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Pieces of Her

Long Memories

By Sarah Faichney | May 2022

‘Pieces of Her’ is adapted from the Karin Slaughter novel of the same name, with the eight-part series created by Charlotte Stoudt. Currently available to stream via Netflix, the thriller series is rated 15 and the blurb reads “A woman pieces together her mother’s dark past after a violent attack in their small town brings hidden threats and deadly secrets to light.”

The tension in the opening episode reaches fever pitch within the first ten minutes. In that time, we meet Laura, a 52-year-old speech therapist who helps rehabilitate army veterans. Laura is one sassy momma to 30-year-old Andrea (Andy). Toni Colette plays Laura and, boy, has she come a long way since ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ (still a classic movie)! Her performance is commanding throughout. This is a woman very much in control of her life. Or so it would appear…

Daughter Andy is played brilliantly by Bella Heathcote. She’s a rudderless young woman, her ambition somewhat scuppered by having had to return home to the fictional town of Belle Isle to nurse her mother through a period of ill health. Laura has spent many years virtually smothering Andy in an attempt to keep her safe, whilst living a life she doesn’t recognise as her own. In fact, it takes Laura many years to learn that “hiding isn’t choice, it’s captivity”. Laura is stoic and detached (clearly a method of self-preservation) but her love for her daughter is apparent from the opening scenes. As for Andy, it’s heartening to see her growing in confidence and resourcefulness as the story unfolds.

In the early episodes, we don’t fully know what’s going on. Flashback is used to illustrate some incidents from Laura’s past. All we know is that some people are pursuing Laura and Andy, and they’re not the sort of people you want to mess with. The first episode is fast-paced and thrilling.By episode four, Andy has realised that she doesn’t know her mom AT ALL!

Enter some characters from Laura’s past. Joe Dempsie (previously of ‘Skins’ and ‘Game of Thrones’) provides a wonderfully menacing performance as master manipulator Nick. To say more would be to risk spoilers but his eyes are hypnotically psychotic. Very chilling!


Much of the first half of the series is spent trying to figure out who can be trusted. I felt the whole thing dipped around episode five. The plot is complicated, requiring a degree of exposition which doesn’t always accommodate the pacing we expect in a thriller. But that’s okay - the audience often appreciates some breathing space. As the plot progresses, we are grateful for it, as the final episode is deliciously dramatic. Another point to note is that the soundtrack is a stand-out, incorporating classic and contemporary tracks plus original compositions by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans.

There are many themes at play throughout but, ultimately, it’s about making sacrifices in order to stay safe. It’s also about family, expectation and identity. The following quote really stood out for me:

“People have long memories. You’re on your own, you brood on the past. That feeling connects you to something, you hold onto it.”

This perfectly encapsulates why women live in fear for prolonged periods after leaving an abusive relationship. But is that what’s going on in ‘Pieces of Her’? I guess you’ll have to tune in to find out. Just make sure you clear the diary, as it’s a very binge-worthy series.

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