'Moonflower Murders' Unfurls More Mystery in Episode 2

As Moonflower Murders returns for its second installment, Susan is dwelling on her guilt in encouraging Alan Conway to use the real-life murder of Frank Parris as the inspiration for Atticus Pünd Takes the Case. She flashes back to eight years ago, meeting with him for lunch when he was awash in writer’s block. Conway showed her a story he was drawn to in the paper, Parris’ death, with the setting of a wedding, was especially juicy story fodder. Susan egged him on as his editor, and with Conway’s novel now implicated, she feels personally responsible for Cecily’s disappearance. At least she gets a reprieve driving her sexy red convertible on the familiar streets of London again.

On the way to the Trehernes’ hotel, real life and the world of Conway’s novel converge as Susan’s car crosses paths with the vehicle that Atticus Pünd and his assistant, Madeline Cain (Pippa Bennett-Warner), are riding in. Upon arrival, Lawrence Treherne shows Susan to the Moonflower Wing, pointing out Room 12, where Parris died. Susan stops to pet Chase, Cecily’s dog. Lawrence warns Susan that their daughter Lisa, sister of the disppeared, can be direct; Susan discovers how much he isn't kidding over lunch when Lisa demands to know how much she’s being paid to read a book. Lisa is bitter that Cecily and Aiden took over the cottage she used to live in; she calls Aiden lazy and resents the division of labor at the hotel; she snidely notes Cecily was pregnant before the wedding and calls Aiden a fast mover; she insinuates Cecily may have faked her disappearance. Lawrence is horrified, and Lisa insists he never knew his daughter.

After Lisa walks out, Susan asks Lawrence about her facial scar, which she's had since she was a child, when Cecily threw a glass at her, smashing Lisa’s face. Lawrence then asks about Alan Conway — why did he use their family in his book? Susan’s guilt is tweaked again; she says Conway liked to play games.