White Lies is a thrilling series that digs deep into the dark side of society. It’s not just about solving a crime; it’s about exposing the ugly truth hiding behind the glitz and glamor. It shows how in the rich communities of South Africa, the rich white minority keep getting richer while oppressing the black community for their problems. But really, their own lives are rotten to the core and full of corruption. The story centers around Andrew McKenzie, who lives in his luxurious home in Bishopscourt, Cape Town. But everything changes when he’s murdered and his wife, Olivia, ends up in a coma after getting attacked. Who’s behind it? What was the motive behind it all? Detective Forty Bell and Andrew’s sister, Edie Hansen, are on the case. They uncover shocking truths beneath the surface of Andrew’s seemingly perfect life. But what they find out in the end will shock you—that much, I can tell! So, let’s dive into the recap and unravel the mystery together!
Spoilers Ahead
Why Was The Maid Accused Of The Murder?
In the rich neighborhood of Bishopscourt, there lived a family of four: Andrew McKenzie, his wife Olivia, and their two children, Daniel and Jamie. They seemed like a normal rich family until their lives were turned upside down by Andrew’s murder and Olivia being hit on the head, putting her in a coma. The two teenage children were really shocked by the news, as you can imagine. But they didn’t know they had an aunt; Andrew had a sister. You see, Edie Hansen, the reporter, was their aunt, who had left for England many years ago, cutting ties with the family, but had now returned to Cape Town. When she heard the news, she knew she had to protect Daniel and Jamie from the police investigation, fearing they might be hurt in all the chaos. But, of course, they didn’t know her, so they wouldn’t trust a stranger like her. So, what did Edie do? Well, she decided to investigate the murder herself to make sure the blame didn’t fall on the children because Detective Forty Bell, who was leading the investigation, suspected Daniel might have done it. Edie searched through their home and found out that the maid, Pearl Gappah, was missing, along with all her belongings and a bag full of money. She thought maybe Pearl was on the run because she was the murderer. But in reality, Pearl actually wanted to save her boyfriend, who had come into the house at the time of the murder to meet her. You see, her boyfriend had a criminal record, and when Daniel testified that he saw a black man in the house during the murder, the police might have blamed her boyfriend. But no, that wasn’t the case. Neither she nor her boyfriend were the ones responsible. However, they were accused of stealing the money and arrested as potential prime suspects in the murder.
Who Was Robert?
In the Bishopscourt community, filled with filthy rich people, you’d get a sense that everyone’s corrupt in some way, from kids to the elderly. But Robert was different. He was always bullied at home and at school for not being man enough. And he envied Daniel, who was smart and charming. But deep down, Robert knew Daniel’s dark side—he had serious anger issues and dealt drugs. Living as neighbors, Robert saw how Andrew, Daniel’s father, constantly tormented Olivia, Daniel’s mother, who never seemed to find love. But Robert loved her. Yeah, it might come as a shock, but despite the age gap, he admired her and saw goodness in her. Daniel didn’t like that. He noticed Robert getting close to his mom, writing her poems. So, maybe when Daniel thought his mom was having an affair, he planted the gun found at the crime scene in Robert’s locker to frame him for Andrew’s murder. Because Robert didn’t like how Andrew treated Olivia, he seemed to have a motive. But who attacked Olivia then? Robert secretly visited her in the hospital, caring for her while she was in a coma. The police thought maybe he intended to harm her too, not knowing his true feelings for her. So, when they found the gun in his locker, they arrested him. But little did they know; they were far from the truth.
Why Did Macky Hofmeyr Get Arrested?
Macky Hofmeyr used to work closely with Andrew at Hofmeyr and McKenzie Construction. Edie noticed how connected he was to Andrew’s family, how much Andrew’s children trusted him, and how he went all out to organize a memorial service for Andrew after his death. But when Edie asked for help with Daniel’s debt, Macky said he’d only give her money if Edie gave him co-signed paperwork for an upcoming construction project. Edie realized Andrew hadn’t signed those papers. Maybe he didn’t want to? So she dug deeper and found out their company bought a whole block where a black community used to live, planning to build a luxurious hotel and shops there, making them homeless. When the community complained, the board didn’t help them; instead, construction started. After 250 years of being mistreated and enslaved by the white community, they were ready to protest. But Andrew didn’t want to be part of this; he wanted to report his partner, Hofmeyr, for corruption. Two days later, Andrew ended up dead. Did Hofmeyr kill him? No, but he was definitely involved in corruption. The police seemed reluctant to stop it, maybe because they were getting used to the idea that here, the rich white people always win. So, Detective Forty made a plan. Without Hofmeyr knowing, he made him confess to bribing upscale officers and government officials to start the construction work. He recorded the confession and arrested him for corrupt activities.
Who Killed Andrew?
Both Forty and Edie were confused. Who could have committed the murder? Edie recalled a man named Banjo who lived in the hills of the Bishopscourt community and claimed to have seen a “white boy” in the house at the time of the murder. Could it be Daniel after all? But how could that be true? Daniel loved his father deeply and would do anything to make him happy and proud. Meanwhile, Morgan, the guard of the Bishopscourt community, came to meet Edie. She noticed he had a wound on his hand and a police gun in his pocket—the same kind of gun that was found in Robert’s locker. Did he do it? Yes, he did. His full name was Morgan Witbooi. So, it wasn’t a “white boy” Banjo talked about; it was Morgan’s surname. Maybe he was the black man Daniel saw at the crime scene. But why did he kill Andrew? Well, it wasn’t out of revenge or anything. Andrew actually paid him to kill him. Andrew was going bankrupt and being accused of by the community of where the construction work would be done. Even though he stood against corruption, people didn’t believe him and turned against him. He couldn’t bear to seem like a failure, so he paid Morgan to kill him, making it look like a robbery. Andrew was a proud man, you see. Morgan had to do it because he was black, oppressed, and poor, and the money would help him in many ways. But Morgan only killed Andrew; he never harmed Olivia. As Morgan finished telling the truth, he realized the police would come after him because they wouldn’t understand his situation, and being a black man killing a rich white man, they wouldn’t believe his story. So, he decided it would be better if he died. And with that, he shot himself in the head, ending his life.
Who Killed Olivia?
As Olivia lay in a coma in the hospital, Daniel and Jamie went to see her, but tragically, she passed away on that very day. Did Daniel kill his mother to avenge his father? But that wasn’t the case. Daniel was right-handed, and Olivia was hit on the left side of her head, so the culprit must be a lefty. During a school play, Edie noticed something unusual. Daniel threw something, and Jamie caught it with her left hand. Was Jamie the murderer? She killed her own mother! And the reason was even more shocking! Daniel and Jamie weren’t just siblings; they were romantically involved. Olivia couldn’t bear this truth and wanted to separate them. When they found their father dead, Jamie feared Olivia would split them apart, so she attacked her with a telescope to stop her from interfering with their love life. Olivia ended up in a coma and ultimately died in the hospital.
The news was shocking to Edie. She couldn’t believe that Daniel and Jamie were romantically involved, and it was even more shocking for her because she was Daniel’s real mother! She had given him away to her brother and left for England when she was sixteen. Edie knew that if she turned Jamie over to the police, she might lose Daniel again, but she was willing to take the risk. She couldn’t ignore the truth and wanted justice for her late brother and sister-in-law. Even though Jamie was a minor, Edie couldn’t turn a blind eye to the crime. At the end of White Lies season 1, we see Jamie being arrested by the police for Olivia’s murder; justice has been served.
