# Stay Close
**Stay Close** is a British eight-episode mystery thriller miniseries released on Netflix on December 31, 2021, adapted from [Harlan Coben](https://www.edgepedia.org/harlan-coben)'s 2012 novel of the same name. It follows four people concealing dark secrets, a working mother, a failed photographer, a detective obsessed with a cold case, and an old friend of the mother's, whose lives collide when a new disappearance echoes one from 17 years earlier.[1](https://epguides.com/StayClose/) • [2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81289581)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Limited series, 8 episodes of about 47 minutes, TV-MA, British English[1](https://epguides.com/StayClose/) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/stay-close) |
| Premiere | December 31, 2021, worldwide on Netflix; all eight episodes released the same day[4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation) |
| Source | Adaptation of Harlan Coben's 2012 novel, part of his Netflix deal[5](https://www.harlancoben.com/novels/stay-close/) • [6](https://www.arabnews.com/entertainment/despite-solid-performances-weak-writing-spoils-stay-close-1998626) |
| Lead cast | Cush Jumbo (Megan Pierce), Richard Armitage (Ray Levine), James Nesbitt (DS Michael Broome), Sarah Parish (Lorraine Griggs)[1](https://epguides.com/StayClose/) |
| Central premise | Carlton Flynn vanishes 17 years to the night after Stewart Green did, setting off a chain reaction in the lives of people connected to both men[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81289581) |
| Setting | Blackpool, a British seaside town, replacing the novel's Atlantic City setting[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/stay-close/) |
| Reception | 92% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (13 reviews) against a 53% audience score; Metacritic Metascore of 51; IMDb 6.9/10[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/stay_close) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/stay-close/critic-reviews/) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/stay-close) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
The series opens with a young man, Carlton Flynn, disappearing after a night out, exactly 17 years after Stewart Green vanished.[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81289581) Netflix's synopsis describes four people each concealing dark secrets from those closest to them: Megan ([Cush Jumbo](https://www.edgepedia.org/cush-jumbo)), a working mother of three; Ray (Richard Armitage), a once-promising documentary photographer; Broome ([James Nesbitt](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-nesbitt)), a detective unable to let go of a missing person's cold case; and Lorraine ([Sarah Parish](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-parish)), an old friend of Megan's.[10](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81289581) As the past returns to haunt them, the consequences of long-ago events collide in the present.[10](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81289581)
In the first episode, as her wedding approaches, Megan is troubled by a visitor from her past while Detective Broome finds a new disappearance reminiscent of his cold case.[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81289581) Megan's old friend Lorraine shares shocking news that throws the characters' lives into disarray.[4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation)
## Cast and production
Cush Jumbo leads as Megan Pierce, a mother of three hiding a past her partner knows nothing about; Jumbo described filming a scene on Blackpool Pier in a storm, set in the year 2000, as her biggest challenge.[4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation) Richard Armitage plays Ray Levine, a talented photographer reduced to paparazzi work; Armitage had previously starred in Coben's *The Stranger* and said returning to work with the same team in Manchester was a no-brainer.[4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation) James Nesbitt plays Detective Michael Broome, haunted by a case he cannot let go of.[4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation) The supporting cast includes Sarah Parish as Lorraine, Eddie Izzard as the lawyer Harry Sutton, Jo Joyner as Erin Cartwright, Broome's ex-wife and fellow detective, Daniel Francis as Megan's partner [Dave Shaw](https://www.edgepedia.org/dave-shaw), Bethany Antonia as Kayleigh Shaw, Youssef Kerkour as Fester, and Poppy Gilbert as Barbie.[1](https://epguides.com/StayClose/) • [4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation)
The creative team is the one behind earlier Coben adaptations: creators Danny Brocklehurst, Nicola Shindler, and Richard Fee, the team behind *The Stranger*, *Safe*, and *The Five*.[4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation) Rotten Tomatoes credits [Lawrence Kasdan](https://www.edgepedia.org/lawrence-kasdan) as screenwriter, and [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch) lists Lindy Heymann and Daniel O'Hara as directors.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/stay_close) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/stay-close) The show was produced by Red Production Company.[11](https://usa.newonnetflix.info/info/81289581) Filming took place in [Blackpool](https://www.edgepedia.org/blackpool), Lancashire, with a Netflix crew shooting on the promenade in June 2021, and production wrapped in July 2021.[12](https://www.blackpooltimeline.co.uk/netflix-filming-stay-close-in-blackpool/) • [4](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation)
## The Coben Netflix partnership
US author Harlan Coben signed a 14-novel deal with Netflix in August 2018, and *Stay Close* was the fifth screen adaptation to follow, after *Safe*, *The Stranger*, *The Woods*, and *The Innocent*.[6](https://www.arabnews.com/entertainment/despite-solid-performances-weak-writing-spoils-stay-close-1998626) The adaptations relocate the novels' American settings to Britain and elsewhere; Coben has said he does not keep adaptations slavishly devoted to the source, changing destinations, characters, and endings, and that in the case of *The Stranger* and *Stay Close* there is another twist in the last few minutes that book readers did not expect.[13](https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/books/fiction/2022-05-22-the-page-turner-jennifer-platt-interviews-harlan-coben/) Since 2020 the streamer has released a Coben-based miniseries over the holidays each year, and Richard Armitage, who appears in *Stay Close*, has appeared in each winter Coben adaptation.[14](https://apnews.com/article/89e32b749bb07949d56a069823f0b1b5)
## Reception
Critical response was divided between outlets. The series holds a 92% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes from 13 critics, while audiences gave it 53% across more than 250 ratings.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/stay_close) On Metacritic it scored 51, labeled mixed or average, with five of seven listed reviews mixed, one positive, and one negative.[9](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/stay-close/critic-reviews/) The Guardian's Lucy Mangan called it an irresistible binge-watch and gave it 3/5, writing that there was no point pretending she would not watch the next episode and the six after that.[15](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/dec/31/stay-close-review-netflix-cush-jumbo-james-nesbitt) Decider scored it 80, crediting fine performances and a story that gives just enough clues without frustrating viewers.[9](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/stay-close/critic-reviews/) More negative reviews criticized the writing: Radio Times gave it 40, calling the characters plot devices in a paint-by-numbers mystery, and IndieWire gave it 33, describing a laborious path to a lengthy, exposition-heavy confession.[9](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/stay-close/critic-reviews/) The Arab News review found the eight episodes stretched too long despite a brilliant cast.[6](https://www.arabnews.com/entertainment/despite-solid-performances-weak-writing-spoils-stay-close-1998626)
The series remains available on Netflix, streaming in 131 countries as of late 2026, and is not currently available on Prime Video, Disney+, Max, or Apple TV.[16](https://www.flickfinder.net/tv/stay-close-2021-136308)
## References
1. [Stay Close (a Titles & Air Dates Guide), epguides.com](https://epguides.com/StayClose/)
2. [Stay Close, Netflix official title page](https://www.netflix.com/title/81289581)
3. [Stay Close - watch tv show streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/stay-close)
4. ['Stay Close' on Netflix: release date, cast, plot, What to Watch](https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/stay-close-on-netflix-cast-plot-and-everything-else-about-the-latest-harlan-coben-adaptation)
5. [Stay Close - Harlan Coben, official novel page](https://www.harlancoben.com/novels/stay-close/)
6. [Despite solid performances, weak writing spoils 'Stay Close', Arab News](https://www.arabnews.com/entertainment/despite-solid-performances-weak-writing-spoils-stay-close-1998626)
7. [Stay Close - Netflix Miniseries, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/stay-close/)
8. [Stay Close, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/stay_close)
9. [Stay Close critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/stay-close/critic-reviews/)
10. [Stay Close, Netflix Media Center](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/81289581)
11. [Is 'Stay Close' on Netflix?, New On Netflix USA](https://usa.newonnetflix.info/info/81289581)
12. [Netflix Filming Stay Close in Blackpool, Blackpool Timeline](https://www.blackpooltimeline.co.uk/netflix-filming-stay-close-in-blackpool/)
13. [The page turner: Jennifer Platt interviews Harlan Coben, Sunday Times](https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/books/fiction/2022-05-22-the-page-turner-jennifer-platt-interviews-harlan-coben/)
14. [Netflix's 'Missing You' lands in time for New Year binge watch, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/89e32b749bb07949d56a069823f0b1b5)
15. [Stay Close review, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/dec/31/stay-close-review-netflix-cush-jumbo-james-nesbitt)
16. [Where to watch Stay Close (2021), FlickFinder](https://www.flickfinder.net/tv/stay-close-2021-136308)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Adapted and franchise screen series › Literary and classic serial adaptations › Thriller and crime adaptations › Premiered 1962 to 2023*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license