“In Your Footsteps”: Harlan Coben’s new Netflix series promises to be the thriller of the summer

Netflix is set to strike hard this June 2026. A new series based on a novel by Harlan Coben is coming to the platform, and its plot could well captivate millions of subscribers from the very first minutes.

Netflix bets on a sure thing for June 2026

In recent months, Netflix subscribers have already had plenty to occupy their evenings. Between Berlin, the La Casa de Papel spin-off, the return of Devil May Cry in season 2, the Nordic thriller October and the mini-series Legends, the catalog has not been short of strong content.

But June 2026 promises even better. The platform is adding cult films such as the Rocky saga, the Creed movies and the Night at the Museum trilogy. But it’s the never-before-seen series that are the focus of attention.

Netflix has chosen to bank on American author Harlan Coben, who over the years has become one of the platform’s benchmarks for thrillers. His adaptations are a hit almost every time, thanks to plots based on secrets, disappearances and twists that are hard to anticipate.

A first American adaptation by Harlan Coben

The novelty is called In your footsteps. It arrives on Netflix on June 18. This is the first American adaptation of the author’s work to be produced by the platform, following several adaptations in Europe.

It’s a turning point. So fans and newcomers alike have good reason to mark this date in their diaries.

“A visit from his sister-in-law Rachel, an investigative journalist, finally gives him a glimmer of hope. The young woman recognized Matthew in a vacation photo taken by a couple of friends. The birthmark on the boy’s face leaves little room for doubt. Matthew is alive! To save his son and finally understand what happened that night, David has no choice but to escape. But some people have a vested interest in catching him before he discovers the truth… “

In your footsteps: the story of a father accused of murdering his son

Harlan Coben ‘s novel follows David Burroughs, a father accused of murdering his three-year-old son and sentenced to life imprisonment. He has no memory of the day of the tragedy. Yet everything points to him: alcohol, sleepwalking, the testimony of a neighbor.

But David is convinced of one thing. He could never have hurt his child. This certainty, fragile as it is, remains the only fixed point in his life behind bars.

• The main character is David Burroughs, a falsely accused father.
• His son, Matthew, was three years old at the time.
• Evidence against David includes alcohol, sleepwalking and neighborhood testimony.
• Rachel, David’s sister-in-law and an investigative journalist, revives the case 5 years later.
• A birthmark on the face of a child seen in a photo reopens the whole investigation.

A new twist five years after the fact

Five years after the conviction, David’s sister-in-law Rachel, an investigative journalist, brings him unexpected hope. She recognized little Matthew in a vacation photo taken by a couple of friends. The birthmark on the child’s face left little doubt that Matthew was alive.

What’s more, this element changes everything. If the child is alive, then David may not be a murderer. But to prove his innocence, he’ll have to escape. And there are people who have a vested interest in catching him before the truth comes out.

It’s precisely this spring, typical of the author’s style, that makes every Harlan Coben adaptation so addictive. Secrets pile up, suspects multiply, and the viewer never knows where the series will lead.

Why this series deserves your full attention

The novel on which In Your Footsteps is based concentrates everything that makes Harlan Coben such a powerful force: an ordinary character plunged into an extraordinary situation, a broken family, and a truth that nobody seems to want to see come to light.

Moreover, the fact that this adaptation is being produced directly in the USA marks a new stage. Previous series based on his novels were co-produced with European teams, notably from Poland, France and Spain. Here, Netflix is taking a step forward by staying on American soil.

Sur tes traces could well establish itself as one of the most eagerly awaited thrillers of the summer of 2026. The date to remember remains June 18 on Netflix, for what promises to be a high-voltage premiere.

• Harlan Coben