If you've been scrolling through streaming options looking for something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Lazarus on Prime Video might be the hidden gem you've been missing. While Harlan Coben has become synonymous with Netflix's slate of twisty European thrillers, this six-part series from late 2025 slipped under the radar—and that's a shame. It's a gripping, eerie, and surprisingly supernatural entry in Coben's catalog that deserves a spot on your watchlist.
The premise feels familiar to anyone who's dipped into Coben's world: a family secret, an unwanted homecoming, and a death that raises more questions than answers. But Lazarus quickly sets itself apart by blending a classic mystery with a creeping sense of the paranormal. Sam Claflin and Bill Nighy deliver standout performances, and the show's tone shifts from a generational drama into something closer to horror, making it one of the most unique adaptations of Coben's work to date.
A Supernatural Twist on a Familiar Formula
Claflin stars as Joel Lazarus, a forensic psychiatrist who returns to his childhood home after his father Jonathan—played by the ever-charismatic Nighy—dies in what appears to be a suicide. But 'apparent' is the key word here, because nothing about Jonathan's death adds up. A renowned psychiatrist with a troubled client list, Jonathan leaves behind a legacy of secrets, including a trail of cold cases that no one connected while he was alive. Joel starts digging almost immediately, and it's clear from the start that he's not ready for what he'll find.
At first, this is classic Coben territory: buried trauma, a protagonist who can't let go. But Lazarus introduces a supernatural element that creeps in around the edges of the first episode and takes over in the back half. Joel begins seeing visions of dead people connected to his father's practice—including his own sister Sutton (Eloise Little), who was murdered 25 years earlier in an unsolved case. The show never fully explains whether these are grief-induced hallucinations or something more otherworldly, and that ambiguity is what keeps the story from veering into camp.
Claflin and Nighy Anchor the Darkest Moments
Claflin excels at playing a man who believes he's in control when it's painfully obvious he isn't. Joel thinks he's the detective in this story, but he's really the patient. He approaches his father's death like just another case, and by Episode 3, he's unraveling—yet too stubborn to see it. Claflin captures that disconnect brilliantly, making Joel both frustrating and sympathetic.
Bill Nighy is the secret weapon here. His scenes are mostly flashbacks and visions, so we watch a dead man being fatherly and reassuring while the present-day storyline slowly reveals he was anything but. Lazarus needs us to believe Jonathan was a good man before pulling the rug out, and Nighy makes that easy—almost too easy. Alexandra Roach rounds out the family as Jenna, Joel's sister, and the dynamic between the three siblings (living and dead) carries much of the emotional weight. Kate Ashfield also appears as the local detective investigating the cold cases, and her storyline mirrors and eventually collides with Joel's, giving the middle episodes a propulsive push.
A Short, Sharp Thriller That Gets Under Your Skin
One of the smartest choices Lazarus makes is staying brief. Six episodes, each around 45 minutes, and the pacing reflects a show that knows it has no time to waste. The back half, in particular, goes places that feel genuinely new for a Coben adaptation. Without spoiling anything, the final two episodes reframe everything you thought you knew about Jonathan Lazarus and what his psychiatric practice was actually for. It's a rare thriller ending that's bleak without feeling cheap.
All six episodes are streaming now on Prime Video. Critics were split when it premiered in October 2025, but audiences have been warmer, and it's the kind of show that benefits from going in with low expectations and coming out rattled. If you've already worked through Coben's Netflix catalog and assumed you'd seen every version of what he does, Lazarus is proof he has at least one more trick worth watching. For more binge-worthy psychological thrillers, check out our list of flawless psychological thrillers or dive into Tom Felton's sci-fi hit for another streaming surprise.
