Run Away – Series Review | Netflix

RUN AWAY on Netflix is a new limited series based on a Harlan Coben novel. This one has eight very strong episodes, an amazing cast, and is among the very best of the adaptations. If you’ve enjoyed previous Harlan Coben adaptations, you should love this one. Read our full Run Away Netflix series review here!

RUN AWAY is a new Netflix thriller series. Yet again, Netflix is kicking off a new year with a series based on a Harlan Coben novel. Having watched all eight episodes in this limited series, it’s easy to understand why: This is perfect for binge-watching. I know I certainly did just that.

All eight episodes feature strong storytelling, and during the final two episodes, you will get everything answered. So, if you feel you still need a few answers towards the end, then just calm down and keep watching. Also, I loved the casting of this series, which is always very positive.

Continue reading our review of Harlan Coben’s Netflix series Run Away below. Find it on Netflix from January 1, 2026.

A thrilling mystery that evolves

As with any Harlan Coben story, Run Away also features a strong mystery. As such, the story also includes thriller, crime, and drama as drivers. The main protagonist is Simon Greene (James Nesbitt), who has had the perfect life with a loving wife, three kids, a great job, and a beautiful, happy home.

However, all this changed when his eldest daughter, Paige (Ellie de Lange), ran away. She met the wrong man and became addicted to drugs, which made everything fall apart, both for herself and the family who still love her. Suddenly, Simon sees his daughter in a park, where she looks beat down and strung out on drugs. It’s in a city park, and nothing goes as Simon hoped.

Paige doesn’t want to go home. Before long, everything takes a turn for the much worse, and Paige disappears completely again. Meanwhile, we also follow a young man and woman, who appear to be killing people based on a list they have been given. Plus, the private investigator Elena Ravenscroft (Ruth Jones) is searching for another young man who is missing.

How are these cases connected, and why are people being killed, seemingly at random?!

You’ll have to watch Run Away on Netflix to find out, but trust me, you’ll have a great time finding out.

Amazing characters and a great cast

The characters in this latest Harlan Coben Netflix series, Run Away, are amazing. Truly, I found myself wanting to watch an entire series dedicated to the character of Elena Ravenscroft alone. Ruth Jones is brilliant as the private investigator Elena Ravenscroft, so I enjoyed every moment she was on screen.

The same goes for the two police detectives portrayed by Alfred Enoch (How to Get Away with Murder) and Amy Gledhill, respectively. I loved their banter and approach to the many cases they end up investigating.

Finally, the Greene family, with James Nesbitt (Harlan Coben’s Stay Close) as patriarch Simon and Minnie Driver (The Witcher: Blood Origins) as the matriarch Dr. Ingrid Greene, worked wonderfully as a loving couple. Apart from their runaway daughter Paige (Ellie de Lange), they also have a son and a daughter. They are portrayed by Adrian Greensmith and Ellie Henry, respectively.

You’ll recognize Adrian Greensmith from the Harlan Coben Prime Video series Shelter, where he played the beloved character known as “Spoon”.

Another amazing casting is that of Maeve Courtier-Lilley as the assassin Dee Dee. She’s wonderful in her charismatic approach to people. who can turn deadly in a heartbeat.

Watch the Run Away series on Netflix

This Harlan Coben series was adapted by Danny Brocklehurst, who also worked on the Harlan Coben Netflix series The  Stranger (2020) and Stay Close (2021). Also, he was the writer who adapted the 2024 Harlan Coben series Fool Me Once, which is my favorite Harlan Coben adaptation apart from this one.

I love a good thriller mystery, and Run Away can definitely deliver on that. However, fair warning, do not get too attached to any of the characters. Quite a lot of people will die, so be ready for anything.

The limited series has eight episodes that are each around 40 minutes long, so this is a fairly quick watch. Even if it wasn’t, I still wouldn’t have been able to stop watching. And again, trust me when I say that those final episodes will give you lots of answers. Plus, along the way, there are brief flashback glimpses to keep you on track as it gets more complicated. Happy New Year… and enjoy!

Run Away is on Netflix with all eight episodes from January 1, 2026.

Details

Directors: Nimer Rashed, Isher Sahota
Writers: Daniel Brocklehurst, Charlotte Coben, Amanda Duke, Tom Farrelly
Cast: James Nesbitt, Minnie Driver, Ruth Jones, Alfred Enoch, Lucian Msamati