The Marlow Murder Club Season 2 Episode 5 Review
On The Marlow Murder Club Season 2 Episode 5, we’ve reached about half a dozen dead Marlow residents and the second at the same place. People should really be getting more concerned.
Kit isn’t even the only dead person in the opening scenes, at least not if you count the excavation of an ancient human skeleton the ladies are helping with when the police uncover his murder. Once again, it first looks like it could be an accident.
As we poke into Kit’s background, the two immediate suspects have the good old-fashioned motive of seeking revenge for past wrongs. One, Gregg, is on the run with his own suspicious injuries. The other, Harry, is the father of Suzie’s friend Jackie.
The trio gathers clues while hoping they’ll point to Gregg as the killer over Harry. Within the police, Judith bonds with Tannika’s fellow officer Jason over crosswords while Tannika herself acts suspicious, spying on her higher-ups.
Eventually she reveals that the return of the person who used to hold her job means this could be her last case. The first hour closes with nearly everyone avoiding interrogation before Harry is pinned down by a falling boat at the club.
More than either of the other two cases this season, this feels most like the single investigation that made up the first season and came from the initial Marlow Mystery Club book. Nobody, including our victim, is quite as innocent as they first seem.
The cliffhanger ending to this part just opens more questions. Right now, Gregg is feeling like a red herring. And Harry being revealed as the killer would twist the knife for both Suzie and us, but if so, why target him in this presumably intentional way?
I’m also very curious to see what happens with Tannika’s storyline. Only the case of the first two episodes appears to come directly from Robert Thorogood’s books, and the novels have not (yet) threatened the DI’s job in this manner.
The good news here is that we’re likely to have more seasons that follow the format of one adapted book and two original storylines. But since that would mean this particular plot won’t change anything, I’m curious to how they’ll wrap it so quickly.
Like in previous episodes, the drama that happens outside the central murder plot is the most intriguing. It may well be that this very old body somehow ties to Kit’s case, but I’d love for it to another random quirk of this rather murderous town.
I’m also happy to see more progression between our main characters and the professionals. Judith’s conversations with Jason are lovely but all too brief. Hopefully it’s just the start of a multi-episode and season arc for everyone.
The final episode does promise the usual high stakes action of a season finale. For a cozy mystery, it sure loves putting its main character in mortal danger. But as I think more seasons are all but guaranteed, I’ll watch with full confidence in our heroines.
What did you think of this episode of The Marlow Murder Club? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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The Marlow Murder Club airs Sundays at 9/8c on PBS.
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Caitlin Wyneken
Caitlin is an elder millennial with an only slightly unhealthy dedication to a random selection of TV shows, from PBS Masterpiece dramas to some of the less popular series on popular networks. Outside of screen time, she's dedicated to the public sector and worthy nonprofits, working to make a difference in the world outside of media.