Harlan Coben on how new thriller Lazarus stands apart from his previous work

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Creating TV shows based on Harlan Coben’s popular mystery novels requires significant resources. Coben’s books are consistently adapted into high-profile Netflix series – like the recent success, Fool Me Once – and he recently signed a deal with Prime Video for even more adaptations. Plus, he publishes a new novel almost every year, providing a constant stream of content.

The incredibly productive 63-year-old author believes this is his 37th book, though it’s not certain if that count includes his latest collaboration with Reese Witherspoon, ‘Gone Before Goodbye,’ which was released this month.

The cameras are rolling at Space Studios Manchester, a 17-acre complex buzzing with activity in spring 2024. Currently, the studio is hosting production on two suspenseful thrillers by Harlan Coben: Missing You, a mystery featuring Rosalind Eleazar that premiered on Netflix in January 2025, and Lazarus, starring Bill Nighy, Sam Claflin, and Alexandra Roach, which you can now stream.

Similar to his other English-language series on Netflix, “Lazarus” is set in the UK. The location is a luxurious, but intentionally generic, part of England, designed to appeal to viewers worldwide. The show was created with his usual collaborators, Quay Street Productions, and features experienced British television professionals like producer Nicola Shindler (known for “Happy Valley”) and screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst (known for “Ten Pound Poms”).

This isn’t an adaptation of an American novel, unlike the Netflix series. It actually started with just a two-page outline. According to Coben, this was the first time he knew from the beginning that a story would be set in Britain, as he explained during a meeting at Space.

Bill Nighy stars as Doctor Lazarus in this six-part mystery about murder and the supernatural. He’s a well-known and wealthy psychiatrist – his office, a stunning art-deco space built on set, looks more like a villain’s lair from a Bond movie. It appears to be the ideal place for his patients to heal, but as the first episode reveals, it’s also where he meets his own end.

During our visit to the set, the crew was filming a key scene from episode 3. In it, Claflin and Roach, who play the children of “Dr L”, are trying to figure out what really happened when their father seemingly took his own life. They’re also investigating if his death is connected to the unsolved murders of their sister and a former patient of the doctor’s.

This is the first time Harlan Coben has envisioned an actor as a character almost immediately after creating it – and that actor is Bill Nighy. It’s a fortunate match, as Nighy is a dedicated reader and a long-time fan of Coben’s work.

Coben laughs, describing the experience as more than just luck. “I was beaming for weeks!” He says it was incredibly exciting, especially since he thought getting a response from Bill was unlikely. “For him to connect with the story and show he knew my work was really flattering.” Coben recently sent Bill an advance copy of his latest book, and Bill read it immediately.

Don’t worry, Sam Claflin’s character won’t just have a quick appearance despite the early death of his character. The cast and crew recently filmed a scene with Claflin talking to his father, even though his father is supposedly deceased. This suggests the plot will be even more complex and puzzling than a typical Harlan Coben story.

While filming, several crew members expressed a desire to make this Harlan Coben series – funded by Amazon – stand out from his previous work on Netflix. What would Coben himself say is the key difference between the two?

He responded, saying he doesn’t approach his work that way. As a creator, he focuses on the story itself, not on tailoring it to specific platforms like Hulu or Disney. He doesn’t think about which market a story might fit into while he’s writing it; the story always comes first.

But he will allow that, with Lazarus, he and his TV partners have switched up the type of story.

I don’t like calling it ‘elevated,’ but the way this film was shot and the overall mood are unique. The visuals are really driving the story, more so than in many of my previous projects. It has a creepy, unsettling feeling, and a different kind of tension. Ultimately,” he admits, “it’s just a different style than most of what I’ve created for Netflix.

I’m constantly amazed by how much Harlan Coben is working on! He’s over in Manchester from his home in New Jersey, not only overseeing the progress of ‘Lazarus’ and ‘Missing You,’ but also planning his next big Netflix series, ‘Run Away.’ I heard it’s going to star James Nesbitt, Ruth Jones, and Minnie Driver – a fantastic cast! He told me they’ve been meeting about these three projects, and even hinted at a possible fourth! It’s incredible to see his creativity flowing so consistently.

What really ties these shows together is their British setting. It feels intentionally vague – a generalized version of England with polished lifestyles and neutral accents – likely to make the shows more appealing to a global audience. Is this a deliberate choice made by Coben and his team when creating these dramas?

We weren’t actively thinking about an international audience, but we understand this show won’t just be watched in the UK. It’s going to be seen by viewers in places like Korea, Saudi Arabia, Africa, and the United States.

I don’t think aiming for simplicity is always best. I’ve found that being very specific actually connects with more people. Think about the play Lazarus – everyone has experienced loss. The idea of Sam’s character getting another chance to be with his father? That’s a powerful and relatable feeling. Those kinds of emotions resonate with everyone.

Indeed. And ghost stories are even older than thrillers.

“Ha ha, yes they are!”

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2025-10-23 14:05