Peacock’s All Her Fault included many twists and turns that even the avid book reader didn’t see coming!
It’s based on Andrea Mara’s best-selling book, and it follows Marissa Irvine (Sarah Snook) and Jenny Kaminski (Dakota Fanning). They are two working mothers whose lives become intertwined when Marissa’s son is kidnapped, and Jenny’s nanny is the main suspect.
This book-to-screen adaptation was successful because the limited series built upon the book’s details, creating more expansive character arcs and heightened suspenseful twists.
The emotional heart of All Her Fault remained the same, as did the culprit, but there were some minor and major differences from the novel.
And we want to break those down for you!
We decided to approach this differently by researching some of the popular Google questions related to the series.
Where Does All Her Fault Take Place?
Andrea Mara’s novel, All Her Fault, took place in a quiet town in Dublin, Ireland.
The adaptation, however, was set in Chicago because the creators believed it would appeal more to American audiences.
As seen in the series, school gossip and undue blame are prevalent among school moms worldwide.
Marissa and Jenny both endured their share of unfair accusations in both versions.
Why Did the Series Gender Swap the Lead Detective?
In the book, the lead detective was a female, Detective McConville.
However, in the series, Det. Alcaras (Michael Peña) led the case, and the writers even created a storyline arc for him, where he’d cross a moral line to help his son, who had autism.
It was helpful to have a detective who excelled at relating to children, especially when he spoke with Milo and Jacob.
However, he also understood that doing whatever it took to protect one’s children was essential, and he empathized with Marissa Irvine.
Seeing his struggles and the Irvines’ highlighted the different types of struggles that middle-class and wealthy parents faced.
Who Was Esther in All Her Fault?
Esther was the kind woman who answered the door at the address where Marissa was sent. She was also Kyle Smith’s foster mom.
They expanded on this in the series, where it was clear she was the one caring influence in his life, so he wanted someone caring to look after Marissa when they kidnapped her son.
The book actually featured Esther more, since the series only featured her in scenes with Jenny once.
In the book, Jenny and Jacob frequently visit Esther’s cafe, where Esther serves as a sounding board as Jenny navigates work and the overwhelming gossip.
While Esther became Jacob’s new nanny in the series, too, it may seem like a rapid jump, unless you read the book and see how her relationship with the Kaminskis evolved.
Why Were There More Marital Issues in Peacock’s All Her Fault?
While there were marital issues in the book, the series revealed that both Marissa and Peter, as well as Jenny and Richie, were unhappy.
Some of that stemmed from the double standard that women face, having to balance motherhood and a career, and being blamed whenever anything goes wrong.
This was definitely the case regarding Jenny and Richie. He seemed resentful of her publishing career and didn’t offer much help with Jacob.
This matched the book, but in the book, his mother often ridiculed Jenny for picking her career over Jacob. After a while, Richie decided he didn’t want to be mean like his mom and defended his wife, trying harder.
In the series, he seemed old-fashioned, much like his mom’s thoughts, which suggested that Jenny should be at home, and he should be the secondary parent. I don’t blame Jenny for wanting a divorce.
Peter wanted to take care of Marissa and Milo, and seemed to resent it when they were happy. I couldn’t believe his favorite memory was comforting Milo after a nightmare.
What parent says that?
Peter’s control issues affect his marriage with Marissa, and it was apparent she would’ve ended things sooner if not for Milo.
How Were Irvine Family Dynamics Expanded?
Peter Irvine’s (Jake Lacy) siblings, Brian and Lia, were barely a blip on the radar in the novel.
However, their role was expanded in the series, and the sibling family drama highlighted Peter’s need to control the narrative. He was happiest when he was taking care of others.
In the series, Brian lived and worked with Peter because he’d been in a childhood accident. They’d always believed it was because he and Lia were playing too roughly, and Brian tripped.
That guilt made Lia develop an addiction, only making her more dependent on Peter, allowing him to ridicule her for past mistakes.
Peter tried to control his siblings, from preventing Brian from having surgery that would have allowed him to become more independent, to getting upset when Lia began dating.
It was such an epic confrontation when Brian realized that Peter tripped him and caused the accident, and Lia learned she had lived with guilt for nothing.
Peter still thought he taught them how to be stronger, but he was a manipulative monster.
How Did Carrie’s Confrontation in All Her Fault Differ from the Book?
In the book, Peter killed Rob Murphy after Rob had killed Colin and then smothered Carrie with a pillow.
While he still murdered her to avoid these violent secrets from coming out, the series amped up the drama by playing Carrie (Josephine Murphy) as a more sympathetic young woman, who had her child stolen from her.
This was also true in the book, but seeing the flashbacks of the accident and how she and Milo experienced synesthesia made my heart break for her.
All she wanted was a family, and Peter ripped that away from her. She never wanted to hurt Milo, but wanted some time with her son.
In the end, she only came to the Irvine home to reveal the truth and warn Marissa, mother to mother.
Colin got caught in the crosshairs trying to intervene, and Peter wouldn’t let Marissa hear that recording of his crimes, so he shot Carrie.
That scene was so emotionally packed as Marissa realized what a monster her husband was.
Peter Irvine thought he controlled the narrative because of how much his wife wanted and loved their son, but he didn’t know her as well as he thought.
Why Did the Adaptation Change How Peter Died?
In Andrea Mara’s novel, readers learn that Marissa poisoned Peter with fish during a vacation, as revealed in the epilogue. It was a quick mention, and his shellfish allergy was barely addressed.
However, in Peacock’s All Her Fault, his soy allergy was mentioned numerous times.
Having him die at Colin’s memorial service seemed like poetic justice since Peter’s plans got Marissa’s oldest friend killed.
The series strived to empower Marissa, and it was a deliberate choice to ensure there were no EpiPens available after she tricked him and kissed him after eating soy.
That kiss showed how far Marissa would go to protect Milo. It was hinted that Jenny helped her plot this revenge since she understood how trapped Marissa felt.
After how Peter treated everyone, not even his sister Lia would throw Marissa under the bus.
While murder generally is not the answer, even Det. Alcaras condoned the choice when he learned Peter’s past actions set all these murders and the kidnapping in motion.
Over to you, Fanatics.
Were you impressed with All Her Fault? Did you think it was a faithful adaptation of the book?
Let us know in the comments.
If you’re as passionate as I am about book-to-screen adaptations, you might enjoy our coverage of Nine Perfect Strangers or Will Trent. Interested in more analytical and passionate pieces? Check out our editorials and op-eds!
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