Netflix’s Run Away presents a gritty crime thriller, breathing life into Harlan Coben’s bestselling novel. The series masterfully utilizes the atmospheric streets and moors of its lucrative filming locations to empower its mystery. 

Run Away's real-world, authentic settings not only establish its visual identity but also place its narrative in an identifiable British landscape. Thus, creating a lived-in and palpable element for the series that not only reflects but also heightens the tension and emotional beats.

With the streamer having already delivered a masterpiece at several locations, one in Greece and the other in Upstate New York, it has now decided to move to more English regions.

The majority of Run Away's filming was done in Greater Manchester, particularly in the city and the Northern Quarter, where several confrontation scenes were shot on the actual streets. The area’s combination of old brick buildings and modern urban look adds a perfect backdrop for this series’ layered storytelling.

Although the novel is set in New York City, the UK becomes the heart of the Netflix series. Places in Stockport and Dukinfield are also seen frequently throughout the series, such as the Egerton Arms in scenes involving Ruth Jones’s character, Elena Ravenscroft. 

The Greene family home is an Edwardian manor in Altrincham, with interior shots filmed in a house in nearby Alderley Edge. Meanwhile, the former St Katharine's College, Liverpool Hope University in Liverpool, stands in for the University exterior scenes. St John's Gardens, Spinningfields, Falkner Square, and the Georgian Quarter also provide elegant architecture and various backdrops, adding another dimension outside of the grit of Manchester. 

To portray more rugged and emotional scenes, the production team went to Saddleworth Moor near Oldham. This moorland is visually expressive of the plot's central theme of isolation and mystery. Other places in Greater Manchester, such as Alexandra Park in Oldham and Kirklees, took the role of common suburban and rural areas connected to the protagonist's mysterious search.

Ranking Every Harlan Coben Show on Netflix

Netflix rarely fails an adaptation of a literary masterpiece. Curious about what makes Run Away bingeworthy?

Run Away's plot revolves around Simon Greene (James Nesbitt), whose life gets disrupted when he has to deal with the disappearance of his wayward teenage daughter, Paige (Ellie de Lange). As a result, he finds himself in a secretive, perilous, and profoundly fraudulent world. 

The cast, besides Nesbitt, includes Ruth Jones playing the role of PI Elena Ravenscroft, Minnie Driver as Ingrid Greene, alongside Alfred Enoch, Lucian Msamati, Jon Pointing, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Annette Badland, Ingrid Oliver, and more. Comprising eight episodes, Netflix launched the series on January 1, 2026, globally, captivating viewers with extraordinary drama, unexpected mysteries, and surprising allies. 

“We love twists and turns. In our view, it gets better with each episode," creator and executive producer Harlan Coben promised to Tudum. 

Not only an enticing plot based on Coben's 2019 novel, but Run Away also presents England’s most fascinating and real-life locations to support an intense, character-based thriller with a unique aura and atmosphere.

'Run Away' on Netflix: Cast, Plot, Release Date, and Everything to Know About the New Harlan Coben Series

Have you watched Run Away yet? Let us know in the comments below.