Harlan

The book ends up on my table in 2002, almost by chance. I’ve always read crime novels and thrillers, but this one is different: it’s a book by Harlan Coben.

For me at the time, it’s a revelation.

It has everything: suspense, kids, family, a surfacing past, serial killers, doctors, clever plot twists, a nervous, unadorned writing style. All this inside short, straight to the point chapters. Immediately, I know this is what I want to do.

With my family and friends supporting me, I’m able to lead two lives: one for my medical career, one for writing. I think about it between patients, in the shower, in the car, in bed. And when I’m on vacation, I travel the world. How could you write about faraway places if you’ve never visited them?