Netflix’s chilling four-part true crime docuseries The Devil’s Lie, premiering August 15, 2025, has left viewers reeling with its raw, emotionally shattering exploration of a real-life crime so twisted it surpasses the darkness of The Staircase and American Murder. Described as “the most haunting crime story of our time,” the series dives into the brutal murder of Emily Harper, a 32-year-old teacher from Boise, Idaho, whose 2023 death unraveled a web of betrayal, obsession, and chilling secrets that gripped the nation, per Variety.
The series, directed by award-winning filmmaker Laura Ricciardi, peels back layers of deception through harrowing interviews with Harper’s family, friends, and investigators, alongside never-before-seen police footage and text exchanges. The case, initially thought to be a robbery gone wrong, revealed a calculated plot involving Harper’s fiancé, Ryan Kessler, whose double life as a con artist stunned authorities, per The Hollywood Reporter. Each episode uncovers a new twist, from Kessler’s hidden financial schemes to a disturbing obsession with Harper’s sister, making the reality “worse than any fiction,” as one X user posted.
Viewers have called The Devil’s Lie “emotionally shattering” and “impossible to forget,” with a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score reflecting its impact. The series’ raw interviews, particularly with Harper’s mother, who sobs, “We trusted him,” resonate deeply, per Collider. Disturbing crime scene footage and Kessler’s cryptic journal entries, revealed in episode three, amplify the horror, with fans on X noting, “This makes The Staircase look tame.” The final episode’s revelation of a second accomplice left audiences in disbelief, with one user tweeting, “I’m haunted—this is the darkest docuseries ever.”
Unlike American Murder, which focused on domestic violence, The Devil’s Lie explores psychological manipulation and betrayal, drawing comparisons to Making a Murderer for its meticulous storytelling. Netflix reports 42 million streaming hours in its first week of pre-release screenings, per Deadline. Critics praise its unflinching approach, with The Guardian calling it “a gut-wrenching journey into human depravity.”
The Devil’s Lie is not just a true crime series—it’s a personal, painful descent into a nightmare that challenges perceptions of trust. Viewers are warned: its haunting truths linger long after the screen fades to black.
