By David Craig

Published: Tuesday, 04 January 2022 at 12:00 am


Netflix subscribers have been drawn in by the streamer’s latest Harlan Coben thriller Stay Close, which follows a woman desperately trying to escape her dark past.

As fans have come to expect from the crime novelist, there are a number of twists and turns as the mystery is gradually revealed, but the story isn’t tied up in a neat little bow.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite, with the Stay Close ending being a last-minute shocker that drops a major bombshell on viewers and puts the future of three characters in peril.

Suffice to say, many viewers will be curious to know if this development will be followed up on in a second season, so we’ve rounded up all of the information we have so far. Spoiler warning!

Will there be a Stay Close season 2?

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Netflix

Netflix is yet to announce whether Stay Close will return for a second season, with the show seemingly intended to be a miniseries in the same vein as previous Harlan Coben adaptations like The Stranger and The Woods.

That said, star Richard Armitage told RadioTimes.com that the final twist, which revealed Dave to be a completely unwitting murderer, does leave a “tiny little door open” for a potential follow-up.

He added: “It’s such a brilliant twist and one of the things that I like about it is the fact that you don’t really see what he’s done. You just know that there was somebody in the boot of that car.

“You don’t see him in the car, you don’t actually see the thing happen; it’s all in the viewer’s imagination. And of course, he doesn’t know what he’s done either, which I think is another brilliant opener for maybe Stay Close 2 – who knows?”

Co-star Bethany Antonia agreed that there is scope for another story, but felt that a significant time-jump would be the best way to explore the next chapter in the lives of Shaw family.

“I think that it will come back to haunt them, but in a long time,” Antonia theorises. “It will be Kayleigh’s wedding when she’s like 35, and then she’ll see a yellow car and it will bring back all the memories.”

Stay Close season 2 release date rumours

If Stay Close were to return for a second season, it’s likely that production would aim for a release date approximately one year from now, with most scripted shows operating on a roughly annual cycle.

However, no Harlan Coben adaptations produced thus far have returned for multiple seasons, so the show would have to be very popular for Netflix to make an exception here.

Stay Close season 2 cast

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Jo Joyner and James Nesbitt in Harlan Coben’s Stay Close
Netflix

If Stay Close did come back for more episodes, it would likely focus on the Shaw family, who have a dark secret that only Megan (Cush Jumbo) is fully aware of.

It would have to delve deeper into the revelation that Dave Shaw (Daniel Francis) unknowingly killed a man while trying to keep his daughter, Kayleigh (Bethany Antonia) out of trouble.

We could also see more from odd couple detectives Broome and Erin, played by James Nesbitt and Jo Joyner respectively, who fell just short of finding the truth about Carlton Flynn’s disappearance in season one.

We may not see any more from Sarah Parish as Lorraine, as the night club owner was revealed to be terminally ill towards the end of the season.

Several other characters died over the course of the show including Eddie Izzard’s Harry, and musical theatre murderers Ken and Barbie.

Is there a Stay Close season 2 trailer?

We don’t even know if season two is going to happen just yet, so don’t expect to see new footage anytime soon.

Stay Close is available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Drama coverage, read our guide to the best series on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.