Magpie Murders is a 2022 drama series that adapts the Anthony Horowitz novel of the same name. The series stars Lesley Manville and Tim McMullan as Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pünd, respectively.
The second book in the Susan Ryeland series, Moonflower Murders, was also adapted into a series and was broadcast in 2024. The numerous through-line plot elements between the two series made it into a de facto season two. An adaptation of the third and final entry in the series, Marble Hall Murders, will premiere in 2026.
Contents
Synopsis
While editing the latest and final entry in the wildly popular Atticus Pünd series, editor Susan Ryeland discovers that the last chapter is missing and that the author, Alan Conway, is dead. The death is reported as a suicide; however, during her searches for the final chapter, Susan begins to realize that Conway based several of his characters on the people around him - and that all of them have ample reason to despise his very existence.
Cast
Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland
Tim McMullan as Atticus Pünd
Conleth Hill as Alan Conway
Michael Maloney as Charles Clover
Alexandros Logothetis as Andreas Patakis
Daniel Mays as Locke / Chubb
Claire Rushbrook as Katie Williams
Jude Hill as Sam Blakiston
Matthew Beard as James Taylor / James Fraser
Pippa Haywood as Claire Jenkins / Clarissa Pye
Ian Lloyd Anderson as Brent
Karen Westwood as Mary Blakiston
Dorothy Atkinson as Lady Frances Pye
Lorcan Cranitch as Max Ryeland / Sir Magnus Pye
Danielle Ryan as Alice
Harry Lawtey as Robert Blakiston
Chu Omambala as Rev. Robeson / Rev. Osborne
Karl Collins as Jack White / Jack Whiteley
Sutara Gayle as Gemma Whiteley
Sanjeev Kohli as Sajid Khan / Dr. Kamal
Paul Tylak as Lee Jaffery
Nathan Clarke as Freddy Conway / Frederick Pye
Kate Gilmore as Jemima
Nathalie Armin as Melissa Conway
Production
Plans to adapt the novel were first announced in July 2020. Deadline announced that PBS's Masterpiece would adapt the novel into a six-part drama series, which would be aired in the US and on BritBox in the UK. Horowitz was brought on to pen the script and Masterpiece was to produce it along with Jill Green and Eleventh Hour Films. Peter Cattaneo served as director.
Actress Lesley Manville was brought on to portray Susan Ryeland, while Tim McMullan was to play Atticus Pünd. Timothy Spall was originally slated to portray the character, but withdrew due to scheduling issues. Other actors brought into the production include Daniel Mays as the local police detective, Alexandros Logothetis as Susan's lover and Claire Rushbrook as her sister. Jude Hill and Matthew Beard were also part of the series' cast.
The role of author Alan Conway was played by Conleth Hill. Other members of the cast included Pippa Haywood, Michael Maloney, Ian Lloyd Anderson, Karen Westwood, Dorothy Atkinson, Lorcan Cranitch, Danielle Ryan, Harry Lawtey, Nia Deacon, Chu Omambala, Karl Collins, Sutara Gayle, Sanjeev Kohli, Paul Tylak, David Herlihy, Nathan Clarke, San Shella, Kate Gilmore and Beverley Longhurst.
The television series was filmed in 2021. Some exteriors were shot in London, and extensive shooting was completed in Suffolk, where much of the story takes place; the production spent more than three weeks in the village of Kersey, where the Bell Inn became The Queen’s Arms. Filming also took place in and around Dublin, with Dublin City University properties used for some scenes. Other filming took place in Bloomsbury in County Meath.
Broadcast
On BritBox in the UK, the series began streaming on 10 February 2022; in North America, the PBS series premiered on 16 October 2022.
Reception
Magpie Murders holds a rating of 100% on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 8 out of 10.
