Non-Readers: The Perfect Couple’s Ending is Totally Different in the Book!
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If you’re one of the many who tuned in to Netflix’s live-action adaptation of The Perfect Couple without cracking open the book first, buckle up—you’re in for a twist! While the series captures the essence of Elin Hilderbrand’s juicy murder-mystery-meets-wedding-drama, it definitely throws in a few curveballs. The ending? Yeah, it’s very different. Whether you’re a fan of the book or new to the story, the tweaks Netflix made will keep both readers and non-readers on their toes.
In the series, Eve Hewson plays Amelia Sacks, who is all set to marry Benji (Billy Howle), the son of ‘the perfect couple‘ – bestselling author Greer Garrison Winbury (Nicole Kidman) and her dashing husband Tag Winbury (Liev Schreiber) – at their beach-side mansion. While most characters have the same names as the novel, Amelia is actually called Celeste in the book. And both in the book and the Netflix series, Amelia/Celeste begins to have cold feet on the wedding eve, wondering if Benji is really the right guy for her. In a twist of fate, her wedding is cancelled, when her best-friend and the maid of honor, Merritt Monaco, is found dead. What starts as the most Instagrammable Nantucket wedding of the year turns into a full-blown whodunit, as the cops suspect Merritt was murdered.
Major Spoilers Ahead! We reveal the killer’s identity.
Yes, so the book killer and series killer are quite different. And if you’ve already seen the series, you know that Dakota Fanning’s character Abby Winbury, Benji’s sister-in-law turns out to be the murderer in “The Perfect Couple”, a revelation that is made towards the very last episode of the show (Read ‘The Perfect Couple Series’ Ending Explained’). However, in Elin Hilderbrand’s book the person responsible for Merritt’s death isn’t the same.
The Big Reveal (AKA the “Wait, WHAT?!” Moment)
By the end of the book version, it turns out—drumroll, please—Celeste (Amelia in the Netflix series) didn’t just have cold feet about the wedding; she was also involved in Merritt’s death! But, before you go thinking she’s a stone-cold killer, let’s break it down: Merritt’s death was actually an accident in the book. Celeste pushed her during a heated argument, and Merritt fell, hit her head, and tragically died. It’s one of those moments where you’re like, “Oh no, she didn’t mean to do it, but wow, that escalated fast.”
Why Did This All Go Down?
Celeste was already stressed about marrying Benji, feeling all sorts of unsure. Then, it turns out that Merritt had been sleeping with Benji’s dad, Tag Winbury. When Celeste found out, she lost it. Merritt was supposed to be her bridesmaid and friend, but instead, she was tangled up in all this messy family drama. Things went from zero to chaotic during an argument between the two women, and Celeste pushed Merritt in the heat of the moment, which led to her death.
How Does It All Wrap Up?
In classic twist fashion, Celeste keeps the truth hidden for most of the book. Chief Ed Kapenash is out here piecing everything together like the small-town detective we all need, but it’s complicated because there’s a ton of family baggage, hidden affairs, and lies floating around. When the truth finally comes out, Celeste has to face the music. And honestly, you can’t help but feel for her. Was it an accident? Yes. But she was caught in this toxic swirl of lies, deceit, and wedding chaos that spiraled out of control.
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