Critic Reviews

Groundbreaking it sure is not, but cozy, it most definitely is. The Marlow Murder Club features a charming ensemble of British actors doing what they do best: countryside murder mysteries with low stakes and high quality. Pour a cuppa and get comfy under a blanket because this is peak cozy murder mystery material.

The show doesn’t pretend to be anything other than ridiculous, and for that I really do like it.

While I already loved the core trio from Season 1, they’re even better here, feeling truly like a group of good friends now that they’ve had some time to settle in.

“Marlow” begs our indulgence, in other words, but given its various charms, it needn’t make very much effort doing so.

The characters are charming, the performances are effective and the reveals are impressive. However, if you're looking for something new, fresh and formula-busting, then you're best to look elsewhere.

We are in the cosy "suspend your disbelief" territory of Miss Marple or Death in Paradise.

The comedy in particular is somewhat stilted. .... However, in spite of any of these reservations, there's no doubt this second season gives fans what they're looking – some fun, intricate murder mystery puzzles brought to life by a very game cast.

All in all, this second season is a fun if somewhat simplistic return to this lovable British cozy crime drama.

The dialogue was stilted and heavily laden with exposition, leaving the actors to struggle to make such implausible conversation seem realistic. The worst of this came during the cheesy, sepia-toned flashback scenes, where the important information was so obviously signposted it felt, at times, like a comedy parody of a murder mystery.

If you like your whodunits slow-cooked then The Marlow Murder Club may be for you. Everyone needs comfort food from time to time and this was a bangers and mash of a detective show. .... But if you want something that grips, look elsewhere.