THE STOLEN GIRL

Elisa (Denise Gough) allows her 9-year-old daughter, Lucia, to have her first sleepover at a new friend’s house. When Lucia isn’t dropped off the next day, Elisa and her husband Fred drive to the house, only to discover it’s a holiday rental that’s currently empty. Their worst nightmare comes true when they realise that Lucia has been kidnapped. A police investigation commences and Selma (Ambika Mod), an ambitious young journalist, begins her own inquiry based on a hunch that something is amiss. SPOILER ALERT! As the search for Lucia crosses into France, family secrets and marital indiscretions are exposed. Selma keeps digging and seems to have more of a clue than the police. Her push for answers eventually reveals Elisa’s full backstory and at the end of the series, you’ll wonder if the person who receives punishment, is the one who deserves it. The pacing of this British crime thriller is on point, with the story succinctly tied up in just five episodes. The acting is average – not great but not bad – and while there are some unexpected turns of events, the kidnappers motive is manifested from a deranged and vengeful mind. A quick and easy binge that doesn’t blow the roof off.