Netflix’s latest whodunnit series reimagines Agatha Christie’s seminal 1929 novel The Seven Dials Mystery. Written and created by Chris Chibnall, the 3-part Netflix series takes the story in new directions and remixes the original conclusion. How does it wrap up? Here’s everything you need to know.
Set in a the 1920s, Seven Dials begins in an English country mansion known as Chimneys. The story picks up at a lavish, glamorous house party at Chimneys, hosted by Sir Oswald Coote and his wife Lady Coote, guests of Chimneys’ owner Lord Caterham. There, the handsome and much desirable Gerry Wade (Corey Mylchreest) flirts with Bundle — Caterham’s daughter — hinting at a possible matrimony. However, the next morning, when everyone wakes up still exhausted following the night before, Bundle finds herself rather shocked to learn that Gerry Wade appears to have overslept. This is especially odd, since seven alarm clocks rang about his bedroom.
Turns out, Wade’s slumber is not as it seems. He died in the night; or worse yet, was killed, as Bundle believes. This sets her on a steadfast and ardent quest to find the killer of her future fiancée, helped out by companions Ronnie Devereux (Nabhaan Rizwan) and Jimmy Thesiger (Edward Bluemel). But the deeper she dives into the case, the more dangerous it becomes.
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What begins as a relatively straightforward murder mystery soon evolves into something much deeper and more complex. The series throws so many twists and turns that it can be quite difficult to keep track of what’s going on. By the time we reach episode 3, ‘The Finger Points,’ there’s a lot of moving parts. It turns out that the supposed death of Jimmy in the end of episode 2 was not quite as it seemed; he was shot, not dead, and reveals that the attacker was a masked man who escaped out the window. Later on, we learn that Jimmy — in on the act and a perpetrator in the mystery — shot himself to divert attention to him, allowing Loraine to sneak away with Dr. Matip’s formula; a metal so strong it’s almost impenetrable.
As Loriane wages her escape by train, Bill, Jimmy, and Bundle chase her every step of the way — and naturally, the series culminates in an epic, high-speed face-off on a moving train.
As the train speeds ahead, the plot twists come in droves. Bill moves on his own to track down Loraine (revealing that he has a gun and can defend himself), Jimmy tries to convince Bundle that Bill is not who he seems. However, it’s Jimmy who ultimately shows his true colours. Yes, he’s in cahoots with Loraine.
At this point, we finally get the answer to the question that’s been lingering from the beginning: Who killed Gerry Wade? Well, that would be Loraine. She dropped poison into his champagne during the house party at Chimneys. To conceal the murder, she placed the bottle on his bedside to make the death appear to be suicide. To add further mystery and confusion, Jimmy placed the seven clocks hidden around his bedside, if only to add an extra layer of mystique. Jimmy’s motivation for getting involved was money-driven, having built up a serious amount of debt.
However, there’s still one major twist in the saga. Loraine was merely a pawn in the bigger picture. The true mastermind is yet to be revealed.
Who was the mastermind behind the entire mystery?
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Both Jimmy and Loraine were pawns in the overall scheme. In the climactic moment of the series, Bundle is advised to make her way to the front of the train, where she would meet the mastermind, and everything would become clear.
As she opens the carriage door, she sees none other than her very own mother, Lady Caterham. Shocked, but still ardently determined to see through the case, Bundle confronts her mother. Caterham spills the details on her plans. It all comes down to money. After becoming widowed and losing her son, she was left with nothing, and so devised an intricate plan to sell the formula to foreign adversaries — betraying her country in the process.
She used the party at Chimneys to enact her plan, recruiting Loraine and Jimmy to assist her. Gerry Wade was very much caught in the crossfire, having learned about her plans. She saw the killing of him as a harsh, but necessary evil. Unconvinced by her mother’s admissions, Bundle holds her at gunpoint until Battle enters the carriage, ultimately overseeing the arrest.
The series ends with Bundle gaining clarity on the mysterious Seven Dials organisation, one that Superintendent Battle had been involved in from the beginning. It also turns out that Bundle’s father was a member of the Seven Dials, and was killed in action. Battle wants Bundle to follow in her father’s footsteps and join the Seven Dials — something that she, after some thought, obliges.
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is a terrific 3-episode miniseries with top performances, an enthralling mystery, and plenty of excellent action. Read our full review here.
