
Harlan Coben's Run Away on Netflix: Cast, plot and start date confirmed of 'twisty thriller'
Helen Fear | 5:29pm Mon 20 Oct | Updated 6:59pm Mon 20 OctHarlan Coben’s Run Away is the latest of his books to get the Netflix treatment – and the upcoming adaptation will feature some familiar faces in the cast.
The streaming channel has confirmed that actor James Nesbitt will be central to the cast, making it his third appearance in a Coben adaptation.
So who else is in the cast of Harlan Coben’s Run Away on Netflix, what’s the plot, and when is the expected start date? Here’s everything we know so far…

What is the next Harlan Coben adaptation on Netflix?
Harlan Coben and Netflix go together like cheese and wine, and the latest book adaptation is coming soon.
The next series will be a dramatisation of the novel Run Away. Missing You launched on Netflix on New Year’s Day 2025 and, once again, proved a huge hit.
After its success, the streaming service has confirmed that the next Harlan Coben is coming soon – and the cast are already on board.
What’s the plot of Run Away?
Harlan Coben’s Run Away was first published in 2019, and has been described as a “twisty thriller”. So far, so Coben. Danny Brocklehurst has adapted the series for TV.
The plot synopsis for the bestselling book reads: “Your daughters if missing. You’ll risk anything to find her. And then you see her, frightened and clearly in trouble. You approach her, beg her to come home. But she runs…
“You follow her into a dark, dangerous world where no-one is safe and murder is commonplace. Now it’s your life on the line.”
Meanwhile, the series description reads: “Simon had the perfect life – loving wife and kids, great job, beautiful home. But then his eldest daughter Paige ran away and everything fell apart. So now, when he finds her vulnerable and strung out on drugs in a city park, he finally has the chance to bring his little girl home.”
It continues: “But it turns out she’s not alone, and an argument escalates into shocking violence. In the aftermath, Simon loses his daughter all over again, and his search to find her will take him into a dangerous underworld, revealing deep secrets that could tear his family apart forever.”

How many episodes is Run Away on Netflix?
Harlan Coben’s next adaptation will be eight episodes of an hour long. This follows the same pattern as previous adaptations Safe, Stay Close, The Stranger, and Fool Me Once.
Only 2025’s Missing You was shorter at only five episodes.
Who’s in the cast?
Netflix’s Harlan Coben adaptations are typically strewn with buckets of famous faces, and Run Away is no exception.
James Nesbitt, Ruth Jones and Minnie Driver have all been announced in the cast of the upcoming thriller.
For James, it will mark his third collaboration with the dream team that is Coben and Netflx. He previously played DS Michael Broome in 2021’s Stay Close, and career criminal Dominic Calligan in Missing You. Like Richard Armitage before him, Nesbitt is fast becoming a familiar face in the thrillers. He plays the leading role of Simon in Run Away.
Although, there’s no sign – so far – of Richard being in Run Away. He’s been in four so far, including Missing You, Fool Me Once, Stay Close, and The Stranger.
Run Away will also star Gavin & Stacey actor Ruth Jones, and Good Will Hunting actress Minnie Driver.
Meanwhile, other stars set to appear include The Couple Next Door actor Alfred Enoch, Conclave’s Lucian Msamati, Big Boys’ Jon Pointing, and Hollyoaks’ Ellie Henry.
Wolf Hall actress Ellie de Lange will play Simon’s daughter, while Adrian Greensmith will appear in his second Harlan Coben adaptation, having previously starred in Shelter.
EastEnders’ Tracy-Ann Oberman, Hollyoaks’ Joe McGann, and Midsomer Murders’ Annette Badland will also star. Ingrid Oliver, Maeve Courtier-Lilley, Finty Williams, and Amy Gledhill complete the cast.

Where is it filmed?
Like previous adaptations, Run Away will relocate the story from the US to the UK. Harlan Coben is an American author and sets his books in his home country.
Filming for Run Away is set to start around Manchester and the North West of England in January 2025.
When will the next Harlan Coben adaptation Run Away be released?
Netflix has now confirmed that Run Away will land on the streaming channel on New Year’s Day 2026.
New Harlan Coben series usually arrive on Netflix at the beginning of each year – often on New Year’s Day. It will land as a boxset.
What Harlan Coben series are currently on Netflix?
Netflix has greenlit another new Harlan Coben adaptation called I Will Find You.
According to Variety, the new series is based on the author’s bestselling 2023 novel of the same name. The story centres on a father, in prison and serving a life sentence for the murder of his son.
However, the dad has always maintained his innocence… And when new evidence surfaces suggesting his son may still be alive, he hatches a plan to break out of prison to find answers.
Harlan Coben’s 2017 novel Caught is also getting a Netflix adaptation.
If you can’t wait, there are several Coben series and films currently available to stream on Netflix. These include Missing You, Stay Close, The Stranger, The Innocent, Safe, Gone for Good, Hold Tight, Fool Me Once, and The Woods.
Meanwhile, twisty thriller Lazarus arrives on Prime Video on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
Run Away is one of 13 titles from bestselling author Harlan Coben produced for Netflix. Coben continues his work with local screenwriters from around the world to bring his novels to life on screen, so far across four languages.
Read more: Harlan Coben series: Lazarus creator’s English-language mysteries from Safe to Missing You