After winning over audiences as the loyal best friend in The Summer I Turned Pretty, Rain Spencer is taking on a lead role that is a complete 180 from the sunny beaches of Cousins. Spencer is set to star in and help produce Genuine Fraud, a new psychological thriller series in development at Amazon MGM Studios. The project brings together creative talent from two of Amazon’s biggest young-adult hits, aiming to create the next must-watch show for fans.
From Cousins Beach to Cabo San Lucas: A New Role
Rain Spencer, who fans know and love as Taylor, Belly’s fiercely supportive best friend, will be stepping into a much darker and more complex character. In Genuine Fraud, she will play the protagonist, Jule. The character is described as a social chameleon who skillfully reinvents herself to become the best friend of a wealthy heiress named Imogen. When Imogen mysteriously disappears, Jule assumes her identity and life.
This new role is a significant shift from Taylor’s storyline, which centered on her friendship with Belly and her sweet romance with Steven. Instead of a summer of love and self-discovery, Spencer will be navigating a story filled with secrets, deception, and assumed identities. The series is based on the bestselling 2017 novel of the same name by E. Lockhart, the author behind the hit series We Were Liars.
The Creative Team Behind the Mystery
The series is being developed by a familiar face from The Summer I Turned Pretty. Writer Sinead Daly, who wrote the episode “The Last Call” in the show’s third season, is the creator and writer for Genuine Fraud. Daly has also worked on other popular YA adaptations like Hulu’s Tell Me Lies and is currently developing Netflix’s animated Midnight Sun series.
The project boasts a strong team of executive producers, including Sinead Daly, Rain Spencer, and the book’s author, E. Lockhart. They are joined by Patrick Moran and Lynley Bird of PKM Productions, the company that brought the project to Amazon through its first-look deal. This collaboration signals Amazon’s confidence in the team to deliver another compelling YA series.
What We Know About the ‘Genuine Fraud’ Plot
The series will adapt E. Lockhart’s novel, which has been described as a “mind-bending” and “addictive” thriller. The story begins with a young woman named Jule living at a luxurious resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She tells people her name is Imogen and that she was forced to leave Stanford. However, this is a lie.
The narrative rewinds to show the intense friendship between Jule and the real Imogen, an orphaned heiress. The two spent a summer together on Martha’s Vineyard, sharing their deepest secrets. The central mystery of the show will be uncovering what happened to the real Imogen and understanding why Jule has taken over her life.
A Promising Step Forward for Rain Spencer
This new series marks a major career milestone for Rain Spencer. She is the first star from The Summer I Turned Pretty to land a leading role in a new series following the show’s conclusion. Spencer started as a recurring character in the first season of TSITP but was quickly promoted to a series regular due to her character’s popularity, especially her romantic storyline with Steven.
On October 9, 2025, Spencer shared her excitement about the new project on her Instagram, posting about the announcement with the caption, “I really couldn’t be more excited”. In addition to Genuine Fraud, Spencer is also set to appear in the film Big Girls Don’t Cry and has wrapped filming for another project with director Sarah Elizabeth Mintz.
While fans can likely expect to see her reprise her role as Taylor in the recently announced The Summer I Turned Pretty follow-up movie, Genuine Fraud represents a bold new direction for the actor, allowing her to showcase a different side of her talent.
What to Expect Next
As of now, Amazon MGM Studios has not announced a release date for Genuine Fraud. The series is still in the development phase, and no other cast members have been revealed. With production yet to begin, a trailer or first-look photos are still some time away.
The combination of E. Lockhart’s gripping source material, Sinead Daly’s writing, and Rain Spencer’s move into a lead role has already generated positive buzz online. Fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty and We Were Liars are eagerly watching for updates, hoping this will become Amazon’s next big YA thriller hit.
Also Read: 11 Hidden Details You Might Have Missed in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Finale
