Love Story, Blue Collar, Construction, Montgomery Ink, sexy, heartwarming, heart-warming, family, love, love books, kissing books, emotional journey, contemporary, contemporary romance, romance series, long series, long romance series, sassy, strong heroine, captivating romance, hot, hot romance, forbidden love, sparks, loyalty, swoon rescue, kidnap, claiming, defending, protectOther readers of Carrie Ann Ryan’s books enjoyed books by: Corinne Michaels, Susan Stoker, Natasha Madison, Chelle Bliss, Chelle Sloane, Sally Thorn, Christina Lauren, Colleen Hoover, Talia Hipbert, Helena Hunting, Elle Kennedy, Kristen Callihan, Penny Reid, Kristen Ashley, KA Tucker, Melissa Foster, Bella Andre, Piper Lawson, Jean Oram, Sarina Bowen, and Jay Crownover

9

Long Lost

Pub: 20133.67

Plot details hidden until you finish "Promise Me".

A woman from the past brings a whole lot of trouble... A brilliant Myron Bolitar novel from the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of SIX YEARS. Myron is summoned to Paris at the behest of an old lover, Terese. She is in unspecified trouble and needs his help. When he gets there, he discovers that her husband has been murdered and she is the main suspect. The interesting thing is that more than one blood-type has been discovered at the scene - and the other blood can only be attributed to her daughter. But she died 10 years before. As Myron and Terese try to find out exactly what's going on, they uncover more and more questions. Did the daughter really die? Did Terese's husband have a further child with someone else? But the truth is something no one expected...

10

Live Wire

Pub: 2022

Plot details hidden until you finish "Long Lost".

An instant New York Times bestseller from Kelly Ripa—a sharp, funny, and honest collection of real-life stories showing the many dimensions and crackling wit of the beloved daytime talk show host. In Live Wire, her first book, Kelly shows what really makes her tick. As a professional, as a wife, as a daughter and as a mother, she brings a hard-earned wisdom and an eye for the absurdity of life to every minute of every day. It is her relatability in all of these roles that has earned her fans worldwide and millions of followers on social media. Whether recounting how she and Mark really met, the level of chauvinism she experienced on set, how Jersey Pride follows her wherever she goes, and many, many moments of utter mortification (whence she proves that you cannot, in fact, die of embarrassment) Kelly always tells it like it is. Ms. Ripa takes no prisoners. Surprising, at times savage, a little shameless and always with humor… Live Wire shows Kelly as she really is offscreen—a very wise woman who has something to say. 

11

Home

Pub: 20174.5

Plot details hidden until you finish "Live Wire".

Ten years after the high-profile kidnapping of two young boys, only one returns home in Harlan Coben’s next gripping thriller.A decade ago, kidnappers grabbed two boys from wealthy families and demanded ransom, then went silent. No trace of the boys ever surfaced. For ten years their families have been left with nothing but painful memories and a quiet desperation for the day that has finally, miraculously arrived: Myron Bolitar and his friend Win believe they have located one of the boys, now a teenager. Where has he been for ten years, and what does he know about the day, more than half a life ago, when he was taken? And most critically: What can he tell Myron and Win about the fate of his missing friend? Drawing on his singular talent, Harlan Coben delivers an explosive and deeply moving thriller about friendship, family, and the meaning of home.

Prefer Listening?

Best if you commute

Get the professional narration of "Deal Breaker - Myron Bolitar Book 1" free with an Audible trial.

Try Audible →

Own the Physical Copy

Best value option

Add "Deal Breaker - Myron Bolitar Book 1" to your library. Curated links ensure you get the correct edition.

View on Amazon →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the Myron Bolitar Series series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read Myron Bolitar Series?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "Deal Breaker - Myron Bolitar Book 1" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Harlan Coben intended.

Can I read Myron Bolitar Series books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the Myron Bolitar Series universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.