Fool Me Once has landed top of the global Netflix charts.
And clearly delighted by the success of the show, Harlan Coben, the author of the book on which the show is based, took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal he had filmed a sneaky cameo in the episode two of the Michelle Keegan helmed drama.
The American mystery and thriller writer, 62, who has seen nine of his books developed into shows by the streaming giant, shared a screengrab from a scene in which Maya Stern – played by Michelle, 36 – is in a bar in an arcade.
The arcade in question is Bury’s Arcade Club – Europe’s largest free play video arcade. Just visible behind the bar in the pink light-tinged scene, Harlan unveiled himself as a cameo artist in the show, based on the 2016 thriller.
He added a hilarious caption alongside the shot reading: ‘Scene stealing from @michkeegan as “bartender at the arcade.” You can’t teach this kind of acting. You either have it or you don’t. #foolmeonce @netflix @netflixuk’.
Did YOU spot Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once cameo? The author behind Netflix’s thriller revealed his fleeting appearance in the mega-hit series
He added a hilarious caption alongside the shot reading: ‘Scene stealing from @michkeegan as “bartender at the arcade.” You can’t teach this kind of acting. You either have it or you don’t. #foolmeonce @netflix @netflixuk’.
Harlan is pictured in 2011
Harlan published his first novel in 1990 at the age of 26 and has since sold more than 80million books and is now a TV hit thanks to his mega-money deal with Netflix.
Fool Me Once has had viewers hooked with its gripping episodes and plot twists since its New Year’s Day release. The series sees Michelle’s character Maya deal with the murder of her husband Joe, months after the killing of her sister Claire.
The eight-part drama series, which also stars Adeel Akhtar and Joanna Lumley, is the latest of Netflix’s successful string of adaptations of works by American mystery-thriller writer Harlan.
Not long after Joe’s murder, Maya sees her dead husband on a secret nanny cam which she has installed to keep an eye on their daughter Lily.
Maya’s discovery soon leads to a web of lies and conspiracy as she tries to uncover what has happened to Joe and his family’s potential involvement.
However the amount of twists and turns proved too much for some, as viewers who spent the first week of the year binging the series took to social media to complain about the new release.
Sharing their thoughts on X – formerly known as Twitter – fans said: ‘Watching Fool Me Once. This is utterly ridiculous bats**** nonsense with Michelle Keegan and Joanna Lumley chewing scenery for their lives. Naturally I’m obsessed about about to start episode 4.’
The series stars Michelle Keegan, whose character Maya deal with the murder of her husband Joe, months after the killing of her sister Claire
For fans of Harlan Coben who are looking for more, Netflix has long been the place to go for adaptations of his novels. The most recent production, Fool Me Once, was released at the start of this month and has left viewers hooked
Last week Michelle shared a screenshot, showing fans that Fool Me Once reached No.1 in the United States
Sharing a slew of snaps of what her camera roll has been looking like recently, Michelle thanked fans in disbelief of the popularity it has gained
‘Fool me once is okay. Too Americanised. Questioning why her gun wasn’t picked up by police when her husband was murdered but after funeral? Ridiculous. Lots of silly crap going on. Entertaining though.’
‘Is it me or is Fool Me Once far too convoluted? Michelle Keegan is brilliant in it but all the red herrings are ridiculous #skiptotheend.’
‘Just got more ridiculous as it went on. A bit of lighthearted fun rather than a serious whodoneit. Fooled me once but never again – obviously.’
Many were still gripped an enjoyed the series, but were left with questions at the end, with one writing: ‘Fool Me Once was good but I’d worked out the narrative by ep 6 and can’t make my mind up about the ending! Was it good or a bit ridiculous?’
‘Fool Me Once is absolutely ridiculous. I’ve been sucked in by people saying it’s the best show on TV and it’s made me realise how many imbeciles I surrounded myself with.’
‘Am I the only one that doesn’t like Fool Me Once it’s so far fetched and ridiculous?’
‘I was left puzzled by Fool Me Once is so popular. The plot twists were too ridiculous to retain credibility, not helped by huge gaps in the story.’
‘As an aficionado of Harlan Coben Netflix shows, I must say Fool Me Once is amazing. They are all basically the same, which is to say, ridiculous, wildly improbable, and extremely entertaining.’
The show has stormed the charts on Netflix since its New Year’s Day release
The eight-part drama series, which also stars Adeel Akhtar and Joanna Lumley, is the latest of Netflix’s successful string of adaptations of works by American mystery-thriller writer Harlan Coben (pictured)