Filming for the second series of locally based TV series The Marlow Murder Club has kicked off at a Grade II listed house in Henley that previously played host to the James Bond franchise.
News that the cosy-crime drama would have a second outing was confirmed by provider UKTV in May, following a record number of viewers tuning into the Drama channel for its two-episode first season in early spring.
Speaking to the Free Press in January, Robert Thorogood – who has authored four novels in The Marlow Murder Club series and wrote the first season of its TV adaptation – said he was “very keen” to ensure the show was filmed locally.
His previous creation, the BBC’s award-winning and long-running series Death in Paradise, also “filmed everything on location”, and Thorogood said he was grateful for the chance to shine a light on his “beautiful” hometown in this latest endeavour.
The real-life filming spots in The Marlow Murder Club’s first series also meant viewers could “visit the town council building, which we pretended was a dodgy solicitor's office, and go ball-to-ball at Longridge Activity Centre and imagine they’re consorting with murderers”.
And the series’ second season, which got underway at the end of last month, according to a post on X by its creator on May 31, appears to be sticking to the same ethos - if crews spotted down the road at Harpsden Court in Henley are any indication.
READ MORE: Nine reasons why Marlow Film Studios was refused by Bucks Council
A staff member at the Grade-II listed manor house, which has previously been used as a backdrop for the James Bond film Quantum of Solace, posted shots of film crews staging a wedding scene in its grounds yesterday (June 5).
A nearby resident told the Free Press that filming for The Marlow Murder Club had been underway at Harpsden Court “for the past few days”.
The second series will see Samantha Bond, Cara Horgan and Jo Martin return as Thorogood’s trio of sleuths-in-residence, Judith, Becks and Suzie, to investigate a series of crimes including “a seemingly impossible murder inside a locked study, an unexpectedly brutal accident at the prestigious Marlow sailing club”, and more.
Thorogood joined forces with Midsomer Murders writer Julia Gilbert and Lucia Haynes to write the screenplay for The Marlow Murder Club’s upcoming outing, the first episodes of which will focus on the author’s second book, Death Comes to Marlow, with the next four based on original, standalone stories.
It is expected to air on the rebranded U&Drama channel in 2025.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article