Everything you need to know about the star-studded cast of Anthony Horowitz’s critically-acclaimed series.
Critically-acclaimed murder-mystery series Magpie Murders is set to return to our screens via the BBC for the second anticipated instalment, Moonflower Murders.
But not only that, if you missed out on watching the first season, it’ll now be airing weekly on BBC One every Saturday at 9:15pm. What a treat, especially if you didn’t manage to catch it when it initially premiered on BritBox back in February 2022.
The series is a murder mystery within a murder mystery, with Manville starring as book editor Susan Ryeland, whose latest acquisition is missing the final chapter and the book’s author winds up dead.
She goes on a quest to figure it out and comes to realise that the events that he wrote about were actually based on real characters. So, as well as playing out in the present day, the series also depicts some of the book events.
Whether you’re hoping to reacquaint yourself with the cast ahead of season 2 (which we don’t have a release date for just yet), or are watching the Anthony Horowitz series for the first time, read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Magpie Murders.
Magpie Murders cast: Full list of actors and characters
The full list for Magpie Murders season 1 is as follows.
- Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland
- Tim McMullan as Atticus Pünd
- Conleth Hill as Alan Conway
- Daniel Mays as DI Chubb/DS Locke
- Claire Rushbrook as Katie Williams
- Michael Maloney as Charles Clover
- Alexandros Logothetis as Andreas Patakis
- Matthew Beard as James Fraser/James Taylor
- Harry Lawtey as Robert Blakiston
- Nia Deacon as Joy Sanderling
- Pippa Haywood as Clarissa Pye
- Dorothy Atkinson as Lady Frances Pye
- Lorcan Cranitch as Sir Magnus Pye
- Danielle Ryan as Alice
- Nathan Clarke as Freddy
- Karl Collins as Jack Whiteley
- James Flynn as Klaus
Lesley Manville plays Susan Ryeland
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Who is Susan Ryeland? Ryeland is a successful book editor who is tasked with looking over the unfinished manuscript of best-selling crime author Alan Conway. But when she reads it, she finds that it’s missing its last chapter. When rumours start to circulate that he’s dead, Ryeland goes in search of the missing pages herself and comes to realise the ‘fictional’ events of Alan’s book could actually be reality.
Where have I seen Lesley Manville before? The well-known actress has most recently been seen on our screens in season 5 of The Crown as Princess Margaret, as Julie Jackson in BBC One’s Sherwood and as the titular character in Mrs Harris Goes to Paris. The Oscar-nominated actress is also known for her roles in Phantom Thread, Another Year, Maleficent and Life After Life.
Tim McMullan plays Atticus Pünd
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Who is Atticus Pünd? In Alan Conway’s novels, Pünd is the fictional detective who helps Ryeland crack the case.
Where have I seen Tim McMullan before? The esteemed actor is best known for his stage career which has included performances in Twelfth Night and Anthony and Cleopatra, but he has also starred in multiple well-known dramas like The Serpent, Endeavour, The Crown and Foyle’s War.
Conleth Hill plays Alan Conway
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Who is Alan Conway? Conway is the author of the popular mystery novels in the series and frames them around detective Atticus Pünd.
Where have I seen Conleth Hill before? Best known for his role as Varys in Game of Thrones, Hill has more recently starred in a list of dramas such as Holding, Vienna Blood and Derry Girls.
Daniel Mays plays DI Chubb/DS Locke
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Who is DI Chubb/DS Locke? One of the characters that appears in both Conway’s novel and in Ryeland’s own investigation is Mays’s character. He is Detective Inspector Chubb, the Saxby-on-Avon policeman, in Conway’s book and is Detective Superintendent Locke in the present day, who starts to clash with Ryeland when she investigate’s Conway’s death.
Where have I seen Daniel Mays before? Mays has starred in many shows and films over the years including his leading role alongside Stephen Graham in Code 404, as well as his season 3 role as sergeant Danny Waldron in Line of Duty. He has also starred in Good Omens, Des, White Lines and Inside No.9.
Claire Rushbrook plays Katie Williams
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Who is Katie Williams? Katie is Susan’s sister and someone who is quite unlike her, living in the countryside with her children, making for a somewhat tense relationship between the pair.
Where have I seen Claire Rushbrook before? This isn’t the first time Rushbrook and Manville have starred as sisters as fans of Sherwood will know, with Rushbrook starring in the BBC drama as Cathy Rowley. She has also starred in Doctor Who, Secrets & Lies, Enola Holmes, Ali & Ava and Spider-Man: Far from Home.
Michael Maloney plays Charles Clover
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Who is Charles Clover? The head of the small publishing house that Susan works at, Charles is looking to retire and possibly hand over the CEO reins to our protagonist.
Where have I seen Michael Maloney before? Maloney has featured in many British dramas, such as season 3 of All Creatures Great and Small, Father Brown, The Trial of Christine Keeler and Silent Witness.
Alexandros Logothetis plays Andreas Patakis
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Who is Andreas Patakis? Andreas is Susan’s partner but also shares a connection with author Alan Conway, as the pair used to be instructors at the same private school.
Where have I seen Alexandros Logothetis before? The Greek actor has starred in season 2 of The Durrells in Corfu and The Island but has starred in over 30 films, being awarded twice at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival for his work on the films Business in Balkans and Totally Married.
Matthew Beard plays James Fraser/James Taylor
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Who is James Fraser/James Taylor? Another double character in the series, James appears twice as different (but similar) people. In the present, he is Alan Conway’s young boyfriend and in the novel, he is Pünd’s junior assistant.
Where have I seen Matthew Beard before? Beard is best known for his leading role as Max Liebermann in Vienna Blood but has also starred in Avenue 5 and Funny Woman, as well as films like The Imitation Game and An Education.
Harry Lawtey plays Robert Blakiston
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Who is Robert Blakiston? Robert is engaged to Joy and the pair feature in Conway’s novel, embroiled in the murder mystery at the heart of it.
Where have I seen Harry Lawtey before? Lawtey has most recently starred in ITVX’s You & Me, and is slated to star in the upcoming Joker sequel with Lady Gaga. He has also starred in The Pale Blue Eye, Industry and Marcella.
Nia Deacon plays Joy Sanderling
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Who is Joy Sanderling? Joy is Robert’s fiancée and together, the pair appear in the murder mystery within the murder mystery that takes place within Conway’s novel.
Where have I seen Nia Deacon before? Deacon has starred in The Doll Factory TV series, but has also starred in a number of short films like Perspective and Honey I Think I’ve Forgotten.
Read more:
- How is Magpie Murders TV series different from the book?
- Where is Magpie Murders filmed?
- Magpie Murders’ Lesley Manville explains “unconventional” character
Magpie Murders airs on BBC One on Sunday 1st April at 9.15pm, with episodes available to watch on BBC iPlayer. The series is also available to stream on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.
You can order Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders novel on Amazon.
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