Netflix's Newest Thriller Miniseries is a Must-Watch for Harlan Coben Fans

Summary

• A new thriller from France has been released on Netflix.
• It offers a fascinating murder mystery that will remind you of the stories created by Harlan Coben.
• So far, not many critics have commented on the series, but those who have watched it have been positively impressed.

Speaking of mystery thrillers, the incomparable virtuoso of the genre is the acclaimed American author Harlan Coben, whose novels not only win the most prestigious awards, but also turn out to be absolute bestsellers. And for several years now, Coben has been working with Netflix, which has been actively adapting his books, from The Stranger to the recent hit Fool Me Once.

But the streaming service isn't just big on American productions, it also relies heavily on foreign ones, regularly adding major feature-length and serialized original projects to its library.

Just two days ago, for example, a new French series debuted on Netflix that could very well rival the Harlan Coben shows, thanks to its chilling (literally and figuratively) setting and blood-soaked plot twists. While the series has yet to gain much public exposure, we're happy to give it a platform, as it's a great binge-watch option for all fans of thrillers and Coben-created stories. So let's take a look at what the show is all about.

What Is This New Show About?

We are talking about the French produced series Anthracite, created by Maxime Berthemy, Fanny Robert, Mehdi Ouahab and Sophie Lebarbier. It's a fascinating mystery thriller that will remind many of the plots written by Harlan Coben.

However, those who are no strangers to foreign series on Netflix will probably also compare the new Anthracite to the recently released Polish series Detective Forst. Anthracite is a bit more upbeat and lighthearted than Detective Forst and Coben's series, but it has enough incredibly dark revelations and edge-of-your-seat thrills to keep you glued to the screen for the entire series.

According to the plot, a gruesome mass suicide by members of a local cult took place in a remote Alpine town in 1994. But even 30 years later, the case remains cold. And now, in the present day, in a town whose inhabitants are trying to get over the trauma and move on, there has been another murder: the victim was a young girl, and all the facts point to a ritualistic killing. A young man named Jaro (Hatik) immediately came under suspicion, which was not surprising: he had just been released from prison and had been involved in the same cult in '94.

However, Jaro tries to convince the public of his innocence and decides to take matters into his own hands. He is assisted by Ida (Noémie Schmidt), a young, eccentric Internet sleuth who is a master of the data available online and has an extensive network. She, in turn, is brought to the town by the disappearance of her father, a reporter who went to investigate a murder but was kidnapped. The two young people are aided by local detective Gio (Camille Lou), who seems to be the only resident of the town who is interested in the truth.

What Critics and Viewers Are Saying about the Series

As we already mentioned, the new French series was released only a few days ago, on April 10, so it has not yet had time to get any substantial reviews and ratings on review aggregators. However, those who have already watched the series have noticed that the tone of the series is a bit too silly at first, due to Ida's quirky character and behavior, which could theoretically take away from all the suspense. But it doesn't take long for the plot to reveal both the dramatic background of this Internet sleuth and the creepy revelations surrounding the central mystery.

The result is a fascinating and highly bingeable show. All eight episodes of Anthracite are already available to stream on Netflix.