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Magpie Murders (TV series)

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Magpie Murders
GenreMurder mystery
Created byAnthony Horowitz
Based onMagpie Murders
by Anthony Horowitz
Screenplay byAnthony Horowitz
Directed byRebecca Getward
Starring
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6
Production
Production companies
Original release
Network

Magpie Murders is a 2023 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. An adaptation of the third and final entry in the series, Marble Hall Murders, has been confirmed as in production.[1]

Synopsis

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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

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Production

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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.[2] Horowitz was brought on to pen the script and Masterpiece was to produce it along with Jill Green and Eleventh Hour Films.[3][4] 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.[5] 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.[6]

The role of author Alan Conway was played by Conleth Hill.[7] 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.[8]

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,[9] where the Bell Inn became The Queen’s Arms.[10][11] Filming also took place in and around Dublin, with Dublin City University properties used for some scenes.[12] Other filming took place in Bloomsbury in County Meath.

Broadcast

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On BritBox in the UK, the series began streaming on 10 February 2022;[8] in North America, the PBS series premiered on 16 October 2022.[13]

Reception

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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.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "BBC confirms third and final Anthony Horowitz adaptation Marble Hall Murders". Radio Times. Retrieved 2025-04-21.
  2. ^ Petski, Denise (2020-07-21). "'Magpie Murders' Drama Series Adaptation Set On PBS' Masterpiece". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  3. ^ Hallemann, Caroline (2020-07-23). "The 'Magpie Murders' Is Being Made into a TV Show". Town & Country. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  4. ^ "MASTERPIECE to Co-Produce Magpie Murders | PBS". Masterpiece. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  5. ^ Kanter, Jake (2021-05-21). "Timothy Spall Pulls Out Of PBS/BritBox Series 'Magpie Murders' & Is Replaced By Tim McMullan; Daniel Mays Joins Cast". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
  6. ^ "The Crown star's new drama Magpie Murders looks seriously good - see first look". HELLO!. 2021-09-22. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
  7. ^ "Meet the 'Magpie Murders' Cast". Newsweek. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  8. ^ a b Molly Moss (7 February 2022). "Magpie Murders' Daniel Mays and Lesley Manville face off in teaser". Radio Times. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Where is Magpie Murders filmed?". Radio Times. 16 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Kersey: Village pub thrown a 'lifeline' by Magpie Murders series". BBC News. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Magpie Murders: Creator and executive producers on new PBS series – Exclusive Interview". Assignment X. 16 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Film Locations on Campus". DCU. Retrieved 30 October 2022. We had the pleasure of Filming the Murder Mystery TV Series 'Magpie Murders' at DCU (All Hallows and St. Patricks)
  13. ^ Hanh Nguyen (16 October 2022). "Murder, she edited: In PBS' "Magpie Murders," Lesley Manville is a publishing world mystery sleuth". Salon.com. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  14. ^ "Magpie Murders: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2025-04-21.
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