‘The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window’: Crime Fans Could Have Figured out Who Wasn’t the Killer Based on One Detail
The satire murder mystery limited series by Netflix The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window tricked fans with who the real killer was. As Anna (Kristen Bell) investigates every piece of evidence, she comes to a shocking realization about someone close to her. In the grand scope of the murder investigation, die-hard crime fans would have known one character was not the killer in The Woman in the House.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window.]
Anna learns the truth about Buell in ‘The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window’
Since the start of The Woman in the House, Anna has been alone after Douglas left her and her daughter died. She has contact with only her best friend Sloane and her handyman, Buell. He is a mysterious character that has a suspicious aura. Regardless, Anna trusts him.
By episode 7 of The Woman in the House, Anna has new evidence of who the killer could be. For years, she has heard noises in the attic. After being released from police custody and being accused of Lisa’s murder, Anna goes home. She sees red liquid coming from the attic door. With the help of her therapist, aka Douglas, she investigates.
The red liquid was spilled over paint. She and Douglas discuss the police finding evidence that Anna is Lisa’s killer. When Anna sees work gloves in the attic, she asks Douglas about Buell’s backstory.
Buell was Douglas’s patient he rehabilitated after Buell murdered his family. Anna learns Buell has been living in her attic and deduces he is the killer. He had access to her tools.
Buell was never the killer in ‘The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window’
While the twist was indeed a bit shocking, die-hard crime fans would have realized the slight hiccup. Since witnessing Lisa’s murder, Anna has spent most of The Woman in the House looking for clues on the killer. She initially believes the murderer is Neil because his wife died and Emma’s teacher also suddenly died.
Anna believes Neil killed Lisa after discovering her plan to cheat him out of his money. When she suspects Buell, it makes no sense. Crime fans would have known Buell is not the killer because he has no connection to the killings. His mysterious demeanor and backstory were to throw viewers off.
Buell has no motive to kill Lisa. Some viewers could say it was because he cared for Anna and knew Lisa got in her way. Buell also had access to her painter’s tool. But The Woman in the House’s mystery about the killer needs to tie to Neil’s wife and the teacher. Henceforth, Buell as the murderer is pointless. The real murderer was present at all the deaths, but it is not Neil.
Why did Buell live with Anna without her knowing?
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Anna believing Buell is the killer in The Woman in the House was only a motive for her to try and stop him and enter Neil’s house. In Neil’s house, the truth is revealed. Buell’s throat is cut, and Anna learns Emma is the culprit. But why did Buell live with Anna, and what happened to him?
After Anna stops Emma, she is taken to the hospital after authorities find her. She wakes up and thinks Buell is dead, but Douglas reaffirms her he is alive and in the ICU. Sometime later, Anna returned home and made the attic into Buell’s permanent room.
He reveals he secretly stayed in the attic because he was worried about leaving Anna alone after her daughter’s death and Douglas leaving her. The character is played by The Umbrella Academy actor Cameron Britton.
The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window is available to stream on Netflix.
