Moonflower Murders review: Cosy drama has one very compelling reason to watch
By Helen Fear | Fri Nov 15 2024Moonflower Murders on BBC One sees Lesley Manville reprise her role as Susan Ryeland - a book editor turned amateur sleuth. Here's our review.
It's a sequel to the successful Magpie Murders, which first aired in 2022. And, despite the rather hairy ending for poor Susan, she now agrees to take on another investigation several years on.
Based on the books by Anthony Horowitz, detective drama Moonflower Murders catches up with Susan after the events of Magpie Murders, and she is living a very different life...
But is the Magpie Murders sequel any good? Here's what we think of Moonflower Murders in our review.
What's the plot?
Those of you who watched Magpie Murders will know Susan Ryeland as a successful book editor. However, in Moonflower Murders, she is living a very different life in Crete.
At the beginning of the six-part series, Susan has (reluctantly) left publishing behind and is now running a hotel in Crete with her long-time boyfriend, Andreas. However, it's not as idyllic as it sounds. In fact, her days are spent mopping floors, fighting fires (quite literally), and missing her old life.
Unsurprisingly perhaps, she jumps at the chance to take on a new job - tracking down a missing woman. And it all seems to be linked to an Alan Conway novel - one that Susan had been involved in in her former life as a book editor.
Moonflower Murders review
Six-part series Moonflower Murders is definitely an enjoyable watch. It's well-written, and based on the bestselling books by famous crime author Anthony Horowitz. So far, so good.
But there's one compelling reason why this is an above-average cosy crime drama. Two words. Lesley Manville.
The Brighton-born actress is always immensely watchable in anything she does, whether it's Sherwood or a film like The Critic. But combine her performance with a murder mystery and it's a winner.
Successful cosy crime dramas - such as Agatha Raisin, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators, and McDonald & Dodds - all have one thing in common. That's a likeable lead actor, someone you'd pay good money to go down the pub with.
Lesley is exactly that. But above all, she is one of the best actresses working in the UK right now. We could watch Lesley Manville watching paint dry. All day long.
Is Moonflower Murders worth watching?
Moonflower Murders has all the elements that make a cosy drama successful. These include beautiful locations (starting with Crete), a likeable sleuth (preferably amateur), and a compelling mystery waiting to be solved (tick).
There's also a great cast of famous faces - including Mark Gatiss, Daniel Mays, Conleth Hill, and Tim McMullan - who are all worth watching.
The story will engage you, and there's lots to keep track of. There's the present day disappearance of the missing woman. And the way it plays out in the fictionalised Alan Conway novel.
Moonflower Murders pays homage to old-fashioned, Agatha Christie-style sleuthing. It's not ground-breaking, but it's a nostalgic whodunit that does exactly what it promises - unravels a baffling mystery.
Do I need to read Magpie Murders before Moonflower Murders?
There's no doubt that you'll enjoy Moonflower Murders more if you've already watched Magpie Murders (or read the books). They are linked, and introduce the central characters. However, that's not to say you won't understand the new series if you haven't.
It is a story within itself, and works as a standalone series. Although prior knowledge of the history would be beneficial. Similarly to Shetland, each series tackles a different crime, but it always helps to know what went before.
Like Magpie Murders before it, the series uses a story within a story format. So you'll need to be alert. No wandering off to raid the biscuit tin - this could easily become confusing if you're not paying attention.
But the pay off is worth it. Like BBC One realised with Ludwig, viewers don't want to be patronised... We want to be tested. Moonflower Murders keeps us on our toes, and it's worth the effort.
