Plot Synopsis

Based on Anthony Horowitz's book of the same name, MAGPIE MURDERS is a six-part drama series that follows an editor, Susan Ryeland, who gets drawn into a web of intrigue and murder when she receives an unfinished manuscript. But shortly after turning in his latest Atticus Pund blockbuster, mystery author Alan Conway dies under suspicious circumstances. Plus the manuscript is missing its crucial last chapter! Since publisher Charles Clover is in negotiations to sell his company, and Alan is its greatest asset, financial ruin looms for both Charles and Susan, who is in line to become the next CEO, if she chooses. This leaves two mysteries: What happened to him? And how does his latest potboiler end? Ryeland assumes the role of detective in the case; meanwhile, Atticus Pund is the fictional sleuth in the incomplete novel set in 1955, whose investigation parallels Susan's. In a blending of present and past and fact and fiction, some of the characters in Susan's world are portrayed by the same actors in Pund's. This is because Alan wrote thinly disguised real people into his books, usually to even scores. Therefore, Detective Superintendent Locke in Susan's world is the dull-witted D.I. Chubb in Pund's. Alan's lover, James Taylor, is also Pund's slow-on-the-uptake sidekick, James Fraser. Alan's underachieving sister, Claire, is the resentful Clarissa, sister of the brutally murdered Sir Magnus Pye. MAGPIE MURDERS made its U.S. debut on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at 9pm on PBS (check local listings):

Episode One (U.S. debut on Sunday, October 16, 2022; 9-10pm ET on PBS): A mystery author turns in the manuscript for his latest book, but the last chapter is missing. His editor investigates and is soon on the trail of a suspicious death.

Episode Two (U.S. debut on Sunday, October 23, 2022; 9-10pm ET on PBS): Everyone he knew had reason to kill mystery author Alan Conway. But was his fatal fall actually murder? The missing last chapter of his new book may hold the secret.

Episode Three (U.S. debut on Sunday, October 30, 2022; 9-10pm ET on PBS): Angling to sell his publishing firm and retire, Charles leans on Susan to take over as CEO. In a parallel story, the detective plot in Alan's last novel unfolds.

Episode Four (U.S. debut on Sunday, November 6, 2022; 9-10pm ET on PBS): The puzzle pieces of Alan's death get more and more jumbled. At the same time, the plot of his new book and the lives of his acquaintances start to converge.

Episode Five (U.S. debut on Sunday, November 13, 2022; 9-10pm ET on PBS): Susan's sister and Andreas have unexpected connections to Alan. Meanwhile, Pund wraps up his investigation, promising, "Very soon all will be made clear!"

Episode Six (U.S. debut on Sunday, November 20, 2022; 9-10pm ET on PBS): Susan cracks her case -- not without mishap -- then accompanies Pund as he lays out the solution to Alan's final book, as magpies watch from above.