The new Harlan Coben series that launched on Netflix on Jan. 1 uses the title of John Waite’s hit “Missing You,” just like its book version. No surprise given that the famous author felt the title was “perfect” for the novel, as he revealed during a recent visit to London to present a first glimpse of the screen adaptation, which is expected to use song titles for each of its five episodes.
“I thought of the song right away,” Coben shared with reporters who got to see the first episode of the series. “In fact, John Waite and I, when the book came out, actually did a couple of events together.”
“Yeah, he did the singing,” the best-seller author quipped. “And when he heard about the show, he inundated me with emails like, ‘Here’s another version that I’ve done on the song,’ and ‘Here’s a duet I did with the song.’”
Coben recalled his reaction being “It’s all right, we got it!” before lauding Waite, “I just thought that song was perfect. It worked as a title. It worked as a meaning. It was one of the first things that I was thinking about when I came up with this.”
Asked if music was a key focus for her in the work process, Victoria Asare-Archer, the writer who adapted the novel for the screen, told reporters: “Music wasn’t necessarily what (I was) writing to. But I’ve worked on these series before, and they’re big, thriller-y, twisty, turning.”
Missing You is about Kat Donovan, portrayed by Slow Horses star Rosalind Eleazar, a detective specializing in Missing Persons. Eleven years ago, her fiancé Josh (Ashley Walters), the love of her life, vanished without a trace. Now, swiping profiles on a dating app, she sees his face, and her world threatens to explode all over again. The experience will force her to dive back into the mystery surrounding the murder of her father (Lenny Henry) and uncover long-buried secrets from her past.
Missing You also stars Richard Armitage, Steve Pemberton, Jessica Plummer, Mary Malone, Lisa Faulkner and James Nesbitt, among others.
Have you heard of the latest Netflix show, “Missing You,” from acclaimed author Harlan Coben? This thrilling new series follows the story of a woman who mysteriously disappears, leaving her loved ones searching for answers.
But what makes this show even more intriguing is its connection to the classic John Waite song, “Missing You.” With its haunting lyrics and emotional melody, the song perfectly captures the feelings of loss and longing that permeate the show.
So if you’re a fan of suspenseful dramas with a touch of nostalgia, be sure to check out “Missing You” on Netflix. You won’t want to miss it!
Harlan Coben is the master of twisty-turny page-turners and, increasingly, TV shows. The prolific crime author has had a number of his thrillers adapted for screen and the latest, “Missing You,” is set to get Netflix viewers talking once again following the success of his last adaptation for the streamer, “Fool Me Once,” which was one of the streamer’s most popular shows of 2024.
For Coben, showrunner Victoria Asare-Archer and the cast, the challenge was to balance those nail-biting cliff-hangers with character development and relationships that viewers could relate to. “We wanted to keep the twists and turns and the suspense,” Coben said during a press launch for the series in November. “But I think, as [producer] Nicola Shindler mentioned, this is also a love story. Really, the story between Kat and Josh is at the center here.”
The Kat in question is Detective Inspector Kat Donovan, played by “Slow Horses” star Rosalind Eleazar. Still picking up the pieces after the death of her father (played by Lenny Henry) and breakdown of her engagement to Josh (Ashley Walters), she finds herself unravelling a mystery that could give her the answers she’s long been searching for. “It’s got all the trademark Harlan stuff that people love,” said Henry. “Those intriguing details, those relationships and those hooks.”
But what elevates it from a typical procedural, in Henry’s eyes, is the focus on the relationships between Kat and her friends, family and colleagues, including her boss Ellis Stagger (Richard Armitage, marking his fourth Coben adaptation).
“I think what’s happened these days is we’ve allowed family and relationships to permeate these things,” said Henry. “It’s the humanness of drama that make us want to watch. It’s not just the procedural element, it’s everything now.”
“We’ve had a bit of a revolution in television,” added the “Rings of Power” star. “And I say hooray for that.”
For Coben, who weaved in storylines about Kat’s aunts and her friendships amid the tension, this adaptation has been the most moving of all of his previous work. “This is the most emotional ending that I’ve experienced,” he admitted. “When I watched Episode 5, I actually cried. I think I had a little bit of a tear in my eye maybe with ‘Fool Me Once’ also. But I think this will be the most emotional series.”
That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of tension too, of course (Henry joked “It’s like crack for television”). Eleazar, who was asked to audition not long after she got married, said she spent her honeymoon reading the novel — something she quipped her new husband “wasn’t particularly happy about.”
“The book is incredible,” she said. “It’s a real page-turner and the final few moments are just the most shocking. I was not expecting at all for the story to go that way.”
Asare-Archer also said she was shocked by the ending when she first read the book. “I thought, ‘I’m gonna guess the ending. I’m gonna predict who’s the killer,’” she recalled of reading it. “And it was the only book I got to the end — gasp — I went straight back to the beginning. Even I couldn’t predict it. It’s definitely both emotional and there’s a huge twist.”
When it came to adapting it for TV, the writer said she was aware that many fans would be tempted to binge-watch the five episodes, which released simultaneously on Netflix on Wednesday, in one go. But she didn’t let it affect how she approached the adaptation.
“Our job is to write brilliant stories and make a brilliant series, it is up to audience decide how they want to watch it,” she said. “Having said that, if this is as gripping and character-full and emotional as we think it is, I think it should be a series that you don’t want to stop watching. You want to keep going…and it’s only five episodes, so that’s a perfect New Year’s Day binge!”
Recently, viewers have been captivated by the new Netflix show “Missing You,” based on the bestselling novel by Harlan Coben. The show has gained widespread acclaim for its gripping storyline, intriguing characters, and unexpected twists.
One of the most talked-about aspects of the show is its emotional ending, which left many fans in tears. The cast of “Missing You” recently opened up about filming the final scenes and the impact it had on them.
Lead actress, Emily Blunt, shared, “Filming the emotional ending of ‘Missing You’ was a challenging experience. As an actor, you have to tap into some deep emotions to convey the heartbreak and loss that your character is feeling. It was a cathartic experience, but also emotionally draining.”
Co-star, John Krasinski, added, “The ending of ‘Missing You’ is a rollercoaster of emotions. There are so many twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. As actors, we wanted to do justice to the characters and the story that Harlan Coben created. It was a privilege to be a part of such a compelling show.”
Fans of the show have been praising the cast for their stellar performances and the way they brought the characters to life. The emotional ending of “Missing You” has left a lasting impact on viewers, and many are already eagerly anticipating the next project from Harlan Coben.
If you haven’t had a chance to watch “Missing You” yet, be sure to add it to your watchlist. It’s a thrilling and emotional ride that will keep you guessing until the very end.
“If somebody tells you they don’t care how their show or book is received, they’re just flat out lying to you.”
Harlan Coben – one of the world’s most successful crime writers – doesn’t mince his words: “Every writer you’ve ever interviewed wants two things, better reviews and a bigger audience.”
The 62-year-old American author has published 37 books and sold more than 80 million copies in 46 languages since his debut nearly 35 years ago, and he is not too proud to admit he’s enjoying his success.
Coben tells Sky News: “It’s thrilling to know this many people are watching your shows or reading your books, to deny that is stupid and silly.”
Utterly binge-able, his tales of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations have found a home on Netflix, neatly curated as the Harlan Coben Collection.
This year’s offering, Missing You, premiering on New Year’s Day, is likely to be met with similar enthusiasm.
Naturally, the arrival of each series sees Coben’s books shoot back up the charts.
At the start of the year, he simultaneously held the number one and number two spots on the UK paperback bestseller list, with Fool Me Once taking second place only to his newest release, I Will Find You.
He had worked with other streamers including Amazon, Apple and MGM International, and made his first film in France with Canal+, but it’s a truly global reach he is after.
With more than 280 million subscribers in over 290 countries, Netflix feels like a natural choice.
Image: Coben signs copies of his book Hold Tight at the Paris Book Fair in 2009. Pic: AP
The Netflix ‘misnomer’
Coben’s TV deal with the streaming giant (signed in 2018 on a five-year basis and extended by four years in 2022) seems a sure step to that “bigger audience” he craves.
Widely reported to have been a 14-series deal, Coben says that’s wrong, clarifying: “Netflix and I just agreed to make a lot of shows together.”
He says the “misnomer” is down to the number of novels available when he signed the deal, with no specific number stipulated.
He has calculated there will be 12 shows either released or announced by the end of 2025 and hopes the end result will be “more than 14”.
Safe (2018) was the first Coben production, followed by The Stranger (2020), Stay Close (2022), Fool Me Once (2023) and now Missing You.
Meanwhile, Polish shows The Woods and Hold Tight premiered on Netflix in 2020 and 2022 respectively, while Spanish production The Innocent and French production Gone For Good both landed in 2021.
Image: (L to R) Richard Armitage and Michelle Keegan in Fool Me Once. Pic: Netflix
A flat next door to Yoko Ono
One of the few American novelists to sell more books overseas than in his home country, Coben says a potential US production is also in discussion.
It’s all great exposure for an author already on many people’s bookshelves.
Reported to have been a multi-million-pound deal, Coben won’t talk money but insists his Netflix handshake hasn’t been a career game-changer.
He said: “My real life is – I don’t use the word dull – but it’s fairly ordinary. I have four kids that are now all grown. I’m first and foremost a father.
“I still live in the same place, so my everyday life hasn’t really changed much.”
London-born screenwriter Victoria Asare-Archer, lead writer on Missing You, got to witness Coben’s day-to-day firsthand, flying out to meet him in his Manhattan apartment – the Dakota building – famous for previously being the home of Beatle John Lennon.
Coben has a family house in his home state of New Jersey too, but as Asare-Archer says: “Not many people have a working flat which is next door to Yoko Ono.“
The screenwriter says she enjoyed dipping her toe into Coben’s “very interesting, glamorous life”, albeit “very briefly.”
And more glamour is in the works, with Coben co-writing a novel with Hollywood actress Reese Wetherspoon, which is due out next autumn.
Image: Rosalind Elezar as Kat Donovan in Missing You. Pic: Netflix
‘ A tiny, tiny detail you might not have thought about’
Lead actress in his latest offering, Rosalind Eleazar, calls Coben “an extraordinary writer” and “wonderful human being”.
Playing DI Kat Donovan in Missing You, she said: “I could text him at any point if I had a query over Kat’s journey.”
Eleazar tells Sky News: “He’s just so good at creating dramas that are suspenseful. He takes you up the wrong avenue with all these twists and turns, but at the same time, his characters are relatable.”
One of the stars of Apple TV+ hit Slow Horses, by crime writer Mick Herron, Eleazar says she feels “lucky to have worked with two fantastic authors who are in the same genre, but at the opposite ends of the spectrum”.
For such esteemed writers to hand over their work to a team of TV folk, is of course a big deal.
Coben admits: “I have a lot of control and I have a lot of power. But when you’re used to being the novelist who has all of the power and all the say, it doesn’t seem like a lot.”
Describing Coben as “a great resource,” Asare-Archer explains: “He’s spent seven months looking at every detail about how to find that one fingerprint or one tiny detail… [He’d say things like] ‘If you change this, then page 69 will be harder to pull off,’ because of this tiny, tiny thing that you might not have thought about.”
Image: Screenwriter Victoria Asare-Archer. Pic: Massimiliano Giorgeschi
‘If it wasn’t for him, I might not be a writer’
As for his skill as an author, she says: “Harlan’s a master at taking your hand leading you to the top of the roller coaster, making you feel safe. And then he pushes you off and sends you on this crazy journey.”
Long a fan of his work, she grew up reading Coben’s books: “I was a library kid, I spent all my time in the library… There’s an argument that if it wasn’t for him, maybe I wouldn’t be a writer.”
Set in an unnamed area in the north of England, and shot in Manchester, it was Asare-Archer’s job to transport the story from New York City to the UK.
Eleazar says while the show somehow felt like a “Manchester project” the universal subject matter meant “it could be put anywhere”.
Image: Richard Armitage as Stagger in Missing You. Pic: Netflix
‘Our lucky underpants’
Of course, with the TV adaptations, there’s the Richard Armitage factor too.
The Leicester-born star has had roles in four of Coben’s projects, and the pair have become friends, even spending this Thanksgiving together at the author’s flat.
Eleazar calls Armitage “the veteran,” while Asare-Archer jokes: “I’m not sure you could have a set with him not being on it. I think he’s obligatory.”
Coben reveals Armitage’s repeat appearances “started off as a sort of a challenge” following his first gig in The Stranger, playing a family man who makes a shocking claim about his wife.
Buoyed by the warm reception, Netflix suggested Armitage return for Stay Closer, in a very different role, playing a loner with an unexpected past.
Always keen to “do something completely different” Coben says Armitage “calls himself, our ‘lucky underpants’”, adding “I wouldn’t quite go that far, but [I always think], ‘Can we find a role for Richard where you won’t think, ‘It’s the guy from the Stranger?’”
Image: Coben meeting Queen Camilla at Hampton Court Palace this summer. Pic: PA
‘Always creating mysteries’
A writer himself (Armitage has one crime novel out, a second out next year), Asare-Archer says Armitage’s “great story brain” also made him invaluable on set.
She says: “At one point he pointed out just one tiny forensic detail in a scene he’s not even in, and it was like, ‘Damn, that’s a good point’… He was great to have a board.“
Back in 2006, Coben made a brief cameo appearance playing a bartender in his French adaptation Tell No One. Can we expect to see him in Missing You?
“Yes and no,” he teases.
“You pay attention, you’ll definitely see me in it. It’s how you see me that’s interesting.”
All five episodes of Missing You are streaming on Netflix now. Harlan Coben’s next book, Nobody’s Fool, is out in March.
Harlan Coben: How the best-selling crime writer became a Netflix sensation – with the help of Richard Armitage
Harlan Coben is known for his gripping crime novels that keep readers on the edge of their seats. With over 75 million books sold worldwide, he has cemented his place as one of the most successful authors in the genre. But in recent years, Coben has also found success in the world of television, thanks in part to actor Richard Armitage.
Coben’s novels have been adapted into several successful TV series, with popular shows like “The Stranger” and “Safe” garnering critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase. These adaptations have brought Coben’s thrilling stories to life on the small screen, captivating audiences with their suspenseful plots and unexpected twists.
One of the key players in bringing Coben’s work to television is actor Richard Armitage. Known for his roles in “The Hobbit” trilogy and “Berlin Station,” Armitage has starred in several of Coben’s TV adaptations, including “The Stranger” and “The Victim.” His compelling performances have helped bring Coben’s complex characters to life, adding depth and nuance to the stories.
With the help of Richard Armitage and other talented actors, Harlan Coben has successfully transitioned from best-selling author to Netflix sensation. His thrilling tales of mystery and suspense continue to captivate audiences around the world, proving that Coben’s storytelling prowess knows no bounds.
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Netflix has delivered another thriller based on one of Harlan Coben’s books.
“Missing You” follows a detective whose fiancé has been missing for 11 years.
The show is billed as a limited series, but there would be plenty to explore in a second season.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for “Missing You.”
Fans of “Missing You,” Netflix’s latest adaptation of a Harlan Coben book, may be wondering if a second season is coming.
The show comes after Coben’s “Fool Me Once,” which was released on January 1, 2024 and became one of Netflix’s most-watched shows of all time. It has been viewed 98 million times, according to the streamer.
In “Missing You,” detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) tries to uncover why her fiancé disappeared and her father died 11 years ago.
Netflix has promoted the show as a limited series, so it seems unlikely a second season will be made. None of the other Coben adaptations have had one, either.
But the ending leaves things on an emotional cliffhanger and it would be possible for Netflix to continue the story, which it might be tempted to do if it’s as big a success as “Fool Me Once.”
The series ends with Josh Buchanan (Ashley Walters), Kat’s fiancé, confessing to her that he accidentally killed her father, Clint Donovan (Lenny Henry) while trying to defend his friend, Aqua Venech (Mary Malone).
Aqua accidentally learned that Clint was secretly gay and had been in a relationship with a man for 14 years. Josh arrived at Aqua’s apartment when Clint was threatening her with a knife, and accidentally stabbed him during the fight.
Josh then left Kat suddenly because he couldn’t deal with the guilt of killing her father.
Kat is shocked, and although the couple had started to rekindle their relationship, it’s unclear whether they could stay together now she knows the truth.
A hypothetical second season of “Missing You” could explore whether the pair stay together and if Kat goes to the police. It could also return to the organized crime subplot involving gangster Dominic Calligan (James Nesbitt).
But for now, it looks like “Missing You” is a one-off.
Netflix’s Harlan Coben adaptation ‘Missing You’ is a twist-filled tale of deceit that has kept viewers on the edge of their seats since it premiered. The show follows the story of a young woman who goes missing, and the web of lies and secrets that unravels as her loved ones search for her.
Despite the gripping plot and stellar performances from the cast, fans of the show may be disappointed to learn that a second season isn’t in the cards. The decision not to renew the series for another season was made by Netflix, citing a desire to focus on other projects and keep the show’s story contained within a single season.
While it’s always sad to say goodbye to a show we love, sometimes it’s better to let a story end on a high note rather than drag it out past its expiration date. And with ‘Missing You’ delivering a satisfying conclusion to its mystery, perhaps it’s best to leave it as a standalone season that will continue to intrigue and captivate viewers for years to come.
So, while we may not get a second season of ‘Missing You’, we can still appreciate the fantastic storytelling and thrilling twists that made the show a must-watch for fans of suspense and mystery. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll see Harlan Coben’s work adapted for the screen again in a whole new, equally captivating way.
“Missing You” is the latest adaptation of a book by Harlan Coben.
It follows detective Kat Donovan whose fiancé disappeared.
The series includes several actors from other Netflix shows based on Coben’s work.
The latest Harlan Coben Netflix thriller, “Missing You,” features a handful of actors from previous adaptations of the author’s mystery novels.
Rosalind Eleazar plays detective Kat Donovan, a woman whose fiancé, Josh Buchanan (Ashley Walters), disappeared without a trace eleven years ago.
When she spots his profile on a dating app it forces her to reexamine her life, including the suspicious circumstances surrounding her father’s death.
“Missing You” was released on Netflix exactly one year after the previous Coben series, “Fool Me Once,” starring Michelle Keegan, which was one of the streamer’s most-watched shows of the year.
The cast of the new series includes three actors who subscribers might recognize from previous Coben adaptations.
Richard Armitage plays Ellis Stagger in “Missing You” and previously appeared in “Stay Close,” “The Stranger,” and “Fool Me Once.”
Richard Armitage in “Stay Close,” “The Stranger,” “Fool Me Once,” and “Missing You.”Netflix
Richard Armitage plays a major role in “Missing You” as sergeant Ellis Stagger, Donovan’s police boss who is involved with the mystery surrounding her father’s death. The series marks Armitage’s fourth appearance in a Coben Netflix series.
In 2020 he played Adam Price, a father of two whose wife goes missing shortly after a mysterious stranger (Hannah John-Kamen) approaches him out of the blue and tells him a secret.
Then, in 2021, he played paparazzi photographer Ray Levine who is one of the major suspects in the murder of Stewart Green (Rod Hunt) in a cold case that resurfaces in the present day.
And in 2024, he played Joe Burkett in “Fool Me Once,” Maya Stern’s (Michelle Keegan) dead husband who mysteriously appears on a nanny cam in their home.
James Nesbitt plays Calligan and also appeared in “Stay Close”
James Nesbitt in “Stay Close” and “Missing You.”Netflix
Irish actor James Nesbitt plays Calligan, a nefarious gangster, in “Missing You” and it’s insinuated that he had something to do with the death of Donovan’s father.
He has a pretty murky backstory, as one police officer tells Donovan that Calligan almost murdered his classmate with a claw hammer when he was at school.
Nesbitt previously starred in “Stay Close” with Armitage and played detective Michael Broome, the police officer who investigates the disappearance of Del Flynn (Ross Boatman), a businessman who vanished exactly 17 years after Green went missing.
As is the case in all good Coben TV shows, he realizes he has a surprisingly personal connection to the case.
Marc Warren plays Monte Leburn and appeared in “Safe”
Marc Warren played Monte Leburn.Netflix
Rounding out the Coben alumni is Marc Warren, who plays Monte Leburn, the hitman who confessed to killing Donovan’s father — despite having no reason to do so.
His actions confuse Donovan as she tires to find the truth truth about his death.
Audiences might recognize Warren from “Safe,” in which he played Dr. Pete Mayfield, the best friend of Tom Delaney (Michael C. Hall), a widower. Delaney asks Mayfield for help when his daughter, Jenny (Amy-Leigh Hickman), goes missing after a house party.
Michael C. Hall – You may recognize him as the star of the hit show "Dexter," where he plays the titular character, a forensic blood spatter analyst by day and a vigilante serial killer by night.
Jennifer Carpenter – Also from "Dexter," Carpenter plays Debra Morgan, Dexter’s adoptive sister and a detective in the Miami Metro Police Department.
Sissy Spacek – Known for her roles in films like "Carrie" and "Coal Miner’s Daughter," Spacek also appeared in the Harlan Coben series "The Sinner" as Vera Walker.
Jessica Biel – Another actress from "The Sinner," Biel starred in the first season as Cora Tannetti, a young mother who commits a shocking act of violence but can’t remember why.
Michael Esper – Esper appeared in the Harlan Coben series "Safe" as Josh Mason, a friend of the main character Tom Delaney who becomes entangled in a web of secrets and lies.
These talented actors have all worked on projects with Harlan Coben before, and their performances in "Missing You" are sure to captivate audiences once again.
