The playful, distinctive murder mystery 'Magpie Murders' makes its debut

Saturday night – a time for lavish shiny floor shows, chat and… murder?

Actually, BBC Four viewers have witnessed more than their fair share of unlawful deaths over the years thanks to its 9pm imported crime slot, but such events are rarer on sister channel BBC One.

However, we’ll see at least one when Magpie Murders makes its debut this weekend. If the title sounds familiar, it’s because the series was originally made for the streaming service BritBox, but proved so popular, the Beeb decided to bring it to traditional TV as well.

“I’m very happy that Magpie Murders is going to be shown on BBC – its natural home,” claims Anthony Horowitz, who wrote the series of novels that inspired it before adapting the first one for the small screen. “I had such fun writing the scripts and they’ve been brought to life by a brilliant director and cast.”

It was no doubt the strength of the screenplay – not to mention Horowitz’s reputation following his work on Foyle’s War and Midsomer Murders, as well as his successful literary career – that attracted that ‘brilliant director’ (Peter Cattaneo of The Full Monty fame) and cast.

Lesley Manville heads the latter as Susan Ryeland, a book editor who, in the present day, begins investigating the death of famous author Anthony Conway after he dies, leaving his latest novel unfinished. Conway appears to have committed suicide, but Susan isn’t convinced that’s what happened. Luckily for her, his fictional detective, 1950s-set Atticus Pund, is around to lend her a hand.

Sounds weird? Well, it is, but it’s also a “playful, distinctive murder mystery,” according to executive producer Jill Green, who also happens to be Horowitz’s wife. “I don’t think there’s ever been a crime show like it with a strong female lead treading the line between reality and fiction as she fights to uncover the truth.”

Ahead of the programme’s BritBox debut, Manville told the Radio Times that she had a perhaps unusual inspiration for her portrayal of Susan.

“It would be easy to imagine that highly intelligent women with important jobs don’t worry about clothes, but I just thought, ‘No, come on, I’m going to rock this one.’

“I remember seeing Emily Maitlis walking across the foyer of BBC TV Centre and, while obviously the mind is brilliant, she was looking fabulous in really high heels. So I’ve channelled her. I hope she’s pleased!”

The series is six episodes long, so there’s plenty for viewers to get their teeth into over the coming weeks, but the really good news is that if you enjoy it, the BBC has already secured the rights to its sequel, Moonflower Murders, which should hit our screens next year.

Tim McMullan (in a role originally intended for Timothy Spall, who had to drop out due to a scheduling problem) co-stars as Pund, while Conleth Hill is reunited with his Vienna Blood co-star Matthew Beard in a supporting role. Look out too for Daniel Mays, Michael Maloney and Claire Rushbrook in a show that may persuade you that staying in on Saturdays is the new going out.