The author behind the psychological thriller novel You, Caroline Kepnes, is moving from writing to directing with The Attentionist, a new eight-episode series based on her own short story. The project will mark Kepnes’ series directorial debut and reunite her with the unsettling psychological themes that have defined much of her work.
Kepnes will write and direct The Attentionist, adapting the story from her 2022 short fiction published in the horror anthology Dark Stars. The project is being developed as a premium short-form series for YouTube, with the production currently casting key roles.
The Attentionist Takes Place on 1990s Cape Cod
The plot moves away from the urban settings associated with You and into the more isolated communities of Cape Cod during the 1990s. The upcoming psychological thriller follows Maeve, an awkward 14-year-old girl, and her older sister as they live in a community where year-round working families exist alongside wealthier seasonal residents.
Maeve becomes fascinated by a boy connected to a local boat club after developing a secret relationship with him over the telephone. What initially appears to be an exciting connection gradually becomes more disturbing as the voice on the other end of the line reveals a darker side.
The contrast between the picturesque Cape Cod setting and the increasingly unsettling story is expected to be central to the series. Kepnes grew up on Cape Cod, making the location particularly meaningful to the project. Her official publisher biography confirms that she was raised there before eventually moving to Los Angeles.
Kepnes Wants to Blend Horror With Family Drama
Kepnes has described The Attentionist as a deliberate combination of several genres. Speaking to Variety, she said, “I wrote ‘The Attentionist’ as a mashup of genres,” while describing the opportunity to lead the adaptation as a dream come true.
The filmmaker also explained that the project combines emotional horror with small-town family drama and draws from the insular Cape Cod environment where she grew up. That approach could give The Attentionist a different identity from You while retaining Kepnes’ interest in obsession, relationships, and psychological tension.
The original short story appeared in Dark Stars, an anthology edited by John F.D. Taff. Macmillan’s official page confirms that Kepnes’ story, “The Attentionist,” is included in the collection.
A New Chapter After You
Kepnes is best known for creating Joe Goldberg in the 2014 novel You. The book was later adapted into the Netflix television series starring Penn Badgley and became a major psychological thriller franchise. In 2026, You also received recognition from The New York Times, which placed Kepnes’ original novel at No. 42 on its list of the 50 best thrillers of the 21st century.
Her career extends beyond novels. According to Simon & Schuster, Kepnes previously worked as a pop culture journalist for Entertainment Weekly and as a television writer on 7th Heaven and The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
The Attentionist therefore represents a natural expansion of her career, giving her direct control over a story that originated with her own writing.
