Harlan Coben series: Lazarus creator's English-language mysteries from Safe to Missing You
The author's work has been adapted in Britain, Spain, Poland and France
Harlan Coben series Lazarus laces the writer’s usual broth of mystery-thriller with supernaturalism, creating a much freakier tone for returning fans.
Hailing from New Jersey, the 63-year-old has transformed into a streaming institution since penning a deal with Netflix in 2018. At that point, almost three decades had passed since his first book Play Dead was published. And the French had already produced adaptations of Tell No One, No Second Chance, and Just One Look.
Twelve novels have been visualised on screen with two more productions already in the can. Those are I Will Find You (starring Severance’s Britt Lower) and Run Away (Gavin & Stacey’s Ruth Jones); adhering to the author’s blueprint of unresolved events coming back to bite. Spanish adaptations of The Innocent and Caught are out there too, as well as Polish versions of The Woods, Hold Tight and Just One Look. France made Gone for Good into a five-episode event in 2021.
Ahead of Prime Video’s Lazarus release, which features Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin front and centre, let’s dive into where you can access all of the English-language Harlan Coben series to date.
Harlan Coben series: The Five on Prime Video (2016)
Marketed as Harlan Coben’s The Five, this 10-episode series is like a Stephen King story without the otherworldly element. It was the first English-language adaptation of any of Harlan’s works and is available to buy on Prime Video for £9.99.
In 1995, school mates Mark Wells, Danny Kenwood, Pru Carew and Slade are traumatised by the sudden disappearance of Mark’s little brother Jesse in the park. Serial killer Jakob Marosi claimed responsibility at the time, but 20 years later, now-policeman Danny discovers Jesse’s DNA at a crime scene.
The Gold’s Tom Cullen, The Handmaid’s Tale actor O. T. Fagbenle, Bad Education’s Sarah Solemani and The Hack’s Lee Ingleby play the adult-aged quartet.
Netflix thriller Safe (2018)
The streaming service’s debut foray into Harlan’s twisty universe, Safe, has Dexter’s Michael C Hall to brag about.
He plays paediatric surgeon and widower Tom Delaney, who’s struggling to connect with daughters Jenny and Carrie following the loss of their mother. The drama kicks into gear when Jenny goes missing, leading to Tom’s desperate search for her.
Safe’s Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus lauds the “superb cast who carry its soapy, mystery-laden drama just well enough to offer an entertaining diversion”. Hustle’s Marc Warren, Sherlock’s Amanda Abbington, and Footballers’ Wives star Laila Rouass also appear.
The eight-parter is still available to watch on Netflix.
The Stranger on Netflix (2020)
Two years after Safe got the mystery-thriller ball rolling on Netflix, out came eight-parter The Stranger. Richard Armitage would go on to appear in three more Harlan adaptations after portraying Adam Price here.
As for the action itself, one day a shadowy woman approaches Adam to pass on a secret. His wife Corinne proceeds to go AWOL and so begins an investigation into who this stranger might be and what she knows.
Siobhán Finneran (Happy Valley), Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones), Marvel Cinematic Universe alumnus Hannah John-Kamen, and Oscar-nominee Stephen Rea fill out the cast. Meanwhile, comedy great Jennifer Saunders is rather fabulous in a very rare straight role.
Harlan Coben’s Stay Close (2021)
Netflix subscribers had to wait just shy of two years for their next taste of Harlan’s signature head-scratching soup.
At the tail end of 2021, we got Stay Close, which orbits Cush Jumbo’s suburban mum Megan Pierce. But guess what? Her past is more than a little bit murky. On the anniversary of Stewart Green’s disappearance, another local fella vanishes. This pushes detective Michael Broome into mazy territory that threatens to stir up old memories and expose dangerous truths.
Northern Irish gem James Nesbitt, Shakespeare & Hathaway’s Jo Joyner, Industry’s Sarah Parish, Richard Armitage and Eddie Izzard co-star. Stay Close’s score on Rotten Tomatoes sits handsomely at 92%. The eight-parter is currently available to watch on Netflix.
Prime Video thriller Shelter (2023)
Shelter is notable for its inclusion of young character Mickey Bolitar, the teenage nephew of Harlan’s regular literary hero Myron Bolitar. Mickey is brought to life by actor Jaden Michael, who appeared in 2017 film Wonderstruck alongside Julianne Moore.
In the eight-parter, Mickey’s life is upended by the disappearance of a fellow school pupil. Soon enough, his quiet community seems a whole lot darker beneath the surface.
Look out for House of Cards cast member Constance Zimmer, Grease icon Didi Conn, and Gone Girl’s Missi Pyle on screen.
Netflix series Fool Me Once (2024)
Last year’s offering was an adaptation of 2016 novel Fool Me Once. It took Michelle Keegan back to her Our Girl days as an ex-military pilot named Maya Stern.
The twist? Still reeling from her husband Joe’s murder – hello Richard Armitage – Maya installs a child monitor in the house after harbouring suspicions about the nanny. To her shock, Maya rather miraculously sees her ‘late’ husband turn up in some of the camera footage! Cue a shocking web of deception involving Joe’s family business and the death of Maya’s sister. No zombies to speak of, though.
At the National Television Awards, Fool Me Once was nominated in the Drama Performance and New Drama categories. Kin favourite Emmett J Scanlan, Sherwood’s Adeel Akhtar, and Joanne Lumley provide stellar support in this eight-part Harlan Coben series.
Missing You on Netflix (2025)
Five-episode mystery series Missing You was unleashed on Netflix on New Year’s Eve 2025, a growing tradition on the streaming service.
Led by Slow Horses star Rosalind Eleazar, Missing You is similar to Fool Me Once in that it concerns somebody popping up where they’re not supposed to be. Rosalind’s detective Kat Donovan discovers that her missing fiancé Josh has a dating app profile – more than 10 years since she last saw him.
Ashley Walters, star of beloved London crime drama Top Boy, plays Josh. EastEnders’ Jessica Plummer, Lenny Henry, Inside No. 9’s Steve Pemberton and musician Matt Willis are also involved. The casting through line between Harlan thrillers continues with James Nesbitt, Marc Warren and Richard Armitage.
Read more: Missing You star Richard Armitage: Why he keeps returning to Netflix thrillers
