What would you do if your child didn’t return home from a sleepover? That’s the story of Happy Valley producer Nicola Shindler's tense psychological thriller, The Stolen Girl, which plays on every parent's worst nightmare.
What starts out as a proud mum moment - Elisa’s (Denise Gough) daughter, Lucia, enjoying her first sleepover - results in a terrifying abduction. And as we get deeper into the series, it seems Elisa and her daughter’s life together wasn’t quite as “perfect” as it may have seemed.
With the series available to stream on Disney+ now, here's everything you need to know about the brilliantly gripping new drama, including the plot, cast and release date.
What is The Stolen Girl about?
The five-part psychological drama introduces us to Elisa (Denise Gough), mum to two young kids, whose decision to let her 9-year-old go on an overnight playdate with her new best friend Josie, turns into a nightmare.
It’s not as though Elisa hasn’t met Josie’s mother, Rebecca (Holliday Grainger) – in fact, she’s been put at ease by her charming nature and gorgeous house. But the day after the sleepover, when Elisa goes to pick up Lucia, she discovers that the beautiful "home" was a holiday rental. Lucia is missing, and both Rebecca and Josie have vanished. too.
An urgent manhunt unfolds across Europe, while Elisa and her husband Fred find themselves subjected to intense police and public scrutiny. As the pressure mounts, Elisa’s perfect family rapidly starts to unravel - and long-buried secrets come to light.
According to the official synopsis, "Rebecca took Lucia for a reason. And as viewers learn more about the tangled lives of these women, the question of whether Rebecca was justified in kidnapping the little girl arises – and if she might be better off staying hidden."
The series is adapted from Alex Dahl's bestselling 2020 novel Playdate by Catherine Moulton and boasts a brilliant cast, which includes stars of Netflix's One Day, ITV's Too Close. Plus, with Happy Valley's Nicola Shindler serving as executive producer, it's hardly surprising it's been something of a hit with viewers.
Who's starring in The Stolen Girl?
The cast of The Stolen Girl includes:
- Denise Gough (Too Close) as Elisa Blix
- Holliday Grainger (The Capture) as abductor Rebecca
- Jim Sturgess (One Day) as Elisa's husband Fred Blix
- Ambika Mod (One Day) as journalist Selma
- Bronagh Waugh (Ridley)
- Michael Workeye (Lynley)
How can I watch The Stolen Girl?
The Stolen Girl is available to stream now on Disney+.
