Series: Fool me Once

This bestselling Coben novel has been adapted into an extensive series by Netflix. While the book itself is a gripping page-turner, the transition to a show diminishes the story's intensity and excitement due to the prolonged wait for revelations. The suspense, some of which may be predictable early on, unfolds frustratingly slowly.

Despite these drawbacks, 'Fool Me Once' outpaces many similar shows with its brisk pace. The narrative primarily revolves around Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan), who experiences the sudden loss of her husband Joe (Richard Armitage) and sister Claire (Natalie Anderson). As Maya contends with adversarial relationships, including her wealthy mother-in-law Judith Burkett (Joanna Lumley) and the skeptical detective Sami Kierce (Adeel Akhtar), the story unfolds as a straightforward whodunit.

The simplicity of the plot works in its favor, but it also results in a lack of substantial development, despite rapid events in each episode. Following the initial episodes, one could almost skip to the finale and still find satisfying answers to most questions. The narrative appears overly simplified, raising questions about whether such murder mysteries warrant more than half a dozen episodes, each nearly an hour long. To justify this runtime, unnecessary subplots, such as the detective's personal issues and family life, are introduced, often with little connection to the main story.

Michelle Keegan portrays her role with elegance and skill, staying true to the character's written scope. Joanna Lumley excels as the stereotypical wealthy matriarch disapproving of her contrasting daughter-in-law. The remaining cast delivers commendable performances.

In conclusion, this engaging whodunit had the potential to be a compelling thriller film, offering the audience a satisfying resolution to its double murder mystery. I loved this masterpiece and highly recommend to give this beauty a watch!

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Thank you for reading!