Is Mare of Easttown based on a book?

One of the most talked-about dramas of the year so far is currently gripping viewers, with HBO’s Mare of Easttown captivating fans.

The Kate Winslet-led drama has been winning people over since arriving in April, with a brilliant central performance at its heart.

It tells the story of detective Mare Sheehan (played by Winslet) as she attempts to solve the murder of a young woman in a small town near Philadelphia.

It’s described as ‘an exploration into the dark side of a close community and an authentic examination of how family and past tragedies can define our present.’ 

Brad Ingelsby (The Way Back) and directed by Craig Zobel (The Leftovers) are the creative minds behind the project, which has left viewers shocked over recent weeks. It means the finale isn’t too far away, either. 

But is the series based on a book? Here’s everything you need to know.

Is Mare of Easttown based on a book?

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Unlike recent HBO dramas such as The Undoing and Big Sky, the Mare of Easttown is not based on a novel. 

Instead, the miniseries is an original creation written by creator and producer Brad Ingelsby, who wrote The Way Back and Our Friend.

Is Mare of Easttown based on a true story?

The series is based on a fresh script from writer Brad which is not based on a true story, although he does admit some of the smaller details and the setting were borrowed from real life.

The writer grew up in Easttown Township, Pennsylvania, which is one county away from where his series is set. It’s also where the series was filmed.

Speaking to Town and Country, Brad said: ‘A lot of it for me was wanting to tell a story about home. I didn’t grow up with any cops or around a murder investigation, but the rhythms and rituals of the lives of these characters are very much a part of how I grew up.’

He added: ‘I had a buddy from where I grew up who was an officer at a little police station in a small Pennsylvania town, and through my conversations with him, I became interested in this idea of a small station with a small group of officers and one detective. 

‘Then I had the character of Mare, a woman who had been a hero as a teenager but whose community is now starting to turn against her. I was trying to figure out what the story around her could be.’

Mare of Easttown airs on Monday nights at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.

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