The Plot Thickens with Burglaries & Plagiarism in 'Magpie Murders'
The third episode of Magpie Murders begins not in the present or the fictional past but in a flashback. Seven years earlier, Susan Ryeland and Alan Conway are in the midst of a vigorous disagreement. Alan has written a flashback scene about a young Atticus Pünd in a Nazi concentration camp, and Susan is arguing the horror of the Holocaust doesn’t add anything to the story. It isn’t why people buy his books. It's another reminder of how much Conway chafed against the tropes that brought him success
Back in the present day, Susan and Charles Clover are finally attending the long-awaited meeting with Citywide Media executives, which has become a discussion of how Conway's death may affect the acquisition. The head honcho is satisfied as long as the Atticus Pünd backlist and the new book are part of the deal. They push Susan to make a decision on the promotion ASAP.
Post-meeting, Susan describes her unproductive trip to Suffolk, while Charles reiterates Conway was drunk and belligerent at their dinner on Thursday night. He also recalls that a waiter dropped a tray of food which briefly silenced the diners. Charles suggests she accompany him to Alan’s funeral; par for the course, Susan wasn’t invited.
