Netflix's new Dutch thriller ‘The Perfect Lie’ leaves several major cliffhangers, but the source material suggests Karen's story is just beginning.

Picture Credit: Netflix

Netflix appears to have another Dutch hit on its hands with The Perfect Lie (De Eetclub). The thriller has climbed high in the Dutch Netflix Top 10, sparked plenty of conversation on social media and attracted a wave of positive reactions from subscribers. Which, naturally, brings us to the question everyone wants answered: will there be a Season 2?

Netflix has yet to officially announce a second season. But anyone who has seen the last episode will know that the writers haven’t merely left the door open for more. They’ve practically ripped it off its hinges. And there’s another very good reason to think a follow-up could happen. Author Saskia Noort wrote two more books after De Eetclub, meaning Netflix already has plenty more material to sink its teeth into.

Warning: spoilers for a potential Season 2 and the two sequel novels follow.

The Perfect Lie begins with beautiful houses, successful people and sophisticated dinner parties. In other words, you immediately know something is terribly wrong. Nobody needs that much wine, designer furniture and quite so many uncomfortable glances if everything is genuinely fine. Across seven episodes, we get affairs, lies, manipulation and secrets in industrial quantities. The central mystery is eventually resolved, but that certainly doesn’t mean everyone’s problems are over.

Hanneke, for example, is found seriously injured after falling from a balcony, yet we never discover who was responsible. Then there’s the mysterious figure wandering around in a black hoodie, whose presence raises a few questions of its own.

And we haven’t even got to Simon and Patricia. Simon becomes increasingly entangled in illegal dealings and possible money laundering, while Patricia clearly knows considerably more than she is willing to admit. She also happens to have a powerful family behind her. In short, Season 2 wouldn’t exactly be struggling for material.

Picture Credit: Netflix

Netflix wouldn’t need to start from scratch if it decides to make The Perfect Lie Season 2. After De Eetclub, Saskia Noort wrote Debet, which picks up the story roughly ten years later. Karen is dealt another devastating blow and subsequently discovers that her financial situation is far worse than she realized. Familiar faces return and, before long, she once again finds herself surrounded by hidden money, money laundering and some very dangerous people.

You might think that after everything Karen went through in De Eetclub, she would simply stay at home and have a sandwich for dinner from now on. Unfortunately for Karen, that isn’t how thrillers work.

Patricia and her family become particularly important in Debet. That makes the novel an obvious source of inspiration for a second season, especially because the Netflix series has already laid quite a bit of groundwork in that direction.

That doesn’t mean the show has to follow Debet word for word. Season 1 already takes liberties with the original novel, expanding certain storylines and giving some characters more depth. The writers could therefore borrow elements from Debet while combining them with the mysteries deliberately left unresolved in the finale.

Noort didn’t stop with Debet. She later wrote De nazaten, which shifts some of the focus towards a new generation. And, as it turns out, the children aren’t exactly immune to their parents’ mistakes. Old grudges resurface, crime once again rears its head and familiar characters are dragged back into the drama. So Netflix potentially has enough source material not just for The Perfect Lie Season 2, but for a third season as well. Whether the series will ever get that far is another matter, of course. But the material is there.

For now, Netflix has not officially confirmed Season 2, so there is no release date to report. We’ll have to wait for the streamer to make the next move. What is noticeable, however, is just how much effort Netflix Netherlands has put into promoting the series. The premiere was a sizeable affair, while artwork even appeared on a Dutch beach to help put the release firmly in the spotlight. That isn’t the sort of promotional push Netflix gives every production. It certainly suggests the streamer is keen to turn The Perfect Lie into a major local success. A second season, then, wouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

As soon as Netflix reveals more about the future of The Perfect Lie, you’ll of course be able to read about it on What’s on Netflix. Have you already watched the series? Let us know in the comments what you thought of The Perfect Lie and whether you’d like to see a second season.