Nicole Kidman as Greer Garrison Winbury in The Perfect Couple
(Netflix)

One of Elin Hilderbrand’s Best Beach Reads Is Getting a Netflix Series

Elin Hilderbrand is often referred to as the “Queen of Beach Reads,” and now one of her most entertaining novels is coming to life with Netflix’s The Perfect Couple.

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Hilderbrand has written twenty-eight novels so far and garnered attention for her Nantucket-inspired beach reads. Meanwhile, The Perfect Couple isn’t her only novel to earn a live-action adaptation. Ellen Pompeo has partnered with ABC to adapt Hilderbrand’s Paradise trilogy into another TV series. However, The Perfect Couple will arrive on the screen first. The novel was published in 2018 and marked the author’s first murder mystery tale. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller and earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. On top of that, it’s considered a must-read if you ever find yourself vacationing in Nantucket.

Fans of the book can rest assured that Hildebrand had some influence on the TV adaptation, as she served as an executive producer on the show. Recently, Netflix released the official teaser for The Perfect Couple, promising that the beach mystery comfort show is just around the corner.

What to expect from The Perfect Couple

Beginning on September 5, The Perfect Couple will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix. The streamer dropped the show’s official teaser trailer on July 11.

The trailer introduces viewers to an exceedingly rich and picturesque family that a young woman is marrying into. However, while the family appears to be all charm and smiles, there’s a feeling that something is not right, especially as the young woman is warned to stay in the “periphery” of the family. Soon, the perfect family image shatters when a body is found near the home. Naturally, the family comes under scrutiny given their secretive ways and the fact that they’re the kind of people so wealthy they potentially could get away with murder.

Leading the cast of The Perfect Couple is Nicole Kidman as Greer Garrison Winbury, a famous novelist and the matriarch of the influential Nantucket Winbury family. Starring opposite Kidman is Ray Donovan: The Movie star Liev Schrieber as the Winbury patriarch Tag. Billy Howle (The Serpent) portrays the couple’s son, Benji, while Eve Hewson of Bad Sisters and Behind Her Eyes portrays his bride, Amelia Sacks, who was named Celeste Otis in the book. Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam) stars as Abby Winbury, Benji’s sister-in-law, while Sam Nivola and Jack Reynor portray Benji’s brothers Will and Thomas, respectively.

Rounding out the cast are Meghann Fahy as Amelia’s friend Merritt Monaco, Ishaan Khattar as Benji’s friend Shooter Dival, Omar Epps as Chief of Police Dan Carter, Donna Lynn Champlin as Detective Nikki Henry, and Nick Searcy as Deputy Carl.The official synopsis for The Perfect Couple reads:

The perfect life has the most to hide. Amelia Sacks is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket. Her disapproving future mother-in-law, famous novelist Greer Garrison Winbury, has spared no expense in planning what promises to be the premiere wedding of the season – until a body turns up on the beach. As secrets come to light, the stage is set for a real-life investigation that feels plucked from the pages of one of Greer’s novels. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect. Starring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, and Meghann Fahy. Directed by Susanne Bier.

If the Netflix series follows the book closely, viewers can expect a soapy family drama that delves deep into the complicated and messy lives of its characters while probing an underlying mystery. With the perfect blend of mystery and drama, The Perfect Couple should be the perfect series to ring in the end of summer with.


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Rachel Ulatowski
Rachel Ulatowski is a Staff Writer for The Mary Sue, who frequently covers DC, Marvel, Star Wars, literature, and celebrity news. She has over three years of experience in the digital media and entertainment industry, and her works can also be found on Screen Rant, JustWatch, and Tell-Tale TV. She enjoys running, reading, snarking on YouTube personalities, and working on her future novel when she's not writing professionally. You can find more of her writing on Twitter at @RachelUlatowski.