Summary
The Magpie Murders ending is filled with reveals and twists, leading viewers to seek answers on Reddit for a clearer understanding.
Susan delves into the truth surrounding the death of Alan Conway, unravels Charles Clover as the perpetrator, and uncovers the accidental demise of Mary. Meanwhile, Robert is convicted of murdering Sir Magnus Pye. The ending of "The Magpie Murders" sheds light on various shocking revelations, twists, and turns, leaving some viewers seeking clarity on Reddit. Based on Anthony Horowitz's 2016 mystery novel of the same title, the 2022 TV adaptation of "Magpie Murders" faithfully follows Susan Ryeland, an editor, who receives Alan Conway's manuscript for the latest Atticus Pünd novel. As Susan plunges into the captivating world of Atticus Pünd, she realizes that the sinister events described in the book begin to affect her own reality upon Conway's mysterious death.
Who Was Alan Conway's Killer?
Reimagined passage:Magpie Murders distinguishes itself through its incorporation of a story-within-a-story framework. Within Alan Conway's novel, a fictional detective narrative unfolds, captivating readers. However, these fictional events begin to impact the life of Susan, to such an extent that the character of Atticus Pünd from the book manifests in reality, aiding Susan in apprehending the murderer of Alan himself. This inventive approach to storytelling is reminiscent of other meta-narratives like Scream or Charlie Kaufman's Adaptation, resulting in a finale filled with numerous revelations. The complexity of the ending prompted Reddit users to collaborate and exchange notes in order to fully grasp the intricacies of the show's concluding moments.
After Susan finishes reading the manuscript of the latest Atticus Pünd novel, she receives a call from her employer, Charles Clover (Michael Maloney), who is also the head of Atticus Pünd's publishing house. He informs her that Alan Conway has passed away, with the cause of death being ruled as suicide. However, Susan, who finds herself greatly influenced by the character of Atticus Pünd, becomes doubtful about the circumstances surrounding Conway's demise. She becomes suspicious and strongly believes that there is more to his death than meets the eye. Motivated by her belief, Susan embarks on her own investigation, enlisting the assistance of Atticus Pünd himself. Together, they compile a list of possible suspects, as Alan Conway was known to be disliked by many.
Eventually, Susan discovers that Alan's demise was orchestrated by Charles Clover. It is unveiled that Conway aspired to be a profound literary writer and detested the creative limitations imposed on him by his prosperous career as a mystery detective author. Hence, as a means to criticize Clover and the entire book series, Alan inserted a malicious message within the concluding chapter of his latest novel. Clover had arranged a lucrative takeover of his publishing organization by another company, which, if successful, would have yielded him immense wealth. In order to safeguard both the buy-out and the series' reputation, he murdered Alan and meticulously concealed the incriminating final chapter.
Alan Conway's Suicide Note Was A Fake
In the final chapter of Alan's last Atticus Pünd book, the character reveals his battle with cancer and his unbearable suffering, compelling him to contemplate suicide. Furthermore, this pivotal moment unveils Alan's vengeful message, laden with animosity towards both the character and Clover. Following Alan's demise, Clover conceals the manuscript's concluding chapter, cleverly disguising it as his own suicide note instead of Atticus Pünd's. Despite successfully deceiving the public, Susan eventually uncovers the truth, leading to Clover's apprehension.
Who Were Mary and Magnus Pye's Killers?
After successfully resolving Alan Conway's case and obtaining the final chapter of the manuscript, Susan finally discovers the identity of Mary Blakiston's (Karen Westwood) murderer. Mary, who was found dead at the bottom of a house's staircase in the beginning of the book, and Sir Magnus Pye (Lorcan Cranitch), a wealthy aristocrat who was decapitated and found dead by his wife, are both intertwined in this revelation. Initially, it was widely suspected that Mary's son, Robert Blakiston (Harry Lawtey), was responsible for her death. However, Atticus Pünd unveils the truth behind Mary's demise - it was an accidental incident. According to the detective, while she was vacuuming the house, she unfortunately tripped on the vacuum cable and suffered a fatal blow to her head.
Nevertheless, despite Robert's innocence in Mary's death, Atticus Pünd further uncovers a shocking revelation - Robert was indeed the culprit behind Magnus Pye's murder. Years earlier, Robert had mercilessly drowned his younger brother, Sam, in a lake, which deeply disturbed Mary. She kept a vigilant watch over him to prevent his violent tendencies from escalating. In a desperate attempt to safeguard his dark secret, Robert infiltrated Magnus' residence, meticulously staging the crime scene to appear as a robbery, and then ruthlessly decapitated Magnus using a sword.
What Reddit Has To Say About The Magpie Murders Ending
While most readers praised the ending of Magpie Murders, some turned to Reddit for more clarity. On r/mysterybooks, a user named Iridemanatees expressed confusion regarding the precise connection between the final chapters of the Atticus Pünd novel and Clover being identified as Alan's killer. Attempting to address this query, another Redditor called MadScientistNinja explained that the revelation of the suicide note belonging to the fictional character Atticus Pünd, rather than the actual author, disproved the theory of Alan's suicide. Consequently, this development narrowed down the list of possible suspects to Clover.
How The Magpie Murders Ending Sets Up Season 2
Following the resounding success of the inaugural season, the BBC has acquired the rights to the acclaimed series and officially confirmed the production of Magpie Murders season 2. It is highly anticipated that the immensely talented Lesley Manville and Timothy McMullan will reprise their roles as their respective characters. With McMullan's potential involvement in the upcoming season, it strongly suggests that Atticus Pünd will continue to accompany Susan on her endeavors to unravel more perplexing cases.
The upcoming installment is set to be called Moonflower Murders as it aims to bring to life the second book from the renowned Susan Ryeland series. While certain key plot details have yet to be officially confirmed, if the next season stays true to the storyline of Moonflower Murders, it will revolve around Susan's adventures in Crete, Greece several years following the events depicted in Magpie Murders. During her time there, she dives deep into the mysterious disappearance of a hotel employee.
The Real Meaning of Magpie Murders Ending
Magpie Murders captivates with its unique storytelling technique that delves into a narrative-within-a-narrative. The initial scenes introduce Susan engrossed in a detective novel, which submerges her within its captivating realm and profoundly influences her actions in reality. Not only does this literary masterpiece ignite Susan's aspiration to become a detective in her own right, but it also brings the protagonist, Atticus Pünd, to life, who significantly aids her in solving the intriguing case she faces.
In the series, the boundaries between reality and fiction become increasingly unclear, leading to a merging and interplay between the two. The collaboration of real-life and fictional detectives enables them to mutually solve their respective crimes. Susan, with the assistance of Atticus, exposes Charles as Alan's murderer, while Atticus, supported by Susan, uncovers the genuine circumstances surrounding Mary and Magnus' deaths. The presence of this surrealism in a murder mystery adds to the distinctiveness of Magpie Murders.