The Opera Becomes a Prominent Clue at 'Moonflower Murders' Midpoint

The mid-point of Moonflower Murders walks us back to the day before Cecily’s wedding as she frantically searches for her father’s missing fountain pen. Aiden convinces her to have a drink in the garden to relax. They are interrupted by Frank Parris, who gives Aiden his room key and claims it doesn’t work before announcing he’s going out to see his favorite opera, The Marriage of Figaro. After he leaves, Cecily mentions he’s wasting his time because the opera isn’t playing. Next, we see Parris alone, waiting excitedly in his hotel room and listening to Mozart. 

(Actually, is the music diegetic or not?)

In the present, Susan meets her friend Craig Andrews (Daniel Lapaine) at his home. She’s brought flowers for his wife, which becomes awkward when she learns they’re separated. Craig credits Susan with his success, saying his books were always better with her as editor. Susan has an interview with a small London publisher, and Craig asks what Andreas thinks of that; she deflects. Craig mentions he’s found Stefan Leonida and will set up a one-on-one jail visit for her since he knows the prison governor. 

Susan’s interview is with her old friend, Nathan (Olivier Huband); it goes... well, “poorly” is being kind. He implies that being away for a year has put her out of touch, and the authors she made big are either dead or no longer as popular. She’s not on social media, doesn’t believe influencers are authors and doesn’t have her finger on the pulse of modern publishing. She leaves feeling defeated.

Susan is reinvigorated by lunch with James (Matthew Beard), Conway’s former partner, who has all the research Conway did for the book, including recorded interviews with people from the hotel. James knew Frank Parris; Parris mentored Conway, encouraging him to come out of the closet, and “gave” James to Conway, whom Parris had been engaging as a male escort. James says Parris was not a nice man; he played power games and left James with Conway after getting a text from Leo, another escort he’s employing. Susan noticed Conway’s book is dedicated to “Frank & Leo – In Remembrance.” James never met Leo but wonders if he died of AIDS, like many on the circuit.

After lunch, Susan pores over Conway’s notes. In his interview with Cecily, she mentions Parris was a problematic guest and talks about the made-up stories of his broken room key and the opera he lied about going to see. When he asks her thoughts on Stefan’s guilt, Cecily seems unconvinced. She liked Stefan, but he wasn’t the only offender employed by the hotel – her father ran a program that gave jobs to former convicts. Aiden interrupts their interview and dismisses Conway: the hotel doesn’t need any more bad publicity.

That evening, Susan unwinds at dinner with Craig over wine. They talk about Susan’s worries for her sister and how things are not going as expected in Crete. When they have a nightcap at his house, Craig thinks she’s been giving him signals and goes in for a kiss. Susan blocks him – what is he doing? She insists she’s still with Andreas, and he accuses her of leading him on. (Gross.) He tries twice more for a kiss, but she finally shoves him hard. She’s incredibly drunk but staggers outside with her bags – though she’s forgotten her phone. She grabs a (very convenient) taxi to the nearest hotel. When Andreas calls the following day as he’s on his way to England to surprise Susan, Craig answers her phone and insinuates she spent the night with him. Meanwhile, upon arriving at Katie’s, Susan discovers that her sister’s house is on the market.

In the book, Aiden’s fictional incarnation, Algernon, finds the letter about his sister’s inheritance and confronts his brother-in-law, Dr. Collins. Collins fires back that Melissa knew his Day’s End stock was bogus. Algernon turns the tables and blackmails Collins. Melissa told him things too: Algernon alludes to secrets his sister shouldn’t discover, and won’t, if Collins persuades Samantha to split the inheritance.

Meanwhile, Atticus, Miss Cain, and Chubb discuss the case. Chubb is befuddled, but Atticus says it’s simple – seven people wanted Melissa dead for “the most ordinary reasons.” The Gardners were stealing from her; Phyllis and Eric, who are creepy; Algernon, who defrauded her; Oscar Berlin, livid she abandoned his film; and John Spencer, the husband who may have known about her affair. Chubb’s money is on Spencer, and he likens the scenario to Othello. “He strangled Desdemona for exactly that reason.” But Atticus is perplexed by the order of events. He doesn’t understand why Melissa returned to her bedroom and didn’t leave the house when she believed she was in danger. 

Miss Cain hopes the killer hangs for Melissa’s murder; it’s horrible someone killed such a remarkable talent and got away with it. Almost an afterthought, Chubb relays crucial information: He checked out the theater where Spencer said he’d attended The Marriage of Figaro. The opera had been canceled after the lead singer was injured in a hit-and-run accident (by Algernon, though Chubb doesn’t know that yet). Spencer could not have attended the performance. 

In real life, Susan practically throws the book in frustration. What’s so important about The Marriage of Figaro? “It’s just an opera!” she exclaims. Atticus appears and tells her not to despair; she’s getting closer to the truth. Susan wants to know why Parris went to the hotel, why he lied about his key and went to see Figaro, and why Spencer did the same in the book. She picks the book back up.

Atticus, Miss Cain, and Chubb confront Spencer. They think they’ve got him now that his alibi is blown. They mention Melissa was having an affair, which Spencer insists he was ignorant of. He admits he left for the opera but returned and fought terribly with Melissa. She said she was leaving him, and Chubb presses Spencer: “Then you murdered her.” Spencer suddenly confesses; he strangled Melissa in the bedroom. It comes out of nowhere and feels like what may have happened with Stefan and Frank Parris. Spencer feels unburdened. It’s a relief to say it; he hates himself and can’t live with it any longer. He puts on shoes and a jacket upstairs before they take him to the police station.

Atticus is bothered because the pieces still don’t seem to fit. Where did they argue? Why didn’t Melissa lock the bedroom door if she feared for her life or leave the house? Miss Cain suddenly sees someone at the window. Chubb and Atticus see them too and run outside to intercept the intruder – but find no one. Suddenly, Miss Cain screams. Chubb and Atticus appear in time to see Spencer stumbling down the stairs with a knife in his stomach. He collapses on Miss Cain. 

(She still seems suspicious. Either Miss Cain stabbed Spencer, or they’re in it together.)

Moonflower Murders airs on Sundays on most local PBS channels at 9 p.m. ET and is available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. All six episodes are available on PBS Passport for members to stream as a binge.