Murder Most Puzzling: Release date, cast, plot, trailer and latest news
Everything you need to know about 5's new murder mystery series starring Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan.
Parnell Hall's best-selling book series The Puzzle Lady Mysteries has been given the TV treatment for 5, starring Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan, who has described it as "a bit like Murder She Wrote meets Miss Marple on steroids".
"It is a police procedural, but not as we know it, and it’s full of great characters that add so much to it," she added.
"Our writer Dominique Maloney wrote such a clever, funny script."
Logan plays Cora Felton, a nationally syndicated crossword puzzle maker who finds herself solving murders in her sleepy market town.
"She’s so refreshing," she said of her character. "Cora is her own woman and that’s what makes her intriguing – she wants a Bloody Mary for breakfast, so she has one, why not?!
"Her niece despairs of her, and it’s true that Cora does some things I shouldn’t really laugh about, she’s not PC at all, but she’s a character that I absolutely believe. Of course, she has a big secret too, which will be quite dangerous if it comes out…"
But when can you watch the Puzzle Lady at work? And who else joins Logan in the cast?
Read on for everything you need to know about Murder Most Puzzling.
Murder Most Puzzling release date: When will it air?
The six-episode series kicks off on Thursday 19th June at 8pm on 5, with the remaining episodes airing weekly.
Murder Most Puzzling cast: Who stars?
Phyllis Logan leads the cast as Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady, who turns her hand to solving murders.
The rest of the main cast is as follows:
- Charlotte Hope is Sherry Carter
- Alistair Brammer is Anton Grant
- Adam Best is DCI Hooper
- Nick Danan is DS Sam Brody
- Jack Weise is PC Danny Finley
- Yasmin Seky is Becky Baidwan
- Richard Croxford is Mayor Firth
- Conor Sánchez is Jimmi Potter
- Amber Mendez-Martin is Katy Hooper
- Trevor Kaneswaran is Sunil Baidwan
- Simon Haines is Rod Reed
- Ashionye Michelle Raccah is Barbara 'Babs' Dufresne
- Lata Sharma is Irene Farrow
- Fiona Browne is Edith Potter
- Mukamajulé Michelo is Ellen Hooper
- Catherine Rees is Dr Nadia Burke
- Barney Taylor is Colin Sugar
- Conor Grimes is Mr Trotter
- David Crowley is Stuart Tanner
- Dearbháile Mckinney is Pamela Hawkins
- Conor Doran is Casey Roth
Murder Most Puzzling plot: What's it about?
"After the body of a teenage girl is found in the local cemetery with an enigmatic clue in her pocket, Bakerbury Detective DCI Hooper seeks help from the town's newest, and most famous, resident – Cora Felton, AKA The Puzzle Lady," reads the official synopsis.
"Cora's 'shoot first, ask questions never' approach proves a perfect way to outwit the murderers, conmen and corrupt officials that stand in her way and show that - despite hiding a secret which would ruin her and those around her - she has a remarkable talent for solving murders.
"And, as it turns out, Bakerbury isn’t as sleepy as it looks…"
Murder Most Puzzling trailer: When will it be available to watch?
Right now. Enjoy the trailer below:
Murder Most Puzzling premieres on 5 at 8pm Thursday 19th June 2025.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
