Magpie Murders
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Anthony Horowitz |
| Products | Mystery novel |
Magpie Murders is a 2016 mystery novel authored by British writer Anthony Horowitz, marking the debut of the Susan Ryeland series. The narrative revolves around the death of a crime novelist and utilizes a story within a story format.
This work has been translated into various languages and adapted into a six-episode television drama series sharing the same title.
Plot summary
The novel presents two parallel storylines: one follows the Atticus Pünd mystery crafted by the fictional writer Alan Conway, while the other follows Susan Ryeland, a publishing editor, as she searches for the missing concluding chapter and investigates Conway’s demise.
Novel by "Alan Conway"
Set in 1955, the story begins with Mary Blakiston, the housekeeper at Pye Hall in Saxby-on-Avon, who dies after falling down stairs. The villagers immediately suspect her son, Robert. The following day, Sir Magnus Pye is discovered murdered. Detective Atticus Pünd and his assistant James Fraser arrive to investigate, accompanied by Detective Inspector Chubb.
At Pye Hall, suspicions arise among family members amid clues typical of the mystery genre. Pünd ultimately identifies Robert as the killer: Robert had previously murdered his brother Tom and Tom’s dog years before. Mary had uncovered Robert’s secret and feared he might pass violent tendencies onto his offspring. She composed a letter for Sir Magnus to be opened under suspicious circumstances and warned Robert accordingly. Mary’s death was accidental; after Sir Magnus read her letter, he confronted Robert, who then killed him and destroyed the letter. Inspector Chubb arrests Robert for Sir Magnus’s murder.
A secondary plotline explores Pünd’s battle with a brain tumour that leads to his suicide.
Susan Ryeland investigates
Susan Ryeland, an editor at Cloverleaf Books, is preparing to read Magpie Murders, the newest installment in Alan Conway’s Atticus Pünd series. She discovers that the final chapter is missing, leaving the mystery unresolved. Her employer Charles Clover informs her that Alan Conway has died and presents a letter suggesting suicide.
Susan travels to Alan’s home village in search of the missing final chapter and begins to suspect foul play. She learns that Conway detested the mystery genre that brought him fame, favoring more literary pursuits instead. After attending Alan’s funeral, Susan compiles a list of possible suspects.
Charles offers Susan promotion to head editor as he plans retirement. Meanwhile, her boyfriend Andreas invites her to Crete to manage a hotel with him.
At Cloverleaf Books, Susan finds a physical copy of the last chapter. It reveals Charles was aware that Alan planned nine novels containing an acrostic—spelling out "Atticus Pünd," which is an anagram for "a stupid cunt," reflecting Alan’s contempt for mysteries. To prevent this secret from being exposed, Charles murdered Alan and fabricated a suicide note from the final chapter.
After confronting Charles, Susan is rendered unconscious and the office is set ablaze. Andreas rescues her and retrieves the last chapter.
Following these events, another publisher releases the completed novel after Cloverleaf Books shuts down and Charles is arrested. Once Susan recovers, she relocates to Crete with Andreas to operate the hotel.
Development
Horowitz developed the concept for Magpie Murders during the initial season of Midsomer Murders (1997). His intention was for the book to transcend a conventional murder mystery by offering insight into the construction of such narratives and the creative process behind them.
Publication history
Magpie Murders was first issued in hardback and digital formats in the United Kingdom on 6 October 2016 through Orion. Concurrently, an audiobook version narrated by Allan Corduner and Samantha Bond was made available via Orion and BrillianceAudio. The novel reached American readers in 2017, published by HarperCollins and HarperAudio, with editions in hardback, e-book, and audiobook. Paperback versions were subsequently released in the UK (2017) and US (2018).
Since then, the book has been translated and published internationally, including editions in Korean and Japanese (2018), followed by Chinese and German translations (2019), thereby broadening its reach across global markets.
Reception
The novel received acclaim from outlets such as The New York Times and Time, with Time describing it as the "ideal summer thriller for thoughtful mystery enthusiasts." Publications like USA Today, The Washington Times, and The Guardian commended its well-developed characters, authentic homage to Golden Age detective fiction, and inventive nested narrative design. However, The Washington Times observed that this layered structure sometimes introduced complexity to the storyline.
Adaptation
In July 2020, Deadline revealed that PBS's Masterpiece would transform the novel into a six-episode drama series for audiences in both the US and UK via BritBox. The adaptation, named Magpie Murders, featured Lesley Manville and Tim McMullan portraying Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pünd. It debuted on BritBox UK in February 2022 and later aired on PBS across North America in October 2022, earning a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from 12 critics.
Beginning in April 2023, the series was broadcast on BBC One with weekly episodes while all installments were made accessible on BBC iPlayer. A follow-up series titled Moonflower Murders, also starring Manville, premiered in 2024. Additionally, production has been confirmed for a third adaptation called Marble Hall Murders, with filming scheduled to take place in London, Dublin, and Corfu.