Get Your Sleuthing Skills Ready for Cozy Whodunit ‘Magpie Murders’, Now on Lionsgate Play

Magpie Murders delivers double the mysteries and double the thrills — a must-watch for every detective story aficionado.

Is there anything cozier than curling up with a good mystery? If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, then Magpie Murders, Lionsgate Play’s latest addition to its library, will tick all your boxes. Adapted by author Anthony Horowitz from his bestselling book, the series follows two storylines: the classic detective adventure featuring the astute fictional sleuth Atticus Pünd, and the gripping real-world mystery tackled by editor Susan Ryeland — who finds herself neck-deep in a web of intrigue after the sudden death of writer Alan Conway, the author of the Atticus Pünd books.

This mystery-within-a-mystery offers a playful twist on the detective genre that’s as smart as it is entertaining. Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris) brings Susan Ryeland to life with her trademark wit and warmth, making her a charming amateur detective. Meanwhile, Tim McMullan (Foyle’s War) channels the iconic Atticus Pünd with grace and charm, drawing viewers into his every move. A gentle nod to Agatha Christie, this beguiling series is filled with red herrings and humorous moments that will keep you guessing until the very end.

On why he writes cozy mysteries, Magpie Murders writer Anthony Horowitz told 

Town & Country, “I’m not very interested in writing gory, violent, horrible stories. There’s enough violence in this world at the moment for us not to need it. My books are meant to be — if not an escape, then at least sort of a refuge from the sort of storms that are blowing all around us… Murder mystery is an opportunity to close the shutters, to draw up the bed clothes, to make yourself that hot chocolate with marshmallows and sit back and like Sherlock Holmes, just revel in the intellectual pursuit of truth.”

On the series’ amateur detective protagonist Susan Ryland, lead actress Lesley Manville told Salon, “[She] defies all the kind of stereotypical notions that people might have of how somebody of her age should act and conduct their life. I just love her. I’m so glad that Anthony didn’t write her as a sort of 20-, 30-year-old something. It’s just so great that she’s got all this gravitas and experience and that she’s just not conforming. It’s terrific. We need to see more women on film across the board that represent women in that way, because you can still be quite exciting even though you’re over 50, oddly enough.”

Ready to crack the case? Tune in to Magpie Murders when it comes to Lionsgate Play on October 25 via PLDT Home and Smart.

About Lionsgate Play

Lionsgate Play, a premium streaming service from Lionsgate India and Starz, offers bespoke quality content to its users. It boasts premium and curated content including Premieres, billion-dollar Franchise Movies and binge-worthy Box Sets. Lionsgate Play is accessible to consumers in the Philippines via the app. For a monthly subscription cost of PHP 79, the titles can be streamed with a PLDT Home account.

For more information about Lionsgate Play Philippines, visit lionsgateplay.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok.

About PLDT Home

PLDT Home is trusted by Filipinos to deliver the fastest internet connection and future-ready innovations to their homes. It is the only telco in the Philippines that has received the most prestigious “Fastest Fixed Internet, Five Years In a Row” award at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ 2022 – a first for PLDT and the Philippines. Enabling moments that bring the family closer together, PLDT Home offers unli-entertainment including Lionsgate Play and its library of award-winning titles.

About Smart

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT, Inc., the Philippines’ largest and only integrated telecommunications company. Smart serves approximately 97% of the country’s population with its combined 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G network, providing mobile communications services, high-speed internet connectivity, and access to digital services and content to Filipinos, supporting the country’s growing digital economy, and providing the best customer experience for an increasingly digital Filipino lifestyle.