In 2018 Netflix released the first adaptation of a novel by the best-selling author Harlan Coben. Titled Safe and starring Michael C. Hall, the miniseries’ success turned the writer’s works into the American company’s favorite source of inspiration. Seven years later, of his twenty novels that are not part of a saga, more than half have already been brought to the screen. Because the expert in disappearances, crimes and gripping mysteries is the perfect creator to enjoy an addictive production and streaming platforms know it well.
This same week, Amazon Prime Video released Lazarus, which more than an adaptation is his first foray into the audiovisual industry as a screenwriter. And in the coming months, his two latest novels are also planned to jump to the small screen. Because as in the world of literature, when a formula works, why not get as much out of it as possible?
So if you are also a fan of suspense series, mysteries that stretch over time, inexplicable disappearances and murders that transform an entire community, these are all Harlan Coben mini-series, perfect for a fall afternoon with a blanket and sofa.
Mario Casas, protagonista de la adaptación de The Innocent.
The Innocent. Netflix.
Publicada en España en 2006, esta miniserie española de 8 episodios protagonizada por Mario Casas, cuenta la historia de Mat, que intentó detener una pelea de buena fe y acabó cometiendo un asesinato. Nueve años después, trata de empezar de cero con su mujer, Olivia. Mientras ella está de viaje de negocios, recibe una estremecedora llamada desde el móvil de ella y emprende una carrera frenética para llegar al fondo del asunto. Su inocencia se pondrá de nuevo en tela de juicio, esta vez por parte de Lorena, una policía que investiga un suicidio.
Michelel Keegan in an image from the miniseries Engaños.
Engaños. Netflix.
On January 1, 2024, the adaptation of Fool Me Once, originally published in 2016, premiered on the red streaming platform. Michelle Keegan is the lead, tasked with portraying Maya Stern, a woman who tries to assimilate the atrocious murder of her husband. But after installing a camera in her home to watch over her young daughter, she discovers, to her surprise, that he may not be dead. A riveting story that exposes unsettling secrets and will change the lives of all the characters forever.
Rosalind Elezar in an image from the miniseries Te echo de menos.
Te echo de menos. Netflix.
Eleven years ago, Josh, the fiancé of detective Kat Donovan and the love of her life, disappeared without a trace and she has heard from him since. One day, while looking at a dating app, she suddenly comes across his face and her world crumbles again. A reappearance that will force her to dive back into the mystery surrounding her father’s murder and to uncover secrets from her past that had remained hidden for a long time. It premiered on January 1 and is led by Rosalind Eleazar, whom we can also see in Slow Horses.
Michael C. Hall in an image from Safe, the adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel.
Safe. Netflix.
Michael C. Hall (Dexter, Six Feet Under) leads the cast of this miniseries where he embodies Tom, a widower who lives in a beautiful suburb with his two daughters. There he has friends, and he has even begun a new relationship. But when his eldest daughter disappears under strange circumstances, he discovers that he knows nothing about the people around him. The past, and the mystery surrounding his wife’s death that fills him with guilt, will drive him and the community he lives in to a final judgment that threatens to destroy them… Or will lead them to redemption.
Cush Jumbo in an image from the miniseries Stay Close.
Stay Close. Netflix.
Cush Jumbo (The Good Fight) stars in this adaptation of Stay Close, which follows four people who hide dark secrets from their loved ones: Megan, a working mother of three, Ray, a documentary photographer who once aspired to have it all, Broome, a police inspector unable to accept the failed conclusion of the case of a missing person, and Lorraine, a friend of Megan. The past has returned to haunt them and also threatens to ruin their lives and those around them.
Richard Armitage in an image from No Hables con Extraños, the adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel.
No Hables con Extraños. Netflix.
When a stranger makes an unimaginable claim about his wife, Adam Price—father of a family—finds himself drawn into a mystery that will lead him to seek answers. Suddenly, an unexpected web of secrets compels him to embark on a desperate mission to uncover the truth about those closest to him. Starring Richard Armitage, a familiar face in Coben’s adaptations, this British miniseries premiered in 2020.
Imagen from the miniseries Solo una mirada.
Solo una mirada. Netflix.
Of Polish origin, this six-episode miniseries tells the story of a jewelry designer who, after the appearance of a disturbing photograph, is forced to confront hidden truths and hazy memories to protect her husband and their dark secrets. Originally published in 2008 in our country, the production arrived on the platform this year.
Imagen de la adaptación de la novela de Harlan Coben, Ni una palabra.
Ni una palabra. Netflix.
Another Polish adaptation of a best-selling novelist is this miniseries set in a gated community of wealthy families who lead a quiet life. However, everything will change when Adam, an 18-year-old, disappears without a trace.
Soledad Villamil in an image from the Argentine miniseries Atrapados.
Atrapados. Netflix.
The second Coben adaptation in Spanish is this Argentine miniseries starring Soledad Villamil (The Secret in Their Eyes) and Alberto Ammann, set in Bariloche, in Argentine Patagonia. There, journalist Ema Garay earns prominence in digital journalism by capturing criminals who usually evade justice. But her life will take a turn when she meets Leo Mercer, a social figure who ultimately becomes the main suspect in her investigation into the disappearance of a young woman.
Imagen de la miniserie polaca Bosque adentro.
In the Forest. Netflix.
Set across two different timelines, this Polish miniseries tells the story of Pavel Kopiński, a Warsaw prosecutor who, even after 25 years, still laments the loss of his sister after she vanished during a summer camp and was never seen again. The appearance of the child who disappeared alongside her makes Pavel regain hope, while dangerous family secrets threaten to tear apart everything he has tried to keep together.
Imagen de la miniserie francesa Por siempre jamás.
Forever and Ever. Netflix.
From French origin, this miniseries tells the story of Guillaume Licchesi, a young man in his thirties who believed he had buried the terrible tragedy in which two people he loved most died: Sonia, his first love, and Fred, his brother. Ten years later, Guillaume’s life regains meaning thanks to the love of Judith. But when Judith disappears during her mother’s funeral, he must face truths that friends and family kept from him, and those he chose to ignore long ago.
Imagen de la adaptación de la novela de Harlan Coben, Refugio.
Refugio. Amazon Prime Video.
In 2023 the story of Mickey Bolitar, a young man who, after his father’s sudden death, is forced to start a new life in a New Jersey town, arrived on the small screen. He becomes entangled in the mysterious disappearance of a schoolgirl, which leads him to uncover unimaginable secrets in his otherwise quiet community. With the help of his friends, Mickey will discover that the place he has just arrived at could hold the answers to decades of disappearances, deaths and legends, and even his own family history.
