25 Biggest Changes Lady In The Lake's Show Makes To The Book

Summary

• Maddie Schwartz has a dark past with the Durst family, revealing a complex history that influences her present decisions.
• Lady in the Lake
  makes significant changes to its source material, introducing new characters and altering key story elements.
• Cleo Johnson’s character is deepened, highlighting her inner conflicts, relationships, and struggles with faith and the numbers game.

Spoilers are ahead for Lady in the Lake episodes 1–5.

This article will be updated weekly as new episodes of

Lady in the Lake

premiere.

Apple TV+’s Lady in the Lake makes several big changes to its source material — generally for the better. Based on Laura Lippman’s 2019 book of the same name, Lady in the Lake centers on Maddie Schwartz (Natalie Portman), a Jewish homemaker who decides to leave her unhappy marriage behind and pursue her deferred dreams of becoming a journalist, and Cleo Johnson (Moses Ingram), a Black woman who juggles three jobs and works to advance the social and political agenda of Baltimore’s Black community. A crime drama at its core, Lady in the Lake‘s mysteries hinge on two killings.

First, 11-year-old Tessie Durst (Bianca Belle) disappears from a Thanksgiving Day parade. With some luck, a story-obsessed Maddie finds Tessie’s body, twisted and frozen around fallen tree branches in a city lake. The second tragedy is Lady in the Lake‘s murder of Cleo Johnson — the titular lady condemned to a watery grave. While early scenes in Lady in the Lake episodes 1 and 2 give viewers a glimpse into Cleo’s death, with the character herself narrating, the noir-inspired mystery stretches across seven episodes. As a result, the series makes some big changes to the book.

25 Some Of Lady In The Lake’s Main Characters Have Different Names

Cleo Johnson Was Cleo Sherwood In The Novel

One of the elements that sets the series apart from other crime dramas is Lady in the Lake‘s cast of characters. In addition to adding a few new personalities to the mix, the series makes some changes to the central characters’ names. For example, Tessie Durst is called Tessie Fine in the book, while Cleo Johnson’s novel counterpart is Cleo Sherwood. It’s not clear why the show gave these characters new surnames, but it’s definitely a small detail that stands out. Although Maddie Schwartz’s name remains the same, the series’ journalist insists on being called by her maiden name, Morgenstern.

24 Cleo Johnson Works As A Bookkeeper For Shell Gordon

The Bartender Also Helps Facilitate The Numbers Game

In Lippman’s book, Cleo is a bartender at ruthless businessman Shell Gordon’s club, but the TV series sees the character juggling several jobs, including two that are under the eye of Shell. One of Lady in the Lake‘s key subplots is the numbers game that Shell runs — a fixed lottery system that he positions as a means of investing in Black Baltimore. Although a young Cleo saw the numbers ruin her father’s life, she needs the work and becomes Shell’s bookkeeper. Additionally, Cleo models clothes in department store windows, which is how she first crosses paths with Maddie.

23 Shell Gordon’s Club Is More Richly Imagined In The TV Show

The Pharaoh Club Is A Major Setting In Lady In The Lake

In the novel, Shell Gordon (Wood Harris) runs a club, but it’s much more richly imagined in the Apple TV+ series. In addition to running a nightclub called The Pharaoh — a fun tie-in to Cleo’s nickname, which comes from the fact that her dad dubbed her “Cleopatra” — Shell heads up the Gordian Hotel. Shell’s various businesses serve as key settings throughout Lady in the Lake‘s seven-episode run, as well as frequent haunts for Cleo. As a whole, the show gives Cleo’s story much more weight and time, which is a great change from the book.

22 Dora Takes The Place Of Cleo’s Roommate From The Book

The Singer Is Cleo’s Best Friend Since Childhood

Lady in the Lake changes its cast of characters from the source material in more than one big way. For starters, it completely removes Cleo’s roommate, Latetia, from the equation. Filling Latetia’s place is Dora Carter (Jennifer Mogbock), Cleo’s childhood best friend. The duo had dreams of becoming world-famous singers, and while that’s changed for Cleo, Dora is still performing at The Pharaoh. Unfortunately, Shell also feeds Dora’s substance-use disorder, effectively trapping her in Baltimore. Close to Cleo and Shell’s right-hand man, Reggie Robinson (Josiah Cross), Dora still dreams of living in Paris.

21 Maddie Has A History With The Durst Family

Maddie Dated Her Father While They Were In High School

Lady in the Lake, the first-ever Natalie Portman-led TV show, deepens Maddie’s connection to Tessie Durst, the 11-year-old Jewish girl who ends up murdered by the end of episode 1. When Maddie gets into an argument with her husband, Milton (Brett Gelman), he makes a pointed remark about Tessie’s father, Allan Durst (David Corenswet). It’s revealed that Maddie and Allan dated in high school and had a fraught relationship. Maddie was also taken advantage of and abused by Allan’s father, leading to some challenging choices that make her feel somehow linked to Tessie and the Dursts.

20 Myrtle Summer Is A New Addition To The Story

The Politician Becomes An Adversary For Shell & Cleo

Politician Myrtle Summer (Angela Robinson), who’s working to advance the Black community’s rights and access, plays a key role in Lady in the Lake, but she isn’t in the source material. Between juggling her three jobs, Cleo finds time to volunteer for Myrtle, hoping that Mrs. Summer will hire her full-time. At a meeting, Myrtle even calls upon Cleo to speak out and defend her vision for Black Baltimore. Frustratingly, however, Summer betrays Cleo, suggesting that it will look suspicious if she hires her after Cleo’s passionate speech. This pushes Cleo further into the world of Shell Gordon.

19 Lady In The Lake’s Reggie Robinson Is Also A New Character

Shell’s Right-Hand Man Is A Main Character In The Show

Surprisingly, Reggie Robinson is another character who doesn’t appear in the Lady in the Lake novel at all. A boxer and Shell’s right-hand enforcer, Reggie is also romantically linked to Dora Carter and a somewhat-friend to Cleo Johnson — at least at first. When Reggie learns that the police are looking for a “Black man with a black eye” in connection to the murder of Tessie Durst, he decides to lie low. Reggie’s subsequent betrayal of Cleo is a pretty unforgivable move, but, even so, Lady in the Lake puts forth a lot of Reggie-related red herrings.

18 Cleo’s Husband Slappy Johnson Was Created For The Show

The Comedian Replaces The Book’s Ezekiel “EZ” Taylor

The owner of a local dry cleaning establishment and a senate hopeful, Ezekiel “EZ” Taylor is a prominent figure in Lippman’s novel, but his role is divided between characters in the show. The first is Myrtle Summer, who’s running for senate against the wishes of racketeer Shell Gordon, echoing Shell and EZ’s book rivalry. Ezekiel is also Cleo’s secret lover, but, in the show, Cleo is married to comedian Slappy Johnson (Byron Bowers), who also had deep ties to Shell and The Pharaoh. The decision to have Cleo navigate a difficult marriage only deepens the parallels between her and Maddie.

17 Stephen Zawadzkie & His Mother Are More Fleshed Out Characters

The Owners Of The Tropical Fish Store Are Defined By More Than Tessie’s Murder

In the novel, tropical fish shop owner Stephen Zawadzkie (Dylan Arnold) is called Stephen Corwin, but, otherwise, his general role remains largely the same. Stephen quickly becomes the prime (and only) suspect in the murder of Tessie Durst, who had visited his store to look for seahorses just before her disappearance. Unlike the novel, the Apple TV+ series Lady in the Lake delves more deeply into Stephen’s character as well as that of his mother.

16 Cleo’s Childhood Directly Informs Her Decisions About The Numbers Game

Lady In The Lake Episode 3 Provides A Key Childhood Flashback

The opening of Lady in the Lake episode 3 provides more insight into Cleo’s childhood by way of a dream mixed with a memory. At first, a young Cleo has a heavily symbolic dream: She’s holding a suitcase outfitted with a flashlight and walking through bedding-draped clotheslines in the dark until she stumbles on a lamb and ghosts. When she wakes up, Cleo discovers that her parents are fighting about money. A trumpet player, Cleo’s father sold his instrument, and it’s implied that Shell Gordon is the root of his gambling.

The formative moment not only gives insight into Cleo’s dislike for the game and Shell, but shows that she, like Dora, wanted to be a performer.

The ever-empathetic Cleo gives her father some of her own hard-earned money, hoping he can use it to buy back his trumpet and make more money by performing at The Pharaoh. The father-daughter duo then share a sweet moment, with Cleo pretending she’s an on-stage singer while her father plays the air trumpet. Ultimately, Cleo’s father uses the money to play the numbers game and leave town. The formative moment not only gives insight into Cleo’s dislike for the game and Shell, but shows that she, like Dora, wanted to be a performer.

15 Cleo Is Haunted By The Attack On Myrtle Summer

Ferdie Almost Immediately Realizes Cleo’s Part In The High-Profile Assassination Attempt

As mentioned, the politician Myrtle Summer was invented for the Lady in the Lake series, so the attempt on her life is also a new twist. Thanks to Reggie, Cleo finds herself implicated in the assassination attempt. To make matters worse, she was wearing a very recognizable blue coat. Throughout the third episode, Cleo is haunted by her involvement in the attack, but, to make matters even worse, Officer Ferdie Platt (Y’lan Noel), gains some valuable insight into Cleo’s part in the crime, which adds a new wrinkle to his story too.

14 Shell Gordon’s Relationship With His Right-Hand Man Is More Complicated

Reggie Is Like A Son To Shell

Although Reggie wasn’t in the book, Shell Gordan still hadn’t plenty of underlings who did his bidding. By focusing on Reggie, however, Lady in the Lake is able to flesh out Shell’s relationship with his right-hand man. Clearly, Reggie doesn’t have much family in his life; aside from Shell, he’s closest to Dora and Cleo. In episode 3, Shell insinuates that Reggie needs to take care of Cleo, who connects Shell (and his businesses) to the failed assassination attempt. Even at the moment, it’s clear Reggie finds his loyalty torn.

13 Cleo Grapples With Faith & Dreams In The Wake Of Her Son’s Sickness

Cleo’s Son Lives With Sickle Cell Anemia

Dreams play a huge role in Lady in the Lake — more so than in the source material. Part of that ties into the numbers game; players use a so-called dream book to help them pick winning digits and rely on clues from their own reveries. Although Cleo knows that Shell rigs the game, she’s still guided by her highly symbolic dreams. Although Cleo also clashes with her mother over faith, what’s wrong with Cleo’s son, who has sickle cell anemia, can’t be helped with medicine, prompting Cleo to turn to The Prophet (Sean Ringgold), a religious scammer.

12 Maddie Reveals That Milton Is Not Seth’s Biological Father

Lady In The Lake Complicates Maddie’s Past & Her Mother-Son Relationship

In episode 3, Lady in the Lake reveals Seth’s biological father isn’t Milton after all. The twist certainly explains why Seth, played by Noah Jupe, has been so quick to lash out at his mother. Seth knew the truth about his parentage for a while, leading him to stew in his resentment. Maddie tries to avoid the subject altogether, focusing on how badly she wants to spend time with Seth. However, the teenager is quick to call out Maddie’s selfishness and her love of stories above all else, which drives her arc in Lady in the Lake.

11 Stephan’s Backstory & “Connection” To Maddie Are More Detailed

Lady In The Lake’s Operation Whitecoat, Explained

The fourth episode opens with Maddie interviewing Stephan — though she tells him they have a special “connection” and that she only told the guards she was a reporter so that they could talk. While Stephan’s book counterpart is equally troubled, the Apple TV+ series tries to deepen the supposed connection Maddie and Stephan share. Although he claims he didn’t kill Tessie Durst, Stephan is intrigued by Maddie’s quick discovery of the little girl’s body. Stephan shares that he would go to the lake to spy on young couples; Maddie shares that she was one of those teenagers.

A pacifist due to his religious upbringing, Stephan was still drafted and, allegedly, the government performed experiments on him…

Of course, Stephan does give Maddie quite the story. A pacifist due to his religious upbringing, Stephan was still drafted and, allegedly, the government performed experiments on him and other wartime objectors. The so-called Operation Whitecoat certainly explains Stephan’s gas mask fixation and gives some measure of clarity to some of his weirder moments. While Maddie gets the scoop she needs to be hired on by the paper, it does come at a high cost. At the end of the episode, Stephan breaks out of prison and into Maddie’s apartment because of their “connection.“

10 Cleo Cooks Up A Plan To Play The Numbers Game Once More

The Titular Lady In The Lake Plans To Disappear

The numbers game is already a departure from the source material, but so is the insight viewers get into Cleo Johnson’s escape plan. Knowing that she’s in hot water for being the getaway car driver in the attempted assassination of Myrtle Summer, Cleo decides to disappear. However, just like her father, Cleo plans to leave with some serious money from one of the rigged numbers games. To do so, she enlists Reggie’s help in getting the lucky number, and then passes it along to a local hairdresser, so that Cleo can get a cut of the money without actually playing.

9 Cleo & Dora’s Relationship Takes Up More Space

Lady In The Lake Gives Dora More Story Than Her Book Counterpart

In the book, Cleo’s roommate is Dora Carter’s counterpart — and she’s certainly not as interesting. Lady in the Lake gives Dora more story and screentime, and, in episode 4, there’s a particular emphasis placed on her upcoming trip to Paris. Dora knows she’s being exploited by Shell — and she wants to kick her dependence on drugs — but it’s also clear she’ll have a hard time leaving Cleo and Reggie behind. Dora also drops some interesting information about Cleo: Apparently, Cleo Johnson had wanted to be a singer too.

8 Ferdie Tells Maddie About A Hairdresser He Knows

The Hairdresser Is Involved In Cleo’s Numbers Scheme

Ferdie and Maddie’s romantic relationship is significant in the book too. Ferdie is one of the few characters Maddie opens up to, though the TV show definitely delves even deeper into Maddie’s psyche and past. In addition to swapping secrets and discussing their careers, Maddie and Ferdie introduce each other to new characters. Case in point: Ferdie tells Maddie to visit a hairdresser he knows. This, of course, is the very same hairdresser who works with Cleo to win the numbers game. The book suggests fleeting connections between Cleo and Maddie’s stories, but the show makes them more explicit.

7 Shell Gordon Tells Reggie To Kill Cleo

The Plot Plays Out Differently Than In The Source Material

In Lady in the Lake episode 4, Shell Gordon learns that Reggie had Cleo make the drop on the night of the assassination attempt. On the Pharaoh’s rooftop, Reggie comes clean to Shell, explaining that he wanted to lie low in the wake of Tessie Durst’s murder, especially after Stephan’s mother put him at the scene of the crime. The show doubles down on Shell’s ruthlessness when he orders Reggie to kill Cleo. Shell’s lackeys have already taken care of the other loose ends, but the hit on Cleo is personal — and a hard “lesson” for Reggie.

6 Cleo Shares Important Moments With Her Mother & Slappy On Her Last Night

Christmas Eve Feels Like A Goodbye For Cleo Johnson

On Christmas Eve, Cleo and her sons spend time with Cleo’s mother and step-father. Integral to the show’s storyline, the dynamic serves as an emotional touchstone, especially as Cleo prepares to disappear — just like her father. Before collecting her money, Cleo confronts her mother about the day her dad left; Cleo has been carrying around guilt and blame, and her mother never told her to feel otherwise. The episode also gives Cleo a final moment with Slappy, illustrating the genuine love they have for each other. Unlike the novel, the show’s Cleo is more well-rounded.