We’ve all fantasised about having a different life, maybe one where we move abroad or have more money and fewer responsibilities. Well, in Netflix’s terrific new drama The Secret Woman, the protagonist Louise doesn’t have to imagine it – she discovers that, three years ago, she led an entirely different existence that she can no longer remember.

Her current life doesn’t seem too shabby – she lives on the serene Norwegian Island of Hidra with her partner and runs a cafe. But then a mysterious customer arrives and threatens to upend everything she knows with a bombshell revelation. What unfolds is set to be a masterclass in mystery thrillers – one that you’re going to want to cancel plans for!

Intrigued to find out more? With the drama coming to Netflix this summer, here’s everything you need to know about The Secret Woman, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is The Secret Woman about?

the secret woman. natalie madueno as helene søderberg  pål sverre hagen in the secret woman. cr. courtesy of netflix © 2025
Nikolaj Thaning Rentzmann / Netflix

Based on the novel of the same name by Anna Ekberg, the upcoming drama will introduce us to Louise Andersen (Natalie Madueño), who leads a seemingly idyllic life running a small cafe on the Norwegian island of Hidra with her partner, Joachim (Sverre Hagen).

Then, one summer’s day, her dreamy existence is shattered with a shock revelation. A stranger comes into her work and insists she isn’t Louise at all – according to him, she’s Helene Söderberg, a woman who disappeared from Denmark three years earlier. She later learns she’s part of a wealthy family and shipping empire. So why did she leave?

On the quest for answers, she discovers some shocking truths. She’s not only married to another man, she also has a young son. The deeper she delves, the more disturbing the details she unravels, until she unearths a secret that threatens to tear her life apart at the seams.

What to read next

Who’s in the cast of The Secret Woman?

the secret woman. natalie madueno as helene søderberg  claes bang as edmund in the secret woman. cr. courtesy of netflix © 2025
Nikolaj Thaning Rentzmann / Netflix

The cast of The Secret Woman includes:

  • Natalie Madueño (Darkness: Those Who Kill) as Helene Söderberg / Louise
  • Claes Bang (The Square, Dracula) as Edmund
  • Sverre Hagen (Let Go, Exit) as Joachim
  • Stina Ekblad (The Food Club) as Caroline
  • Ingrid Bolsø Berdal (Cold Prey) as Iben Rask
  • Lars Simonsen (Barbara) as Aksel Søderberg

How can I watch The Secret Woman?

You can watch The Secret Woman when it premieres globally on Netflix on Friday 28 August.

What other thrillers can I watch now?

catch me a killer series 1 episode 4 picture shows: germiston l r sean cameron michael and charlotte ehope as micki
Joe Alblas

If we’ve whetted your appetite for a twisty thriller, we’d point you towards Catch Me A Killer, which tells the story of Micki Pistorius (Charlotte Hope), South Africa’s first serial killer profiler, whose unconventional methods help her catch a string of sadistic predators in the early 1990s. Catch Me A Killer is available to watch now on U. If you fancy something equally thrilling in the detective realm, we’d recommend ITV’s Six Four, where parents Michelle (Vinette Robinson) and Chris O’Neill (Kevin McKidd) are torn apart when their daughter vanishes. The pair are set on two different paths to find her, uncovering widespread conspiracy, corruption and lies along the way. Six Four is available to stream now on ITV.