How Does ‘Sharp Objects’ End? Surprising Killer And Book’s Twist Ending

HBO’s “Sharp Objects” only just premiered, but fans of Gillian Flynn’s book already know how the haunting tales comes to an end. While it’s unclear if the miniseries will follow the exact same plot and ending as the print version, viewers who want to know which character in the books committed the grizzly murders can easily discover who is responsible.

The story follows Camille, played by Amy Adams, who is tasked with returning to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, to report on the murders of two young girls named Ann Nash and Natalie Keene. During her stay, she is also dealing with her own family, including her mother Adora (Patricia Clarkson) and half-sister Amma (Eliza Scanlen), while being consistently taunted by the memory of the premature death of her sister Marian from illness.

The Truth About Adora

In the book, the beginning of the end comes when Camille is told by a local that she believes her mother Adora to have a contagious sickness. In the following chapter, Camille is taking a bath and Adora interrupts her to give her a glass of milk. Camille says to herself the milk will either make her sick and if it doesn’t, she’s a “hateful creature” for thinking it will. Within an hour, Camille falls ill and finds Amma waiting for her in her bedroom where she warns her she’s about to feel “worse.”

Despite feeling ill, Camille heads to the local hospital where she demands to see her dead sister’s medical records. After scanning years of paperwork, Camille comes across a note from one nurse who shares her “very strong” opinion that Marian was never sick and would it not be for her mother, “would be perfectly healthy.” The nurse continues to write that Adora only seemed interested in Marian when she was ill and added she felt her children should be removed from the home.

When Camille tracks down the nurse she explains that her mother likely has MBP, Munchausen by Proxy, a mental disease in which a caregiver makes their child ill for attention. While the nurse says no one would listen to her concerns at the time, she tells Camille that her love interest, Detective Richard Willis, who is played by Chris Messina on the show, has been in the hospital to check out Marian’s files.

“Get your sister out of that home, Camille. She’s not safe,” the nurse warns her.

Murder Theories

When Camille finds Richard, she tells him what she knows. He says he believes Adora to be the killer, saying the murderer had “nurturing instructs that went awry.” He shares a theory that the killer tried to mother the young girls but failed and murdered them in outrage. He warns Camille her family’s home will be searched the following day and tells her he expects to find the victim’s teeth, which were removed from the mouths after their deaths, on the property.

When Camille returns home, Adora gives her another drink, which also makes her ill. Suddenly, Camille wakes from the tub after being cared for by her mother to the sound of screams in the home. Richards finds her in the tub and Camille tells him she hopes there’s still enough poison in her system to help the case.

The search finds multiple pills in Adora’s possession, including industrial strength laxatives, horse tranquilizers, anti-seizure medicines and syrups that induce vomiting. Police also uncover a diary of Adora’s time with her daughters, including her reaction to Marian’s death, with one passage stating, “Marian is dead. I couldn’t stop.” The most important piece of evidence found is a pair of pliers with DNA matching Ann and Natalie’s. Adora is arrested for the murders, including Marian’s.

The Missing Teeth

Due to Adora’s situation, Camille takes half custody of Amma and move her into her apartment. Away from her mother, Amma becomes obsessed with female killers and working on her dollhouse. After enrolling her in school, Amma makes friends and becomes close with one girl in particular named Lily. After time passes, Amma makes it clear to Camille that she thinks she prefers Lily over her and gets upset. Days later, Lily is found dead in a dumpster near Camille’s apartment with six teeth missing.

Camille proceeds to ripe through Amma’s belongings. When she comes across the dollhouse, she breaks apart each room and 56 teeth fall out. Amma was using the teeth as ivory tiles for one of the room’s floors.

In the end, Amma and two of her friends are admitted into psychiatric hospitals. It is revealed that the girls convinced Ann to ride with them in a golf cart and dress up for a “party” before strangling her. With Natalie, Amma and her friends held her in a carriage house for two days and tended to her before Amma strangled her. Amma killed Lily without the help from her friends by hitting her with a rock and strangling her.

The book ends with Adora being found guilty of murder for Marian’s death and an update on Amma. Camilla states that Amma told her she took the teeth of the young girls to make her dollhouse perfect. Camille says she thinks her sister killed the girls because Adora paid attention to them.

“Sharp Objects” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on HBO.​​