The Mayfair Witches TV series draws inspiration from Anne Rice's Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy. It goes into a story filled with dark magic, family secrets, and drama from generational power struggles. The story focuses on the death of Deirdre Mayfair, a strong witch who never got to connect with her daughter, Rowan.
Deirdre didn't die because of anything supernatural. It was a premeditated murder by a human assassin in the series. Her murder starts a chain reaction, forcing Rowan to face her family's shady past and a demon that's been lurking around for ages. Deirdre's story is complicated, but it's important to the series.
In Mayfair Witches, fans witness Deirdre's life and death, uncovering secrets, dark forces, and betrayals. Her story is closely linked to Lasher, an old demon who has been messing with these witches for ages.
Warning: This article contains major plot spoilers.
Who is behind Deirdre's death on Mayfair Witches?
In Mayfair Witches, Lasher is assumed to be Deirdre Mayfair's murderer, but he didn't do it. A human assassin killed Deirdre in season 1, Episode 4, titled Curiouser and Curiouser.
In this episode, Ciprien Grieve, a man with psychic skills, dispels the speculations about Deirdre's death being an accident. Deirdre's body is discovered in an elevator with her throat cut, which has the investigators worried about the involvement of supernatural forces.
It becomes apparent that Deirdre's murder was a professional job done by someone with backing. Carlotta Mayfair, Deirdre's aunt, is the prime suspect. She has shown her willingness to go to extremes—like setting fires and trying to kill—to keep her family safe. Even though Lasher does not commit the crime, he takes revenge for Deirdre by murdering the killer.
In an interview with Screen Rant on January 16, 2023, Annabeth Gish, who played Deirdre in the AMC series, talked about Lasher's role in the show, saying:
“There is a desire for someone who is both good and bad for us in a relationship... [Lasher] is evil and dark. But he is also affording her a sense of physical pleasure and freedom and power, which is what Anne Rice demonstrates so beautifully.”
Mayfair Witches: Deirdre's final moments before death
As Deirdre Mayfair comes out of her catatonic state and gets ready to reunite with her long-lost daughter, Rowan, disaster hits. After years of being manipulated by her family and being stuck in mental hospitals, this moment was supposed to be her chance to break free and find clarity.
A hired hitman shows up and attacks her as she heads to meet her daughter. She is left with no chance to save herself or her daughter.
During her Screen Rant interview, Annabeth Gish, who plays Deirdre, commented on how heavy this Mayfair Witches scene felt.
“That moment is obliterated for me because of the anticipation and the hope... I almost wish we’d stayed a little bit longer on the moment prior to being dead; the moment of actually seeing my daughter”.
Even though Deirdre's story ends sadly, her impact still pushes Rowan to dive into her powers and face the dark stuff around her. Even though she's gone, Deirdre's role remains significant to the Mayfair Witches story.
Watch Mayfair Witches on demand and stream it on AMC+.
