transports listeners across the globe following private surgeon Maggie McCabe as she navigates moral dilemmas. Drawing from actor 's personal connection to military medicine and 's expertise in crafting intricate suspense, the novel delves into the shadowy world of private health care, where wealth and corruption intersect. In this exclusive interview, the duo discusses their creative partnership, the inspiration behind their complex protagonist, and how they merged their distinct storytelling styles to craft a novel that promises both emotional depth and edge-of-your-seat suspense.
Dawn Gentle: You come from two very different storytelling worlds—Reese from Southern-rooted, character-first narratives, and Harlan from urban, fast-paced thrillers. How did this collaboration come about? Did one of you approach the other with the idea, or did the story evolve organically together?
Reese Witherspoon: I started daydreaming about this character Maggie three years ago. At the time, I became fascinated with the world of private surgeons who go to the ends of the earth to take care of the wealthiest people. After deliberating whether it was a TV show or a film, I decided that it should be a novel first, because I wanted to fully flesh out the whole story on my own. The first person I called was Harlan. I’ve known him socially for several years and was a huge fan of his work. I knew I wanted to create a first-rate thriller with a female lead that had never been imagined before and place her in a world of wealth and corruption. I wanted the novel to incorporate all the twists and turns of a great page-turner, but still have real human emotion and resonance. So, naturally, Harlan was my first choice as a coauthor. Luckily, he loved the idea of Maggie and this whole world, so we were off to the races.
Harlan Coben: I’m so glad Reese answered this question first. It sounds so braggy when I tell it: “So one day, Reese Witherspoon called me...” But this is exactly how it happened. I confess that I was a tad hesitant—I’ve never collaborated on a book before—but once Reese pitched me the idea, I was all in and then some.
The protagonist in the book is a complex woman facing personal and moral dilemmas. How did you both approach building her character—was she inspired by anyone in real life?
RW: Maggie McCabe is inspired by a lot of different people in my life. First and foremost, my parents, who were in the military medical service for over four years. My dad was an air force surgeon, so I grew up on military bases surrounded by other doctors and nurses who would share all their craziest medical stories with me. I really liked that. Maggie is a character who is highly educated but can easily fit into many worlds—from an operating tent in a war zone to an extravagant gala in Russia to a nightclub in Dubai. Maggie can fit in almost anywhere. Reese. Full stop. Okay, partial stop. My favorite moments writing this were when Reese, not quite realizing it, “became” Maggie when we would talk. It’s one of the wonders of working on a novel with a great actress. Reese would sort of look up in the air and her voice would change a bit and I would think, “Oh, she’s Maggie now—better ask her a lot of questions fast so we can figure out where this story is going.” Honestly, I have never read a thriller with a female protagonist like Maggie. She is so unique with her extraordinary surgical skillset and her ability to navigate complex situations. I knew I had to be part of building the world around her, because over the years, I've learned so much about how the most well-meaning surgeons have been pulled into a world of private health care and the corruption surrounding it. I wanted to tell the story with accuracy and make it a real thrill ride of a novel. My storytelling instincts are naturally cinematic. Having spent the majority of my life in the film industry, I think in three-act structure and always try to incorporate cinematic settings. Locations that evoke emotions were particularly important to me. They ranged from extreme hot climates like Dubai to freezing winter landscapes in remote Russia. Building character is my first passion, so I created Maggie McCabe in the same way I have created all my other film characters, from Bradley Jackson to Tracy Flick to Elle Woods. Exploring her upbringing, relationships, education, and commitment to helping the most underserved people in the world. I wanted to place all the characters in high-pressure situations to create narrative tension and movie-like action sequences. As a result, I think the book reads a lot like a movie. Yes and no, no, no. Yes, because we both think cinematically. No, no, no because it is the kiss of death to write a novel thinking, “Boy, this will make a great movie!” Trust me, I have some experience with this. A book is a book—and a movie/TV series is a movie/TV series. They are not the same. The key is understanding how to adapt a novel—not writing a “movie-novel,” if that’s a thing. If is one day put on the screen, great. If it’s not, no biggie—we have already accomplished our goal by writing this novel. I hope readers enjoy a fast-paced thriller with memorable characters. One of the most delightful compliments I’ve received from an early reader is that they found Maggie incredibly relatable and could easily imagine themselves in her shoes. Many readers have expressed their love for the dynamic between Maggie and Porkchop, describing it as a truly beautiful yet unlikely friendship between two polar opposite characters. We want to make a huge impact. is that novel you take to bed at 10 PM and say, “I’m only going to read for 15 minutes” and suddenly it’s four in the morning and you’re deliriously happy and the last page made you gasp out loud. The novel is darker than you expect. It smacks you across the face in a way you don’t see coming. My hope is that the story and the characters linger inside you long after you close the book.
An A-list collaboration brings Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben together for “Gone Before Goodbye”
The Academy Award winner and bestselling thriller author discuss their high-stakes medical thriller, featuring a world-traveling surgeon caught between wealth and corruption.
