Cecily is Found & Pünd Solves His Case in 'Moonflower Murders’ Penultimate Episode

Creepy Martin Webster digs in his garden while his wife Joann scowls as the fifth episode of Moonflower Murders begins. In the woods nearby, a pile of moss and dirt reveals a secret: peeking out is a dead woman’s hand, wearing a wedding and engagement ring. Cecily has been found.

In the book, Miss Cain is ready to go home now that Spencer confessed to Melissa James’ murder and the case is closed. But Atticus reveals they can’t: He is sure someone killed Spencer; he didn’t take his own life as Chubb has deemed. Separately, Dr. Collins, under blackmail from his brother-in-law Algernon, tells Samantha they should share the money with her brother. Chubb, Atticus, and Miss Cain interview Algernon with Dr. Collins in the room. Under questioning, Algernon admits he had been having an affair with Melissa for six months. Chubb then pins him with the hit-and-run of the opera singer; Algernon is simply delighted: since the singer is still alive, he’ll only have to pay a fine. 

He’s not worried about paying because his brother-in-law will take care of it. Seemingly upset by Algernon’s callousness, Atticus wanders to the local church where Samantha has gone. He informs her about Algernon’s hit-and-run, and Samantha is disappointed and cross. She says she doesn’t want to give her brother anything, telling Atticus about her inheritance money and how Dr. Collins suddenly told her to share it with Algernon. Atticus then relays that Algernon is also having an affair with Melissa. Samantha can’t quite believe it. In hushed tones, she decries adultery as an unforgivable sin.

Back in reality, Susan interviews Derek and his mother, Gwyneth, and learns they refused Alan Conway any information about Frank Parris’ murder and, further, kicked him out of their house. (Conway took his usual childish revenge, turning Derek into Eric, the perverted simpleton.) New suspicion falls on Martin when Susan learns he knew Cecily; Derek confirms he worked for the hotel until Cecily fired him. She goes to the Websters’ house to challenge them, but Martin is cagey and shuts the door in her face. Joann is perturbed, and Martin commits to handling the situation. He says Susan doesn’t know anything, and she won’t; he’ll ensure it.

At the Trehernes’ hotel, Susan tries to puzzle out why Cecily’s dog Chase whimpered, prompting Derek to go upstairs and witness “Stefan” entering the Moonflower Wing. After learning Liam also has a criminal record, Susan forces him to talk to her. Liam admits the youth offender program is a cheap labor scam; Stefan was treated like trash. Liam can’t leave because no one else will hire him with his felony record. Also, he’s having sex with Lisa, who he calls “the devil.” (But sex makes her nicer and the extra money doesn’t hurt.) It’s a pattern for her; she seduced Stefan, then fired him. Liam says he spied on them in the woods a few weeks before Cecily’s wedding.

As Susan leaves to check on Katie, she overlooks a conspicuous bright blue Fiat; it's Andreas watching her. Susan goes to the garden center and confronts her nephew Jack, but he won't talk, so she catches her sister at home and gets the bombshell: Katie's husband left six months ago for his secretary, barely older than their children. Daughter Daisy is angry, while Jack is hurt. Katie is angry, hurt, and feels stupid. She wanted Susan to come but didn’t want to be selfish. (Yet, she advises Susan not to throw Andreas away.) On the way back, Martin follows Susan, honking and tailgating before passing her, pulling a three-point turn, and driving straight at her, forcing her off the road. She’s shaken but didn't see the driver.  

Locke arrives at the hotel and delivers the news to Cecily’s mother and Aiden: They’ve found the body they believe to be Cecily. He presents a necklace with an arrow and stars, which they recognize as hers. Susan pulls up as Locke leaves and asks what’s happened but only gets anger; Locke thinks it’s all entertainment to her. She starts inside to comfort the family but is stopped by Lisa, who says her all-expenses-paid holiday is over. They want her out of the hotel by noon tomorrow. Susan turns around and comes face to face with Andreas, who looks sad and angry. He wants to know where she was the previous night and if she even wants to see him. More than anyone in the world, she says, and hugs him.

Back in the book, Atticus has gathered all the suspects and key players in one room to reveal the case’s conclusion, á la Agatha Christie. He explains his findings: Melissa had two sets of strangulation marks on her neck; Chubb’s Othello reference made Atticus realize there were two perpetrators. Spencer strangled Melissa after their fight, but he didn’t kill her – or realize she was still alive. Melissa called Dr. Collins after waking up from her attempted murder. So who was the killer? Dr. Collins, of course. Algernon claimed to be Melissa’s lover but was covering for Dr. Collins to get a slice of his sister’s inheritance. 

Dr. Collins is forced to admit he was having an affair with Melissa. He was tired of their “boring” little life and attracted to Melissa’s fame and grandeur. However, when Samantha came into money, he wanted that more than Melissa. Dr. Collins killed her to keep their affair a secret from Samantha so he could retain access to his wife’s inheritance. Samantha is horrified and rejects her husband. In a move that further underscores Dr. Collins’ pettiness, he whines that Algernon blackmailed him; both men are arrested and carted off. However, after the resolution, Chubb is confused. If Dr. Collins killed Melissa, who killed Spencer? Atticus makes a shocking confession: “The person who killed John Spencer was me.” 

Chubb and Miss Cain do not know what to make of this. Atticus can’t be a murderer, can he?

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.