The best order to watch all Harlan Coben’s mysteries – starting with Fool Me Once, and Lazarus at 8

Determining Harlan Coben’s best TV series is tricky – it really depends on personal preference! But that won’t stop us from considering them, especially with his newest show, Lazarus, now available. Each series clearly showcases Coben’s unique writing style – it’s evident in every plot twist and character. (Think of it like a distinctive mark left at a crime scene… you get the idea!)

Last year, the series Fool Me Once quickly became a huge hit. Starring Michelle Keegan, it premiered on New Year’s Day in 2024 and immediately climbed the streaming charts, eventually becoming one of Netflix’s most-watched series ever.

The series Missing You followed a similar release plan for the streaming platform, debuting on January 1, 2025. Another show has earned a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – surprisingly, it’s neither Fool Me Once nor Missing You.

Here’s a complete list of Harlan Coben series you can currently watch, with what we consider the best one saved for last.

12. Gone for Good (Netflix)

This French thriller, which first came out in 2021, follows a man whose life is turned upside down when his girlfriend disappears without a trace.

This man has already gone through a terrible loss, and the five episodes reveal more about what happened, with many surprising twists and turns along the way.

11. Caught (aka Atrapados) (Netflix)

This Netflix series marked author Harlan Coben’s first Spanish-language production. It stars Argentinian actors Soledad Villamil and Alberto Ammann in a mystery about a journalist investigating criminals who have always gotten away with their crimes. As she digs deeper, she finds herself questioning where her true loyalties lie.

10. Hold Tight (Netflix)

This Polish thriller centers around a mother desperately searching for her missing teenage son. The disappearance happens shortly after one of his friends dies, adding to the mystery and tension.

9. Shelter (Prime Video)

This new thriller from Harlan Coben features a surprisingly young cast, led by Jaden Michael and Adrian Greensmith. The story follows a teenager who moves to New Jersey after a loss and quickly becomes involved in the mystery surrounding a missing student at his new school.

8. Lazarus (Prime Video)

Harlan Coben’s latest thriller is now available on Amazon Prime Video, and reviewers are calling it a suspenseful, chilling watch. Some have compared it to the films The Silence of the Lambs and The Sixth Sense. The six-episode series, co-created by Danny Brocklehurst (a Bafta winner), stars Sam Claflin as a man named Lazarus who comes home to discover his father, played by Bill Nighy, has died by suicide.

With support from his sister, Jenna (Alexandra Roach), Lazarus starts experiencing unsettling and unexplainable events. Haunted by memories and connected to victims in old, unsolved murder cases, he finds himself investigating cold cases while trying to uncover the truth about his father’s death and the murder of his other sister, which happened 25 years prior.

7. Just One Look (Netflix)

Harlan Coben’s story has been adapted for television twice before, first in France and then in Poland. While the pacing can be slow, both versions generally stick closely to the original plot: a jewelry designer begins searching for her missing husband after seeing a photo of him with unfamiliar faces.

6. Safe (Netflix)

Tom, played by Michael C. Hall (known for Dexter), is a well-off doctor trying to manage life as a single father after the loss of his wife. Things become much harder when his teenage daughter, Jenny, disappears with her boyfriend following a party.

Now that Tom is dating a police detective, he’s been getting her help with the search. However, as he investigates on his own, he begins to discover a lot of hidden truths.

The story jumps between the present and the past. In the present day, a prosecutor in Warsaw investigates a newly discovered body. The question is, will this discovery reveal anything about what happened at a summer camp years ago?

5. The Stranger (Netflix)

I remember when The Stranger first dropped on Netflix in January 2020 – everyone was talking about it! It really seemed like the show that put Harlan Coben on the map for a lot of people, and it was a total hit.

The show featured a fantastic cast, including Richard Armitage – who’s become well-known for his roles in Harlan Coben adaptations – Siobhan Finneran from Happy Valley, Anthony Head of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the iconic Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous.

Okay, so I just heard about this crazy story! It starts with a guy getting approached by some mysterious dude in a baseball cap who whispers a secret to him. And then… his whole life falls apart! His wife vanishes, and I’m immediately wondering what this stranger’s involvement is. Seriously, what did he tell the guy, and how does it connect to his wife disappearing? It’s a total head-scratcher!

4. Missing You (Netflix)

Missing You, starring Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, and Ashley Walters, offers the familiar thrills and quality you’d expect from a Harlan Coben/Netflix production.

Rosalind Eleazar, known for her role in Slow Horses, plays a detective whose world is turned upside down when she unexpectedly finds her ex-fiancé’s dating profile – the same man who disappeared and cut off contact eleven years earlier. Unraveling the mystery of his vanishing act also leads her to investigate the suspicious death of her father.

3. Stay Close (Netflix)

Cush Jumbo and James Nesbitt return to head a fantastic cast, joined this time by Suzy Eddie Izzard, Richard Armitage, and Sarah Parish.

A mother of three living in the suburbs, a photographer, and a detective wrestling with an unsolved case are unexpectedly connected when a troubling event from the past resurfaces.

Following the tragic death of her husband, Joe, Maya sets up a nanny cam to keep an eye on their house and daughter. While reviewing the recordings, she’s stunned to see her husband…

2. The Innocent (Netflix)

This Spanish Harlan Coben series is the only one to receive a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It premiered on the streaming platform in 2021. The story begins with a man accidentally causing a death, sending his life into turmoil. Just when he starts to find happiness and escape, a phone call drags him back into the dangerous situation he thought he’d left behind.

1. Fool Me Once (Netflix)

Michelle Keegan’s performance significantly boosted the Harlan Coben drama, and it’s no surprise that Fool Me Once has become the most-watched adaptation so far. The captivating scenes between Keegan’s Maya Stern and Joanna Lumley’s brilliantly villainous Judith Burkett are a highlight. You can now find Harlan Coben’s stories on both Netflix and Amazon Prime.

I’m so excited! The latest issue of Living Legends is out, and it features Ariana & Witches! You can grab a copy at all good newsagents or order it online for only £8.99. I’m definitely getting one!

2025-10-23 16:51