Season 2 of The Marlow Murder Club, the Masterpiece hit of 2024, returns to Sunday nights with three new cases, kicking off on August 24 at 9 p.m. on GPB-TV and streaming later on GPB Passport. The ensemble remains led by Judith (Samantha Bond), Suzie (Jo Martin), Becks (Cara Horgan), and their police liaison-turned-confidant Tanika (Natalie Dew), who dive into fresh twists including an adaptation of the second Thorogood novel, Death Comes to Marlow, spread over six episodes.
The series keeps Marlow itself as the fifth core character. Robert Thorogood, renowned for Death in Paradise, grounds The Marlow Murder Club in real-world setting choices, with a Marlowan backdrop that readers and viewers feel in every scene. The show’s location work invites viewers to imagine visiting the Thames-side town known for welcoming boutiques, cozy cafés, and a river that buzzes with fishing, swimming, and rowing. The story’s sense of community—where neighbors reconnect, swap gossip, and collaborate on the investigations—feels almost like a familiar homespun mystery you could wander into.
To deepen the sense of place, I spoke with Jonathan Sweatman, a Marlow native whose life decades ago moved him to Atlanta. He offered a vivid reminiscence of Marlow’s character, both on screen and off. Jonathan highlighted the establishing shots that capture the town’s iconic architecture, especially the bridge and All Saints Church perched beside it, which anchor the series’ sense of authenticity. He also pointed to Marlow’s High Street and its swans, a nod to Thames traditions that add texture to the show’s atmosphere.
The swans, he explained, are cared for by a group known as the Swan Uppers, who row along the river each year to ring the feet of young swans and monitor their health and population. While the tradition remains a quiet, non-event in the town’s daily life, it provides a subtle reminder of Marlow’s living history. Sweatman also shared how the town’s past and present coexist: from a once-insular, monochromatic 1960s Marlow to today’s more cosmopolitan dining scene, where curry houses, cafés, and pubs sit alongside long-standing family businesses.
Architectural protection in towns like Marlow helps preserve its look and feel even as its shops evolve. Sweatman recalled a High Street butcher shop that ran for centuries before becoming a jewelry store, a small but telling sign of how heritage persists even as commerce changes. The Thames remains central to local life, and rowing endures as a popular pastime, a nod to Marlow’s sporting pride and to its famous association with Sir Stephen Redgrave, who won multiple Olympic golds and helped put Marlow on the rowing map.
Marlow’s Town Regatta and the community’s annual celebrations still bring residents and visitors together, a dynamic the show leans into as a source of social texture for the mysteries at hand. The town’s sense of continuity—where a former mayor and town council can be part of the fabric of daily life—adds a layer of realism to the drama.
For visitors eager to experience Marlow in person, Sweatman offered practical pointers: the Compleat Angler Hotel sits at the heart of the town, All Saints Church remains a picturesque anchor by the bridge, and the High Street rewards exploration with its mix of traditional and contemporary offerings. He also recommended a stop at the Marlow Brewery to sample local beer, such as Rebellion, and noted that Tom Kerridge has helped elevate Marlow’s food scene, attracting food lovers and day-trippers alike. For an authentic feel of the river town, he suggested a clear day when the town’s layout and river views shine.
Sweatman even drew a loose parallel to a Georgian connection, suggesting Savannah, with its history, riverfront streets, and preserved townscape, as a place fans might compare to Marlow’s old-English charm.
Season 2 of The Marlow Murder Club premieres Sunday, August 24 at 9 p.m. and will be available to stream on GPB Passport. The show continues to blend intricate murders with a strong sense of place, inviting viewers to not only follow the clues but to savor the town that makes the investigations feel rooted in real life.
Summary and takeaways:
– The Marlow Murder Club returns for Season 2 with new cases, including a storyline adapted from Death Comes to Marlow.
– The town of Marlow is treated as a central, almost characters-in-the-round presence, with attention to architecture, river life, and local traditions.
– An interview with a long-time Marlow resident provides personal memories of the town’s evolution, its landmarks, and its cultural offerings, enriching the sense of place for viewers.
– Travel and local color tips center on iconic locations, dining options, and river activities that fans might explore when visiting.
Positive angle:
The show’s commitment to authentic setting—grounded in real Marlow’s scenery, traditions, and community life—gives it a warm, inviting texture that goes beyond standard whodunits. The combination of strong character dynamics with a vivid sense of place makes it not only a mystery to solve but a destination to discover.
Optional notes for editors:
– If updating a local travel feature, pair this article with a short map of Marlow’s key spots mentioned (All Saints Church, the bridge, High Street, Compleat Angler, Marlow Brewery).
– Consider a sidebar linking Thorogood’s novels for readers who want to dive deeper into the source material behind the television adaptation.
– A follow-up piece after the premiere could include viewer reactions to the Season 2 cases and any newly revealed Marlow locations from filming.
Overall, the season promises to deepen both the intrigue of the cases and the charm of Marlow, inviting audiences to watch for twists and to dream of a visit to the Thames town that inspires the drama.