Netflix has added Sara: Woman in the Shadows, an Italian noir crime drama based on a series of books by Maurizio de Giovanni.
The thriller, which has been added globally today [Tuesday, June 3] to the streaming service, follows Sara (The Hand of God‘s Teresa Saponangelo), an ex-secret agent nicknamed the “invisible woman” who’s drawn back into action. She teams up with cop Pardo (The Promised Life) and her late son’s pregnant partner, Viola (Mixed by Erry), who’s also a photographer.
Netflix teases: “The suspicious death of her son pushes a former secret agent back into action, investigating a series of crimes that grows increasingly sinister.”
The makers describe it as being “gritty”, “suspenseful”, and “emotional”. In the trailer, we see Sara being asked to help on an investigation. She’s told that there are “secrets in files” that will radically change her idea of the state.
Plus, we learn that Sara is an expert in “lip reading”. The trailer (below in Italian, sorry we don’t have an English version currently) teases that Sara is drawn into a dangerous conspiracy involving a “dark evil”.
Author Maurizio de Giovanni wrote the Inspector Ricciardi novels, which have also been turned into a TV series. Maurizio de Giovanni has penned six Sara novels, which means there’s plenty of scope for more series if Sara: Woman in the Shadows proves a hit.
Rather frustrating if you fancy reading the books and can’t speak Italian, there doesn’t appear to be English additions of the novels, so perhaps enjoy the TV version.
Is Sara: Woman in the Shadows worth watching?
If you’re into Nordic noir dramas like The Åre Murders and The Glass Dome, then we think Sara: Woman in the Shadows could be one for you. It’s certainly going to help your chances of enjoying the series if you’re into European crime series. It’s dubbed into English, so you don’t have to use subtitles. Also, at just six episodes, it’s a nice, easy one to binge.
It was also filmed across Naples and Rome, so you can guarantee some great locations. The series is directed by Carmine Elia (La Porta Rossa).
Sara: Woman in the Shadows was added to Netflix globally on Tuesday, June 3. Check out our best shows on Netflix guide for more series to enjoy.
Inspector Ricciardi, about an “obsessive police inspector who is cursed with the unusual gift of hearing and seeing ghosts of people who have died violently”, is available on PBS Masterpiece in the US and Channel4.com in the UK.