Netflix's twisty 6-part thriller will fill your Harlan Coben void

There's nothing quite like a twisty psychological thriller that keeps you glued to your TV screen for hours on end. Bestselling author Harlan Coben has built a global reputation for delivering precisely this kind of heart-pounding suspense, largely thanks to his longstanding creative partnership with Netflix, which has adapted many of his mind-bending thrillers into successful TV series.

If, like me, you are patiently awaiting the next major Coben adaptation following 2026's I Will Find You, and find yourself in desperate need of a twisty mystery to fill the void, look no further.

The twisty new six-part psychological thriller, The Trap, has just arrived on Netflix – and it sounds utterly gripping. 

Based on Melanie Raabe's bestselling German novel, the series follows a successful author who hasn't left her house ever since she witnessed her sister's murder a decade ago. But when she spots the killer on TV, she plots to trap him, using herself as bait. 

Much like Harlan's shows, The Trap will keep you guessing throughout, promising plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments.

Intrigued? Find out more below…

What is The Trap about? 

Created by Isabel Kleefeld, Tom Spiess, and Friederich Oetker – the Emmy-winning team behind the acclaimed German crime drama Dear Child – the series follows successful author Lisa Konrad, who is haunted by a tragic event in her past: witnessing the murder of her sister.

Still traumatised by her sister's death, Lisa hasn't left her house in a decade. 

The synopsis continues: "But when she believes she recognises the killer on television, she sets out to trap him – using herself as the bait."

The series is adapted from Melanie Raabe's hit novel of the same name, which generated keen film interest from Hollywood producers upon its release in 2015. 

Who stars in The Trap? 

German actress Friederike Becht leads the cast as Lisa. 

She's joined by Hans Löw as journalist Robert Lenzen, Matthias Brandt as publisher Norbert Rudow, Miriam Ohlmeyer as the fictional character Sophie, Josephine Thiesen as Lisa Konrad’s sister Anna, and Malaya Stern Takeda as Lisa's assistant Yuma.

The Trap is available to stream on Netflix now. 

More Netflix thrillers available to stream now

• Below – Six-part thriller starring Josh Hartnett as a Newfoundland fisherman and single father of three who fights to protect his family when a violent sea creature begins terrorising the town.

• The Perfect Lie – Based on Saskia Noort's bestselling novel The Dinner Club, this seven-part series follows Karen, who moves to an affluent village in the Netherlands and is invited to join an exclusive dinner club. But when a fire leaves one of the group dead, dark secrets come to the surface. 

• I Will Find You – Sam Worthington leads the cast of this eight-part thriller as David Burroughs, an innocent man serving a life sentence in prison for the murder of his son. But when he receives word that his son may be alive, he's determined to break out of prison and discover the truth.