The Marlow Murder Club: UKTV Drama Orders Robert Thorogood Adaptation Starring Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, Cara Horgan & Natalie Dew
UKTV’s Drama has ordered an adaptation of ‘The Marlow Murder Club‘, in association US broadcaster MASTERPIECE, based on the hit novel by Robert Thorogood – who is also the creator of beloved BBC drama ‘Death in Paradise’ – with Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, Cara Horgan & Natalie Dew set to star.
The two-part drama, which is being adapted for TV by Thorogood himself, sees Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey, Home Fires) take the lead as 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.
“After over a decade of working on Death in Paradise, I’m thrilled to be creating a brand-new murder mystery series for TV,” said Thorogood. “I can’t wait for audiences to join Judith, Becks and Suzie on their adventures as they solve a series of fiendishly puzzling murders.”
‘The Marlow Murder Club’ follows retired archaeologist Judith Potts (Bond) who lives alone in a faded mansion in the peaceful town of Marlow, filling her time by setting crosswords for the local paper. During one of her regular wild swims in the Thames, Judith hears a gunshot coming from a neighbour’s garden and believes a brutal murder has taken place.
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.
“After a highly rewarding period of collaboration, we are thrilled to be greenlighting Robert Thorogood’s adaptation of his hit novel for Drama,” said Philippa Collie Cousins, senior commissioning editor, UKTV Drama. “The brilliant team at Monumental have found the perfect cast for the show and the perfect director in Steve Barron. I’m very much looking forward to seeing these great scripts burst into life on screen.”
‘The Marlow Murder Club’ has been commissioned by Philippa Collie Cousins, senior commissioning editor, with Pete Thornton, head of scripted, and ordered for Drama by Emma Ayech, channel director, and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning. Executive producers for Monumental Television are Debra Hayward, Alison Owen and Alison Carpenter. Susanne Simpson is executive producer for MASTERPIECE.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time for Drama, as we start commissioning UKTV Originals for the channel,” adds Emma Ayech, channel director for Drama. “Whether you’re a fan of the book or new to the adventures of the wonderful Judith Potts, our viewers are in for a real treat.”
The series will be directed by Steve Barron (The Durrells, Mrs Sidhu Investigates) and produced by Jane Wallbank (Traces, Mrs Sidhu Investigates). Barron and writer Robert Thorogood (creator of Death in Paradise, Beyond Paradise) also serve as executive producers.
‘The Marlow Murder Club’ is a two-episode drama, with each episode will be two hours long, and based on the first book in the series. The sequel novel, ‘Death Comes To Marlow’ was published in January 2023, with a third novel, ‘Queen Of Poisons’, due to be published in January 2024. The original novel has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK alone, and the rights have been sold into 18 territories worldwide. It is also a 2023 Edgar Award Nominee.
‘The Marlow Murder Club‘ Season 1 does not have an exact UK premiere date, but will air on UKTV Drama in the UK, and on PBS Masterpiece in the USA in 2024. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when they get a UK premiere date.
