The BBC has unveiled a first look at the upcoming mystery series, Marble Hall Murders, based on the best-selling novel by Anthony Horowitz.

The six-part series, which is a sequel to Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders, sees Lesley Manville reprise her role as book editor turned sleuth Susan Ryeland, alongside Tim McMullan as famous literary detective Atticus Pünd.

An impressive list of stars has joined the cast, including Mark Bonnar (Shetland, Dept.Q), Patricia Hodge (All Creatures Great and Small, A Very English Scandal) and more.

The series is adapted by Horowitz, who is no stranger to bringing acclaimed dramas to the small screen. His previous credits include Foyle’s War, ITV’s Agatha Christie’s Poirot and the previous two adaptations of his Susan Ryeland novels. 

Since devouring the entire Foyle’s War boxset in lockdown, I’ve become a big fan of Horowitz’s TV dramas. An expert at crafting gripping, well-paced narratives with intriguing whodunnit plots, the acclaimed writer never fails to deliver highly entertaining murder mysteries. 

With plenty of twists and turns and classic, compelling whodunnit mysteries, his Susan Ryeland series is perfect for Agatha Christie fans.

Keep reading to find out more…

What to expect from Marble Hall Murders

The drama, which was filmed in Dublin, Corfu and London, is adapted from the third and final novel in the Susan Ryeland series.

The story follows editor Susan Ryeland, who is hired to work on a continuation novel of the Atticus Pünd series, written by a troubled young author (Jamie Blackley).

The synopsis continues: “When the job leads Susan into another murder case, she unexpectedly finds herself a suspect. In the world of the novel, Atticus Pünd is visiting the island of Corfu when he becomes embroiled in the murder of Lady Margaret Chalfont (Hodge), whose family he investigates with the assistance of a Greek detective (Zubin Varla).”

When the show was first confirmed, Horowitz said in a statement: “I’m so happy to bring the team back – stars, director, producers, and crew – for a third instalment of what has been a fantastically successful TV series. I have a feeling this could be the best yet.”

Meanwhile, Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, also expressed her delight, hailing the Susan Ryeland murder mystery as “intricately plotted and brilliantly entertaining”. 

Who stars in Marble Hall Murders?

Joining the cast alongside Mark Bonnar and Patricia Hodge are Jamie Blackley (Outrageous, The Last Kingdom), Daniel Cerqueira (This City is Ours, A Gentleman in Moscow), Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones, I Jack Wright), Rupert Penry-Jones (Whitechapel, Spooks), Anneika Rose (Crossfire, Line of Duty), Danny Sapani (Killing Eve, Harlots, Halo) and Zubin Varla (Andor, A Little Life).

When will Marble Hall Murders be released?

The BBC has yet to announce a release date for the show. However, we do know that the series will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One later this year.