Marble Hall Murders – Atticus Pund Is Back!

Saturday night was one of the most anticipated for my TV viewing self. It saw the return of Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pund in the final chapter of Anthony Horowitz’s murder mysteries that started with Magpie Murders, and progressed with Moonflower Murders.

In this final flowering, Marble Hall Murders,  Susan is still working freelance having moved back to London, and is tasked with editing a returning author, Elliot Crace, on a continuation novel that completes the story of Atticus Pund, following the murder of original author Alan Conway. Elliot is the grandson of legendary children’s author Miriam Crace, and is clearly a deeply flawed character who has already failed as an author once. What becomes clear is that Elliot’s book may be based on his own family, and a murder much closer to home than the one he sets on a Greek island.

The Anthony Horowitz books are an absolute joy with their story within a story premise, and the TV series have certainly done them justice. I love that this book is looking at a continuation novel, particularly fitting in the week that Lucy Foley has published a new Miss Marple novel. As Pund has a certain resemblance to Poirot, I love the continued parallels with Agatha Christie and her books. Crace’s book moves the action away from the cosy ‘St Mary Mead’ type settings and moves it to a stunning Greek island that is breathtaking, and shows that Crace is not Conway. As Susan reads his first chapters, Atticus Pund is there to act as her guide, almost telling her to steer clear of entering this literary world again.

As ever, Lesley Manville is incredible as Susan, strong, stylish and nobodies pushover, with great support from Tim McMullen as Pund. There is also an exceptional support cast, many playing two roles – in the Pund book and in the present. These include Patricia Hodge, Mark Bonnar, Rupert Penry Jones and Amelia Bullimore.

This is top quality Saturday night television like I remember as a child. It is an unmissable treat.

Check out all Anthony Horowitz books here. (Amazon link).

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