If You Like Harlan Coben Stories, You’ll Love These 10 Awesome Mystery Movies

Harlan Coben’s books are legendary in the mystery genre, and if you love the author’s works, you’ll also enjoy these awesome movies. Many of Harlan Coben’s books are now hugely successful TV shows on streaming services, including the likes of Fool Me Once, Harlan Coben’s Shelter, and Caught.

While there are 11 Harlan Coben TV shows to check out, there are projects from other creators that share similarities with the author’s novels. Coben is known for writing stunning plot twists, gripping enigmas, and ordinary characters with secret and dark pasts, three qualities that often result in the perfect mystery story. Coben’s stories are brilliant, and fans of the author will also love these mystery movies.

10

The Girl On The Train (2016)

The First Adaptation Of Paula Hawkins’ Debut Novel

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The Girl on the Train

R

Thriller

Mystery

Drama

Crime

ScreenRant logo

4/10

8.0/10

Release Date

October 5, 2016

Runtime

112 minutes

Director

Tate Taylor

Writers

Erin Cressida Wilson

Producers

Celia D. Costas, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Marc Platt

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Rebecca Ferguson In The World Premiere of

    Rebecca Ferguson

    Anna Watson

  • Headshot Of Emily Blunt

    Emily Blunt

    Rachel Watson

The Girl on the Train centers on Rachel Watson, who is grappling with her divorce and becomes entangled in a mystery after witnessing a shocking event during her train commute. This suspenseful thriller explores themes of memory, obsession, and perception as Rachel’s journey unfolds.

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The Girl on the Train is one of the greatest mystery movies with a badass female lead, with Emily Blunt leading the film as the troubled Rachel Watson. The story centers on the mysterious murder of a local woman, and Rachel’s blurred memories of what she witnesses while traveling via train. Nobody can be trusted in The Girl on the Train, and like a Coben story, the film delves into the lives of the ordinary people who are possibly involved in Megan’s death.

Girl on the Train 2016 vs 2021

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The Girl on the Train heavily relies on themes of infidelity, substance abuse, and the power of holding a dark secret. In both the original book and film adaptations, Rachel is an unreliable narrator, but this only adds layers to the story and makes the mystery at hand even more intriguing. Both the 2016 and 2021 movies of The Girl on the Train are worth checking out, but the first adaptation is definitely stronger and more engaging for Coben’s fanatics.

9

Gone Girl (2014)

A Gripping Take On Gillian Flynn’s Groundbreaking Book

Gone Girl Movie Poster

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Gone Girl

9.50

Drama

Documentary

Mystery

Thriller

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8/10

12

8.8/10

Release Date

October 1, 2014

Runtime

2h 29m

Director

David Fincher

Writers

Gillian Flynn

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Ben Affleck

    Ben Affleck

  • Headshot Of Rosamund Pike In The 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)

    Rosamund Pike

Based on Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel, Gone Girl stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne, a couple whose disintegrating marriage is rocked by Amy’s sudden disappearance and Nick’s suspected hand in it. As evidence begins to pile up against Nick, it eventually becomes clear with a shocking twist that all is not what it seems. Flynn also wrote the screenplay for the film, with David Fincher directing. 

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Gone Girl is one of Rosamund Pike’s best movies, in which she stars as Amy, a wife who goes to extreme lengths to get revenge on her husband. Across Gone Girl’s complex timeline, audiences learn more about Amy’s marriage to Ben Affleck’s Nick, his affair, and the fallout of Amy’s disappearance. Those who aren’t familiar with Gillian Flynn’s book will be taken aback by the twists and turns in Gone Girl, which are told through Amy’s various diary entries and through Nick’s point of view throughout the police investigation.

This adds more to the overall mystery, as it’s difficult to know which of them is being truthful or even just realistic.

Considering Flynn’s works are inspired by Coben, it’s no surprise that there is an overlap between fans of Gone Girl and Coben’s books. What’s particularly fascinating about Gone Girl is that Amy and Nick’s distinct points of view are so different, and they see each other as very different people compared to how they perceive themselves. This adds more to the overall mystery, as it’s difficult to know which of them is being truthful or even just realistic.

8

Knives Out (2019)

A Murder Mystery Movie Like No Other

Knives Out movie final poster

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Knives Out

PG-13

Drama

Crime

Mystery

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9/10

15

9.5/10

Release Date

November 27, 2019

Runtime

130 minutes

Director

Rian Johnson

Writers

Rian Johnson

Sequel(s)

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Cast

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  • Headshot OF Chris Evans

    Chris Evans

  • Headshot Of LaKeith Stanfield

    LaKeith Stanfield

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, there are suspects aplenty. Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death.

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With Knives Out 3 on the way, now is a great time to check out the previous installments in the franchise, especially the first movie. Daniel Craig’s performance as Detective Benoit Blanc is a breath of fresh air, and despite being known for portraying the stoic James Bond, the actor slips into this role with ease. Knives Out is a brilliant murder mystery, that delves into the death of bestselling author Harlan Thrombey, and the involvement of his family members and his nurse, Marta.

Collage of Marta in front of a bunch of knives in Knives Out

Related

Knives Out Real Killer & Ending Explained (In Detail)

Knives Out is a twisted web of a murder mystery. We break down the ending, the clues along the way, and who killed Harlan Thrombey.

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Out of every Rian Johnson movie, Knives Out is a stand-out title in the director’s filmography. Knives Out takes the classic murder mystery concept, which feels like something out of the board game Clue (even more so than the 1985 adaptation), and creates something new. Like Coben’s works, the relationships between the characters and their respective backstories are what drive Knives Out. While there are moments of action, the interactions between Blanc, Marta, and the Thrombey family are the most engaging thing about Knives Out.

7

Game Night (2018)

A Fantastic Blend Of Comedy And Mystery

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Game Night

R

Comedy

Action

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7/10

8.3/10

Release Date

February 23, 2018

Runtime

93minutes

Director

Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Billy Magnussen

Writers

Mark Perez

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Sharon Horgan

    Sharon Horgan

  • Headshot Of Rachel McAdams In The Premiere of ‘Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret’

    Rachel McAdams

Written by Mark Perez and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. Starring Jason Bateman, Billy Magnussen, Rachel McAdams, and Sharon Horgan, the 2018 Comedy sees a routine game night turn into a mystery when one of the regular members is kidnapped.

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Game Night is a great watch for those who love Coben, but are looking for something more comedic. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams’ action comedy movie sees the pair star as Max and Annie Davis, a game-obsessed couple whose regular game night goes awry when Max’s brother, Brooks, is suddenly kidnapped right in the middle of their evening. Within moments, the Davis’ role-playing mystery game turns into a real investigation, and together, they work together to figure out what is happening and to save Brooks.

Although Game Night isn’t as deeply serious as Coben’s stories, it still has plenty of tension and moments of anticipation. The comical elements of the film don’t distract from the main mystery, nor does it take away from Game Night’s more profound moments. The subplot about the couple’s discussions about having a child is also intriguing, and Max’s feelings of inadequacy compared to his brother make his motivation to help Brooks even more endearing.

6

A Simple Favor (2018)

Remember To Be Wary Of New Friends

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A Simple Favor

R

Mystery

Crime

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

5/10

6.0/10

Release Date

September 14, 2018

Runtime

119minutes

Director

Paul Feig

Writers

Jessica Sharzer, Darcey Bell

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Eric Johnson

    Eric Johnson

  • Headshot Of Linda Cardellini In The Step Up's Annual Inspiration Awards 2023

    Linda Cardellini

Based on the novel by Darcey Bell, A Simple Favor stars Anna Kendrick as Stephanie, a widowed mother and vlogger who becomes friends with the wealthy mother of one of her son’s classmates, a woman named Emily. When Emily suddenly and inexplicably disappears, Stephaine begins to search for her and in doing so uncovers a series of dark secrets about Emily’s past. Blake Lively and Henry Golding also star. 

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In the build-up to Another Simple Favor, the first movie A Simple Favor is another mystery title audiences should add to their watch list. A Simple Favor follows Anna Kendrick as widowed single mother Stephanie Smothers, who befriends fellow parent and PR director of a fashion company, Emily Nelson. However, their friendship gets complicated when Emily disappears and Stephanie starts receiving threats, which forces her to investigate her new confidant.

A Simple Favor shares a few similarities with Coben’s books.

The characters initially appear to be normal, simple people with their own personal struggles, but as the story progresses, their respective haunting pasts are slowly revealed. A Simple Favor’s ending is gripping, and although it seems Stephanie and Emily’s story is over, the upcoming release of Another Simple Favor proves that their time together is only just beginning.

5

The Fugitive (1993)

A Great Movie For Readers Of Coben’s I Will Find You

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The Fugitive

PG-13

Action

Thriller

Drama

Crime

Mystery

8.5/10

Release Date

August 6, 1993

Runtime

130 minutes

Director

Andrew Davis

Writers

David Twohy, Jeb Stuart

Sequel(s)

U.S. Marshals

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Joe Pantoliano In The Bad Boys For Life Los Angeles Premiere

    Joe Pantoliano

  • Headshot Of Sela Ward

    Sela Ward

After being falsely accused of killing his wife, Dr. Richard Kimble goes on the run to find the real killer while a seasoned US Marshal hunts him down. The Fugitive stars Harrison Ford as Dr.  Richard Kimble and Tommy Lee Jones as Samuel Gerard and was directed by Andrew Davis.

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The Fugitive’s shared universe contains two movies and three TV shows, but the 1993 film is a fantastic watch for Coben fans. In fact, there is even a reference to Harrison Ford’s film in Coben’s book, I Will Find You, which follows a similar narrative to The Fugitive. The movie follows Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, a surgeon who escapes police custody after he is falsely accused of his wife’s murder. While dragging himself through several action-packed scenes in an attempt to avoid recapture, Kimble tries to work out who his wife’s killer actually is and prove his innocence.

Harrison Ford as Dr Richard Kimble in The Fugitive with a news article about Sam Sheppard-1

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There’s something about Ford’s performance that makes The Fugitive even tenser than it already is. Kimble strives for justice while still grieving his late spouse, which raises the stakes massively. There are parallels between Kimble and I Will Find You’s protagonist, David, too. Both men are determined to find out the truth about their dead loved ones and to clear their own names, and this makes them both characters worth rooting for.

4

The Game (1997)

Should You Believe The World In Front Of You?

The Game 1997 Movie Poster

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The Game

R

Drama

Mystery

Thriller

5.5/10

Release Date

September 12, 1997

Runtime

128 Minutes

Director

David Fincher

Writers

John Brancato, Michael Ferris

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Michael Douglas In The 7th Canneseries International Festival

    Michael Douglas

  • Headshot Of Sean Penn In The 76th Cannes Film Festival

    Sean Penn

Directed by David Fincher, The Game is a mystery thriller released in 1997. Michael Douglas stars as Nicholas Van Orton, an investment banker brought into a mysterious game by his brother hosted by the wealthy. As the game continues to integrate into his life, he begins to see the cracks in the facade of the group’s game, ultimately revealing a dark conspiracy at the center.

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The Game is a thriller with plot twists many never guess, and the eerie Big Brother-esque atmosphere during certain moments of the film keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. Although Coben’s works tend to stick to reality, there’s no doubt that The Game features the same sort of twists and turns that the author is best known for. The Game also heavily relies on psychological manipulation, which makes it easier for viewers to keep dwelling on the overall mystery of the movie, resulting in a suspenseful and enjoyable experience.

Michael Douglas' face breaks into puzzle pieces on the poster for The Game.

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The Game TV Remake: Confirmation & Everything We Know

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Memento is the ultimate amnesia movie, which features Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, whose difficulties in retaining memories creates obstacles as he attempts to figure out who killed his wife. The film uses a non-linear narrative and jumps between two different sequences of events, but Memento’s complicated timeline only adds to the suspense. Because of this narrative technique, it’s easy to frequently change your mind about whom the killer is, and especially whether Shelby’s perception can be trusted or not.

3

Memento (2000)

Christopher Nolan’s Legendary Amnesia Movie

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Memento

R

Mystery

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

11

9.5/10

Release Date

May 25, 2001

Runtime

113 minutes

Director

Christopher Nolan

Writers

Christopher Nolan

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Joe Pantoliano In The Bad Boys For Life Los Angeles Premiere

    Joe Pantoliano

  • Headshot Of Guy Pearce In The 77th annual Cannes

    Guy Pearce

Christopher Nolan’s Memento is a psychological thriller that tells the story of Leonard, a former insurance investigator who suffers from a disease that prevents his brain from storing short-term memories. The one thing he can remember is murder of his wife, for which he wishes to exact revenge. Starring Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss, the movie was released in 2000 to widespread acclaim, launching the director’s successful Hollywood career.

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Memento is the ultimate amnesia movie, which features Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, whose difficulties in retaining memories create obstacles as he attempts to figure out who killed his wife. The film uses a non-linear narrative and jumps between two different sequences of events, but Memento’s complicated timeline only adds to the suspense. Because of this narrative technique, it’s easy to frequently change your mind about whom the killer is, and especially whether Shelby’s perception can be trusted or not.

Shelby relies on photographs to help him piece together the gaps in his memories, and Coben’s story Just One Look also features a character who uses an image to solve a mystery.

The Oscar-nominated title is one of the best mystery movies on Amazon Prime Video, and it stands out in director Christopher Nolan’s filmography. Shelby relies on photographs to help him piece together the gaps in his memories, and Coben’s story Just One Look also features a character who uses an image to solve a mystery. Like any good Coben book, Memento’s gripping mystery is solved by the end of the film, and the journey to get to this point is even more thrilling than the payoff.

2

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

It’s Never Too Late To Seek Out The Truth

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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

R

Thriller

Drama

Crime

Mystery

ScreenRant logo

9/10

8.4/10

Release Date

December 21, 2011

Runtime

158 minutes

Director

David Fincher

Writers

Steven Zaillian

Sequel(s)

The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Christopher Plummer

    Christopher Plummer

  • Headshot Of Robin Wright

    Robin Wright

Based on the award-winning novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) as he searches for a woman who has been missing for 40 years. Along the way, he makes an unexpected ally in Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), who is a computer hacker and survivor of a traumatic childhood. The film is directed by David Fincher and won an Oscar in 2012 for Best Achievement in Film Editing.

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’s concept sounds just like a Coben story: Daniel Craig’s journalist Mikael Blomkvist recruits Rooney Mara as computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, who work together to investigate the 40-year-old disappearance of a teenage girl. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an adaptation of the first book in Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium Series,” and both the source material and the 2011 movie are frequently praised for their unique storytelling.

A composite image of two different versions of Lisbeth from the two adaptation of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

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The enigma surrounding Harriet Vanger’s disappearance isn’t the only compelling part of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Salander’s own dark past is also an engaging subplot throughout the film, too. Even though this movie is arguably far darker than any of Coben’s works, not every viewer who enjoys the likes of Fool Me Once necessarily needs less violence to enjoy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

1

Before I Go To Sleep (2014)

Be Careful Who You Trust

Before I Go To Sleep - Poster - Nicole F.Kidman, Colin Firth & Mark Strong

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Before I Go to Sleep

R

Thriller

Mystery

ScreenRant logo

5/10

Release Date

September 3, 2014

Runtime

92 Minutes

Director

Rowan Joffe

Writers

Rowan Joffe

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Nicole Kidman In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's 'A Family Affair'

    Nicole Kidman

  • Headshot Of Colin Firth In The Los Angeles Premiere Of `Empire Of Light`

    Colin Firth

Before I Go to Sleep is a suspenseful thriller directed by Rowan Joffé, featuring Nicole Kidman as Christine, who suffers from amnesia and wakes up every day without memories of her past. Colin Firth and Mark Strong co-star as key figures in Christine’s life, helping her piece together fragmented memories while uncovering unsettling truths. The film explores themes of identity, trust, and the manipulation of memory.

Main Genre

Thriller

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Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson is one of my favorite books, and the 2014 film adaptation is worth watching, despite the mixed reviews and comparisons to Memento. Before I Go to Sleep shares several similarities to Coben’s books in terms of the central mystery, the ordinary and relatable characters, and the massive twists. The story follows Nicole Kidman as Christine, who, after a brutal attack, lives with amnesia. However, the man she believes to be her husband, Colin Firth’s Ben, may not be who he says.

Like many of these titles, it’s hard to trust Christine’s outlook in Before I Go to Sleep. Although there isn’t a murder investigation at the heart of the plot, there is still a mystery: Who is “Ben”? As the story progresses, further mysteries crop up, like the confusion surrounding how Christine gets amnesia in the first place, and whether her son, Adam, is actually alive or not. Being unable to believe one’s own memory is a tough enough situation, but like Harlan Coben’s stories, Before I Go to Sleep will keep audiences guessing right until the end.

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