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Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: A Classic New York Character

Gloria lives in an upscale NYC apartment building and has issues with her neighbors. 

A realtor, Joann, shows up at the apartment co-op meeting to imply that Oprah wants to buy several units in the building. Gloria immediately vetoes the purchase. 

A week later, Joann breaks into Gloria’s apartment and loosens the bolts holding the handrail to the balcony outside Gloria’s apartment.

She tells Gloria’s son Lewis that she is selling his apartment, and he confronts his mother in anger. As they argue, Gloria leans on her balcony handrail and it comes loose, causing her to fall to her death. Lewis is immediately assumed to be the killer.

Elsbeth and Kaya show up on the scene and Joann appears, letting them know she was selling Lewis’s apartment at Gloria’s behest.

Later at the NYPD station, Elsbeth gets a call from Celetano, who demands an update on her investigation into Wagner. Kaya overhears the call.

Elsbeth meets Joann again at the building under the guise of looking for an apartment. She also meets Leonard from the co-op. Joann dodges her questions about the murder and has a side conversation with Leonard about Elsbeth poking her nose around.

On her way out, Joann plants the wrench she used to loosen the railings in the garden.

Kaya and Elsbeth have a conversation about Elsbeth’s son Teddy, who lives in DC and has a strained relationship with her. They also learn the wrench has Lewis’s fingerprints on it.

Elsbeth confronts Joann again at a rock climbing gym and finds that the chalk Joann uses for grip while climbing was also found at the crime scene.

Elsbeth decides to buy an apartment in the building and demands Joann set up a meeting with the co-op.

At the co-op meeting, Elsbeth confronts the entire group with her suspicions that they were all involved in the murder of Gloria. She’s correct and the police come in to make arrests. The co-op members turn on Joann and take deals. 

Elsbeth gets a phone call from Celetano and tells him that Wally tried to see Wagner but was taken away. Celetano tells Elsbeth that Wagner was taking bribes and laundering money through a charitable foundation. 

Joann asks to meet with Elsbeth. Joann’s mother had once worked for Gloria and was fired. Wagner also reveals that Gloria’s husband’s body was found in the walls of Gloria’s apartment.
 

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