From Murder On The Orient Express to Death On The Nile, Agatha Christie’s works have long been turned into delicious adaptations – largely because they’re brimming with compelling characters, twists aplenty and overwrought detectives doing their best to solve an unsolvable mystery.

Is it any wonder, then, that the BBC is adding to its (already overflowing) collection of excellent Queen Of Crime adaptations? Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming two-part series Murder Is Easy, including the newly released trailer.

What’s the plot of Murder Is Easy?

This story takes us back in time to 1954, when Luke Fitzwilliam meets Miss Pinkerton on a train bound for London.

She wastes no time in telling him that a killer is on the loose in the sleepy English village of Wychwood under Ashe, despite villagers being firmly of the opinion that the deaths are mere accidents. It seems, though, that someone thought Miss Pinkerton knew too much, as she’s later found dead on her way to Scotland Yard. Cue Luke determining that he must find the killer before they can strike again. Because, for a certain kind of person, murder is easy…

Who stars in Murder Is Easy?

The two-part thriller has been adapted for the screen by Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre and will be directed by Meenu Gaur (who previously directed the 2019 BBC One war drama World On Fire).

The series will feature David Jonsson (Industry, Rye Lane) as Fitzwilliam, alongside Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud) as Bridget, Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey) as Miss Pinkerton, Tom Riley (Ill Behaviour) as Lord Whitfield, Douglas Henshall (Shetland) as Major Horton, Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Wonka) as Dr Thomas and Mark Bonnar (Guilt) as Reverend Humbleby.

Speaking about the project, Berre says: “I’ve watched every Agatha Christie adaptation out, because Christie wrote for the world and the whole world loves her back. But somehow I’d never read one of her novels.

“When I first read Murder Is Easy, I couldn’t believe how daring, experimental and furious the book was. Nothing like I’d expected. From the first read, the book was shouting at me how to enter and adapt it, and what’s so exciting is having everyone at Mammoth Screen and ACL jump right in there with me.

“It’s like going on an extended train journey with a genius sitting next to you, whispering the secrets of storytelling into your ear.”

Gaur adds: “I was drawn to the sassy, cool, witty and not-to-be-messed-with women of Murder Is Easy and blown away again by how delightful [Christie’s] characters are.”

When will Murder Is Easy be released?

The two-part thriller is set to land on our screens on 27 December with the episodes dropping on BBC iPlayer from 6am. The first episode will air on BBC One on 27 December at 9pm and the second episode will air the following night. You can watch the trailer for the mini-series below.

Images: BBC