Harlen Coben has created some of the UK’s favourite thrillers (Picture: Netflix/Amazon/AP)
Harlan Coben is known for his ability to captivate people with twisty thrillers that have us suspicious of every character from the next-door neighbour to the fun-loving parent.
As a result, the 63-year-old has managed to sell over 80 million copies worldwide and his work has been translated into 46 languages.
With his crime books attracting so many engaged readers, it made complete sense to translate the magic onto the small screen and so over the past decade, he has been creating and executive producing TV adaptations. Through this avenue, he has found himself even more fans, who are kept on their toes from the opening credits until the very last scene.
Coben is currently signed into a multi-million contract with Netflix to adapt 14 of his books into TV series, so there is always a new treat just around the corner and plenty of back catalogue to get stuck into.
If you’re a long-term fan with gaps in your viewing history, or new to his work and want to know where to begin we’ve got you covered.
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The best Harlan Coben TV dramas to stream
Here are the seven most highly rated Coben creations on review site Rotten Tomatoes…
The Innocent
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The 2021 Spanish thriller The Innocent follows ex-con Mateo Vidal Rivera (Mario Casas) whose life is led down a dark hole of intrigue and murder after an accidental killing in a nightclub. Nine years later he has finally found love with his wife Olivia Costa (Aura Garrido) and freedom, but one phone call brings back the nightmare.
The show is the perfect watch for those hoping to delve into the world of non-English language thrillers, especially as it’s scored the elusive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Stay Close
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In the eight-parter, Megan Pierce (Cush Jumbo) is blissfully happy with her loving family and gorgeous home. Her whole vibe would be on many people’s ‘dream life’ Pinterest boards.
However, she’s keeping secrets from a past life, which make their way into her present when a detective begins investigating the mystery disappearance of local man Stewart Green again.
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The Woods
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2020 Polish miniseries The Woods follows prosecutor Paweł Kopiński (Grzegorz Damięcki) as he returns to his hometown to investigate the disappearance of his sister 25 years earlier in the local forest.
Taking place in two different timelines – the present-day and 1994 – this complex crime proves a challenge for Paweł who digs way more than he ever expected to.
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Shelter
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Shelter follows Mickey Bolitar (Jaden Michael) who heads to Kasselton, New Jersey to start afresh.
Things aren’t peaceful for long as he becomes entangled in the mysterious disappearance of Ashley Kent (Samantha Bugliaro), a student at his school. The quiet suburban community’s dark underworld is quickly discovered.
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The Stranger
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Richard Armitage plays Adam Price who is told a secret by a, you guessed it – a stranger. Not long after, his wife goes missing and he’s sent on a path to get answers.
It’s addictively tense as lives begin to unravel and unexpected connections appear.
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Safe
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At the start of Safe, we meet the widowed father of two, Tom (Michael C. Hall).
In the wake of her death, he is struggling to connect with his teenage daughters. When one of his children goes missing, he discovers a lot he didn’t know about while frantically trying to get her home safe.
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Fool Me Once
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The addictive thriller begins in the aftermath of the brutal murder of ex-Army Officer Maya’s (Michelle Keegan) husband Joe (Richard).
However, the investigation is thrown off-course when Joe mysteriously appears alive on Maya’s nanny camera, hugging their daughter, which unravels a web of dark secrets.
It was watched by 108 million people globally, making it one of Netflix’s most-watched shows of 2024.
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