The Shocking Truth: Who Really Killed Abby In The Hunting Wives? (Book Vs. TV Series Ending Explained)

The mystery surrounding the death of Abby Jackson in The Hunting Wives is one of the most compelling twists in modern domestic thrillers, but the answer is not a simple one. As of December 2025, the identity of the killer depends entirely on whether you are following the original 2021 novel by May Cobb or the highly-anticipated 2024 TV series adaptation. While both versions feature the same central victim—the young, pregnant girlfriend of Brad—the final reveal of the murderer and their chilling motive has been dramatically altered for the screen, creating a massive point of discussion for fans of the book and the show alike.

The story, set in the gossipy, wealth-obsessed world of Mapleton, Texas, centers on protagonist Sophie O'Neil's desperate desire to fit in with the exclusive, scandalous social circle known as The Hunting Wives, led by the charismatic Margo. When Abby's body is found shot to death in a remote clearing, the ensuing investigation unravels the dark secrets, affairs, and political ambitions of everyone involved, leading to two distinct and equally shocking conclusions.

The Central Characters: A List of Suspects and Victims

To fully understand the mystery of who killed Abby, it is essential to know the key players in the small, affluent town of Mapleton. The victim, the protagonist, the main suspects, and the inner circle of The Hunting Wives all play a critical role in the final twist.

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• Abby Jackson: The victim. A young woman who was dating Brad, a high school student. Her death is the central mystery of the story. She was pregnant at the time of her murder.
• Sophie O'Neil: The protagonist. A former New Yorker who moves back to Mapleton with her family, desperate to be accepted into Margo's exclusive group.
• Margo Banks: The glamorous, magnetic, and manipulative leader of The Hunting Wives. She becomes Sophie’s obsession and, in one version, the killer.
• Jill: A member of The Hunting Wives and the mother of Brad. She is fiercely protective of her son and family reputation. In the original book, she is the killer.
• Brad: Abby's teenage boyfriend, and the son of Jill. His relationship with Abby is the catalyst for the murder.
• Graham O'Neil: Sophie's husband, who is trying to build a stable life for his family in Mapleton.
• Jamie: Margo's husband.

The Book's Answer: Who Killed Abby Jackson in May Cobb's Novel?

In the original 2021 novel by May Cobb, the shocking truth is revealed in the final chapters, completely upending Sophie's assumptions and the reader's theories. The killer is Jill, the mother of Abby's boyfriend, Brad.

The Motive and The Cover-Up in the Book

Jill’s motive was rooted in her fierce desire to protect her family's reputation and future. The key facts are:

• The Pregnancy: Abby was pregnant with Brad's child. Jill, who is portrayed as a controlling and image-obsessed mother, was horrified by the prospect of her son having a child with Abby, fearing it would ruin his life and their social standing.
• The Refusal: Jill had previously tried to force Abby to get an abortion, but Abby refused.
• The Murder Weapon: Jill lured Abby to the clearing and shot her with a gun she had taken from Margot’s collection, intending to frame Margot.

The book’s ending sees Sophie O'Neil ultimately piecing together the evidence, leading to Jill's arrest. This conclusion provides a closed ending, where the protagonist finally sees the truth behind the polished facade of Mapleton and chooses to stay, albeit forever changed by the experience.

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The TV Series Twist: Who Killed Abby in The 2024 Adaptation?

The 2024 TV series adaptation of The Hunting Wives, starring Malin Akerman as Margo, made a significant and controversial change to the killer's identity. In the series, the person who pulled the trigger and killed Abby is Margo Banks.

The Series Motive: Affair, Blackmail, and Self-Preservation

The show's creators opted for a different, perhaps more dramatic, motive that ties the murder directly to the central, magnetic character of Margo. The twist is built on a web of affairs and political ambitions:

• The Affair: Abby discovered that Margo was having an affair with Brad, Abby’s teenage boyfriend.
• The Blackmail: Abby attempted to use this devastating secret to blackmail Margo, threatening to expose the affair, which would destroy Margo’s political aspirations and social status.
• The Cover-Up: Margo, motivated by lust, politics, and self-preservation, lured Abby to the clearing and murdered her to silence her.

In a further twist, the series features Margo successfully framing Jill for the murder. This leads to a dramatic standoff where Jill is ultimately shot dead, leaving Margo to survive and continue her manipulative path, creating a much more chaotic and open-ended conclusion compared to the novel.

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Book vs. Series: A Major Difference in Topical Authority

The decision to change the killer from Jill to Margo is the most significant difference between the two versions of The Hunting Wives. This change affects the entire thematic core of the story:

• The Book (Jill as Killer): Focuses on the toxic pressure of maintaining a perfect family image, the desperate measures of a controlling mother, and the dark side of "old money" reputation in a small Texas town. The motive is deeply personal and maternal.
• The Series (Margo as Killer): Focuses on the ultimate narcissism and ruthlessness of the social elite. By making the leader of The Hunting Wives the killer, the show emphasizes the danger of Sophie’s obsession with Margo and the price of power and self-preservation in the face of exposure.

For fans looking for the definitive answer to the mystery, it is crucial to remember the distinction: Jill is the killer in the novel, and Margo is the killer in the TV series. Both endings provide a satisfying, albeit dark, conclusion to the secrets of Mapleton, Texas, and the deadly game played by The Hunting Wives.