Michelle Keegan has reunited with bestselling author Harlan Coben for a second Netflix thriller following the massive success of Fool Me Once. The 38-year-old actress, who previously starred in the hit adaptation, is set to appear in The Woods, based on Coben's 2020 novel.
A Stellar Cast
Keegan joins The Love Hypothesis star Tom Bateman in the lead role of Lucy Silverfield. The cast also includes James Buckley from The Inbetweeners, comedian Tom Allen, After Life's Mandeep Dhillon, and Pearce Quigley from Small Prophets. Additional cast members include Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rade Sherbedgia, Christopher Harper, Dean Fagan, Charlotte Beaumont, and Roger Barclay.
Plot Synopsis
The story follows Paul 'Cope' Copeland, a top barrister and devoted single father to ten-year-old daughter Cami. Twenty years ago, his sister Camille vanished from a summer camp in the woods, a loss that tore his family apart. When the body of a man is discovered—twenty years after he was supposedly murdered alongside Camille—Cope becomes convinced his sister may still be alive. Determined to uncover the truth, he reunites with his first love, Lucy Silverfield (Keegan), and together they begin a search for answers, unearthing years of lies, cover-ups, and family secrets that threaten to destroy everything he has built.
Coben's Vision
Harlan Coben said in a statement: 'The Woods is a haunting and very personal story. It has everything you expect from us—twisty, turning, gasp-inducing—but at the core is a story of old love and yearning. Working with a cast led by Tom Bateman, Michelle Keegan, Mandeep Dhillon, Pearce Quigley, James Buckley, Tom Allen—it's an embarrassment of riches.'
Danny Brocklehurst is adapting the book into an eight-part series for Netflix. The Woods will be the streaming service's 14th Coben adaptation, joining past projects like Missing You and Gone For Good.
Previous Success
Earlier this year, Netflix launched fellow Coben series Run Away, which earned an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score. The murder mystery thriller, starring Ruth Jones and James Nesbitt, debuted on New Year's Day. Fans shared riveting reviews online, with one writing: 'I will admit that this is the first Harlan Coben adaptation that I actually liked watching.' Another added: 'It's kind of bonkers and likely to engage viewers, but one can't help but be left wanting a little more.'
TV critic Christopher Stevens wrote for the Daily Mail: 'This is soap packed full of steroids. It demands actors who are not afraid to go over the top, and viewers who are willing to suspend all disbelief.' He praised James Nesbitt's performance, noting his intensity in the role.
