Photo: Masterpiece PBS

Masterpiece and UKTV have announced the co-commissioning of the TV adaptation of Robert Thorogood’s novel The Marlow Murder Club. While you might not immediately know the name Robert Thorogood, you will definitely know his most recent efforts as the creator of Death in Paradise (currently airing on a number of PBS stations including KERA). Alongside Thorogood for TMMC will be Monumental Television, the producers of the award-winning British comedy series Ghosts.

Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey, Home Fires) takes the lead role in The Marlow Murder Club as retired archaeologist Judith Potts, alongside Jo Martin (Doctor Who, Back to Life) as Suzie Harris, Cara Horgan (The Sandman, Traitors) as Becks Starling and Natalie Dew (Sandylands, The Capture) as DS Tanika Malik.

Steve Barron (The Durrells in Corfu, Mrs Sidhu Investigates) is set to direct. Robert Thorogood said: “After over a decade of working on Death in Paradise, I’m thrilled to be creating a brand-new murder mystery series for TV. I can’t wait for audiences to join Judith, Becks and Suzie on their adventures as they solve a series of fiendishly puzzling murders.”

In case you are unfamiliar with Thorogood’s 2021 novel, when the police are reluctant to believe her story, Judith finds herself forming an unlikely friendship with local dog-walker and empty-nester Suzie (Martin) and unfulfilled vicar’s wife Becks (Horgan) as they start an investigation of their own.

Eventually asked to assist with the official police investigation, headed by newly promoted Tanika (Dew), the women must piece together clues, grill suspect witnesses, and face down real danger as they work against the clock to stop the killer in their tracks.

Based on the pic of the readthrough above, the hope here is that filming will begin soon with a PBS broadcast on Masterpiece TBA in 2024.