| Genre | |
|---|---|
| Creator | Dominique Moloney |
| Based on | The Puzzle Lady series by Parnell Hall |
| Director | Tom Dalton |
| Starring |
|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Num series | 1 |
| Num episodes | 6 |
| Executive producer |
|
| Producer |
|
| Runtime | 120 minutes |
| Company | Paramount ZDF 5 Channel Zero PBS |
| Network | 5 |
| First aired | 19 June 2025 |
| Last aired | present |
Murder Most Puzzling is a 2025 crime mystery television series starring Phyllis Logan and Charlotte Hope, which premiered on 19 June 2025 on 5.[1] It was released on the PBS network on February 26, 2026, under the title The Puzzle Lady.[2]
Premise
Eccentric celebrity cruciverbalist Cora Felton (aka The Puzzle Lady) and her niece Sherry have moved to the sleepy English town of Bakerbury to escape from a mysterious pursuer from their past. But when a teenage girl is found dead with a crossword clue on her chest, the local police call on The Puzzle Lady to help solve the crime.[3]
Cast
Main
- Phyllis Logan as Cora Felton (The Puzzle Lady)
- Charlotte Hope as Sherry Carter
- Adam Best as DCI Derek Hooper
- Richard Croxford as Mayor Firth
- Alistair Brammer as Anton Grant
- Nick Danan as DS Sam Brody
- Jack Weise as PC Danny Finley
- Simon Haines as Rod Reed
- Trevor Kaneswaran as Sunil Baidwan
- Amber Mendez-Martin as Katy Hooper
- Conor Sánchez as Jimmi Potter
- Yasmin Seky as Becky Baidwan
Guest
- Julie Michelo as Ellen Hooper
- Kevin McNally as Gilbert Sullivan
- Ashionye Michelle Raccah as Babs Dufresne
- Fiona Browne as Edith Potter
- Catherine Rees as Dr Nadia Burke
- Conor Grimes as Mr Trotter
- David Crowley as Stuart Tanner
- Ben Waddell as Gary Gibson
- Amy Morgan as Sioned
- Ben Freeman as Dennis Pride
- Chris Patrick-Simpson as Ray Hendrie
- Tabitha Smythe as Stacey Gallivan
- Jacob Baird as Julian Hendrix
- Maggie Hayes as Ally Brindle
- Sarah Alexander as Gloria Hendrix
- Amanda Doherty as Olivia Lemon
- Matthew Sharpe as Darren Duggan
- Aidan McArdle as Governor Peacock
- Louise Parker as Vicki Tanner
- Declan O’Connor as Dante
Production
The six-part series[4] is written and created by Dominique Moloney, based on the best-selling Puzzle Lady series of novels by Parnell Hall. Phyllis Logan was announced in the lead role in October 2024.[5] Filming took place in Northern Ireland in late 2024.[6]
Broadcast
It premiered as The Puzzle Lady in Belgium on BBC First on 17 March 2026.[7] It started showing as The Puzzle Lady in the Netherlands on BBC NL on 26 May 2026.[8]
Reception
Philip Cunnington in the Lancashire Post wrote: "This uneasy mix of the cosy and the corrupt ... finds it hard to sustain interest over its two-hour running time".[9]
References
- ^ Robinson, Abby. "Murder Most Puzzling | Release date and schedule | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ "The Puzzle Lady". pbs.org. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ Guyoncourt, Sally (2025-06-18). "Murder Most Puzzling cast, filming locations and episode guide for C5 crime drama". The i Paper. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ "New 6-Part Mystery Series THE PUZZLE LADY Premieres on WPBS February 26, 2026". WPBS-TV. February 16, 2026. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- ^ Lauren (2024-10-08). "CHANNEL 5 COMMISSION NEW CRIME DRAMA THE PUZZLE LADY (w/t) STARRING PHYLLIS LOGAN FROM FACTUAL FICTION & DECEMBER FILMS". Northern Ireland Screen. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ Daniels, Nia (2024-10-07). "Crime drama films in NI with Phyllis Logan". The Knowledge Online. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ "BBC First trakteert in maart op nieuwe crimeverhalen" (in Flemish). TVvisie. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
- ^ "The Puzzle Lady" (in Dutch). BBC NL. BBC Studios. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ^ Cunnington, Philip (20 June 2025). "Murder Most Puzzling review: You'll be left puzzled by Channel 5's new crime drama, where Prue Leith meets Taggart". Lancashire Post. Iconic Media Group. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
External links
- Murder Most Puzzling at IMDb
- The Puzzle Lady at PBS