“You Start With One Episode — Then Suddenly It’s 3 A.M.” — Why Netflix Viewers Are Calling This New 8-Part Harlan Coben Thriller ‘Gripping,’ ‘Impossible to Stop,’ and the Perfect New Year’s Day Binge, as a Runaway Daughter, a Desperate Father, and a Cast Packed With Familiar British TV Faces Pull Audiences Deep Into a Mystery That Refuses to Let Go

Netflix viewers who tuned into Run Away, the eight-part mystery thriller starring Gavin & Stacey‘s Ruth Jones and Midsomer Murders‘ Annette Badland, are hooked after all eight episodes landed on the streamer on New Year’s Day.

The new series, which is based on Harlan Coben’s 2019 novel, follows a father called Simon, whose world turns upside down when his eldest daughter Paige (Ellie de Lange) runs away from home.

You know you’re in for a treat when a project comes from Harlan Coben, whose novels have inspired major on-screen hits like Netflix’s Fool Me Once and The Stranger, as well as Prime Video’s Lazarus.

Having seen the first two episodes ahead of launch, I can say that fans of twisty mystery thrillers with a clever sleuth will find plenty to enjoy. The show fits neatly into Netflix’s growing catalogue of Coben thrillers, which tend to favour twisty narratives and morally complex characters. Plus, with a cast including James Nesbitt, Ruth Jones, Minnie Driver and Alfred Enoch, how can you resist?

Keep reading to find out what fans are saying about the new series…

© Ben Blackall/Netflix

What are viewers saying about Run Away?

The show has gone down a treat with viewers, who have hailed it as “excellent” and are bingeing multiple episodes in one go in true Harlan Coben style.

“Going on to episode 6, it’s brilliant!!” penned one viewer on Instagram, while another wrote: “We’re on episode two and we’re hooked.” A third added: “Watched three episodes so far… so gripping.”