Solving the Puzzles of The Marlow Murder Club

(mysterious music) [Narrator] The village of Marlow is a riverside gem, where elegant architecture meets boutique shops, where graceful rowers glide past manicured parks.

Life in this idyllic English village seems pretty perfect if it weren't for the murders, which, of course, makes it the perfect setting for amateur sleuths Judith, Suzie, and Becks.

- [Judith] Becks Starling, Suzie Harris, and Judith Potts reporting for duty.

- [Narrator] In "The Marlow Murder Club" on "Masterpiece Mystery", the quiet village of Marlow hides a surprising number of puzzles that the police are struggling to solve, which is where our quirky team of amateur detectives comes in.

- There's something you need to see.

- What?

- Evidence that suggests it wasn't an accident.

It was murder.

- [Narrator] We'll go behind the scenes to help solve some of the puzzles of how this favorite series is made.

- We're not gonna miss this, are we?

- [Narrator] And we look ahead to a brand new season while we revisit favorite moments and learn inside secrets from the cast and creators in "Solving the Puzzles of The Marlow Murder Club".

(mysterious music swells) - [Samantha] If I was trying to describe "The Marlow Murder Club" in three words, it would be intriguing, surprising, and heartwarming.

- His body was moved to the close?

- [Judith] How fascinating.

- No.

- DS Malik has hired us as civilian advisors.

- "The Marlow Murder Club" is about Judith, and she bumps into what she thinks is a murder.

- [Responder] We'll get someone sent straight away.

- Oh, please hurry.

I think someone's just shot him.

- [Robert] The police don't believe that, and in investigating her neighbor's death, she bumps into Becks, the local vicar's wife, and also Suzie, a dog walker, and together, they solve a sequence of murders that happen here in Marlow.

- We need to start investigating.

- [Becks] Won't Tanika mind?

- Mind?

She'll be livid.

But until she tells us we can't nose around- - [Suzie] We can do what we like.

Yeah, I like it.

- The dynamic between the three women of "The Marlow Murder Club", Judith, Suzie, and the character that I play, Becks, is very much what makes the show interesting and exciting.

- What if he had an accomplice?

- Who was inside the study, killing Sir Peter while he stayed outside.

- [Becks] Like who?

- How about the loyal gardener?

- [Cara] There's a great chemistry between them all, and they have strengths in different areas.

- I wonder if there's a way to find out.

- Maybe there is.

A dog walker has many keys.

- [Natalie] They're all so different with each other and have very, very different opinions.

- When we all come together, we find all this common ground and sisterhood.

- Did we get her?

- [Suzie] Oh, Becks.

It all went wrong.

She-she got away.

- What?

- Suzie!

- It went exactly as Judith said.

- Yes!

- We've got her!

- Yes!

(all laughing) - [Samantha] Everyone loves a murder mystery, and a good script is where it all begins.

You get to the end and you go (gasps).

- When will he be back?

- [Speaker] Tomorrow.

Do you want me to leave a message?

- No.

Don't worry.

By tomorrow, it will be too late.

Thank you.

- Goodbye.

(tense music) - There's going to be a fourth murder.

(music intensifies) Me.

- [Robert] Behind all of these beautiful Farrow & Ball painted front doors are murderous black hearts.

(Caroline gasps) - Caroline?

(tense music) - [Samantha] Because Robert wrote the book and the script, there's the same humour, and the glorious characters, he writes glorious characters.

- [Robert] I've really tried to develop strong female storylines in this show in particular, because you just don't see three women catching killers that often on the telly.

- The trail ends there, but it confirms the connection between the theft and the murder.

- That's brilliant.

- [Judith] I think we can work out what that connection might be.

- It's beautifully put together, and Robert's done the most amazing job.

- [Robert] I can't wait for people to see it.

- I hope it intrigues them.

I hope it fascinates them.

- [Cara] The three words I'd use to describe "The Marlow Murder Club" would be, never underestimate women.

- Finally, we have it.

Who killed Sir Peter, why he had to die, and how the killer managed to escape from a locked room.

But if we're going to prove it, I'm going to need your help.

(music swells) - [Narrator] The original member of "The Marlow Murder Club", Judith, is a retired archeologist who has recently become an amateur detective.

- [Judith] I'd like to see Detective Sergeant Tanika Malik.

The name's Potts, Judith Potts.

- [Samantha] My name is Samantha Bond, and I play Judith Potts in "The Marlow Murder Club".

- I may just pop in on my way, see if the police missed anything.

- How are you going to do that without a warrant?

- Well, I'll worry about that when I get there.

- [Samantha] Judith is a retired archeologist.

She's very happy in her own company.

She has a wonderful cat.

- The problem is we're empiricists.

Aren't we, Jasper?

To investigate, we will need the right tools.

(gentle music) Knowledge can be derived by what is observed and measured.

(rifling through drawer) And I know what I observed.

- [Samantha] When we first meet Judith, I think it's quite a set of contradictions.

You know, she is blissfully happy when she's swimming in her river, but within that, there are lots of shadows.

- [Stefan] No!

(gunshot) (tense music) - Mr.

Dunwoody?

Are you all right?

- She strives for the truth, and she knows it hasn't been investigated properly.

- Can I ask, what made you return to Mr.

Dunwoody's property?

- Oh, well, that's easy.

The gunshot I heard last night.

If you weren't going to take it seriously.

- [Samantha] That's where her archeological background comes in.

She tries to piece the things very logically together.

- The sun?

- It's the key to unlocking the entire case.

- I don't know.

It's at the center of the Solar System?

- Exactly, which means everything else moves around it, but from our perspective, it moves around us, subjectivity being what it is.

- Are you all right?

- It's basic celestial mechanics, Suzie, as was understood by the Celts when they built Newgrange, or the Mayans, Chichn Itz, or the Incas, Machu Picchu.

[Judith] All of which line up with the sun.

- How many coffees has she had?

- What's quite nice from Judith's point of view is that we meet someone who's very self-sufficient and used to doing her own thing.

She doesn't really need other people.

She's closed herself off.

- I think you're one of those busy bodies who has nothing to fill her days with.

- Hmm.

- Who lives on her own with a cat, if I had to guess.

Knowing that I once argued with Stefan, you've decided to have a little poke around, thinking yourself the amateur sleuth.

How am I doing?

– Where were you yesterday at 6: 30?

- You're really doing this?

- Yesterday.

6:30 PM.

- It's really nice to see her almost surprise herself as she gets drawn into the investigation and sort of picks up Suzie and picks up Becks.

- Archeology was always something I thought I'd return to when the time was right.

- So why now?

- My whole world's opened up recently.

Partly thanks to you two.

It's given me the courage to embrace new experiences rather than shy away from them.

- Judith likes to work things out very logically, very precisely.

- [Judith] Spencer Chapman and Faye Kerr.

It says they died last year.

But if they died last year, how did they manage to witness Ezra's will this year?

- Judith's big quality is a strive for the truth, and that's what drives her.

- [Judith] It says, "Faith," on it, doesn't it?

- Yeah.

- And here, "Abide with faith, hope, and charity".

All three.

But the greatest of these is charity.

- 1 Corinthians.

- Oh my God.

Faith, hope, and charity.

- Indeed.

There's going to be a third murder.

We're dealing with a serial killer.

(dramatic music) - [Narrator] Known around town as the vicar's wife, Becks has quickly shown she has a very keen eye for clues.

(door slides open) - [Judith] Good heavens.

Hello.

- [TV audio] I wanna be like a sexy cupcake and wants to eat me.

- Hi, I'm Becks Starling.

Sorry about hiding in a cupboard.

- My name's Cara Horgan, and I play Becks Starling in "The Marlow Murder Club".

- This room is very orderly.

Every painting under its own light, positioned to the inch.

And not a spot of dust.

- [Suzie] So?

- [Becks] So how come there's dust on that wall?

- Wow.

- I notice dust.

- Don't ever come to my house.

- What are you suggesting?

- There was a bigger painting here until recently.

- She is a mother, she's married to the vicar, so she's very much at the epicenter of the community.

- [Judith] She is in her element.

- [Suzie] Everyone loves her.

What a natural.

- There we are.

All done.

- How on earth do you do it?

- Do what?

- [Judith] Put people you don't know so at ease.

- Oh, it's not that hard.

You just have to be friendly.

- No, it's more than that.

You care about every person you speak to.

- I've never thought about it like that.

Thank you.

- [Cara] She does a lot of the kind of thankless tasks.

(cup shatters) - I just want to check that you've ordered the flowers for the confirmation.

- Of course.

- And you're able to pick up the orders of service?

- I'm due at the printers at 10:00.

- Oh, and Mrs.

Eddingham wants you to help set up Liston Hall for the reception with the bishop.

- Mrs.

Eddingham?

- Oh, I don't know how you know what I need before I do.

Thank you.

You are the best.

- [Cara] We meet her in the story at a time when she's definitely unsatisfied and needs new challenges and new things.

- I need you to help me.

- Mrs.

Starling, this is criminal damage.

- Mr.

Eddingham, can I borrow your four by four?

- Certainly not.

(dramatic music) Leslie!

- Thanks.

- When the crimes start to unfold and she meets Judith, it starts to reignite that side of her character, which is kind of curious and interested, and also very capable.

- These prints were left by a pair of ladies' hunter wellies.

You can tell from the pattern on the heel.

- Hold on.

You know this how?

- It's my specialist subject.

Posh wellies of Marlow.

- Oh!

- Wonderful.

- [Cara] That often means not being honest with her partner and having to not be there all the time for her kids, but she finds she's more satisfied doing that than she was just being a wife.

- Judith.

I'll be there in 10 minutes.

Colin?

- Hm?

- [Becks] I'll be out until this afternoon.

- Oh, be as long as you like.

I can always do tea.

- Don't worry, I'll be back in time to do tea.

- It's a kind of complicated whodunit, so hopefully it'll get people hooked.

- What was stopping you from going into the house, pushing the cabinet onto him and then slipping away again?

- It was his new woman I had a problem with, not Peter.

- [Becks] But that's not true, is it?

We learned how important your name is to you when we first met.

And the only way you can keep your aristocratic title is if Sir Peter never remarries, which he now never will, will he, Lady Bailey?

- [Narrator] A fun piece of the puzzle is how DS Tanika Malik constantly clashes with the group, but simultaneously feels like part of The Marlow Murder Club as well.

- What are you doing here?

- I don't think this was an accident.

- [Tanika] I'm sorry?

- I think someone killed Sir Peter.

- Hello, Judith.

- [Judith] Hello, Tanika.

- My name's Natalie Dew, and I play Tanika Malik.

She is the detective sergeant in charge of the case.

- The killer left a medallion at the first crime scene after all.

This one has, "Faith," written on it.

Process it please, Alice.

I want it fast tracked.

- Okay.

- The first murder was, "Faith."

The second, "Hope."

The next would be, "Charity."

- There's going to be a third murder?

- No, we're gonna catch the killer first.

- [Natalie] The police haven't had to deal with a murder like this before.

It's definitely their first big, big case.

And so I think it is a real step up for her.

- I just wanted to check in with you on the Marlow shooting.

- The investigation's in its early stages.

Are you bringing in another DI to head up the case?

- Do you want me to?

- No, Ma'am.

- Well, then it's yours, Detective Sergeant.

You will remain acting SIO until further notice.

So, please stay in this office for now.

- [Natalie] She's an amazing woman in terms of she seems to be balancing home life and work life.

- [Shanti] "A lovely, spiky hedgehog, around like a pound and near to the ground and live in a hedge, like a hog."

- That was amazing!

Read it again.

- [Natalie] But there is this thing of having to prove yourself, and predominantly in quite a male environment as well.

- [DS Perry] If Mrs.

Potts says he's involved, then, uh, well, he's involved.

Isn't that right, Sarge?

- [Natalie] I think she definitely has moments of self-doubt, but it's about trying not to show that in front of the team.

- Then why did the killer leave this at the second crime scene, but nothing at the first?

- [Judith] I know.

- Oh, how did she get in here?

Come on, guys.

We are literally the police, and we've just been broken into.

- [Natalie] With the help of the ladies, I think they really helped to give her some confidence.

[Cara] Tanika understands the value of the women amongst her investigation much quicker.

- [Jo] You know, I think she still has to kind of, like, downplay us with her team, but when we all meet up together, she's part of our world, you know what I mean?

We need her and she needs us.

- And I suppose you don't want to know, we've still not found Sir Peter's most recent will.

- It's an irrelevance.

Nor have we.

- [Tanika] Not even listening.

And you also don't wanna know, there wasn't a second key to the room.

The only way that door could have been locked was with the key we found in Sir Peter's pocket.

- That's fascinating.

Not.

- (laughs) Tanika's reaction to the amateur sleuths is an interesting one.

- [Tanika] I need you to listen to me, because every time I see you, there are more of you.

- And we're even more successful.

- But we're dealing with a double murder here.

- I was right.

- I think for her, she's trying to quiet that noise, but I think slowly, there's a real sort of turnaround where she realizes for all of the chaos that comes with them, they have brilliant ideas.

- The medallion was found by some civilians.

I've decided to hire them as advisors.

- Not that woman that was here.

- No.

- Oh, thank Christ for that.

(laughs) I thought you'd lost the plot then.

- I mean her and her two friends.

(door beeps) (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - [Natalie] I think Tanika really grows into this sort of new role she has.

- You think he's got an accomplice?

- He's got an accomplice.

- Let's meet up.

But no one can know.

Looks like we've got a killer to catch.

- Understood.

- I would hope that the series is just loved by the audience and that they really get behind the women and believe those friendships and relationships.

- DI Hoskins is coming back.

Once Greenly informs me of that officially, I'll be off the case.

(Becks sighs) I need you to help me solve it before that happens.

- We might be closer than you think.

(music swells) - [Narrator] As an experienced dog walker in Marlow, Suzie knows all the ins, outs, ups, and downs of the village.

- Let me know when you land and I'll come and get you, all right?

I can't wait to see you.

Yeah.

I gotta go.

- Suzie.

- Ah, yeah, I was just... I was just checking these tires.

Ooh!

They're super fine.

- [Jo] I'm Jo Martin.

I play Suzie Harris, dog walker, single mom, looking to live some life.

- I can't look after Wally and Evie next week.

My daughter Zeta's coming home.

(chuckles) Yeah, Dave, I know.

What am I, your marriage counselor?

It's just for a week.

- She's very inquisitive.

Some may say nosy.

- Okay.

I-I've seen Tanika.

- We need to get inside the cordon.

- There's a little path through the woods around the back.

Yeah, dog walkers know all the best shortcuts.

- [Narrator] Suzie became a member of The Marlow Murder Club when she discovered one of her clients murdered in his home.

While the police were interrogating her, Judith stepped in.

- [DS Perry] Would now be a good time to finish taking your witness statement?

- No, it would not.

Ms.

Harris has been through quite enough for one day.

I suggest you contact her again tomorrow, when she's had a chance to recover.

Now, how can I help you get home?

- I think Suzie is a bit lonely.

I think if truth be known, Judith is also, and even though Becks has got this family, she feels very othered and alone, and I think when we all come together, we find all this common ground.

- I got kicked out the Brownies for masterminding a rebellion.

(all laughing) I've never really been a joiner.

- Well, you joined us.

- Yeah, but you and Becks are rebels too, but you keep it under wraps.

- [Jo] She's busy.

You know, she's climbing through windows, she's running to save people.

She's always on the go.

- Okay, here goes.

(tense music) (alarm blaring) (groaning) - [Judith] Go on!

- [Suzie] I'm trying!

(groans) - She's a little bit more like Judith, like, she's more, "Ah," you know, "Let's go for it," you know?

- Stefan was killed with an antique pistol.

And where do antiques come from if not from auction houses?

- [Becks] But he has an alibi.

Elliot and I were at choir practice together.

- Hold on, we can sort this out.

We just need to get a sample of Elliot's handwriting and see if it matches that handwriting.

And Judith, you just need to stay out of sight.

- These three dynamic women, very different from each other, using their life experiences to navigate their way and to solve crimes.

- I'll tell you what else I don't get.

One of those residents killed Louis Oldham, dumps his body in the middle of the close, and none of the others see a thing?

- Well, that's my point exactly.

There's something going on between those two houses.

- There's new horizons for Suzie at the moment.

- Oh.

- We thought you might want some company.

- Seeing as you're our friend and we love you.

- Well, you better come in then.

(upbeat music) - [Judith] We've got margaritas.

- [Suzie] Oh, that's my favorite.

Thank you.

- [Judith] Did you know they were named after Queen Margherita of Savoy?

I looked it up.

She visited Naples in 1889.

- [Suzie] All that matters is that it tastes delicious!

- [Judith] And the colors represent the colors on the Italian flag.

- [Suzie] Oh, Judith!

(swelling strings score) - [Narrator] So far, we've touched on many great moments from season one, and when we return, we'll unpack some of the investigations that take place in season two.

We'll also look at how humour factors into this series as we continue with "Solving the Puzzles of The Marlow Murder Club".

(mysterious music) - [Narrator] Welcome back to "Solving the Puzzles of The Marlow Murder Club".

Today we're examining all the things we love about "The Marlow Murder Club" on "Masterpiece Mystery".

Coming up, we'll see a sneak preview of season three, but for now, let's investigate what happened in Marlow during season two.

- [Tanika] Judith?

- I'm sorry to intrude.

I know how hard this is for you.

But Sir Peter wanted me here.

I'm a key witness, and I have a few questions.

- Getting a series two was thrilling.

- [Cara] It was lovely for all of us to find out that we've been recommissioned, and what is wonderful is that the dynamic and the chemistry are already there.

- There's no James Wyckham here, but there is a Darren Benson.

- [Judith] Darren Benson, the missing fraudster whose DNA was found on the watch link.

He looks familiar.

- [Robert] What viewers can look forward to in series two is more fun, more joy, more murders, more set pieces of the women doing improbable things.

- I told you Greg Cooper would be on a boat.

- Yeah, that bed's definitely been slept in.

- And there's another empty bottle on the cabin floor.

- But if it is him, where is he now?

I better call Tanika.

- [Cara] We now have six episodes and three different investigations, but also the bond between the characters has developed a lot more now.

- Got a new glow about you, Mrs.

P.

- Really?

- Suzie's right.

Coming out of retirement really suits you.

- And we're not the only ones who've noticed.

- [Robert] So the very first story is based on my novel, "Death Comes to Marlow".

The second one is about a war, effectively, in a suburban cul-de-sac.

And the third one is set in the sailing club.

We get three sets of killers, three sets of suspects, and also three different writers telling each of the stories.

- What are you doing here?

- We want to know how a button from your jacket ended up in your father's dressing room.

- It's a great cast.

We've got most of the same crew, same director.

- [Steve] Coming back this time feels warm and familiar.

When you're on the first series, you're kind of entering the unknown quite a bit.

You're working out what it is, and it's working out what it is.

When you're back for series two, you've got a template.

Now it's about really pushing that relationship up to another level and enjoying their familiarity with each other.

- [Alison] With the first series, you never really know if people are gonna love it.

And fortunately, on series one, people did love it, and so we're sort of back with real confidence.

- Where did you get that?

- [Suzie] Oh, that's his work website.

Louis Oldham's head of accounts for a loans company.

- So someone who fixes loans has been killed, and we have a property developer who's drowning in debt.

- Got it in one.

- What do you think?

- Why did no one see anything or hear anything?

I think it's one of the people in that close.

(dramatic music) - In the first series, it was me just writing based on the books, and we didn't know who we were gonna cast.

Whereas this time, we've got Sam, we've got Jo, we've got Cara, we've got Natalie, so you're actually writing for the actors, what we've seen them do on screen.

- Professor Gifford seems like an interesting man.

- Oh, yes.

And highly respected in his field.

- And not bad looking either.

- Really?

I didn't notice.

- She blushed.

I knew it.

- My favorite scene is in the church by the bridge.

There's a moment in it where we were tracking a drone indoors, and had our three heroes come in with a massive tracking shot that just feels like a great spectacle, and that sort of big moment in the church just worked, and were great fun to shoot and very rewarding.

- We know what happened, and that you knew Seb Teller.

- I didn't set out to hurt anyone, I was... I was just trying to protect my family.

- [Robert] One of the most enjoyable moments we had was when we were sitting there talking about what stories can we tell?

And we started talking about bin wars, and how everyone in the room had a story of getting antsy with their neighbors over the bins, when it goes out, what you put in it.

And it was so much fun for everyone telling their stories, and you just, you work as a team and you collect all of the stories in the room, and you've come up with a murder that would go around that.

Then Lucia went off and wrote her story, Julia went off and wrote her story, and it was just so exciting, and it's been just a privilege to work with them.

- [Alison] One of the things that was just really exciting to me in thinking about series two was just the space to explore these women's characters a bit more, gives you then space to explore what else is going on in their lives.

So, Suzie's dealing with Zeta about to leave for university and what that means for her.

Becks is probably a bit more fulfilled, and she's sort of a bit more focused on her relationship with Colin.

Judith I think has sort of laid some skeletons to rest.

Really more comfortable in who she is, I think.

- Mr.

Eddingham told me you were here.

It's thrilling, isn't it?

Discovery of this magnitude.

- Oh, it, it, it certainly is.

It's a coup for Marlow.

- We found another potential burial site out near Cliveden.

I was wondering if you would care to accompany me on a speculative visit.

- I'd be delighted.

(whimsical music) - [Narrator] Even though it's a show about solving murders, it's not puzzling how humour keeps us laughing with the ladies.

- Excuse me.

Um, the prints on this notebook belong to Liz Curtis.

You need to see if they match any of the fingerprints you found on the door handle at Stefan's house.

- Is this a poo bag?

- Yep.

Correct.

- [Samantha] It's been very funny to shoot, and it makes the director laugh, so hopefully it'll make the audience laugh too.

- [Becks] You just have to pretend to be a corpse.

Suzie, you see if you can pick him up.

- I'd rather you didn't call me a corpse.

- Sorry, Colin.

The Reverend Corpse.

- Thank you.

That's more like it.

- All right, let's do this.

(groans) Hold on, let's get this over here.

If I lift you... (groans) Oh, sorry.

- I'm not that heavy, am I?

- [Narrator] The show's brilliant use of humour helps relieve the tension of each episode, as Judith, Becks, and Suzie try to catch the killer.

- [Phil] Left the house, went straight to cricket, played all afternoon, albeit not very well, then came straight home and bumped into those women.

The busy bodies.

- [Judith] How dare he?

- We chatted for a while.

Ask them if I look like someone who's just disposed of crucial evidence.

- [Robert] When I write a line for Judith, I'm writing it for Samantha Bond to play Judith to say the line, and that has been liberating and just has made it so joyous to write, knowing the amazing actors we've got who are gonna be delivering the lines.

- It's a drugs drop off.

Mark my words.

- I don't think many crossword setters deal drugs in their spare time.

- I don't know.

You solve murders.

- I suppose I do.

- [Narrator] Of course, rooted in the humour is the fact that all three characters are new to investigating crimes, which means there can be a technological learning curve.

- [Becks] Judith?

- [Suzie] Oh, God, what have you done?

- [Becks] You're a giraffe.

- How are you going to do that?

- [Becks] Judith.

What are you doing?

- What?

- [Suzie] What have you- - Why am I a giraffe?

Oh, I must have pressed something.

Oh, this is ridiculous.

How do I change it?

- Go to the bottom of your screen.

- [Becks] Change the setting.

- [Suzie] You should see a giraffe or some other animoji.

- What's an animoji?

I've done it again.

- [Narrator] Sometimes, even the police are subjected to the trio's mishaps.

- Are you at the rowing center?

- What's that?

- [Tanika] You mustn't speak to Liz Curtis.

I want you all to come to the station at once.

- Sorry, the reception's very bad.

You're breaking up.

(shaking phone) - Do you think they bought that?

- Shh.

We haven't turned it off.

- You haven't turned the phone off?

You didn't turn it off?

[Suzie] Give it to me.

What's this?

- [Narrator] Still, the women always find a way to be there for each other and help out when one of them is in a tight spot.

- Mr.

Bishop, sorry if I was a bit odd just now.

I've got a family problem that I need to talk about.

But outside.

I could do with the fresh air.

- Just had some fresh air.

- I love fresh air.

- Let's get some fresh air.

- [Narrator] Their camaraderie and brilliant sense of humor ensures that the trio will always be successful.

- Ooh!

- Suzie!

(engine revs) Stay in your lane, Suzie!

Morning!

- Suzie!

- Sorry!

(exciting music) - Let's get some speed on this!

Pedal to the metal!

(engine accelerates) - Oh, God!

- Hold on, ladies.

- Steady!

(bicycle peddling) - [Becks] Hi!

- [Man] Mrs.

Potts?

- [Woman] Woah!

- [Judith] There he is.

There he is.

- Where is he going?

- [Judith] Go, go, go!

- [Becks] Left, everyone!

- [Judith] Indicate!

- [Judith] Careful, Suzie!

(car horn beeps) - [Suzie] You got a license?

- [Man] Get out the road!

- Learn to drive!

- Speed bump ahead!

- Slow down, Suzie!

- [Judith] Careful, Suzie!

- Hold on!

Brace yourselves!

- Hold on!

- Oh!

(Suzie chuckles) - [Narrator] Season two included many new faces in Marlow, and everyone was delighted to perform with the guest stars.

- [Judith] Judith Potts.

I think you might need another one.

- Thank you.

Tristram Bailey.

- [Judith] Oh, Sir Peter's son.

- Sadly for both of us, yes.

- [Cara] We've been really blessed with the guest stars that we've had.

It's lovely to work with such a huge group of exciting actors.

- [Suzie] Just like old times - [Jackie] You and me sharing a flask of tea while those school gate queens sipped lattes at Lorenzo's.

- [Robert] What's amazing about this series is we get to meet a whole new suite of characters, three times, three different stories.

- We've got a really fantastic array of guest stars in this series.

- Peter was so kind, vulnerable.

I loved him.

Go where you like.

Pull the house apart.

I want his new will found.

- In the first story of the second series of "The Marlow Murder Club", we have James Wilby playing Sir Peter Bailey.

- [Sir Peter] I want to invite you to a party.

- I'm sorry?

- This afternoon, to celebrate my marriage tomorrow.

What would you say?

- What I would say, Sir Peter, is that we've never met.

- Oh, your reputation precedes you.

And I'm worried something might happen.

- [Robert] In the world of "The Marlow Murder Club", if you live in a big Elizabethan house and you're super rich and you have a baronetcy, I'm sorry, you are going to have to deserve to die.

- [Jenny] No, no!

- We need to call an ambulance.

- (sobs) Peter, Peter!

Peter!

(sobs) He's dead.

- [Narrator] Sam Womack joined the cast as a guest star in season two.

- You have no idea what it was like though.

Every time I heard a knock at the door, I just, I... I thought my whole world was going to collapse.

And then one day, it did.

- [Samantha] Sam Womack, Patrick Robinson I hadn't worked with before.

Joyous people.

- When's the baby due?

- Why is that relevant?

- A witness came forward.

They saw you throw something into the river.

Evidence.

The marine unit's been trawling the river for days.

It's only a matter of time.

- [Samantha] There's a guest in episode three called Liz Bennett, who I must have known for 40 years.

So it's lovely, it's lovely meeting new people, but it's also really great working with old mates.

- James has taken all our savings, everything.

I've been such a fool.

- Oh, he fooled everyone, Mrs.

Liddington.

James Wyckham is an extremely manipulative man, but we'll find him, and we'll get that money back, I promise you.

- One actor who I've actually worked with before who's a great actor, Hugh Quarshie.

When I heard that he's coming down to possibly be a little love interest for Judith, I was like, "Mm, girl."

- [Professor Gifford] I have a lecture to give.

But it really was a pleasure meeting you.

- Likewise, Professor Gifford.

- Oh, Darius, Liz.

- I think she likes him.

- Oh, maybe she just admires his academic prowess.

- [Suzie] No.

She likes him!

- [Alison] One of our guest cast is Nina Sosanya, who specifically said that she took the role because she wanted to be acting amongst women.

So, it's nice to feel that the thing that we think is special about the show is also appealing to actors.

- I shouldn't have lied to you, but I can't be connected to that body.

I can't afford the delays.

- Someone killed Seb Teller.

It could easily have been you.

- It wasn't.

I never even heard that name before today.

- And Louis Oldham?

- (sighs) I would threaten and I'll intimidate no problem.

I draw the line at murder.

- [Alison] There's a sort of cliche of murder mysteries, where the most famous person on screen is always the killer.

What's so great about our casting is that we've got a sort of brilliant raft of familiar faces across the board.

So if anyone's trying to play the guessing game of most famous is the killer, they won't be able to do that.

- [Rosanna] It's still so hard to believe.

What a mess.

(gentle music) Thank you for catching father's killer.

- It's the least he deserved.

- [Narrator] What makes this show different is to see women at the helm of all the investigations.

The sisterhood is everywhere in Marlow.

(door opens) - Oh, you came.

(gentle music) Both of you.

- The dynamics between Judith, Suzie, and Becks, what's fascinating about this is over the first three hours, we see that relationship grow and flourish.

- Could this be our killer?

- Well, it's possible.

Although Tanika thinks Sir Peter's death was an accident.

- What about you?

What do you think?

- [Judith] I think my house tomorrow morning.

See you both then.

- It's been an amazing company of actors.

- When I get back to the station, I can sort you out with accreditation, lanyards.

You came prepared.

- The first thing that attracted me to the project was the fact that it's got women at the helm.

The female characters aren't in competition with each other.

- Why is she talking in riddles?

- Hold on.

We've been here before.

Do you know who killed Louis Oldham?

- I think I do.

- And is it the same person who killed Seb Teller?

- It is.

- [Alison] Robert always wanted to do the adaptation himself, which felt like a no brainer for us.

- The first week that we shot was one of the longest weeks of my life, 'cause I just couldn't believe after all of these years that we were actually making the TV show.

Everyone had just created what I had written in my mind seven years ago.

- Chris Bott.

- You know him?

- I sing in the choir with him.

- Does everyone sing in the choir?

- Sometimes it feels like it.

Should I give him a ring?

- And say what?

"Are you the murderer?"

- Stop it.

I think we can do better than that.

- The relationship between the three of them works so well because they are so different.

- I got a tattoo.

- Huh?

- That's what I've been doing with Daniel.

- No.

- That's extraordinary.

- I'd always wanted to get one, but I wasn't sure I could pull it off anymore.

- [Suzie] Of course you can.

- To be honest, I was worried it was all a bit midlife crisis, embarrassing.

So I kept it a secret.

- Well, it is a little midlife crisis, but I love it.

- [Jo] Yes, it's feminist, but it's not done in that heavy handed kind of way, it's kind of like there's a lightness to it.

- [Tanika] Are you sure you're gonna be okay?

- I will.

- We will.

- We will.

- Thank you for trusting us.

- Didn't doubt you for a second.

- [Jo] Having that kind of age range of women that are carrying a storyline and something that's quite kind of dynamic is fresh.

- As Confucius once said, "We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one."

I'm going to live my second life to the full.

- Amen to that.

- They all bring something different to the table, I think.

And that's why I think as a trio, they work really well, 'cause they've got different strengths.

(door closes) - Oh.

- Should we try next door?

- No.

I don't think any of them are gonna want to chat to a bunch of civilian advisors.

- Then how about they don't talk to them?

I'm still the vicar's wife.

- The way we are as women, the way we empower each other, the way we support each other, that's sisterhood.

- Did I go too far?

Did I?

(laughs) I mean, I didn't mean any of it.

I mean, we're your friends, you know?

We get you, Judith.

Even if sometimes we like to tease you.

It's 'cause we love you.

- [Samantha] I think the big thing that's really very helpful is that we all have a monumental sense of humour.

- And we all like wine.

(all laughing) - I suggest we look to the future.

Champagne, anyone?

- Ooh!

- Yes, please.

(all laughing) - [Becks] Just a little bit.

(whimsical music) - [Suzie] (sighs) I've said it before and I'll say it again.

This is the life.

- [Narrator] When we return, we'll unpack more elements of "The Marlow Murder Club", including a look at the gorgeous locations and a sneak preview of the third season in "Solving the Puzzles of The Marlow Murder Club".

(mysterious music fades out) - [Narrator] Welcome back to "Solving the Puzzles of The Marlow Murder Club".

Today, we're examining all the ups and downs of "The Marlow Murder Club" on "Masterpiece Mystery".

Coming up, we'll share a sneak preview of season three, but for now, let's look at how all the clues work to together to solve a case.

- We're still combing the crime scene for any evidence.

- Oh, then you might be interested in that tiny gold link.

- Where?

(gentle music) - Just there.

- Oh, yeah.

Thanks, partner.

- I'm not a cowboy, DS Perry.

- No, no, you're not.

Let's forget that one.

- I think that best.

- [Narrator] Our main characters, Judith, Becks, and Suzie, are very aware that anything found around a crime scene could be a potential clue.

- [Judith] This is all of them.

Let's have a look.

- [Becks] Do we need more pieces?

- [Judith] No, this should be enough.

"If I die before my"... That should be, "Wedding day."

"I leave my entire estate to Jenny Page, and it will have been"... (dramatic music) "And it will have been my son Tristram who killed me."

- [Judith] What's this doing here?

- [Suzie] What is it?

- I happened to notice there was a button missing on Rosanna's jacket.

So what's it doing in her father's dressing room?

Everyone can touch type nowadays, but you have to start with your hands above the Home key.

- What are you talking about?

- Jackie was confused, losing consciousness, desperate to tell her something, but she hadn't realized that her hands were one key out, so she wrote this.

(mysterious music) (keyboard noise) Whereas if the hands were above the Home key, where she thought they were, she'd have written this.

(tense music) - [Narrator] But not all clues are found at the crime scene.

Some can be found in a suspect's office or in surveillance footage.

- Gary said the drone gets blown off course over the river.

There it goes.

(whipping wind) - And over the river is the sailing club.

Oh, Judith, you are clever.

- [Judith] The body was found near the slipway.

Oh, there, is that it?

C-can you zoom in?

- Yeah.

- Now, there's the body.

Who's that?

(dramatic music) - Call me old fashioned, but if this was an accident, why would anyone prioritize the boat over helping their mate?

- Well, the rest of the footage may answer your question.

- Oh, see that?

A flash of yellow in the water.

- Where?

- [Judith] Yes.

- [Becks] There.

Looks like a bag.

- And it's moving.

- [Narrator] And as Judith discovers in season two, sometimes the clues are hiding in plain sight.

"Sunday," "Checkers."

(gentle music) Date, time, place.

- [Narrator] Just as any great investigator would, Judith follows the clues in the daily crossword puzzle and identifies the man who's been leaving them.

- I know all about your secret codes.

I saw you in Higginson Park.

I didn't think anything of it at the time.

Are you meeting the same woman again?

Oh, there we are.

Now, I know it's none of my business, but I think you're romantically entangled with the woman over there, and your wife doesn't know, does she?

- You're mostly right, but my wife knows and she doesn't mind.

- That's what they all say.

- I'll go even further and say that she approves of the liaison.

- [Narrator] But a shocking reveal of the truth behind the clues leaves Judith pleasantly surprised.

- [Roger] You see, we are married.

- To each other.

- Oh.

- [Sue] And very happily.

I go to exercise class most mornings.

And then I sit down with the Maidenhead Advertiser and do the crossword.

I see the secret message, and then we meet up as if we're having an affair.

- It adds a little spice to our lives.

- Well, I must say, I've never been so happy to be proven wrong.

- Oh.

Water?

- Fill it up!

(laughs) - Oh, don't move.

(gentle music) Heavens.

That's it, isn't it?

It's Stonehenge.

- It's a carafe of water.

- No, no, no.

It's Machu Picchu.

- And she thought we were odd?

(chuckles) - [Narrator] Now let's take a moment to appreciate the unsung heroes of the series, all the charming pets of "The Marlow Murder Club".

(gentle music) - Relax, mate.

There's no way they'd wanna take you.

No offense.

- My name's Colette McKenzie, and I'm here as the animal trainer for this production.

The animals that feature on this show is... The first animal is a dog called Delta, and she's a German Shepherd, and she's four years old.

- [Iqbal] Where's my girl?

Who's a good girl?

Who's daddy's girl?

- [Suzie] Hello!

Hello, lovely Luna, hello!

- [Iqbal] Who's going for a little walk?

- I'll drop her off tomorrow.

Come on!

- Go.

- [Suzie] Here we go.

- [Colette] She has done some productions before, so she has been on a film set, and the other animal that is on this production is Thor, the cat.

And he is only two years old, so he's quite new to this.

- [Judith] Oh, Jasper.

She kept them all.

- So, what's been involved in getting them ready for being on set, for Delta, is obviously just training her.

(Delta barks) Good.

But then there's also a couple of action scenes where she has to jump through a window, so we've been prepping that back at home.

(dramatic music) (suspect groaning) - [Colette] She's very energetic, very lively.

Does love her treats, so anything involving food, she's really good.

That's walking.

Are you walking?

(laughs) - [Suzie] Luna!

Hello, girl.

Hello.

No, these are not for you.

No, no, no.

(Luna whines) - And with Thor the cat, he's just got to be that typical lovely house cat, and just sit and stay or lay down and stay.

- [Judith] Right, Jasper, who has something to hide?

(dramatic music) - What challenges are involved in my role?

Mainly getting the animal to do the action over and over again, and that's been quite challenging.

It's quite an exciting project for us.

(dogs barking) - [Suzie] Go on, go on, Luna!

Come on!

(dogs barking) (Suzie chuckles) - [Suzie] I love getting out here.

- [Narrator] There is a lot to love in Marlow, as it provides a stunning backdrop for all the locations of the series.

- What a beautiful home.

- Yeah, nice lady with the, uh, wings.

- [Phil] Ah, when we bought the house, we got a local carpenter to make the staircase and a few other pieces out of reclaimed boat wood.

Like our coffee table.

Why don't you take a look?

(classical music swells) - The setting of Marlow, I mean, that's the other... That's another cast member.

It's a beautiful, beautiful town.

But people are dying in Marlow.

- [Robert] When you're trying to do an English murder mystery, what you're really looking for is somewhere quintessentially English.

- The locations are around Marlow or in Marlow.

I've not worked on anything that relies so much on its location to be accurate.

- We've been so lucky that the town has sort of embraced us as a production and let us film everywhere and been very encouraging.

- There's something very safe and calming and so painfully beautiful about Marlow.

It's the perfect backdrop to this kind of story.

- [Robert] It's the town, it's the river, it's the church.

It's the quintessential Englishness of Marlow that I think makes it such a fun location.

I live in Marlow.

All of the locations in the books are real locations.

- Mrs.

Wingrove?

- (gasps) Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there.

- I find this spot comforting too.

- Nearly all the locations because of the plot are river fronting.

- If I wanted to disappear in Marlow, I'd hide out in one of them boats.

There's hundreds of them.

- We can't search 'em all.

- [Suzie] You got a better idea, Brendan?

- [Tom] The river gives it this, you know, extraordinary kind of atmosphere.

- [Steve] It became very hard to scout locations without being on the river.

We were looking for riverside mansions for our lead character and for the first murder.

- This place is something else.

- Um, it belonged to my great aunt.

I was lucky enough to inherit it.

- [Suzie] And it's just you here?

- [Judith] Yes, just me.

- Must get lonely.

- No, not at all.

I've always liked my own company.

- One of the things that really attracted me to the script and the book was the opportunity to design Judith's home.

It was described as an arts and crafts mansion on the river.

I knew that it was gonna be a difficult location to find because it had to do so many things.

- I think it's wonderful.

I crave peace and quiet.

- We filled the home with lots of archeological finds, lots of books.

- [Suzie] Geez.

You ever thought of recycling?

So, this is where you got all your old articles from.

- [Andrew] We had an interior in Hambledon, which was the sitting room, and we ended up using a second location for the exterior, which was a separate house in Marlow.

- [Robert] When I imagined the show, I really imagined Judith's house just as it's been delivered.

It really is exceptional.

- [Tanika] We've just arrested Elliot Howard and Giles Bishop.

- [Suzie] Great.

- [Tanika] We've also searched Mr.

Howard's property and recovered the Stanley Spencer painting.

- Thank you.

- You couldn't have just started a book club, could you?

- Not on your nelly.

(all chuckling) - Seriously, I don't know how you did it.

Thank you.

- With Becks, we actually found a fantastic location that is one of the oldest properties in Marlow, with very, very old windows.

It kind of reinforced the idea that she was constantly on the job as the vicar's wife.

- It's so lovely being back in the vicarage.

- It's lovely to have you here.

We must do it more often.

- The actual sitting room area, we kept a reduced palette, and that was the room that they used for business.

- [Suzie] It can't be done.

- But that's the thing, it was done.

We may not know how or why or who did it, but somebody moved the body from the woods to the close.

- [Andrew] We looked at several different options for Suzie's house.

The house that we filmed in was actually very neat, so we brought in plants to make it feel freer.

- Ta-da!

- Oh!

(laughs) Oh, wow!

- You're lucky I came here when I did.

You need looking after.

- We also needed, for our sailing club story, quite specific geography between where the sailing club was, and then there's an archeological dig site just opposite, across the river.

We've managed to get these locations where we'll be able to film it in exactly the right places, so we won't have to cheat anything, all the actors get to play it for real.

(whimsical music) - Of course they're here.

- [Natalie] Marlow never, ever falls short of coming up with luxurious locations.

It seems to have them in abundance.

- [Samantha] And the residents have been so kind and so supportive.

- What time's the party?

– It is from 2: 30.

Will you be there?

- Oh, of course.

On one condition.

That I can bring two friends with me.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Before our sneak preview of season three, let's hear from everyone as they look onward to the future of the series.

- [Suzie] Oh, thank you so much for the invitation.

I'd be delighted to join you on your yacht for cocktails.

Shall we say eight o'clock?

- I'd prefer a gin and fizz.

- No, I'm going to be busy at the opera.

(Suzie laughs) - [Steve] Working with the four leads, Sam and Jo, Cara and Natalie, it's been great to get back together with them.

They're a real pleasure to work with, and we have a hell of a lot to do every day, and they do their homework and come to set with ideas and bring so much to it.

- [Becks] Did you get it?

- Did we get it?

- Yes!

We got it!

- Woop, woop!

(laughs) We're women!

- Yes!

- [Robert] We get to learn more about the women and how they interact.

We get to see different worlds around Marlow, and we're killing people and we're catching killers, and we're always making sure that there's a glass of champagne at the end of it.

- Oh, hello.

(chuckles) Thank you.

Ladies.

- Thanks.

So what's the plan?

- Let's start with Sir Peter.

Does anyone know what he looks like?

- It's been lovely to see the three women again.

- [Samantha] Being reunited with my team, Jo, Cara, and Natalie, it's just lovely.

- It's not just the three of us, it's the four of us women together, and we balance each other out, we're a really nice mix, and we all get on fantastically well.

- It feels like a bit of a sisterhood.

- No, what happened?

- I missed Shanti's poem assembly.

(gentle music) - Well, you are trying to solve two murders.

- [Becks] Did Shamil go?

- Of course he did.

He's a good parent.

- [Becks] There'll be other assemblies.

- [Suzie] Tanika, the worst mother that ever lived wouldn't give a toss about assemblies or helping with poems about hedgehogs.

- I still let her down and put my job before her.

- [Becks] You'll make it up to her.

- [Suzie] She knows she's loved.

And kids don't care when we make mistakes as long as we own up to it.

- [Alison] It obviously looks very beautiful, but I think probably the key thing that people enjoyed was just seeing these four women leading something.

- [Judith] They were all bringing different parts of life to the screen, different ages of life to the screen.

- Go, Suzie, go!

- Hold on!

- [Becks] Quicker, quicker, quicker!

- I'm going, I'm going!

- [Jo] There's lots of running and jumping over stuff, and also the humour.

- [Suzie] I'm never joining this club.

I thought sailors were supposed to be sexy.

Wait, or was that pirates?

- We've got amazing guest stars.

We've got really nice locations.

It's really fun watching the dynamic of the women develop, and I just think it's something that people will enjoy.

- It's almost like comfort when you watch something that engages you and transports you and leaves the real world a little bit behind.

(group applauding) - Well, it wouldn't have happened without every single one of you, even if it wasn't all entirely by the book.

- Which is exactly as it should be.

Cheers.

- Cheers.

- Cheers.

- Cheers.

- Cheers.

(mugs clinking) - Cheers.

- Oh, cheers.

(whimsical music) - [Narrator] And now here's a sneak preview of the third season of "The Marlow Murder Club".

(siren wailing) (car doors close) - [Suzie] Am I glad to see you.

- What happened?

- I dunno, it was fast.

One minute, he was sitting there.

Next minute, boof, the man was on the floor.

- Did he say anything?

- No.

But he did look at his coffee cup before he went over.

There might have been something in it.

I told the witnesses to wait for you over there.

- [Tanika] Thank you.

Jason, Alice, initial statements.

And Suzie, are you gonna be okay?

You're gonna be okay.

(gentle music) - [Tanika] Discoloration to the lips and skin, and the pupils look dilated.

- You think Suzie was right?

- We need toxicology to test the coffee.

- But if this was murder- - Someone has just killed the mayor of Marlow.

- [Narrator] Thank you so much for joining us for this exploration and celebration of everything we love about "The Marlow Murder Club" on "Masterpiece Mystery".

More murders to solve will be headed your way soon, and until then, this has been "Solving the Puzzles of The Marlow Murder Club".

(mysterious music fades out) (whimsical music) (whimsical music continues) (whimsical music continues)