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Murder Most Puzzling could also be considered as ‘Murder She Puzzled’, given its similarity with Murder She Wrote, which started when the late, great Angela Lansbury was almost 60.
This time, the female in her third age is nosy busybody Cora Felton (Phyllis Logan – The Bombing of Pan Am 103), known to the public as The Puzzle Lady – which is also the title of the programme in other territories, and I think is a better one, but Channel 5 have opted for one which falls in the schedules alongside the aforementioned Ms Lansbury drama.
She’s known with that moniker, because of her dexterity with crossword puzzles, and finds herself brought in for assistance, when a young woman turns up murdered, lying on a grave, missing her socks and shoes, but accompanied by a crossword puzzle clue.
Given this is a two-hour drama, including adverts, you know that more bodies will turn up (aside from those which already exist UNDER the ground), but who did the deed? Well, even though I’m posting this after broadcast, I’ll obviously still not give any spoilers about that, because a lot of people watch online later. However, it’s safe to say that I didn’t guess who it’d be, but then I rarely get that right, anyway, and usually just let the programme play out after checking my brain at the door.
Murder Most Puzzling does have a number of clichés thrown in, though: Cora’s a drunk but tries to hide it; the main cop, Derek Hooper (Adam Best), has a complicated family life, getting moans from his wife as the opening episode plays out; the mayor (Richard Croxford) only turns up to give Hooper the hairdryer treatment, by trying to be Walter Peck from the Ghostbusters films, here, shouting in the cop’s face because of the lack of progress for the majority of the running time; and there’s a will-they-won’t-they-but-you-know-they-will-eventually fancying situation between journalist Anton (Alistair Brammer – Malpractice) and Cora’s nerdy niece, Sherry (Charlotte Hope, from The Nun, who looks like a younger Emilia Fox).
As you’d expect, Murder Most Puzzling is needlessly dragged out, but apart from a twist I didn’t see coming, this is a cozy, Sunday afternoon-style drama shown in prime-time.
However, oddly, there were three f-words thrown in during the second hour. I don’t know if they will show up on Channel 5, as opposed to an alternate take, but they did feel unnecessary. Then again, since the screener was also under that alternate title of The Puzzle Lady, maybe it’s the international streaming version?
Still, it was quite amusing that one day after the murder, after Hooper ends giving everyone in the Town Hall an update (which wouldn’t happen in reality) just before a disco takes place, the first tune that comes up is very inappropriate: Male Stripper by Man 2 Man Meet Man Parrish!
All that said, like similar recent Channel 5 dramas, All Creatures Great And Small, The Madame Blanc Mysteries and The Good Ship Murder, this one will also most likely run for years. Murder She Wrote ran for 12 seasons. Can Murder Most Puzzling do the same?
Well, so far there are 18 books in The Puzzle Lady series, this episode featuring the first one, A Clue for the Puzzle Lady, so it could get a number of episodes out of that, but you can check out all the books here!
Murder Most Puzzling continues next Thursday on Channel 5 at 9pm, with a new story.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but when it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
If you miss it, you can watch the each episode on My5, after broadcast.
Cert: 
Running time: 120 minutes (inc. ads)
Release date: June 19th 2025
Studio: Channel 5
Format: 2.00:1
Director: Tom Dalton
Producers: Emily Dalton, Tom Dalton, Brett Wilson
Writer: Dominique Moloney
Music: Andrew Simon McAllister
Cast:
Cora Felton: Phyllis Logan
Sherry Carter: Charlotte Hope
Anton Grant: Alistair Brammer
Danny Finley: Jack Weise
DI Derek Hooper: Adam Best
Becky Badwan: Yasmin Seky
DS Sam Brody: Nick Danan
Jimmi Potter: Conor Sánchez
Mayor Firth: Richard Croxford
Katy Hooper: Amber Mendez-Martin
Ray Hendrix: Chris Patrick-Simpson
Chloe Phelps: Ismay Dalton
Beanie Boy: Emmett Dalton
Gloria Hendrix: Sarah Alexander
Governor Peacock: Aidan McArdle
Pamela Hawkins: Dearbháile McKinney
Edith Potter: Fiona Browne
Stuart Tanner: David Crowley
Mrs. Burnside: Susan Robinson
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.