'Tis the season for the announcement of new dramas and mysteries. Masterpiece has just revealed photos from a new mystery arriving next year, Magpie Murders. An adaptation of the popular novel of the same name by Anthony Horowitz, it will star Lesley Manville (who was in last year's World on Fire) as book editor Susan Ryeland. When she tries to obtain the final chapters of an unfinished mystery manuscript featuring detective Atticus Pünd (Timothy McMullan, who has appeared in Endeavour, Grantchester, and King Charles III, among others) from author Alan Conway (Conleth Hill, whom you might recognize from Doc Martin, Vienna Blood, and Game of Thrones), she herself is drawn into a mystery. (Matthew Beard, who plays Conleth Hill's son in Vienna Blood, is also in Magpie Murders.)

Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland and Timothy McMullan as Atticus Pünd. Photo: Nick Wall

Horowitz himself has written the script, and is no stranger to screenwriting or the kind of interlocking metatextual references that task and Magpie Murders entail. He has written for the TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot as well as Midsomer Murders and has written novels featuring Sherlock Holmes and James Bond. Nor is Magpie Murders' Alan Conway the only mystery author Horowitz has included in his books: several feature himself paired with a fictional detective.

Daniel Mays as Inspector Raymond Chubb. Photo: Nick Wall

Magpie Murders recently wrapped production in London, Suffolk, and Ireland. The six-part series is directed by Peter Cattaneo. Enjoy these sneak peeks via photos from the set!

Matthew Beard as James Fraser, Timothy McMullan as Atticus Pünd, director Peter Cattaneo, and Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland on set. Photo: Nick Wall