In the Netflix series The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, all clues led to the last person anyone suspected. The killer was not the suspicious neighbor, the secretive handyman, or even the main character herself. The murderer was the seemingly innocent nine-year-old girl, Emma Coleman, played by Samsara Yett.
The mystery, which parodies popular psychological thrillers, followed Anna Whitaker (Kristen Bell), a woman coping with grief by drinking wine, taking pills, and watching her neighbors. Her life changes when handsome widower Neil (Tom Riley) and his daughter Emma move in across the street. After Anna believes she witnesses Neil’s girlfriend, Lisa, being murdered, she embarks on a quest to find the truth that nobody else believes.
How Emma’s Murderous Path Was Revealed
The full scope of Emma’s crimes came to light in the final episode. After overcoming her fear of rain, Anna rushed to Neil’s house, fearing the handyman Buell (Cameron Britton) was the killer. Instead, she found Buell stabbed and Neil dead on the couch. The only other person in the house was Emma, who calmly confessed to the murders with a bloody knife in her hand.
Emma revealed she was responsible for a string of deaths, all triggered by petty annoyances. She killed Lisa (whose real name was Chastity) because the woman refused to buy her chocolate bars. She murdered her own mother, Meredith, for getting pregnant without asking Emma if she wanted a sibling. Emma spent an entire summer sawing the legs off a small dock, then lured her pregnant mother onto it and pushed her into the lake to drown. She also pushed her teacher, Ms. Patrick, off a lighthouse during a school trip.
“People always underestimate children. Underestimate what they’re capable of. I even surprised myself, I mean I didn’t know I was capable of murder!” Emma told Anna during her confession.
Emma explained she killed her father, Neil, because his ventriloquist act was terrible. She framed Anna for Lisa’s murder by stealing an artist’s palette knife from Anna’s house during a visit to sell chocolate, then planting it with the body.
The Final Showdown and Aftermath
A violent fight ensued between Anna and the child. Emma stabbed Anna and smashed a casserole dish over her head. As Emma prepared to deliver a final blow, Anna fought back, stabbing Emma with a shard of the broken dish.
Anna’s ex-husband, Douglas (Michael Ealy), arrived and explained Emma’s actions to the police, clearing Anna’s name. In the aftermath, Buell survived his injuries. Anna recovered and allowed the handyman, who had been secretly living in her attic to protect her, to stay.
The series ended with a glimpse into Anna’s future. She returned to painting, reconciled with Douglas, and even overcame her fear of rain. In a final scene on an airplane, a mysterious woman (Glenn Close) sat next to her. Anna later found the woman dead in the bathroom, but the body vanished, leaving her—and viewers—to wonder if she was hallucinating again or if another mystery was beginning.
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Clues That Hinted at Emma All Along
While the reveal was shocking, the series planted several clues about Emma’s true nature.
- Sole Witness: Emma was the only witness to her mother’s drowning and her teacher’s fall, allowing her to control the narrative of both “accidents”.
- Suspicious Behavior: After Anna called the police about Lisa’s murder, Neil told Anna that Emma was “really freaked out” about the cops showing up. In reality, she was likely worried her crime had been discovered.
- The Covered Cart: Emma always kept her Girl Scout cookie cart covered with a blanket. The finale revealed she used it to hide and transport parts of Lisa’s body.
- Manipulative Comments: Early on, Emma coldly told Anna she thought their neighbor Carol was a “bad person,” showing a quickness to judge. She also manipulated Anna into feeling guilty to sell more chocolate.
- Connection to Water: Emma’s stated love of ducks was a subtle link to her first two murders, which both involved drowning and bodies of water.
The series, created by Rachel Ramras, Hugh Davidson, and Larry Dorf, released all eight episodes on Netflix on January 28, 2022. It serves as a parody of thrillers like The Woman in the Window, a 2021 film that also featured a neighbor’s child as the unexpected killer.
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