“You Told Me You’d Stop Poking Around.” “Yes, But I Was Lying About That. We Both Knew That.”
The novel version of The Marlow Murder Club has been on my radar for a while, and I finally bought it this summer. Then I found out that PBS's Masterpiece was going to be airing a filmed version of it. I was tempted to try to get the book read before I watched the show, but I decided to go into it blind, and I wound up really enjoying it.
The story takes place in the British village of Marlow. Former archeologist Judith Potts (Samantha Bond) has settled there thanks to a house she's inherited. One morning while swimming in the river that goes through town, she hears what sounds like a gunshot and finds a neighbor dead.
The police won't take Judith seriously when she insists that it was murder, although DS Malik (Natalie Drew) seems to come closest. So Judith begins investigating on her own. It isn't long before she's hooked up with Becks Starling (Cara Horgan), the new vicar's wife, and Suzie Harris (Jo Martin), the local dog walker. Together, the trio of new friends begin to find clues. But can they figure out what any of the clues mean?
None of our main characters know each other when the story begins, and the first of the four episodes spent time establishing them and bringing them together. I'll admit, I was used to the faster pace of American TV pilots, but if you are more patient than I was with that first episode, you'll be well rewarded.
Once the trio meet, things really pick up. They each bring something to the investigation, and the three of them together bring lots of humor. I laughed multiple times as the story unfolded. It was all a natural outgrowth of the story and characters and really was a lot of fun.
The cast is superb. They bring their characters to life believably and walk the fine line between comedy and mystery with ease. No matter what the scene calls for, they deliver.
And the mystery itself is solid. The trio hit multiple dead ends before they finally reach the logical conclusion. I did pick up on what was happening about the time the characters did, maybe a minute or two before, but I don't mind in the slightest when that's the case.
There are only four episodes in this show, each roughly 45 minutes, so there isn't a huge time commitment to solve this murder.
Now that I've met the characters, I am hoping to get to the novel soon. I'm sure there will be even more with the characters to enjoy even if I now know who done it. If you are looking for a fun mystery, be sure to check out The Marlow Murder Club.
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