Fool Me Once: What is the plot hole in the series and what did Harlan Coben say about it?

A Fool Me Once plot hole has been questioned by fans who were left a little bit confused after finishing the Netflix series.

A limited series adapted from the Harlan Coben novel, Fool Me Once was released on January 1st and fans were gripped by the series starring Michelle Keegan, Richard Armitage, and Joanna Lumley.

After binge-watching the Netflix series, some were left ready to watch more Harlan Coben TV shows, but others were left wanting answers, particularly about a plot hole that seemed to baffle quite a few viewers on social media. Here's the Fool Me Once plot hole that confused fans, and what the author of the novel had to say about it!

Warning! There are spoilers ahead...

Fool Me Once Plot Hole

A major part of the series focused on Maya's army friend Shane, who was shown tracking her car and breaking into her home. This all seemed to point to the idea that Shane was the killer, but when it was discovered that Shane wasn't the killer fans were left wondering what was with all the suspicious behaviour.

"But why was Shane tracking her car? #FoolMeOnce," said one fan on social media. "I binge-watched Fool Me Once yesterday. It was SO good (obvs as it’s a Harlan Coben series) but I can’t figure out what the point of the secret half-brother storyline was? Or what the deal was with Shane stalking Maya, tracking her car, breaking into her house etc?" said another.

"I struggled to understand Shane’s character - did he do things such as planting the tracker/watching Maya through the window bc he was worried about her having PTSD, was he in love with her, or something else? At some point, I thought he wanted to kill her. #FoolMeOnce," said yet another.

Why was Shane stalking Maya?

As Shane's purpose in the show wasn't answered by the series, viewers are left to assume that Shane was just an overprotective friend who wanted the best for Maya. As he was her closest friend and the person she turned to for evidence in her sister's murder, it can be theorised that the pair just had a close relationship and his stalking behaviour was just his way to check up on her.

Harlan Coben, the author of the novel that the series is based on, stepped in to clear up any confusion about Shane's role in the narrative. The author tweeted, "Spoiler: You’re military police. Your best friend suffers PTSD. She is taking medication, lying to you, lost two close family members to murders, has you test a bullet - and says she’s seeing her dead husband. You might want to (track) keep an eye on her and her little girl…" 

So there you have it from the horse's mouth!

Where is Fool Me Once filmed?

Fool Me Once was set in Winhurst a fictional town that was filmed predominantly in Manchester. The producers opted for lesser-known locations such as; Oldham Park, underground tunnels in Stockport, Bolton School and Philips Park Cemetery in Miles Platting. The murder scene when Joe was killed also took place in Alexandra Park in Oldham.

The Burkett home, Farmwood, was filmed at the stately home, Arley Hall and Gardens. This home has been used in several period dramas including Peaky Blinders, and is available to visit. In the show, Maya and Joe's wedding also took place at the chapel on the grounds of Arley Hall.

The house used for Maya, Joe and Lily's home is a real residential property that the crew rented for three weeks. The modern home is situated in Alderley Edge in Cheshire and is surrounded by countryside. 

Show Producer Jessica Taylor told Manchester Evening News,"From the start we create this world of Winhurst, it's a generic town, but it's quite an affluent area with high-end houses, but we soon discover the underground parts too. In Harlan's book it is set in New Jersey, but it adapts itself really well to be an English setting."

"What we always try to do is use locations we've not really visited before, which can be difficult because Manchester is so prominent in filming now. Because we wanted it to be generic, and Manchester is so distinctive we didn't pick anything too Manchester, although it's hard to avoid the trams! We want it to look epic, we want people to watch and be impressed by how it looks. It does look very rich and beautiful, and at the centre of it all is this beautiful person, Michelle as Maya, she just sells it all and the story rattles along at some pace," she said.