Stay Close: Harlan Coben Reveals Family Connection Behind Netflix Series

The hit Netflix drama Stay Close is all anyone can talk about thanks to hits shocking twists, stunning locations and even the Barbie and Ken killers.

The man behind it all, writer Harlan Coben, who also penned the book from which the series is based, has now opened up about making his story come to life on screen.

Harlan actually had the help of a very close family member behind the scenes: his daughter Charlotte Coben.

The 25-year-old is also a screenwriter and previously wrote the fifth episode of her father’s other Netflix smash The Stranger, an eight-part mystery drama released in 2020.

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Charlotte returned to help her dad transform his 2012 novel Stay Close into the addictive series fans across the world now know and love.

Harlan has spoke with Express about what it was like working with his daughter on his latest TV adaptation and the two episodes she wrote.

"She's [Charlotte] really talented and I know she's my kid but it was actually Nicola [Shindler, executive producer] who first brought her on board for The Stranger.

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"That was something not that I wanted to do and kind of kept away from her but now on all the shows that I work on, I really rely on her.

The Stranger centres on the life of Adam Price (Richard Armitage) and his picture perfect family setup. But, when an unknown stranger reveals that his wife may have been keeping a dark secret from him, Adam goes on an obsessive quest to discover the truth."

Harlan added: "She's a lot funnier than I am, she gets younger people better than I do and it's been such a cool experience to actually be in the writers' room and screaming at each other in a creative way.

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"And then I remember she's my daughter, I forget it during the hype of it."

This is such a great family affair.

One question on every Stay Close fan's mind is where the series is actually set. The series was filmed in and around Manchester, with shooting also taking place in Blackpool and various location across the North of England, but the setting has been left vague in the show.

Luckily for us, executive producer Nicola Shindler has revealed the show's setting. You can read more about it here.

Stay Close is available to stream on Netflix.

Topics: TV And Film, Netflix

Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the '90s and prefers tea over coffee.