A mystery surrounds the identity of Elly Conway, the first-time author behind the spy thriller Argylle and many are convinced the novel was written by none other than pop icon Taylor Swift.
The book itself has not yet been released but it has already been adapted into a film starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa in a reported $200 million deal with Apple TV and will be released on February 2 2024.
Meanwhile, the author Elly Conway (Dallas Howard) is also a character in the story who breaks the fourth wall as an introverted spy novelist who gets too close to the world of espionage she bases her books on, only further adding to the real-life enigma and intrigue of it all.
In terms of information about Conway, there isn't a lot to go by.
Although she does have an official Instagram account but has not posted a photo of herself on there, while her name is also spelt in different ways on promotional material as both "Elly” and “Ellie."
"Elly Conway is the author of the heavily anticipated debut thriller, Argylle. She lives in the United States and is currently working on the next instalment in the series," an author bio reads.
As a result, it's left people such as TikTokers Jessica Lynn Slocum and Chloe (@chloeandpercy) to fill in the gaps and jump to the conclusion that Taylor Swift is the mystery author.
Here are some of the reasons why people are backing this conspiracy theory:
The Conway Jumper
Back on March 16, Swift posted a photo of herself (fourth image below) wearing a Conway Recording Studios jumper as she prepared for her record-breaking Eras Tour.
She wrote in the caption: "In my Eras era."
While Swift is known to frequent Conway Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, perhaps this is a cheeky reference to her pseudonym.
Swift has used a pseudonym before
When it comes to hiding her identity with a pseudonym, this wouldn't be Swift's first time as she infamously worked on music under the name Nils Sjoberg.
Some of the songs include co-writing the Calvin Harris hit “This Is What You Came For,” featuring Rihanna, along with producing the band Jack Leopards & The Dolphin Club's cover of "Look What You Made Me Do" which featured on the TV series Killing Eve.
In an interview with Rolling Stone back in 2020, Swift confirmed she had used the fake name and explained her reason behind it.
“I think when a pseudonym comes in is when you still have a love for making the work, and you don’t want the work to become overshadowed by this thing that’s been built around you, based on what people know about you,” she said.
“And that’s when it’s really fun to create fake names and write under them.”
So, it wouldn't be totally out of the question that Elly Conway is a pseudonym for Swift's possible literary career (if it's actually her that is).
The red-haired novelist
In Argylle the film, Conway is portrayed by Dallas Howard as a red-haired novelist which seemingly matches the physical description for the role Swift played as an author who wrote about her heartbreak in her All Too Well: The Short Film.
Perhaps a coincidence or maybe an Easter egg?
The cats
It's no secret that Swift is a proud cat lady, and it has been mentioned in her songs and music videos.
She has three Scottish Fold cats - Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button.
They bear an uncanny resemblance to the Scottish Fold cat that stars in the Argylle film and also features on the promotional poster for the film where the feline can be seen inside a cat backpack carrier - similar to one Swift can be seen wearing and carrying one of her cats around in her Netflix documentary Miss Americana.
The cat called Chip actually belongs to the film's director Matthew Vaughn and his wife, Claudia Schiffer.
And Chip the cat's Instagram account references Swift
As he's starring in a movie, Chip the cat of course has his very own Instagram account, where there have been a number of Swift references made.
For example the most recent post of Schiffer in a cheerleading outfit where the captain references Swift's hit You Belong With Me - "She’s cheer captain, and (we’re) on the bleachers."
While another post photoshopped cat heads onto an image of Taylor Swift and Sophie Turner on a recent dinner together in New York.
The Argylle film Twitter account posting Swift lyrics
Well, if the publicity team for the film have seen the Taylor Swift theory, they're definitely playing along with it as on the Argylle Twitter account they have been posting content Taylor Swift lyrics from “Wonderland”, “Blank Space” and “Style” as the caption.
The 112-day release theory
Argylle novel's publication date was originally September 29, 2022 and this was then delayed to March 29, 2023 but the book still has been released (despite already being adapted into a film).
There new release date for the novel is now November 9, 2023.
While the international spy story is to be released that day, it also happens to be the same day (Nov 9) Swift kicks off the international leg of her Eras tour.
On top of this, there is a popular conspiracy theory amongst Swifties that Swift will release rerecorded albums 112 days apart as they think it represents the 112 songs from her masters that she couldn't purchase.
Meanwhile, it's widely known that 13 is Swift's lucky number and if often references in her albums as fans noted you can make 13 equal 112 (1+12=13).
So with 112 being the magic number, fans have also noted how Argyle's release date (February 2) just so happens to be 112 days after the release of the Eras tour concert movie.
Are you keeping up?
Swift's argyle fashion looks and merch
@taylorswiftTonight’s episode of MMwM! 🌌 #TSmidnighTS #SwiftTok #MidnightsMayhemWithMe
A simple Google search will show you that argyle is a popular pattern in Swift's wardrobe, and recently sported the print last year during her Midnights Mayhem TikTok series.
Swift was even selling an argyle sweater as merch from her Red (Taylor's Version) era too.
Maybe she's just a fan of the style, or is her clothing hinting at something more?
If the mystery author does turn out to be Swift, then you have to applaud her work ethic and finding the time to write a novel while also writing new music, releasing her re-recorded albums, going on a sold-out world tour and releasing a concert film that's a box office hit.
Guess we'll have to wait for Argylle - the book and film - to be released to see if Conway's identity will be revealed...
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