The Girl Before explores heartache and grief with a murder-mystery at the center

It’s clear from the trailer alone that The Girl Before comes with many layers. This isn’t a straight-forward mystery-drama, there so much more to it. This is what immediately captured my attention, and after watching the first episode, you may feel the same and not be able to look away.

I’m pleased to report that The Girl Before doesn’t disappoint. While some events in the series are improbable and crossing the line of being realistic, The Girl Before does what it came to do, entertain, make you think, and even shock.

The Girl Before is a must-watch mystery-drama

The four-part drama series follows Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Ra), a woman dealing with a tragic loss, moving into a beautiful hi-tech home designed by architect Edward (David Oyelowo). To live there, tenants must pass a survey and an interview, as well as agree to live by a strict set of rules. Jane sees this as an opportunity to start over, as well as to get her life back on track.

Edward is also dealing with a loss, and trouble seems to find him as Jane learns that the previous tenant, Emma (Jessica Plummer), died in the home. Even more suspicious is the fact that Emma heavily resembles Jane, and Emma used to date Edward, as well.

The Girl Before shifts back and forth between past and present, focusing on what happened to Emma, as well as exploring the minds of Edward and Jane. Secrets rapidly begin to surface as the story dives into themes of grief and loss. However, it never lets you forget that there’s still a mystery at the center, and you may not be able to crack all the details if you’re not paying close attention.

The Girl Before also stars Ben Hardy as Simon, Emma’s former boyfriend, Rakhee Thakrar, Amanda Drew, Mark Stanley, Ian Cunningham, and others. All four episodes of stream on HBO Max on Thursday, Feb. 10.