Tag: Small town mystery

Spoiler-Free Review of “HIS & HERS” on Netflix: A Satisfying Thriller with a Shocking Conclusion!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on.**

“Someone is always lying…”

HIS & HERS released on Netflix on Januay 8th 2026 with all six episodes available to stream now. The thriller mini-series based on the novel of the same name stars Jon Bernthal, Tessa Thompson, Sunita Mani, Marin Ireland, and Pablo Schreiber. Each episode runs for approximately 40-46 minutes.

A detective and a journalist who used to be married begin to suspect each other when a woman ends up dead in their small town connected to them both.

Here is the trailer:

HIS & HERS is a thriller series that will keep you guessing up until the very end, hooking you with its juicy mystery. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Talented cast.

When I saw that Jon Bernthal AND Tessa Thompson were starring in this, I was hooked before I even read the premise. Both stars absolutely delivered and I thought they had great chemistry together. I didn’t know who I could trust, which made the reveals that much more intriguing as we went along.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Jaw-dropping twist.

Wow…I did not see that coming! I just watched Harlan Coben’s Run Away, which had a shocking reveal at the end and now His & Hers had another one to throw me for a loop. I love when a series can accomplish this. I’m still thinking about that ending. Way to stick the landing!

Netflix is off to a promising start with its new series for 2026!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Slow-moving at times.

The first four episodes felt a little slow for me. I was enjoying the show, but I also thought it was dragging things out more than it needed to. I think this show probably should have been a film instead, but I guess there was too much to cover.

That being said, the last two episodes were very well paced and beyond intense so this wasn’t a major con, but be prepared for a little bit of a slow burn until you get to those insane reveals.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!!!

HIS & HERS is a shocking and juicy thriller well worth your time featuring fantastic performances by Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson.

More shows like this please!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on His & Hers in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Wayward” on Netflix: An Addicting Mystery!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“See who you really are…”

WAYWARD premiered on September 25th 2025 on Netflix with all eight episodes available to stream now. The Canadian mystery thriller limited series stars Mae Martin, Toni Collette, Sarah Gadon, Alyvia Alyn Lind, and Sydney Topliffe. Each episode runs for approximately 42-47 minutes.

A cop moves into a small town and comes across a school for troubled teens that may be hiding some horrifying secrets linked to his wife’s past.
Here is the trailer:


WAYWARD is engrossing and complex, luring the audience into a dark mystery worth exploring. Does it do enough to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A mystery that lures you in.

This series was so addicting right from the very first episode! I was immediately pulled in and I thought the mystery was eerie, well-layered, and just the right amount of strange. I had so many questions and was desperate to find out the answers, which had me eagerly pressing play at the end of each episode.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Terrific cast!

Toni Collette is no stranger to this genre and she DELIVERED and then some! I thought she was fantastic in this. The rest of the cast did a great job as well and it was wonderful seeing Chucky’s Alyvia Alyn Lind in this. I hope to see her in more in the future!

On a side note, I absolutely loved the music in this!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Goes off the rails a few times…

Don’t get me wrong…I love weird thrillers like this, but I did feel like we veered off the main plot on more than one occasion. There were some scenes that seemed like they were placed intentionally to make a statement, rather than to advance the plot along.

I also thought the series started out stronger than it finished. I was along for the entire ride and I watched this series all in one day, but the ending left me with some unanswered questions. I was expecting something a little bit more shocking and while we grazed the surface here, it didn’t fully stick the landing for me personally.

I still enjoyed it though!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!!!

WAYWARD is wacky and unhinged with an eerie mystery at the center.

I do think that the series lost its way a few times, but I found this one to be very easy to binge-watch, which is my kind of show!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on WAYWARD in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!
**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Panic” on Prime Video: Let the Game Begin

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Every small town has a secret…ours has a game.”

Panic premiered on Amazon Prime Video on May 28th 2021 with ten episodes available to stream now. The series stars Olivia Welch, Ray Nicholson, Jessica Sula, Mike Faist, and Camron Jones. Each episode runs for approximately 40-45 minutes. 

After graduating from high school in a small Texas town, the seniors compete in a secret dangerous game to score a chance at a competitive cash prize that will grant them an escape from their boring lives. The series is based on the book of the same name by Lauren Oliver.

Here is the trailer:

Panic may initially appear to be a standard YA series filled with tropes and drama, but the show manages to hook its audience with the very first episode, reeling us in for more and more as the clever plot reveals the secrets and mysteries behind the game. Is Panic worthy of your next binge-watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Panic Spoiler Free Review 1

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Draws you in with adrenaline filled episodes.

This show was very effective at maintaining a fast pace even with some of the drama and set-up sprinkled in. I was invested from the start and by the time we got to the explosive end of the first episode, I needed to know what happened next and this continued to happen with the remaining episodes.

The episodes are only about 45 minutes in length but I often felt like I was only watching for five minutes because I was so drawn in. 

Addicting premise with characters to root for.

The game itself is actually really interesting and intense. I found myself playing along with the characters, but it also helped to have really interesting characters to root for. I thought that each character had a lot to offer, but Heather, Ray, and Natalie were my favorites and I wanted each of them to succeed for different reasons.

The Cons:

Panic Spoiler Free Review 2

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Predictable teenage drama.

This is a YA series and we do get quite a lot of teen drama sprinkled into the mix. There is the obvious love triangle, the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, the girl who is trying to do right by her family, and the supportive best friend. There was nothing truly unique or extraordinary here, but I kind of dug some of the drama and it wasn’t enough to overshadow everything else going on.

Also, it seemed like the cops were just really dumb in this show. It’s a small town so it shouldn’t be this hard to crack the case, but as long as you go into this show expecting to see some tropes and unrealistic moments, you will still be highly entertained.

So am I in or out?

Panic Spoiler Free Review 3

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in 100 percent!

I went into this show thinking I was going to get a watered down version of The Hunger Games and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I became obsessed with this show. This show is absolutely worthy of your next binge-watch and I think that Prime Video is really stepping up its game with YA thrillers. After the success of The Wilds, I am hoping that people will enjoy Panic also because I would love to see a second season…especially after that ending!

This show was so entertaining and really addicting. If you’re looking for a fast paced show with lots of twists and reveals, you are in the right place. 

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Panic in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

Scream Hunt Coming Soon

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Mare of Easttown” on HBO Max: Compelling new Mystery

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

Kate Winslet returns to the small screen!

Mare of Easttown premiered on HBO and HBO Max on April 18th 2021. The series is set to air seven weekly episodes. It stars Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Angourie Rice, Guy Pearce, and Evan Peters. Each episode runs for approximately 50-55 minutes.

Kate Winslet stars as Mare, a local small town basketball hero who now is a detective. A new case is thrown her way that connects to an unresolved mystery from her past, involving the daughter of one of her former teammates. As Mare attempts to deal with the harsh reality of her own life, she tries to put the pieces together to solve this mystery.

Here is the trailer:

Mare of Easttown presents us with a bleak view on life, but its intricate details and compelling plot draw us in to this new mystery as we attempt to discover the truth along with Kate Winslet’s character. Is the series worth a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Mare of Easttown Spoiler Review 1

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Kate Winslet delivers.

I’m already a huge fan of Kate Winslet and she is one of my favorite actresses of all time. In just the pilot episode, she has managed to completely captivate the audience with her gritty portrayal of Mare.

Mare is far from perfect and she is dealing with a lot in her life, as we slowly start to unravel some of the tragedy that has taken place in her past.

I’ve seen a lot of shows featuring a small town detective immersed in a compelling mystery, but sometimes they can get lost in the midst of the plot.

That doesn’t happen here. Kate Winslet is so magnetic on screen and even in the quiet moments, you find yourself drawn to her, which makes this show that much more interesting in my opinion.

She is the one drawing us in and the mystery almost takes a back seat.

Incredible story-telling.

Every detail of this show is so well done. Even though there is this dark and depressing undertone, it doesn’t overwhelm the show. Every character and every moment shown to the audience is important in some way.

I often get bored with some of the set-up and fluff, but I didn’t feel that way here. I thought that everything was really interesting and when we finally got to the reveal at the end of the pilot episode, I was completely immersed into this show.

The Cons:

Mare of Easttown Spoiler Free Review 2

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Slow burn approach.

This isn’t necessarily a con to me at all. I actually think that the slow burn approach works with this particular show because Kate Winslet is so strong and the other performances really hold up as well.

However, if you are looking for a fast paced action thriller, you won’t get that here. I think that the slow burn reveals are rewarding enough and I can’t wait to learn more, but prepare for a slower pace overall.

So am I in or out?

Mare of Easttown Spoiler Free Review 3

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I’m in!

Mare of Easttown is gritty, compelling, and all consuming. It is already so interesting and intriguing with just the pilot episode and I can’t wait to find out more. Kate Winslet is incredible and I can already see an Emmy in her future…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Mare of Easttown in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

Girl Number Thirteen Lurking Promo

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!