Oscar nominee Lesley Manville and Tim McMullan are set to return in “Marble Hall Murders,” the third and final installment of Anthony Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland mystery series, which has been commissioned by Masterpiece on PBS and acquired by the BBC.
The new adaptation follows the success of “Moonflower Murders” and “Magpie Murders,” with Eleventh Hour Films partnering with Salt Films for PBS Masterpiece and the BBC. The series will lens in March across Dublin, Corfu and London locations.
Manville (“The Crown,” “Phantom Thread”) returns as Susan Ryeland, a book editor with an uncanny knack for finding herself embroiled in murder mysteries. The latest case sees her back in England, where she becomes entangled in a new Atticus Pünd mystery penned by an emerging writer. Set in 1955 at a luxurious Corfu villa, “Pünd’s Last Case” harbors more than just fictional intrigue – a real killer’s identity lies hidden within its pages, putting Susan in mortal danger once again.
McMullan (“Patrick Melrose,” “The Crown”) reprises his role as Atticus Pünd, the literary detective who transcends the page to aid Susan in solving the murder of Miriam Crace, described as the world’s most celebrated children’s author.
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The creative team remains intact with Rebecca Gatward returning to direct and Suzanne McAuley producing. The previous entry, “Moonflower Murders,” proved a ratings powerhouse for the BBC, averaging 4.9 million viewers across its run, securing its position as one of the network’s most-watched acquired scripted series in 2024.
“I’m so happy to bring the team back – stars, director, producers, and crew – for a third installment of what has been a fantastically successful TV series,” says Horowitz, who adapts his own work. “I have a feeling this could be the best yet.”
Executive producer Jill Green adds that Horowitz “has once again brought his unique and original perspective to the world of murder mystery,” noting that “‘Marble Hall Murders’ completes the trilogy, and the scripts and lead actors are once again at the top of their game.”
Susanne Simpson, Masterpiece head of scripted content and executive producer, added: “We are beyond thrilled to once again be partnering with Eleventh Hour Films to bring one of Anthony’s brilliant novels to life and to have Lesley and Tim return in their roles. The first two series were incredibly successful for us and we can’t wait for our audience to see ‘Marble Hall Murders.’”
The drama will be distributed globally by Sony Pictures Television, with PBS Distribution handling North American territories.