In a world of thriller writing, the line between reality and imagination is often razor-thin. Authors like Harlan Coben are celebrated for their uncanny ability to craft stories that grip readers from the very first page. But sometimes, the most electrifying sparks for a story don’t come from pure imagination at all.
They emerge from the world around us. You know those fleeting moments that stir the mind and refuse to be forgotten? Those tiny incidents can leave an indelible mark on memory, and for Coben, they sometimes become the seeds of entire novels.
The brilliant storyteller was recently a guest on the podcast Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware, where he shared how one such real-life moment planted the idea for one of his most gripping books.
Run Away was inspired by this ordinary yet wild real-life incident
James Nesbitt and Minnie Driver in Run Away | Netflix
Yes, we’re talking about the bestselling novel that’s been turned into an upcoming Netflix show. The story behind Run Away begins with something that, on the surface, might seem ordinary. You have a father, Coben, discovering cannabis paraphernalia in his teenage daughter’s room after a party. This is what Coben explains to podcast hosts Jessie and Lennie Ware.
For most people, it might register as a moment of mild shock or parental concern, a passing detail in the tapestry of family life. But for Coben, a master of suspense and storytelling, this seemingly small and mundane incident became a spark that ignited his imagination in ways that would soon spiral into a full-fledged thriller.
Discovering drugs in his daughter’s room got him thinking about what would happen if his daughter really were a drug user. That was the initial spark. The real magic of the inspiration, however, lies in the way it escalated. Coben describes sitting on a bench in Central Park in Strawberry Fields one day, contemplating how to begin the novel.
As he wrestled with where to start, a busker nearby began playing music. In that instant, Coben’s imagination ignited. He started to think to himself. What if the musician before him wasn’t just a stranger, but his daughter who had been “missing for six months?” It became a thing of what he would do in such a situation. This was the jumping-off point for Run Away.
Those who have read the novel know this is exactly how the story starts off. Simon, a desperate father, is thrown into a nightmare when his drug-addicted teenage daughter, Paige, goes missing. Then, one day, he hears a busker playing music in the park and looks up to see her. The story then spirals into a tense, twist-filled journey, as Simon uncovers secrets about Paige, confronts dangerous individuals, and navigates a world where every revelation brings him closer to the shocking truth.
This is the same premise for the upcoming Run Away series adaptation on Netflix. The eight-part limited series stars James Nesbitt in the leading role as Simon. Those who have watched other Coben series adaptations on Netflix, like Stay Close and Missing You, will recognize him right away. He had roles in those shows as well. Also in the Run Away cast are Ellie de Lange, Ruth Jones, Minnie Driver, Alfred Enoch, Lucian Msamati, Jon Pointing, and others.
Run Away is set to be released on Netflix on Jan. 1, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. PT/3:00 a.m. ET. Don’t forget to save the date and time!
