Fans found many coincidences leading to the conclusion that the female singer wrote under the pen name Elly Conway, author of the detective novel ‘Argylle’

Taylor Swift’s ‘cat backpack’ was the first clue fans found for her theory – Photo: copied and revealed

You know that a spy story has the potential to be very good when the story behind the story’s creator yields the most complex mystery. That’s exactly what Taylor Swift fans are investigating right now.

According to some nimble people, the singer – who seems to have had a somewhat troublesome routine – still finds time to write a book. And the books are being turned into movies.

Taylor Swift’s cat is one of the ‘richest’ animals on the internet – Photo: breeding/instagram

Billed as ‘the new 007’, ‘Argylle’ had the adaptation rights purchased for a staggering $200 million before it was even released in bookstores. Director Matthew Vaughn – from the ‘Kingsman’ and ‘X-Men: First Class’ franchises – has assembled a stellar cast with Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill, John Cena and Bryce Dallas Howard for the project.

Yet few people know about the psychology behind the story that has attracted so much attention – and money – from Hollywood. In 2021, the rights to the work were purchased, and only the following year the author debuted on social networks using a verified Instagram account. Elly would be a ‘nerd’ from New York if she weren’t savvy about social media. In mid-2023, she also debuted on X (formerly Twitter).

Bryce Dallas Howard’s red hair would be another connection to Taylor Swift – Photo: recreated

“How do you annoy an introvert? Published her first novel, asked Matthew Vaughn to buy the movie rights, and told her she needed to start using social media for ‘visibility,'” she captioned one photo photo by Westsider Rare & Used Books Inc., noting that the Upper West Side store is one of his favorite bookstores.

When the first trailer for the film was released, some Taylor Swift fans noticed a detail that ultimately gave rise to a conspiracy theory. A cat backpack (obviously containing a cat) features prominently in the images and that’s enough to set the singer’s fanbase ablaze.

Dua Lipa and Henry Cavill in a scene from the movie ‘Argylle – The Superspy’ — Photo: publicity

A proud cat mom, Taylor has been seen multiple times using the backpack to carry her pet, which has a sort of hatch so the animal can see out of the bag. She was even one of the people responsible for popularizing the use of this device worldwide.

The book features not only the eponymous spy, but also the author of his adventures, who is also the main character of the work – and shares the writer’s “real” name. The fact that Elly Conway is played by Bryce Dallas Howard, a red-haired actress, is considered another clue to Taylor’s identity as the mastermind behind the story in the book. Furthermore, the checkered pattern seen in the film’s visual identity – including on the sweater – is another connection to the artist, whose shirt has a checkered pattern, the argyle wool (!), has exploded in sales worldwide.

Taylor Swift wearing a studio shirt is the author’s last name ‘Argylle’ – Photo: reproduction

However, the story of ‘Argylle’ is quite complicated, as the book adapted into film will be the fourth in the collection which, mind you, is yet to be released. This confusion also gives rise to the idea that the book itself as well as its author are part of a grand marketing operation intended to endorse the film production’s metalanguage plot.

What a mystery, isn’t it? To help – or hinder, depending on your point of view – Elly Conway also uses Cat Connor as an alternate name. And Cat Connor has been writing a series of horror books with a main character named Ellie Conway for over a decade. But the author insists she has nothing to do with ‘Argylle’ – the book or the movie.

In any case, the story still exists – although we still don’t know which came first: the book or the movie – and with it the obligation of the author’s existence. And there’s nothing stopping Taylor Swift, in her countless duties, from being that person.