Netflix confirms release date for Harlan Coben's new series Missing You - and it's sooner than you might think

Netflix has announced that Harlan Coben's Missing You is set to premiere much earlier than anticipated, delighting fans of the crime author whose novels have already inspired several successful series on the platform. Following the success of Safe in 2018 and this year's Fool Me Once, Netflix had previously confirmed in January 2024 that it would adapt Coben's 2014 bestseller into a series, with production starting promptly.

Originally slated for a 2025 release, Netflix has now announced that Missing You will be available from the very start of the year, launching on Wednesday, January 1. The series stars Rosalind Eleazar of Slow Horses fame as detective Kat Donovan, who finds herself embroiled in a harrowing Missing Persons case.

The official synopsis reveals: "Eleven years ago, her fiance Josh, the love of her life, vanished without a trace, and she hasn't heard from him since.

It continues: "Now, swiping profiles on a dating app, she suddenly sees his face and her world explodes all over again."

The story promises to take viewers on a journey as Kat Donovan is compelled to revisit her father's murder and unearth secrets that have long been hidden, reports the Mirror.

This New Year's Day release mirrors the launch strategy of Fool Me Once, which also made its debut on January 1, setting a precedent for ringing in the new year with a Coben mystery.

The star-studded cast of Missing You includes Ashley Walters, Richard Armitage, Sir Lenny Henry, Steve Pemberton, Jessica Plummer, Mary Malone, Lisa Faulkner and James Nesbitt.

The series is produced by Quay Street Productions (a part of ITV Studios), with Coben serving as an executive producer.

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Nimer Rashed, the director of Fool Me Once, returns to direct episodes alongside Isher Sahota, known for Ridley and Grace. Victoria Asare-Archer, who contributed to the 2021 Coben thriller Stay Close, handled the screenwriting duties.

The miniseries will comprise five hour-long episodes and is anticipated to be a huge hit for Netflix, following their previous successful thriller adaptations.

Missing You, which arrives exactly a year after Fool Me Once, is expected to draw a similarly large audience, given that the 2024 series became the most-watched series for the first half of the year, boasting an impressive 108 million views.

Missing You will be released Wednesday, January 1 on Netflix.