When it comes to The Hunting Wives, the Southern-fried mystery-thriller lighting up streaming screens with its dark secrets and darker friendships, one big question looms larger than a shotgun at a garden party: is it actually based on a true story?

The steamy, twist-filled series follows Sophie O’Neill, a former big-city influencer who relocates to a quiet East Texas town for a fresh start—think porch swings, PTA meetings, and peace. But instead, she finds herself drawn into a seductive circle of glamorous housewives who spend their nights downing wine, sneaking off to the woods for late-night target practice, and eventually, maybe… covering up a murder?

The vibe is part Big Little Lies, part Gone Girl, with just enough gossip-fueled tension to make you wonder if this could actually happen in real life. And depending on how many “mom groups” you’ve survived, it might feel a little too familiar.

So—how much of this delicious drama is ripped from real-life headlines?

Is The Hunting Wives Based on a True Story?

Not exactly—but the vibes are very real.

The series is based on the 2021 bestselling novel of the same name by May Cobb, who was inspired less by a single true-crime case and more by the intoxicating blend of Southern social politics, mom-group dynamics, and the kind of quiet desperation that simmers just beneath country club charm. Cobb has openly said the story is a work of fiction, though elements of it were pulled from her own experiences living in East Texas and watching the way some women curated power through proximity, privilege, and a heavy pour of Pinot Grigio.

So no, The Hunting Wives isn’t based on any one true story—but it feels like it could be. That’s by design. The characters are messy and magnetic, the drama is grounded in familiar social hierarchies, and the murder? Just the kind of scandal that would rip through a sleepy small town (and the group chat) like wildfire.

For fans of shows like Big Little Lies or Desperate Housewives, the realism comes from emotional truth, not a criminal case file. It’s fiction with just enough lipstick-smudged realism to make you Google it… which, if you’re here, you already did.

The Hunting Wives is now streaming on Netflix.