Is 'Secrets in a Small Town' based on a true story? Here's all you need to know

Secrets in a Small Town is a 2019 thriller released on Lifetime. Helmed by Thoman Michael, Secrets in a Small Town originally premiered in March at Canadian Film Fest, under the title Nowhere, before making its way to Lifetime. It stars Kate Drummond, Rya Kihlstedt, and  Al Mukadam in lead roles.  The movie is based on the story of a widowed woman who relocates to a small town with her teenage daughter Sarah. In a turn of events,  Sarah disappears after her basketball tryouts. The police tells Claire that her daughter's case has reached a dead-end and thus she decides to take matters into her own hands. Read on to know whether Secrets in a Small Town is based on a true story or not. 

Is Secrets in a Small Town a true story?

Yes! The movie Secrets in a Small Town is based on a true story as its description reads. The official description says the film is "inspired by a true story," but doesn't provide any further details. There were several incidents in the past before the movie released that have similarities to the Secrets in a Small Town movie. There may be a possibility that the makers took different elements from different cases to make one story or the network has a private reason for not revealing the Secrets in a Small Town true story. 

There are several real-life cases that have some uncanny resemblances with this tragic case. For example, KHOU 11 reported that 19-year-old cheerleader Natasha Atchley was found burned and dead in the trunk of her car in 1992 after she went to a party in the small town of Shepherd, Texas. The case was about to get easily solved with a witness coming forward to tell a story about two people who allegedly beat her up at the party, but that person later changed their story. Since then, the case has remained unsolved. 

In 2011, the New York Times also reported a similar case about Joseph Helt, who disappeared in 1987 when he was just 17 years old. He went out with a few friends at a party and seemingly vanished into the night. During a 2011 candlelight vigil, a strange incident happened when an unknown person tore several posters of him which made Helt's former classmates and friends believe that someone in their small New York town knew more than they were revealing about his unsolved case.

More about Secrets in a Small Town

Secrets in a Small Town cast also includes Ron Lea, Nell Verlaque, and Joelle Farrow in pivotal roles. The movie is written by Paulo Mancini and Thoman Michael. Secrets in a Small Town released on May 14, 2019. The movie was also produced by the duo Paulo and Thomas.