Lesley Manville as Suan Ryeland in Magpie Murders. Photo courtesy: PBS and Britbox. Photographer: Bernard Walsh.

At long last, as we said goodbye to 2021, fans of quality British mysteries and dramas began to see the light at the end of the COVID pandemic production shutdown tunnel. First it was the return of Call the Midwife and Grantchester this past Fall on PBS. If that wasn’t enough to program ‘do not disturb’ on your smartphone, Baptiste on Masterpiece rounded out the PBS Drama Sunday broadcast schedule.

While this may have satisfied our collective appetite for the best in British drama for the remainder of 2021, 2022 has already shown to be the icing on the proverbial British drama cake that began with the return of All Creatures Great and Small a few short weeks ago. Later in the year, it’s the return of Sanditon, another new series of Call the Midwife and several new series coming our way. One such series headed our way in 2022 that we have talked about extensively is the television adaptation of Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders.

Sporting an all-star cast headed by Lesley Manville (Mum, Phantom Thread, World on Fire, The Crown, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris) as Susan Ryeland, an editor who is given an unfinished manuscript of author Alan Conway’s latest mystery novel, Magpie Murders also stars Tim McMullan (The Crown, Brexit, Patrick Melrose, Foyle’s War) as the clever and complex (and extremely popular) detective, Atticus Pünd.

When the infamous mystery writer hands over his latest manuscript, the last chapter is missing. Before Susan can get her hands on the missing chapter, Conway is murdered. Naturally, she sets off on a quest to figure whodunnit, setting up the “murder mystery within a murder mystery” concept.

Lesley Manville and Tim McMullan in Magpie Murders. Photo courtesy: PBS and Britbox. Photographer: Nick Wall

Rounding out the cast are the greatness of Daniel Mays (Ashes to Ashes, Line of Duty, 1917, Des) as Inspector Raymond Chubb, Pippa Haywood (Bodyguard, Green Wing, Bridgerton); Michael Maloney (The Crown, The Trial Of Christine Keeler); and double Olivier Award winning actor Conleth Hill (Game Of Thrones) appearing as Alan Conway, author of the fictitious Atticus Pünd novels.

Daniel Mays as Inspector Chubb in Magpie Murders. Photo courtesy: PBS and Britbox. Photographer: Nick Wall

The 6-part Magpie Murders is headed to PBS Masterpiece in 2022. Definitely one to put on your calendar!