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Moonflower Murders Cast | Meet the characters
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Moonflower Murders Cast | Meet the characters

The young woman disappeared following the murder of a man in their posh hotel on her wedding day – and the writings of Alan Conway hold the answer.

Initially, the former book editor, who has since retired and moved to Greece to run a hotel with her boyfriend, isn’t sure. But after they make her an offer she can’t refuse, Susan is all for it.

Learn more:

A number of familiar faces return alongside Lesley Manville and Tim McMullan.

Find full key overview Moonflower Murders cast below.

Moonflower Murders Cast

  • Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland
  • Tim McMullan as Atticus Pünd
  • Adrian Rawlins as Lawrence Treherne/Lance Gardner
  • Rosalie Craig as Lisa Treherne/Melissa James
  • Pooky Quesnel as Pauline Treherne/Maureen Gardner
  • Mark Gatiss as Frank Parris / Oscar Berlin
  • Daniel Mays as Locke/Chubb
  • Conleth Hill as Alan Conway
  • Pippa Bennett-Warner as Madeline Cain
  • Alexandros Logothetis as Andreas Patakis
  • Will Tudor as Aiden MacNeil/Algernon Marsh
  • Rupert Evans as John Spencer
  • Thomas Coombes as Derek Endicott / Eric Chandler
  • Joanna Bacon as Gwyneth Endicott / Phyllis Chandler

For more information on where you’ve seen the actors before and who they play, keep scrolling.

Lesley Manville plays Susan Ryeland

Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland in Moonflower Murders, sitting reading a book

Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland in Moonflower Murders. BBC/Sony Pictures Television/Jonathan Hession

Who is Susan Ryeland? Former book editor who oversaw the detective novels of Atticus Pünd. She is now retired and runs a hotel in Greece with her boyfriend.

“What happens in Moonflower is quite unexpected, certainly for Susan,” Manville said. “A couple, the Trehernes… come to the hotel in Crete because they know that Susan was the editor of Atticus Pund’s books. Their daughter has disappeared and… eight years ago, on the day of her wedding, a murder took place at their hotel.

“Before their daughter disappeared, she read Atticus Pund Takes the Case, one of the novels written by Alan Conway, and she knows something about the murder eight years ago that made her disappear.”

What else is there Is Lesley Manville there? The Crown, Sherwood, Back to Black, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, Phantom Thread, Maleficent, World on Fire, Harlots, Mum and Emmerdale Farm, among others.

Tim McMullan plays Atticus Pünd

Magpie Murders

Tim McMullan as Atticus Pünd in Moonflower Murders. Eleventh Hour Movies, Nick Wall

Who is Atticus Pünd? A fictional detective created by Alan Conway.

“Well, he’s dying, basically, at the end of Magpie Murders, or we know he’s going to die,” McMullan said. But in this next story, of course, Susan moves forward in time, but Atticus Pünd goes back in time in a previous book. So actually, he’s a little younger than in Magpie Murders and he’s not sick. So that’s where he is.

What else has Tim McMullan been involved in? He is best known for his stage career, appearing in Twelfth Night and Anthony and Cleopatra. His credits also include The Serpent, Endeavour, The Crown, Enola Holmes 2, Wicked Little Letters and Foyle’s War.

Rosalie Craig plays Lisa Treherne / Melissa James

Rosalie Craig plays Lisa Treherne/Melissa James, sitting on a chair

Rosalie Craig plays Lisa Treherne/Melissa James. Sony Pictures Television/Jonathan Hession

Who is Lisa Treherne / Melissa James? In the real world, Cecily, Lisa’s sister, disappears. In the book, Melissa is a movie star who also owns the Moonflower Hotel. She is also murdered.

What else has Rosalie Craig been involved in? The Serpent Queen, Bagman and 1899, among others.

Adrian Rawlins plays Lawrence Treherne/Lance Gardner and Pooky Quesnel plays Pauline Treherne/Maureen Gardner

Adrian Rawlins plays Lawrence Treherne/Lance Gardner and Pooky Quesnel plays Pauline Treherne/Maureen Gardner, sitting next to each other at an outside table

Adrian Rawlins plays Lawrence Treherne/Lance Gardner and Pooky Quesnel plays Pauline Treherne/Maureen Gardner. Sony Pictures Television/Jonathan Hession

Who are Lawrence Treherne/Lance Gardner and Pauline Treherne/Maureen Gardner? In the real world, Lawrence and Pauline’s daughter Cecily disappears shortly after a man’s body is discovered in their hotel, Branlow Hall, on Cecily’s wedding day. In the book, Lance is Melissa’s hotel manager and Maureen is his wife.

What else has Adrian Rawlins been involved in? Harry Potter, Mary & George, The Sixth Commandment, Slow Horses and Dickensian, among others.

What else has Pooky Quesnel been involved in? EastEnders, Ralph & Katie, The A Word and Waterloo Road, among others.

Mark Gatiss plays Frank Parris / Oscar Berlin

Pippa Bennett-Warner plays Madeline Cain and Mark Gatiss plays Frank Parris / Oscar Berlin, sitting together in a living room

Pippa Bennett-Warner plays Madeline Cain and Mark Gatiss plays Frank Parris/Oscar Berlin.

Who is Frank Parris / Oscar Berlin? In the real world, Frank Parris is the murder victim found on Cecily’s wedding day. In the book, he is a movie producer who may be responsible for Melissa’s murder.

What else has Mark Gatiss been involved in? Sherlock, The League of Gentlemen, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Nolly, Dracula and Wolf Hall, among others.

Daniel Mays plays Locke/Chubb

Magpie Murders

Daniel Mays as Chubb in Moonflower Murders. Eleventh Hour Movies, Nick Wall

Who is Locke/Chubb? A detective both in the book and in the real world.

“The 1950s story with Chubb is, in fact, a prequel to the 1950s version of Magpie Murders from the first season,” Mays said. “So we kind of go back in time and this story actually takes place in Devon. The first time he meets Pünd in this story is actually the first time they meet.

“And on the other hand, for Locke, it’s a sequel to Magpie Murders and he’s a normal character, close to angry, quite difficult actually. He’s like a bear with a headache again “He’s furious that Susan Ryland is back on his turf and a pretty heavy duet ensues with Lesley Manville’s character, Susan.”

What else has Daniel Mays been involved in? Line of Duty, Code 404, The Long Shadow, Your Christmas or Mine, Temple, White Lines and Ashes to Ashes, among others.

Conleth Hill plays Alan Conway

Conleth Hill plays Alan Conway., sitting in a chair with his arms outstretched

Conleth Hill as Alan Conway in Moonflower Murders. Sony Pictures Television/Jonathan Hession

Who is Alan Conway? The author of the Atticus Pünd books.

“I’m happy to say that through the power of the prequel, I have been brought back to life to play Alan Conway again,” Hill said. “We saw him pushed to a terrible death in Magpie Murders. Magpie Murders was his last novel.

“This novel is her third. We see Susan, played by the wonderful Lesley Manville, go back and go through the book and try to solve a murder and a mystery. Magpie Murders had both ongoing investigations from the 1950s and contemporary and it It’s the same with that.”

What else has Conleth Hill been involved in? Game of Thrones, Holding, Vienna Blood, The Power of Parker and Dublin Murders, among others.

Pippa Bennett-Warner plays Madeline Cain

Pippa Bennett-Warner as Madeline Cain, standing at a desk, signing a book

Pippa Bennett-Warner plays Madeline Cain. Sony Pictures Television/Jonathan Hession

Who is Madeline Cain? “Madeline is in the 50s portion of the series. She’s Atticus Pünd’s new secretary,” Bennett-Warner explained. “She’s passionate about cinema and a really brilliant character, very complex and funny. It’s a real pleasure to play with her. I hope the audience enjoys it as much as I enjoyed playing it.”

What else has Pippa Bennett-Warner been involved in? Gangs of London, Chloé, Harlots and Sick Note, among others.

Alexandros Logothetis plays Andreas Patakis

Alexandros Logothetis plays Andreas Patakis sitting on a chair

Alexandros Logothetis as Andreas Patakis in Moonflower Murders. Sony Pictures Television/Jonathan Hession

Who is Andreas Patakis? Susan’s boyfriend. They run a hotel together in Crete, but it collapses and they run out of money, putting a strain on their relationship.

What else is there Alexandros Logothetis went there? He is best known for I paralia.

Will Tudor plays Aiden MacNeil/Algernon Marsh

Will Tudor plays Aiden MacNeil / Algernon Marsh stood at a table talking at a wedding

Will Tudor plays Aiden MacNeil/Algernon Marsh. Sony Pictures Television/Jonathan Hession

Who is Aiden MacNeil / Algernon Marsh? In the real world, Aidan is Cecily’s husband and also works at the family hotel. In the book, Algernon is a con artist who tries to get his hands on Melissa’s money.

What else has Will Tudor been involved in? Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, The Ippress File, Industry, Humans and Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, among others.

Additional cast includes:

  • Amy Griffiths (Effort) plays Cecily MacNeil – a body is found on her wedding day. Shortly after, she disappears.
  • Rupert Evans (The Man in the High Castle, Charmed) plays John Spencer – In the book, John is Melissa’s husband.
  • Thomas Coombes (Save Me) plays Derek Endicott/Eric Chandler – In the real world, Derek works at the hotel. In the book, Eric is a handyman.
  • Joanna Bacon (Breeders) plays Gwyneth Endicott/Phyllis Chandler – In the real world, Gwyneth is Derek’s mother. In the book, Phyllis is Melissa’s housekeeper and Eric’s mother.

Moonflower Murders kicks off with a double billing at 9.15pm and 10.20pm on Saturday 16 November on BBC One.

Discover more of our Drama cover or visit our TV guide And Streaming Guide to find out what’s going on. For more on TV’s biggest stars, listen The Radio Times podcast.