Is Above Suspicion based on a true story?

One of the most popular movies on Netflix right now is a 2019 flick starring Game of Thrones alum Emilia Clarke. Above Suspicion is a tense crime thriller featuring Clarke as an FBI informant who finds herself tangled up in a complicated affair with an FBI agent.

For those who have watched the movie, or are considering it, you might be curious if the story at the center of Above Suspicion is true. Those who keep up with true crime might be familiar with names like Susan Smith and Mark Putnam because it is indeed based on a real murder case.

Keep reading to learn more about the true story behind the 2019 film that is currently trending in Netflix’s Top 10.

The true story behind Above Suspicion

Yes, the 2019 film is based on Joe Sharkey’s non-fiction book of the same name about the murder of 27-year-old Susan Daniels Smith.

On June 8, 1989, FBI agent Mark Putnam, 30, strangled a pregnant Susan after the two got into an argument about custody of her unborn child. They had been having an affair. Susan was an FBI informant. Putnam eventually admitted to murder after a year-long homicide investigation and was subsequently sentenced to 16 years in prison, reports AP News.

Putnam was married to Kathy Putnam at the time and relatively new to the FBI when he received his assignment to Pikesville, Kentucky, with the goal of arresting a notorious bank robber and ex-convict named Carl Edward “Cat Eyes” Lockhart.

The case was particularly notable because it marked the first time that an FBI agent was charged with homicide. Emilia Clarke plays Susan Smith in Above Suspicion, while Boardwalk Empire actor Jack Huston portrays Mark Putnam.

Above Suspicion is now streaming on Netflix. Add the film to your watchlist here.