Mystery Series' That Leave You Satisfied

The beloved drama/crime series, The Sinner has just come out with season 3 on Netflix. It's been a fan favorite ever since we met Cora in season 1. Each season contains a new story to deep dive into, new characters, new challenges and new mysteries. The center of it all? Detective Harry Ambrose.

We follow the detective from case to case, and by season 3, Detective Ambrose is what we cling to. The only constant in the world of cults, murder, and rape. The chilling stories he brings us through are what make the thrill of the stories so captivating. You never where he will take you and what challenges our new characters face. One of the few shows that is real and raw about the emotions and events leading to horrific crimes.

One of the best parts about the show, is we always know the ending. They typically start off with something our main character did. Something bad. The mystery comes in with why. And when you do think you've found the 'why', Ambrose comes in to tell you you're wrong and why you need to be more open to different conclusions.

The Sinner will stay in our hearts forever, as it should. It's a gold mine. The stories are seamless, the characters are real, and the crime is enticing. If the fact that we won't get another season for a while makes you want to cry and binge it again, I don't blame you. But, I do have a few suggestions that could ease your boredom.

Harlan Coben is a thriller author with tons of best-selling novels. However, if you don't feel like reading, there are several of his books turned into short-series' on Netflix. The Five, The Stranger, and Safe are all based off of his best-selling books and they're all very intriguing.

Safe follows Tom (Michael C. Hall) as his daughter goes missing along with her boyfriend. Although his wife died years prior, he teams up with a new romantic interest, Sophie (Amanda Abbington). Sophie is a detective who seems to be having trouble with a new partner and trying to close the case in a small, gated community where everyone knows everyone. And anyone who knows anything, isn't talking. Each character buries and uncovers secrets galore in the tight-knit community. The best part about a series like this, much like The Sinner, you get one season. In that season, you learn everything you need to know. The suspense and excitement will grow and you'll need a breather after this one.

The Five is one of the lesser known short series on Netflix, and it's quite a shame because I believe it to be one of the best crime drama series on the platform. We follow four friends on a chase to find answers about a little boy (Jesse) who has been missing for 20 years. Jesse is the younger brother of one of the friends, Mark, and was with all four the day he went missing. They all traveled into the woods together, and told Jesse he had to go home. Each one has felt the guilt and allows that to drive them to find answers when Jesse's blood is found at a crime scene by one of the four (Danny).

The acting is fantastic, and the drama builds so fast it's hard to stop watching for even a day. The storytelling between characters is so greatly unveiled at the right times for viewers to get a glimpse into the bigger picture of what happened that day in the woods. You won't want to miss out on a show like this, considering you've probably already watched a ton like this. It's one you'll be thinking about for a while.

Lastly, probably the most well known series from Harlan Coben's collection of plots on Netflix, is The Stranger. It was the most recently promoted and had the most recognizable cast with Hannah John-Kamen leading the pack. She might look familiar from her roles in: Game of Thrones, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Black Mirror, and many others.

Hannah plays a woman with secrets, who walks up to our main character, Adam, and let's him know what she knows about his so-called 'perfect life'. That secret changes what he thought he knew about his family. People go missing, secrets are revealed, and lives are changed forever. Why is this happening, who is this woman, and what does any of it mean? These are the questions you'll be asking yourself until the very end. It really does bring you the thrill you seek and adrenaline you love.

I believe that Harlan Coben's plots are so similar to The Stranger's three seasons. They're difficult to understand, emotional, and filled with secrets you can't wait to learn. If you have time to watch just one, stick with The Five, but you'll eventually want to watch all three and maybe even read a few books of his. The adrenaline you enjoy is found in every single one. Go forth and solve those mysteries, friend!