Since 2020, the streaming giant has presented viewers with a U.K. miniseries adapted from Harlan Coben's novels during the holiday season. This strategy appears successful: "Fool Me Once," featuring Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, and Joanna Lumley, premiered last January and, according to Netflix, became one of their most popular shows of the year, garnering 108 million views.
The suspenseful series for the 2025 holiday season is "Missing You," an adaptation of Coben's 2014 New York Times bestseller. It features Rosalind Eleazar, known for her role in "Slow Horses," as Detective Inspector Kat Donovan. Donovan specializes in locating missing persons, with the exception of her own fiancé, who disappeared 11 years prior.
"They understand that January 1st is the ideal time for them," explains actor Richard Armitage, who has starred in every winter Coben adaptation. These adaptations relocate the narratives from the books' American setting to northern England. "People have developed a sense of ownership over the show, so they're like, 'I want my Harlan Coben show on New Year's Day. I need my Harlan Coben fix.'"
"To be honest, it's the perfect release time," adds co-star Ashley Walters. "Most people are going to be nursing a hangover or, you know, simply have nothing planned for the day."
The series begins with the shocking reappearance of Donovan's former fiancé (Walters) on a dating app, over a decade after she returned home one day to find him gone.
"I've ghosted people before," Armitage admits with a laugh. "Just people you no longer want to communicate with. Not digitally, though."
However, another star, Jessica Plummer, expresses her disapproval of those who vanish without a trace.
"I'd just feel too guilty," she confesses, labeling it "cowardly and lazy — sorry Richard!"
Eleazar assures viewers of unexpected plot twists, revealing that the actors were initially not provided with the final two scripts and had to consult the book to discover the ending.
"Coben truly has a knack for leading you astray," Eleazar remarks. "You're absolutely convinced that this time you've figured it out, and it's this person or this event, but you're invariably mistaken."
"I'd really love to know how he begins writing a book, you know? Does he start with a concept, or does he come up with the most improbable idea and declare, 'That's how it's going to conclude'?" she wonders.
Armitage concurs that "Missing You" faithfully captures the "hair-raising" surprise ending of the book; "It's as if the rug is pulled out from under you at the very last moment."
While viewers at home can indulge in a binge-watching session of the entire five-part series as 2025 begins, the cast members will be occupied with various leisure activities.
Lenny Henry, who portrays Kat's father, humorously shares that he typically greets the new year surrounded by roast potatoes, clad in pajamas.
Armitage prefers to embrace the outdoors and start anew by skiing down a mountain, while Eleazar has plans for a stylish celebration: She and her friends have a tradition of renting a castle and dressing up in themed costumes.
Past New Year's Eve gatherings have included sporting 18th-century attire in France and last year's Versace-themed festivity.
"I'll be celebrating and truly hoping that everyone enjoys this show on the 1st," she says.
