'Mind-blowing' new true-crime docuseries follows a mother's 'mind-blowing' kidnapping hoax

An upcoming documentary from Hulu is sure to make viewers' jaws drop and their pulses race in equal measure, as it has been described as “mind-blowing.”

The three-part series follows the bizarre story of Sherri Papini, who disappeared from Redding, California in 2016 at the age of 34.

Local residents worked tirelessly alongside law enforcement to bring the 34-year-old mother of two home safely. It was a moment of joy when she was found alive on a Sacramento freeway 22 days later – but that was just the beginning of the unfolding mystery.

Watch the trailer for The Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini Here:

Sherri, now 41, was married to a man named Keith Papini at the time of the kidnapping.

Director Michael Beach told PEOPLE: “This is a psychological thriller based on true events with one mind-blowing revelation after another.

“People who think they know the story of Sherri Papini's disappearance will find that all previous reports have barely scratched the surface. And those who don't know the story will be completely freaked out.”

When Sherri was found, she blamed her abduction on two Hispanic women, saying they picked her up while she was jogging near her home.

The Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini tells Sherri’s story in a captivating way.

Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini tells the story of Sherri's “disappearance.” (Hulu)

Warning: Spoilers follow.

The documentary series tells how the story continued in 2022, more than five years after her alleged abduction, when Sherri was charged in connection with her own disappearance.

A thorough investigation by police revealed that, despite her story, Sherri spent some time at an ex-boyfriend's house while she was supposedly missing.

Then it came out that she had asked her ex for help and asked him to hurt her body to make her story more believable and to make it look like she had been tortured during her disappearance.

No charges were ever brought against the ex-boyfriend in question.

Her actual husband, Keith Papini, had no idea about it.

Viewers' jaws will drop. (Hulu)

After Sherri was “discovered,” she went back to living as his wife and kept the story of her kidnapping going.

Keith learned the truth when his wife was arrested.

Sherri pleaded guilty to lying to a federal official and mail fraud in 2022. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison – but served less than a year of it.

Keith filed for divorce shortly after his wife pleaded guilty.

Perfect wife Director Beach said, “It felt like an extraordinary opportunity to explore a seemingly 'perfect' relationship that was actually based on fantasy and manipulation.”

Sherri spent less than a year behind bars for her crime. (Hulu)

He concluded: “This type of relationship dynamic is as old as time, but it is rare that this type of behavior has been so comprehensively documented.

“We hope that audiences will come away from the series with a sense of empathy for everyone involved and an appreciation for how performative their own identity can be in their relationships.”

Record Searchlight reported in March that Sherri sees her children during one-hour supervised visits.

The Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini Premieres Thursday, June 20 on Hulu.

Featured Image Credit: Hulu

Topics: Documentaries, TV and Film, True Crime