Every time a book adaptation drops, there’s a question: watch now or read the book first?

In February, I saw a teaser for “Imperfect Women” on Apple TV and learned it was based on a 2020 book by Araminta Hall—a book that sounded exactly like my thing. The problem? Timing.

Because when I get into an author, I go all in—reading their entire oeuvre—usually alongside a book club pick.

I enjoy this pace until something like this drops.

At the moment, I find myself deep into Kristin Hannah and am reading one of her beautiful, sad books after another. I’ve read “The Four Winds,” “The Women,” “The Great Alone”—and just finished “Homefront” while I stalk my position on the waitlist for “The Nightingale” (not much longer—hurry up, Libby users!). In addition, my bookclub just voted for “Yellowface” by R.F. Kuang, so that’s next.

But the siren song of a thriller starring Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, Kate Mara—we do not have the time—or word count—for me to list how epic these ladies are. Really, you should know. This stacked cast—also featuring my crush Corey Stoll, Ana Ortiz (hello, “Ugly Betty”), Joel Kinnaman (I loved “The Killing”) and my beloved Wilson Bethel of “Hart of Dixie”—is impossible for me to ignore!

Now, I am not a purist, like my husband, who will wait forever to see a show so he can read the book first. My co-editor Danielle also follows that rule. 

There have been times where I’ve watched before I read, including “Big Little Lies” (which led me to read every single Liane Moriarty book—#noregrets), “Normal People” (watched, read, then watched again) and Season 1 of “Bridgerton” (yep, read the series immediately after. Not disappointed at all).  I’ve done it both ways.  But I do love a thriller and I know the book could be better.

I’ve decided to be a rebel and start the series. Episode 1 premiered today, March 18, and I’m going in.

Here’s how this will work: I’ll give you my honest take, and my verdict will be one of three things:

A) Watch it. NOW.

B) Wait and read the book first.

C) Watch an episode and see what you think.

The plot:

Eleanor (Kerry Washington), Nancy (Kate Mara) and Mary (Elisabeth Moss) have been best friends since college. Nancy confides in Eleanor—who is single, high-powered and glamorous—about her affair with her co-worker David. She hides the info from Mary, who is married with several children. 

Nancy is married to Robert (Joel Kinnaman) and Eleanor encourages her to end the affair. Washington’s Eleanor tells Nancy a quote so good, I paused the show and texted it immediately to two friends: “What’s the difference between love and infatuation? Love fills you up and infatuation depletes you.”

Later that night, Robert calls Eleanor, demanding to know where Nancy is, because she never came home. Soon after, the police show up and say Nancy has been murdered. 

Eleanor breaks the news to Mary, who feels hurt that Nancy never told her about the affair. Each character introduced seems to have hints of a shady backstory, which I am sure we’ll learn of as the series continues.

Episode 1 sets up the mystery of who killed Nancy, while hinting that there’s a lot happening under the surface for all of these characters. 

My verdict:

A) Watch it. NOW.

It’s intriguing and has some fun bitchy asides in it. This is a show your friends are going to be talking about so it will get spoiled quickly. It seems to be a good successor to “Big Little Lies”  and “The Housemaid.”

Apple has released two episodes today, and I am going to keep going. 

About the writer

S. Lynn Bonanno thinks the book “Big Little Lies” was better than the TV series and is looking forward to Moriarty’s sequel “Big Little Truths.” Speaking of Liane Moriarty, she loved the adaptation of “Apples Never Fall” —and—yes, she’s said this before—hated the TV series “Nine Perfect Strangers.”