The Marlow Murder Club Season 3 Episode 2 Review: A Literal False Fire

On The Marlow Murder Club Season 3 Episode 2, “The Queen of Poisons, Part 2,” we learn both that Geoffrey really was as good as he seems and that nearly everyone around him still has motive for his murder.

Marcus has been badmouthing the council anonymously and had been confronted about it against Geoffrey’s wishes by Tristan. Debbie admits to skimming from petty cash funds, but says Geoffrey never knew about it.

And then there’s Sophia, rising to the top of the suspect list again both because she once kissed (a married and uninterested) Geoffrey and because she appears to have put on a disguise while in the same kitchen as the poisoned coffee.

An accusation begins until reports come of arson at Judith’s home. But it’s a setup. As a controlled fire burns in the backyard, the ladies confront Dave, the man who was publishing a book with Geoffery and seems to lack any motive.

Now, he angrily talks about his mother’s grave. Its location was lost in a clerical error of Sophia’s and Geoffrey helped cover up everything.  He seeks revenge both in killing Geoffrey and in setting Sophia up as the culprit.

Meanwhile, Suzie starts a petition to rebuild a bridge, but her efforts fall short until Tanika’s daughter steps in to help. And while Judith is excited about a new date, Darius tells her that he’ll shortly be off to a new position in Wales.

Much as I love a good puzzle for Judith and her friends to solve, it feels like we spend most of the episode with our red herrings, leaving only the falling action of the storyline to expose both the real killer and some personal drama.

While I appreciate getting a hint in the passing reference to the graveyard mix-up, it still feels like the revelation of Dave’s guilt comes almost completely out of the blue and rushes the explanation of an at least somewhat sympathetic motive.

At least the execution of the setup is very well done. With nearly every major character, Tanika’s police and fire colleagues, and another friend of Judith’s involved, the fire could easily have turned out to be an actual disaster in less capable hands.

I even appreciate Sophia getting to be in on it, though there really should be some discussion as to how much she and her peers were able to get away with under Geoffrey’s eye. Dave does deserve some justice, just not the kind he takes.

Al this leaves us with only a couple scenes of the character building that’s the show’s real strength. I love seeing more of Tanika’s daughter (and her apparent connection every resident of Marlow) and hope we’ll return to her plotline shortly.

And what of the potential for Judith’s love life? We’re simultaneously shown just how bright the spark between her and Darius is and, through his upcoming departure to another country, given reason to think it can go nowhere.

The previews for the remaining episodes (which expand beyond the canon of the original books) do promise considerably more of this drama, though it may be directly tied to a case. Still, I’m optimistic that more growth is on the horizon.

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The Marlow Murder Club airs Sundays at 8/7c on PBS. 

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