What brings audiences back to Harlan Coben’s Netflix shows? The execs behind Fool Me Once and the new Missing You (Jan. 1) think it’s the mix of twists, heart and human connection that is Coben’s trademark.
“It’s from the very twisted mind of Harlan Coben. And I mean twisted in the best way possible – stories that are always twisting and surprising,” says Nicola Shindler, exec producer and founder of Quay Street Productions, the ITV Studios company behind both shows. “You know from the start Harlan has a great ending planned and the journey there is full of surprises.”
Richard Fee, Shindler’s fellow exec producer, points to the emotional depth of these thrillers. “Tone wise there’s warmth, heart and humanity to the way Harlan writes,” he says. “Yes we have the thrills but there’s always room for humour and likeable characters that keep the audience invested.”
Coben himself agrees. “It’s all about stirring the heart,” he says. “Yes we can deliver thrills and twists but the warmth and human connection is what makes it special.”
Unraveling the Mystery in Missing You
Missing You follows Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar, Slow Horses) a Missing Persons detective. Eleven years since her fiancé Josh (Ashley Walters) disappeared Kat sees his face on a dating app. This forces her to re open the long cold case of her dad’s murder and uncover the truth she’s been hiding from herself.
Adapted by Victoria Asare-Archer the series stars Lenny Henry as Kat’s dad, Richard Armitage as her boss and Jessica Plummer as her best friend. With Steve Pemberton, Mary Malone, Lisa Faulkner and James Nesbitt amongst others Missing You is a complex and layered story with personal stakes and thriller tension.
For Shindler it’s not just about the suspense. “Our job is to provide escapism” she says. “We want to take people out of their lives and into a story that’s fun and meaningful. You can be entertained and say something important.”
With its twisty plotting, complex characters and emotional heart Missing You is the latest in Harlan Coben’s long line of global hits. Whether it’s the shocks, the sentiment or just the fun of it all this one will have you hooked from start to finish.
