''Deal Breaker'' is a 1995 thriller novel by

Harlan Coben Harlan Coben (born January 4, 1962) is an American writer of mystery novels and thrillers. The plots of his novels often involve the resurfacing of unresolved or misinterpreted events in the past, murders, or fatal accidents and have multiple ...

and is the first in his Myron Bolitar series.

Plot

Investigator and sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big-time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron's prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend, a woman whom everyone, including the police, believes is dead, the deal starts to go sour. Suddenly Myron is plunged into a baffling mystery of sex and blackmail. Trying to unravel the truth about a family's tragedy, a woman's secret and a man's lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business—where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed.

Character list

Myron Bolitar The Myron Bolitar series of thrillers are written by Harlan Coben with a series protagonist of the same name. The Myron Bolitar series debuted with '' Deal Breaker'' (1995) and is currently 12 novels through '' Think Twice' (2024). A spin-off youn ...

: Ex-basketball player, currently works as sports agent. Owner of MB SportReps *

Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood, III The Myron Bolitar series of thrillers are written by Harlan Coben with a series protagonist of the same name. The Myron Bolitar series debuted with '' Deal Breaker'' (1995) and is currently 12 novels through '' Think Twice' (2024). A spin-off youn ...

: Myron's best friend and wealthy owner of Lock-Horne Investments & Securities. *

Esperanza Diaz The Myron Bolitar series of thrillers are written by Harlan Coben with a series protagonist of the same name. The Myron Bolitar series debuted with '' Deal Breaker'' (1995) and is currently 12 novels through '' Think Twice' (2024). A spin-off youn ...

: one of Myron's best friends currently working for Myron. * Jessica : Myron's former girlfriend and current love interest, sister to the missing girl. *Christian Steele : Football star, drafted by the Titans. *Jake Courter : Sheriff Jake, who helps Myron solve the case. *Herman Ache and Frank Ache : Notoriously known criminals. *Otto Burke : Owner of an NFL team (Titans) *Larry Hanson : former football legend turned executive. Currently working for Otto *Adam Culver : Jessica's and Kathy's dad who been murdered three nights before the start of the series *Roy O' Connor : Sports agent *Paul Duncan : Adam Culver's best friend who works as a cop. *Carol Culver : Jessica and Kathy's Mother and Adam Culver's widow. *Master Kwan : Win and Myron's Tae Kwan Do Master. *Aaron : Frank and Herman Ache's employee

Film adaptation

A film adaptation is in development after the rights to the Myron Bolitar novels was bought by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

Awards

The novel won the 1996 Anthony Award and received an

Edgar award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...

nomination in the "Best Paperback original" category.

References

1995 American novels Novels by Harlan Coben American thriller novels Anthony Award–winning works Novels set in New Jersey {{1990s-thriller-novel-stub he:מיירון בוליטר#ספרי הסדרה