Hallmark and PBS Fall line up

As PBS/Masterpiece Mystery winds down for the summer, I am looking ahead to what is coming up in the Fall. I am also checking in on the Hallmark Mystery channel. I haven't looked at them in awhile. If you are like me, even if you have two books going or several mystery shows going, you are looking for the next read or watch.

PBS Masterpiece:

I loved this season of Professor T, (shocking ending) and DI Ray (good wrap up). I do hope they are returning for another season. Grantchester has two more episodes to go here in the US. We are having to get used to another new Vicar (I just got used to Will). But I love so many of the long term cast and characters and the stories are so good, I will keep on watching.

Here is what Fall looks like according to the PBS Masterpiece website.

Vandervalk -Season 4 begins September 15, 9 p.m. CST. There isn't any info about how many episodes etc. yet.

Moonflower Murders 9/15/24 - 10/20/24 8 p.m. CST Six episodes (clap clap)

This is the sequel to The Magpie Murders.

"Susan Ryeland has left publishing and is living in Crete with her long-time boyfriend, Andreas. But her idyll is disturbed by the shadow of a murder committed at a British country hotel eight years ago. Alan Conway visited the hotel and wrote a novel based on what happened there. Cecily Treherne, the young woman who helps run the hotel, read the book and believed the wrong man had been arrested. Now she has disappeared. Can Susan uncover the secret hidden in the book and find Cecily before it is too late? Moonflower Murders is based on the bestselling novel by Anthony Horowitz."

The Marlow Murder Club 10/27/24 8 pm. CST Four episodes

An all-new adaptation of Robert Thorogood’s novel The Marlow Murder Club is coming to MASTERPIECE on PBS on October 27, 2024, 9/8c. The thrilling, four part series stars Samantha Bond who is joined by Jo Martin, Cara Horgan and Natalie Dew.

Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey, Home Fires) takes 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. Steve Barron (The Durrells in Corfu, Mrs Sidhu Investigates) is set to direct.

Author and writer Robert Thorogood said: “After over a decade of working on Death in Paradise, I’m thrilled to be creating a brand-new murder mystery series for TV. I can’t wait for audiences to join Judith, Becks and Suzie on their adventures as they solve a series of fiendishly puzzling murders.”

There are three books in the series. Here is the blurb about book one - The Marlow Murder Club.

"To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…

Judith Potts is seventy-seven years old and blissfully happy. She lives on her own in a faded mansion just outside Marlow, there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink, and to keep herself busy she sets crosswords for The Times newspaper.

One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. The local police don’t believe her story, so she decides to investigate for herself, and is soon joined in her quest by Suzie, a salt-of-the-earth dog-walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local Vicar.

Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club.

When another body turns up, they realise they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. And the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape." 

I have not read this series, but looking forward to watching this.

Hallmark Mystery Movies:

Here are new movies on the updated Hallmark Mystery channel.

Tipline Mysteries: Dial 1 for Murder: replay 8/2/24 4 pm. This was originally shown earlier this month and the replay is 8/2/24.

"A cryptic call about a planned jewelry heist draws a Detroit Free Press tipline operator, Maddie Moore, into a dangerous homicide case alongside a newly promoted detective. Starring Holland Roden and Chris McNally."

About Jazz Ramsey: A K-9 Mystery 8/2/24 8/2/24 8 pm

"When Jazz Ramsey and her crime detection dog Zeus stumble upon an old crime scene, the K9 trainer, her star pup, and ex-boyfriend and lead detective Nick are thrown into the investigation. Starring Rachel Skarsten and Corey Sevier.

Signed Sealed and Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters 8/2/24

"The POstables are back identifying the intended recipients of a trio of dead letters which have a surprising, personal impact on all of them. Stars Eric Mabius, Kristin Booth, Crystal Lowe, Geoff Gustafson and Rhiannon Fish." 

Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement 8/23/24

"When advice columnist Nelly finds her childhood friend Dahlia's boyfriend dead, she joins detective Hogan to help find the killer. However, as suspicions creep in, Dahlia becomes a prime suspect. Starring Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith."

Looks good to me. Get your DVR's ready!

Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton

Hi all! My thoughts go out to all those people in Southeast Texas that are without power thanks to Beryl, in this typical 90's heat. The hurricane took a turn so we did not even get any rain from it.

For out July Mystery Book Club, we read:

Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton

About: "Detective Elise King investigates a man's disappearance in a seaside town where the locals and weekenders are at odds with each other in this rich and captivating new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Widow.

Elise King is a successful and ambitious detective--or she was before a medical leave left her unsure if she'd ever return to work. She now spends most days watching the growing tensions in her small seaside town of Ebbing--the weekenders renovating old bungalows into luxury homes, and the locals resentful of the changes.

Elise can only guess what really happens behind closed doors. But Dee Eastwood, her house cleaner, often knows. She's an invisible presence in many of the houses in town, but she sees and hears everything.

The conflicts boil over when a newcomer wants to put the town on the map with a giant music festival, and two teenagers overdose on drugs. When a man disappears the first night of the festival, Elise is drawn back into her detective work and starts digging for answers. Ebbing is a small town, but it's full of secrets and hidden connections that run deeper and darker than Elise could have ever imagined."

 

A favorite line from this book: "When did you decide he was missing, Elise said quietly, Pauline shrugged, "When he didn't come back."

I really enjoyed this book. I found that line wryly funny and was a good insight into Pauline, who is the wife of the missing local - Charlie. 

I really liked Elise. She is a detective, on leave with after being diagnosed with cancer and then receiving treatment. She decides that a move to a small quiet town by the sea, where she can sit and gaze at the water is just what she needs to heal, physically and mentally. I like her neighbor, Ronnie who is a good neighbor to Elise and as the story moves along, a wannabe detective.

As you can guess, Elise gets slowly enticed into the investigation of the missing local, Charlie. Dee is the housekeeper to everyone in town and a bit of a gossip. The same night Charlie disappears, two teenagers overdose. Elise can't hlep but officially return to work to help with the investigation. A coworker who Elise was involved with romantically, Hugh, makes a short appearance. So many suspects as in all good mysteries set in a small English village - many people with agendas.

The end is very fast paced and entertaining. 

What did the MBC members think? All but a few liked the book. One person had an interesting comparison to an English zany comedy with so many characters doing so many kooky, absurd things. I agreed. lol Those that didn't like it, said they didn't like that the time frame changes; present, two days ago, a week before etc. But they clarified they just don't like that style and actually after hearing so many positives, said they may revisit the book and/or try book two.

I was happy to find out that that that there is a book two coming out August 15, 2024 - Talking to Strangers. (Thanks to Kay who is quicker than I to find out these things,) 

I definitely recommend this book.

Find out more about Fiona Barton and her other books at:

https://www.fionabartonauthor.com/