‘Murder Is Easy’: The Latest Agatha Christie Adaptation Is Almost Here

Looking for a juicy murder mystery to obsess over this holiday season? Look no further. The BBC has commissioned a two-part adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy, and it’s sure to be a wild ride.

Murder Is Easy was produced by the same production team as last year’s Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? miniseries, another Agatha Christie adaptation which garnered plenty of favorable reviews—and it makes us all the more excited for what’s to come with Murder Is Easy. Here’s everything you need to know.

When will Murder Is Easy be released?

Murder Is Easy is set to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the U.K. on December 27. As this show was made in co-operation with BritBox, we would expect it to release at the same time or soon after on the streaming service for viewers in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa.

What is Murder Is Easy about?

Based on the 1939 Agatha Christie novel of the same name, Murder Is Easy follows a police officer known as Luke Fitzwilliam, who meets the mysterious Miss Pinkerton on a train bound for London in 1954. Miss Pinkerton tells Luke that there is a murderer on the loose in the small and sleepy English village of Wychwood under Ashe, but the residents all believe the deaths have been accidental. Miss Pinkerton, however, is convinced it’s foul play, and later, when she’s found dead on her way to Scotland Yard—the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police—Fitzwilliam feels obligated to find the killer before they can strike again. When he arrives in Wychwood under Ashe, however, he realizes that the locals may not take so kindly to a stranger poking around their affairs.

A trailer for the two-part adaptation has already been released. You can watch it here:

Murder Is Easy boasts a talented cast

At this point, I don’t think there is a single British actor who hasn’t starred in one Agatha Christie adaptation or another. The talent these projects attract is always phenomenal, and this time is no exception. The cast list is as follows:

• David Jonsson (Rye Lane) as Luke Fitzwilliam
• Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey, After Life) as Miss Pinkerton
• Morfydd Clark (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) as Bridget
• Tom Riley (The Nevers, Ill Behaviour) as Lord Whitfield
• Douglas Henshall (Shetland) as Major Horton
• Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Wonka) as Dr. Thomas
• Mark Bonnar (World on Fire) as Reverend Humbleby

But that’s not all. Other names include Sinead Matthews (The Crown) as Miss Waynflete, Nimra Bucha (Ms. Marvel) as Mrs. Humbleby, Tamzin Outhwaite (Ridley Road) as Mrs. Pierce, Kathryn Howden (River City) as Mrs. Carter, and Jon Pointing (Big Boys) as Rivers. Joining them will be Demmy Ladipo (The Last Tree) as Jimmy Amaike and Gloria Obianyo (Good Omens) as Ngozi Ude. Newcomer Phoebe Licorish will be making her screen debut in Murder Is Easy as a character called Rose.

Murder Is Easy was adapted by Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre and directed by Meenu Gaur, who has previously worked on the BBC’s World on Fire.

You can never go wrong with a good old-fashioned British murder mystery, especially when you’re looking for a cozy night in. Murder Is Easy should definitely be on your watchlist.

(featured image: BBC)