The new year is rapidly approaching, and Netflix are getting 2026 off to a bang by dropping an all-new Harlan Coben thriller on New Year's Day.
While shows penned by the infamous author are usually guaranteed to offer edge-of-your-seat thrills and more twists and turns than your mind can keep up with, Run Away has got us more excited than usual.
Not only is the cast superb, but the line-up also consists of Gavin & Stacey icon and all-round excellent performer, Ruth Jones.
However, in the first-look trailer for the upcoming eight-part "dark" and "twisty" series, Ruth looks unrecognisable as she flexes her dramatic acting skills, rather than the comedy ones fans are used to.
The actress stars as Elena Ravenscroft, a private investigator working with the police to help solve the mystery behind the disappearance of a young girl named Paige Greene (Ellie de Lange.)
From the trailer, it appears Ruth's character doesn't trust Paige's father, Simon (James Nesbitt,) one bit, in the hunt to find out what happened to her. Although this is Harlan Coben, so expect red herrings and missteps at every turn.
While Simon's life outwardly appears perfect, Paige's disappearance is the catalyst to his life falling apart. He briefly locates her, evidently on drugs, in a city park shortly after she disappears.
While he tries to bring his daughter home, she’s not alone in the park. After a violent argument, Paige is lost once again, and the renewed search for her leads to a dangerous underworld.
Hidden secrets are revealed, and Simon's family could be torn apart forever.
After that tantalising description and the gripping first-look trailer, we're counting down the days until this new year treat lands on Netflix.
Although a huge star herself, Ruth revealed she felt nervous about acting alongside James Nesbitt. In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress shares, "I was a little trepidatious about it because I have always been a big admirer of his work."
She adds, "He’s a brilliant actor, and I was feeling slightly fraudulent. I was thinking, ‘God, am I going to be able to act with him?’ And then we did this scene together. … I was really nervous, but instantly we just seemed to click."
Who else is in the Run Away cast?
The full cast of the series includes:
- James Nesbitt as Simon Greene
- Ruth Jones as Elena Ravenscroft
- Minnie Driver as Ingrid Greene
- Alfred Enoch as Isaac Fagbenle
- Lucian Msamati as Cornelius Faber
- Jon Pointing as Ash
- Ellie de Lange as Paige Greene
- Adrian Greensmith as Sam Greene
- Ellie Henry as Anya Greene
- Tracy-Ann Oberman as Jessica Kinberg
- Annette Badland as Lou
- Ingrid Oliver as Yvonne
- Maeve Courtier-Lilley as Dee Dee
- Finty Williams as Enid Corval
- Joe McGann as Wiley Corval
- Amy Gledhill as Ruby Todd
Speaking to Netflix Tudum, Harlan Coben described the cast of the show as "an embarrassment of riches" and "unbelievable".
Like a number of previous adaptations of his work for Netflix, filming for Run Away took place in the UK - Manchester and the northwest were primary locations for the shoot.
Coben shared his feelings for the chosen locations, saying, he’s "fallen in love with them."
"When you do as many shows as we’ve done there, you really get the charm," he explains. The author adds, "What’s wonderful about the north of England is there’s such variety. There’s a combination of everyday and eccentric about the settings there."
All eight episodes of Run Away will be released at once on Thursday, January 1, 2026, on Netflix.
