Reese Witherspoon is taking a bold leap into fiction with Gone Before Goodbye, her first novel for adults, co-written alongside bestselling suspense writer Harlan Coben. The book, set to release this October, centers on Maggie McCabe, a former Army combat surgeon whose life spirals into danger after she accepts clandestine medical work that entangles her in murder and multiple identities across locales like Russia and Dubai.
Witherspoon shared that the character first spoke to her in an imaginative flash—“a character who wouldn’t leave me alone”—prompting her to reach out to Coben to build the narrative together. Their collaborative process involved texts, emails, and in-person sessions to layer in the conspiracy, setting, and personal stakes.
Though famed for her acting and book club curations, Witherspoon says she’s now measuring success by the emotional resonance Gone Before Goodbye will achieve — especially for women who might see themselves in Maggie’s struggles. The actress hopes the novel can inspire readers as Legally Blonde once did, even while navigating the darker terrain of thriller.
With its high stakes, globe-trotting missions, and a protagonist navigating both internal and external battles, Gone Before Goodbye promises to fuse Witherspoon’s storytelling ambition with Coben’s suspense mastery—marking a significant new chapter for both.
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