Netflix marked the beginning of 2025 by releasing an adaptation of American writer Harlan Coben’s crime thriller novel –Missing You. After indulging in a series of sentimental, familiar festive classics over the Christmas period, I was keen to dive into a new crime drama. Harlan Coben’s novels have become a staple of Netflix’s crime genre selection, following Coben’s 2018 multi-million dollar contract, stipulating they will turn 14 of Coben’s novels into original TV series and films. This was my introduction to Harlan Coben’s vast literary and cinematic world, and I found Missing You to be a suspenseful, startling series which hooked me with its numerous shocking plot twists, complex character arcs, and its chilling resolution.

Missing You, relocated from the novel’s setting of New York to contemporary Manchester, follows police detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Elezar). Our main protagonist matches with her ex-fiancé Josh on a music themed online dating app…who mysteriously vanished eleven years beforehand. This revelation triggers an investigation into his disappearance and her policeman father’s murder. These two mysteries then become intertwined with the sinister case of a missing mother Dana Fells (Lisa Faulkner).

The opening episodes sets up the intriguing premise, solidly establishing the main plot lines which run throughout the series, including Josh’s (Ashley Walters) disappearance. Elezar navigates Kat’s characterisation with skill, highlighting effectively how Kat’s trauma bleeds into her everyday life and drives her motives and actions.

There are a lot of plot points and storylines introduced and woven together throughout the series. This can occasionally be confusing for the viewer, particularly the sub-plot exploring the criminal organisation responsible for multiple disappearances – which verges on the absurd. There is pleasure in the outrageous, thrilling storylines and they are generally tightly plotted, well-executed, and entertaining, taking the viewer in unexpected directions. The mystery is deepened and our understanding of the characters is interestingly complicated. Secrets are continually unfolded and unveiled, the characters become more morally dubious and puzzling, and the stakes get higher.

Missing You is led by an excellent, experienced cast with notable members – including James Nesbitt and Sir Lenny Henry – who give subtle, well-crafted performances in their secondary roles. The dialogue is sometimes clunky and artificial, at times heavily reliant on exposition and repetition of previous plot points, but serves its purpose to drive the story forward. The finale will certainly divide viewers with its open-ended, ambiguous conclusion, but I found that leaving it up to interpretation made the final scene even more disturbing and reflects the morally grey tone of the whole series.

Missing You is an addictive, immersive piece of drama that will keep you guessing and speculating until the end. With its total running time coming to just over 3 hours and 30 minutes, it is easily bingeable in one setting – especially if you can’t wait to solve the mystery. I look forward to seeing what Harlan Coben novel Netflix adapts next.

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