Netflix’s 'Missing You' lands this New Year’s Day

Netflix kicks off 2025 with its now-annual tradition of releasing a gripping Harlan Coben adaptation. This year’s offering is Missing You, a five-part series based on the 2014 New York Times bestselling novel by the acclaimed thriller writer.

The show stars Rosalind Eleazar (Slow Horses) as Detective Inspector Kat Donovan, a specialist in locating missing persons, who faces her own unresolved mystery — the disappearance of her fiancé over a decade ago. The story begins with a shocking twist: Donovan spots her ex-fiancé, portrayed by Ashley Walters, on a dating app, reigniting questions that have haunted her for years.

Actor Richard Armitage, a familiar face in Coben’s previous UK adaptations, acknowledges the growing anticipation for these seasonal thrillers. Since 2020, Netflix has released a Harlan Coben series each winter, moving the stories from their original American settings to the moody landscapes of northern England. Armitage reflects, “It’s become a tradition. Viewers now expect their Harlan Coben fix on New Year’s Day.”

The timing seems ideal, agrees Walters, who believes the series will resonate with viewers on a relaxed bank holiday. “Most people are either hung over or just looking for something to occupy their day,” he notes.

One of the series’ standout elements is its intricate plotting, a hallmark of Coben’s writing. Eleazar highlights the thrill of navigating twists and turns that defy prediction. “He’s a genius at leading you astray,” she says. “Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story takes a completely unexpected turn.”

In keeping with the suspenseful nature of the show, the actors were only given the final two scripts towards the end of filming, leaving them to speculate about the outcome. Some turned to the source material for clues, while others embraced the mystery.

Missing You promises to stay true to its source, delivering the hair-raising shocks readers of the novel would anticipate. Armitage adds, “The ending is like having the rug pulled out from under you. It’s wonderfully unsettling.

The series has attracted an impressive cast, including Lenny Henry as Kat’s father, who shares his own amusing New Year’s traditions. “I’m usually surrounded by roast potatoes in my pyjamas,” he jokes.

In contrast, Eleazar has grander plans for the holiday. Along with a group of friends, she rents a castle to ring in the New Year in style, complete with themed costumes. Previous years have seen her dressed in 18th-century attire in France and participating in a Versace-themed celebration.

“I’ll be celebrating but also hoping that audiences love this show as much as we’ve loved making it,” she says.

For those staying in this January, Missing You offers a perfect excuse to dive into a mystery that combines personal stakes with Coben’s trademark suspense. As the clock strikes midnight and 2025 begins, Netflix ensures viewers have an unmissable story to unravel.