One mystery writer offered a toilet flush upstairs as the scariest sound
Harlan Coben says he would not pick it himself, but he kept the story as an example of finding one telling detail.
Freakonomics Radio Network · Harlan Coben Turned His Books Into 12 Netflix Series | Better in PersonHarlan Coben remembers sitting with other mystery writers when someone posed an odd question. Coben, a thriller writer who has produced 12 series on Netflix and whose books have sold 90 million copies, was then by far the youngest member of a longtime writers group called the Adams Round Table. One founder was mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark, and writer Lee Child belonged for a time, along with other top suspense writers.
At one meeting, Coben says, the question came up of which sound frightens people most.
Coben recalled the group asking, "Is it a mother screaming, a baby crying, a man being tortured, whatever?"
He used the exchange to explain what he looks for in a scene. He said he tries to find one moment that brings a story to life.
One member answered with the sound of plumbing where it should not be heard. He described being alone in a remote cabin and being sure no one else was in the house. As Coben retells it, the member said, "And from upstairs, you hear the toilet flush."
Coben said, "That's the moment you look for as a writer."
He also made clear he did not agree with the choice. Coben said he would not vote for it as the scariest sound because "a toilet flushing is kind of comical."
Questions people ask
Did Coben agree that the toilet flush is the scariest sound?
No. Coben said he would not vote for it as the scariest sound because a flushing toilet strikes him as kind of comical. He presented it as the kind of moment a writer looks for, not as a choice he agreed with.
What is the Adams Round Table?
Coben described it only as a longtime group of mystery writers. He said Mary Higgins Clark was one of its founders, Lee Child belonged for a time, and he joined as by far the youngest member. The transcript does not give its location or how it meets.
What does Coben mean by the moment a writer looks for?
He means one specific and concrete detail that makes a scene feel alive. In this case, it was plumbing heard where no one was supposed to be. That kind of mismatch can imply someone else is present without describing danger directly.