It’s the start of a new year, and with it comes another twisty, nerve-jangling mystery from Harlan Coben, the master of the unpredictable. Netflix’s latest limited series, Run Away, dropped on January 1, 2026, and quickly became the talk of the streaming world. Adapted from Coben’s novel and co-created with Robert Hull, the eight-part thriller plunges viewers into a world where secrets fester beneath every surface and nobody—absolutely nobody—is what they seem.
At the heart of Run Away is Simon Greene, played by the ever-compelling James Nesbitt. Simon appears to have it all: a loving wife, Ingrid (Minnie Driver), three children, and a comfortable life. But when his eldest daughter, Paige (Ellie de Lange), spirals into addiction and vanishes from university, Simon’s carefully constructed world begins to unravel. According to Collider, Simon’s desperate, six-month search leads him to a city park, where he finds Paige disheveled, strung out, and busking for spare change. The moment is raw and heart-breaking, setting the tone for the emotional rollercoaster that follows.
The series wastes no time piling on the tension. When Simon confronts Paige’s boyfriend, Aaron Corval (Thomas Flynn)—a figure he suspects is at the root of his daughter’s troubles—the altercation turns violent. Simon publicly assaults Aaron, and shortly after, Aaron is found brutally murdered. This shocking turn plunges Simon even deeper into chaos, as he becomes both a desperate father and a potential suspect. The murder investigation is led by detectives Isaac Fagbenle (Alfred Enoch) and Ruby Todd (Amy Gledhill), whose dynamic and obsessive approach to the case injects the narrative with both energy and intrigue. As Marie Claire notes, Enoch’s performance as Fagbenle is a standout, bringing a magnetic intensity to the screen.
But the plot thickens. Enter Elena Ravenscroft (Ruth Jones), a former police officer turned private investigator. Elena is also on Paige’s trail, working a separate case that soon intertwines with Simon’s quest. Their uneasy alliance is one of the show’s more compelling elements—each character is searching for the truth, but both have reasons to keep their cards close to their chests. As Marie Claire points out, even a friendly working relationship can’t stop Elena from investigating Simon himself.
Adding to the sense of mounting dread, Run Away introduces a pair of young assassins, Ash (Jon Pointing) and Dee Dee (Maeve Courtier-Lilley), whose mysterious killing spree seems, at first, disconnected from the Greene family’s turmoil. Yet, as the series unfolds, the threads begin to weave together in the signature Coben style—wild twists, personal betrayals, and the ever-present question: who can you trust?
While the show delivers on suspense and keeps viewers guessing, it’s not without its flaws. Collider observes that the series leans heavily into melodrama, with stylized lighting and music choices that sometimes undermine the story’s gritty realism. Dreamlike flashbacks and shadowy present-day scenes are meant to evoke noir, but often feel a touch too theatrical. The performances, too, are a mixed bag. Nesbitt’s portrayal of Simon is largely strong—he brings a Bosch-like gravitas to the role—but there are moments where the emotional beats feel forced or overwrought. Minnie Driver’s Ingrid, meanwhile, is dramatically underutilized, relegated to flashbacks or a hospital bed for much of the series, leaving viewers wanting more from the Oscar-nominated actress.
The supporting cast, however, provides plenty to chew on. Ellie de Lange gives a vulnerable, affecting performance as Paige, a young woman caught in the undertow of addiction and manipulation. Ruth Jones’s Elena Ravenscroft is an unconventional detective with a sharp edge, while Alfred Enoch and Amy Gledhill’s detective duo bring both tension and humanity to the police investigation. The villains—Ash and Dee Dee—are chilling in their unpredictability, driving home the series’ central theme that danger often lurks where you least expect it.
Cosmopolitan offers a helpful rundown of the cast, highlighting both their roles in Run Away and their previous work. Nesbitt, a familiar face to Coben fans, has starred in other adaptations like Missing You and Stay Close, while Driver is known for everything from Good Will Hunting to Emily in Paris. Ruth Jones, celebrated for her work on Gavin & Stacey, brings a new dimension to the private investigator archetype. Alfred Enoch, once Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter films, has since made a name for himself in both television and theater. The ensemble is rounded out by Lucian Msamati as Cornelius Faber, a neighbor with a mysterious connection to Paige, and a host of supporting players whose intertwining stories create a dense web of intrigue.
The series is, above all, a meditation on the lengths to which parents will go for their children—and the secrets that can tear families apart. Simon’s journey is as much about confronting his own past as it is about rescuing Paige. As Marie Claire observes, the show is packed with dark mysteries and wild twists, hallmarks of Coben’s storytelling. The stakes are personal, and the best twists are those that cut closest to the bone.
Of course, no Harlan Coben adaptation would be complete without a few bonkers surprises. Collider notes that the show is “peppered with tiny moments featuring stretched logic or performances that would benefit from a tightened script or another take.” Yet, for all its melodramatic excesses, Run Away remains a compulsively watchable yarn—one that will keep even the most jaded viewers on their toes.
It’s worth noting that the series arrives at a time when Coben’s star has never been brighter. With previous Netflix hits like The Stranger and Fool Me Once under his belt, Coben has carved out a unique niche in the streaming landscape, offering stories where the ordinary collides with the extraordinary and the past is never truly buried. Run Away is no exception, blending family drama, crime thriller, and psychological suspense into a potent cocktail.
As the credits roll on the final episode, viewers may find themselves both satisfied and hungry for more. The series doesn’t tie every loose end into a neat bow, but that’s part of its charm. In the world of Harlan Coben, certainty is a luxury, and trust is a rare commodity. For fans of the genre—and for anyone who loves a good, twisty mystery—Run Away is a ride worth taking, even if it occasionally goes off the rails.
