As its original content library continues to expand, Netflix is kicking off 2025 on a mysterious and thrilling note with Harlan Coben’s Missing You. The five-episode limited series quickly surfaced in the streamer’s Top 10, telling the story of Detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) – a woman grappling with the disappearance of her fiance, Josh (Ashley Walters) and death of her father over a decade ago. Early on in the show, Kat uncovers a dating profile of Josh, leading her to wonder if he’s trying to get in touch with her.

At the same time, the detective hunts for new ways to get answers about what led up to her dad’s death, although her search only seems to muddy the waters more. This is especially true when a young man named Brendan begins following the lead character around; his mom, Dana, is missing, after meeting Josh online and joining him for a tropical vacation. By the end of episode five, Kat has the clarity she’s been craving, but it doesn’t come without altering her perception of some of her closest relationships.

Where Has Josh Been All This Time?

11 years after his disappearance, Kat finally learns the truth about Josh (or so she thinks). He’s been living in a rural home with his daughter, Sadie, who was born after he left his ex, and her grandfather. The young girl’s mom died, and out of fear her dad was growing lonely, she apparently put him back on social media. After her tireless search for answers about what happened to Clint, Josh validates Kat’s theory he left after finding out her father was a corrupt police officer; he couldn’t continue their relationship in good faith while hiding such troubling information.

Who Really Killed Kat’s Father, and What Was Clint Hiding?

Clint’s corruption is a gut punch for Kat, who learns her father was able to help her buy her home after working for Calligan, a notoriously dangerous criminal, and the police. In a double blow, the detective learns her father was also having an affair. When she meets Calligan in an art gallery, he denies any responsibility for Clint’s death but offers his daughter information on the person he secretly loved.

In yet another twist, Kat learns her father was having an affair with a man named Parker, who was his secret companion for 14 years. Calligan knew about this connection and used it to blackmail Clint until the latter grew tired; to free himself from Calligan, Clint attempted to end his relationship with Parker. This wound up causing more problems than expected as Kat’s friend, Aqua, catches the men in an emotional embrace. Clint chases her out of fear he’ll be exposed and the two head inside to talk things out.

During one of Missing You‘s most tense moments, Kat calls Aqua, triggering Clint into believing the truth about Parker is already out. He grows aggressive toward his daughter’s friend, causing her to defend herself with a knife. Right on cue, Josh arrives to break up the spat but accidentally stabs Clint in the process. The latter’s associate, Stagger, arrives moments later and arranges for a known criminal, Monte Leburne (who Kat emotionally confronts in episode one), to take the fall for the crime.

‘Missing You’ Ending Explained: The Truth Behind Josh’s Dating Profile

As for Josh’s dating profile, it seems that was part of an elaborate scheme orchestrated by a dog breeder named Titus, who pays his team to lure people in under the pretense of a date. Victims, such as Rishi Migari (who Kat was searching for earlier in Missing You) are kidnapped and taken to Titus’ farm where he forces them to empty their bank accounts before a farmhand kills them. This means that, while Dana believed she was going on a trip with Josh, she was actually stuck at the farm praying for survival.

When Kat shows early interest in the fake profile of her ex, Titus quickly pieces together their connection and decides he has to get rid of the detective to protect his scheme. He heads to her flat with a plan to kidnap her but learns of Dana’s escape on his way. Conveniently, Brendan shows up at Kat’s home around the same time as Titus, allowing the breeder to lure him into his van just as Dana attempts to call her son.

After witnessing the ordeal, Kat is able to track down the farm where Dana and others are being held thanks to past complaints about Titus’ tendency to stalk his potential clients. Dana frees her fellow captors, but Titus sets his property on fire, once again endangering everyone. He threatens to kill Brendan and soon after shoots the young man in the leg, coaxing Dana out of hiding. Despite his threats, Titus can’t go through with murdering someone, allowing Kat enough time to shoot the criminal.

In the final scenes of Missing You, Josh and Kat have reconciled and appear as happy as ever – until she learns his fingerprints were on the weapon used to murder her father. He finally confesses what happened that fateful night at Aqua’s before his disappearance, at first shocking Kat. However, after the rollercoaster she’s been on, the detective manages to accept the truth and look forward to her future with Josh and Sadie, holding her ex’s hand before the credits roll.