Every once in a while, Netflix releases a true-crime series that grabs onto viewers and doesn't let go. Created by Ingeborg Topsøe and directed by Per Fly, the new Nordic series that made a name for itself on Netflix's top 10 shows list, Secrets We Keep, has that moniker. The crime thriller weaves in and out of many real-world topics, though, like different groups of society (the rich and the poor), the possible toxicity of teenage boys, and not protecting the vulnerable. There is an entire wealthy world surrounding Marie Bach Hansen's Cecilie and Danica Curcic's Katarina in Copenhagen, compared to Filipino immigrants found in the au pair system.
The show reveals that Cecilie and Katarina's sons are part of a disturbing text message group with highly inappropriate content. Of course, there is the supposed justice system deciding not to take the death of Ruby (Katarina's au pair) all that seriously. What if there's more than meets the eye with Secrets We Keep? Now, we're not saying that this "mystery thriller" is explicitly connected to a real-life crime from 10 years ago, but speculation certainly makes for an interesting conversation point.
The 'Secrets We Keep' Theory
A Reddit user, maehart77, originally posted to r/Netflix speculating that the fictional story about a dead au pair named Ruby may be more real than we thought. If you plan on watching Secrets We Keep, you may want to stop reading before diving into heavy spoiler territory. Throughout the six-episode limited series, the viewer (and the characters themselves) discover new information about Ruby's murder. A small but notable detail: there are six episodes about Ruby, and in real life, it took six days to find Tiahleigh Palmer's body, a 12-year-old Australian girl.
Although Palmer was a 12-year-old foster child, living with a non-biological family is a key point. Ruby was similar. She lived with Katarina's family, albeit in a secluded room in the basement (which is harsh conditions to begin with). We are far from over with the similarities, so hang on to your seatbelt.
Is 'Secrets We Keep'... Keeping a Secret?
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Secrets We Keep
- Release Date
- May 15, 2025
- Network
- Netflix
Cast
-
Marie Bach Hansen
Cecilie
-
Danica Ćurčić
Katarina
-
Simon Sears
Mike
-
Lars Ranthe
Rasmus
- Creator(s)
- Ingeborg Topsøe
There are some timeline differences between Ruby's disappearance in the show and Tiahleigh Palmer's real-life case that should be noted. Authorities found Tiahleigh Palmer's body first, and about a month later, they discovered her shoes about 100 meters away. In Secrets We Keep — and we have to assume this was for dramatic purposes — smaller items like Ruby's purse and hotel key card were found before her remains.
The specific location and details surrounding the corresponding bodies are another possible step towards the Palmer case being an inspiration for Secrets We Keep. Tiahleigh's body was found on the coastline of the Pimpama River (where fishermen frequent). Authorities also discovered Ruby in a body of water — a marina. In both instances, police had a hard time figuring out what the cause of death was, since water decomposes any signs that could lead to the exact cause of death. Let's move on to the perpetrators, shall we?
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By the end of Secrets We Keep, Cecilie's investigation leads the viewers into some shady places. Viewers learn that a crucial video showing Katarina's son sexually assaulting Ruby was erased, and that Katarina was directly involved in Ruby's death. Also, Katarina's husband, Rasmus, tries to influence Cecilie to join his side in an earlier episode. Tiahleigh Palmer's murder reflects this kind of horrid family operation.
While Tiahleigh was not an au pair, the police investigation uncovered that her 19-year-old foster brother, Trent Thorburn, had intercourse with her and possibly impregnated her too. It was also revealed in court that his mother, Julene, may have been aware of this relationship (similar to the show's finale). Julene and Trent's older brother, Josh, were later charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Fiction Has Never Come Closer to Reality
While Trent, Josh, and their mother all served time in jail, Rick, Trent's father, was the one who murdered poor Tiahleigh Palmer. While serving life in prison, he was found dead in Woodford Correctional Facility on April 11, 2025 (just a month before Secrets We Keep would premiere on Netflix). Another detail that emerged, which might have helped shape the show's story, was that Julene was the one who seemed to be the leader of the cover-up. She put together the entire lie of the 12-year-old girl's death because, allegedly, she did not want to ruin her "family and lifestyle."
For as long as she could, she told her sons what to say and for all to stick to the same story. This theme of the mother rounding everything up sounds remarkably familiar to Katarina's last words to Cecilie at the end of the dock in the final minutes of Secrets We Keep: "Those men, they think everything sorts itself out."
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It remains unclear whether the murder of Tiahleigh Palmer directly influenced Secrets We Keep. If it was, why did the show's creators not seem to want to connect the two? Whatever the case may be, the show remains an entertaining thriller originating from Copenhagen, Denmark. If you'd like to watch it for yourself, Secrets We Keep is currently available to stream on Netflix.
