The Marlow Murder Club

I was expecting a flop, how wrong was I !! It was set in stunning scenery, the acting was pretty good and it made me giggle in places. The characters jumped out of the screen they were so realistic and it was nice to see a very British series, that shone as much as the sun that was beating down on Marlow at the time of filming. There were times that I was expected pots of jam to sail onto the screen accompanied with the coral sounds of Jerusalem, which would have made me smile even more. The only reason I gave it a 9 and not a 10 is because the ending, I felt was a bit cheesy. Here's hoping they commission another series.

I like Jo Martin and Samantha Bond so was excited to see this.

This is not a deep story, and the murder aside, you could have substituted almost any other crime in there - who stole the cookies for the bake sale - and it could have worked. Three people end up helping the police, of course using some life experience and knowledge coming from their individual jobs.

This reminded me of Murder, She Wrote when I used to watch it with my grandmother. Everything was just a happy fun time solving a mystery. None of the deeper darkness you'd get with Vera. Even Death in Paradise, as light as it can be, feels like more is at stake.

The acting can be hit or miss from character to character, or even scene to scene, but there are some good performances, even if not always believable. There are some very archetypical characters, and there are a couple deeper stories with the vicars wife and the SIA that I would love to see fleshed out more than the main character story.

If nothing else, it does a great job of showing off a bit of the UK I would have never heard of, painting that idyllic mythical calmer, gentler English country atmosphere.

If nothing else,

This is an interesting and greatly enjoyable effort. There are features reminiscent of other who dunnits - forcexmple the inquisitive outsider and the police officer too dense to accept their input (Father Brown) - but the writer(s) have done a great job bringing some credibility to the outsiders (more than one, hence the 'club'). The way in which the 'club' emerges is believable, and the individuals each bring something to the table to make the story work. The actors work well to make each of their characters engaging. The police do not come out well (so far) and unfortunately their negligence and incompetence is also not beyond belief. The location is wonderful (oh for a lottery win) and I liked the way in which real local celebs are used to add gravitas to rhexstory (for example. Sir Stanley Spencer, who lived and worked in nearby Cookhan). Looking forward to more from the club. Soon.

Whilst out swimming in the waters by her house, former archaeologist Judith Potts hears a commotion at her neighbour's house, convinced he's been murdered, she begins an investigation of her own.

I had high expectations for this, and it did not disappear, Robert Thorogood has a good pedigree, and has given us Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise, this is similar in tone, lighter, easy viewing.

Comedic in parts, but the balance of mystery and humour is spot on, they got it just right.

Each of the trio offers something, but it's Samantha Bond's Judith who gets the greatest focus, we learn a good deal about her, the other two will hopefully be explored in the future.

Well acted by all involved, it features a really nice cast, all play their parts well. Lots of well known faces.

Wonderful locations, definitely one of those where you get an insight into how the other half live.

All I can say, I only hope they make more of them, there's definitely scope for more episodes.

9/10.

I knew nothing of the books so had no expectations at all.

Samantha Bond is pretty much always an actor worth watching and that led me to give it a go. Jo Martin I only knew from Dr Who, so not much to go on there.

The show is very much in the British groove of slower paced, gentle murder. It's a style that I enjoy very much for relatively unchallenging and 'pretty' crime.

I thoroughly enjoyed both parts, the acting was, I thought, very good, the plot was strong enough and it did of course look suitably 'British' - or to be more precise, 'English'. Nothing wrong with that, England does have some very picturesque towns and villages.

Less comedic than Father Brown and Sister Boniface, perhaps a little lighter than Midsomer Murders, I would happily watch more if they choose to make it.

Good, watchable and enjoyable, but maybe never going to be amongst the greats, it's still miles better than so many other shows.

If you're not sure, I'd certainly advise you to give it a go.