Only Murders In The Inbox

Join Us Tomorrow For A Discussion About A Caribbean Mystery

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:27:09 GMT

Date & Time Change for April’s Read Christie 2026 Conversation!

The Read Christie 2026 choice for April is Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple novel, A Caribbean Mystery. Throughout April we’ve read and watched this fun cozy whodunnit! We’re talking about it tomorrow, Friday, May 1st at 12:30pm pacific/3:30pm eastern on Substack Live and YouTube. Whether you read it this month or years ago, we’d love to have you join our conversation! See you then.

Available for iOS and Android

Upcoming 2026 Air Dates For New and Returning TV Mystery Series

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:29:02 GMT

Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! We’re happy you’re here. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murder mysteries in television and film. If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription or become a patron sleuth. A paid membership is $6 a month, or $70 annually, which includes access to over 170 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox! Click this button to upgrade to a paid subscription or subscribe for free:

Subscribe now

Image Courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Libraryq

If you love mysteries like I do, there’s a plethora of entertaining ones around the corner! Today’s OMITI edition is a continuation of our earlier release dates edition, check that out below if you’re behind and wondering if you missed one of your favorites:

In exciting television adaptations, this September has the final installment of Anthony Horowitz’s popular mystery series coming soon to PBS, Marble Hall Murders. You can read an interview from last summer with Anthony Horowitz with the Los Angeles Public Library where he discusses his Magpie Murders book series and more.

If you haven’t already, now is the ideal time to sign up for a library card at your local library! If you live in a rural community, and would like suggestions of libraries outside of your area that you can join online that have plenty of resources, check out this earlier edition of Only Murders In The Inbox. If you’re in L.A., I love the Los Angeles Public Library — it offers even more benefits and services to its patrons than you can imagine! You can sign up here.

Image Courtesy of Acorn TV

The eleventh season of The Brokenwood Mysteries is airing now on Acorn TV and is one of my top picks of mysteries that are currently streaming. Episode 2 of Season 12 is one of my favorites!

In upcoming shows, the highly anticipated fourth season of the award-winning murder mystery series The White Lotus features an ensemble cast including Vincent Cassel, Steve Coogan, Caleb Jonte Edwards, Dylan Ennis, Corentin Fila, Ari Graynor, Marissa Long, Alexander Ludwig, Chris Messina, and AJ Michalka. They hit a snafu when Helena Bonham Carter bowed out due to creative differences (rumored to be because she didn’t like the way her character was written, and knowing Mike White, that already tells you how crazy this season is gonna be). This season is set in France! Filming locations include Cannes and Saint-Tropez; the two hotels featured in this season are Airelles Chateau de la Messardiere in Saint-Tropez as The White Lotus du Cap, and the Hotel Martinez as The White Lotus Cannes. I’ll keep you updated on the air date!

Here are all of the upcoming new murder mystery TV shows for Spring and Summer 2026, including September for PBS and series with dates to be determined.

May 2nd, 2026

Light To The Night (Netflix)

May 12th, 2026

Beyond Paradise (Britbox, Season 4 for the States; already available in the U.K.)

May 27th, 2026

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder (Netflix, Season 2)

June 14th, 2026

Masterpiece: Grantchester (PBS, Season 11, final season)

June 19th, 2026

Sugar (Apple TV, Season 2)

September 6th, 2026

Masterpiece: The Marlow Murder Club (PBS, Season 3)

Masterpiece: Marble Hall Murders (PBS, final mystery in a limited series)

Date TBA

Only Murders In The Building (Hulu, Season 6)

The White Lotus (HBO Max, Season 4)

You’re Killing Me (Acorn TV)

Ludwig (Britbox, Season 2)

Will Trent (ABC, Season 5)

Scooby Doo: Origins (Netflix, new series, whaaaat!)

Line Of Duty (BBC One, Series 7)

Elsbeth (CBS and Paramount+, Season 4)

Matlock (CBS, Season 3)

Trigger Point (Britbox, Season 3)

Slow Horses (Apple TV, Season 6)

The Hunting Wives (Netflix, Season 2)

I Will Find You (Netflix, limited series)

Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence (Britbox, Season 1)

Unforgotten (PBS, ITV1)

Shakespeare & Hathaway (Britbox, Season 6)

For 2027 — Untamed (Netflix, Season 2)

If you’d like a book suggestion, check out this list:

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Song Of The Day: “Having A Blast” By Green Day, from the Reading Festival in 2013

The Top Ten Murder Mystery TV Series Currently Streaming On PBS, With Trailers

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 22:14:27 GMT

Welcome to Only Murders In The Inbox. I’m so excited you’re here!

If you’re just joining us, here’s a quick intro: Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. You’ll also find curated suggestions and lists here so if you’re looking for a certain type of murder mystery with a particular theme or setting, I’ve got you! If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription, become a patron sleuth or gift a subscription to a friend. A monthly paid membership gets you over 170 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox as well as exclusive editions, for less than the price of a latte. I appreciate your support! Click below to subscribe for free or upgrade:

Subscribe now

If you don’t want the commitment of a monthly or yearly membership, you can Buy Me A Coffee. A great free way to support me is to forward this edition to a friend who loves mysteries, too.

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

All Images Courtesy of PBS

The Top Ten Murder Mystery TV Series Currently Streaming On PBS, With Trailers

If you paused to read today’s edition of Only Murders In The Inbox, you are, without a doubt, my kind of people. The Public Broadcasting Service can and should take full credit for the creation of this newsletter. Without PBS, who knows if I’d be as addicted to the Mystery genre as I am! I owe a lot to public television (and even more to public radio, but that’s another story). When you’ve graduated from watching Sesame Street and Doctor Who, the next logical place to go is Edward Gorey, Alan Cumming and murder mysteries, am I right?

Back when I was a little kid, PBS was the network for Mystery 101. You didn’t know anything about the genre if you weren’t watching PBS. Check out this early PBS Mystery! introduction from 1984 introducing Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes. Pair this with the early Scooby Doo haunted mansion Vincent Price/Vincent Van Ghoul episode for extra credit.

Alan Cumming, host of Masterpiece Mystery! on PBS in 2008, 2010-2015

Mysteries run the gamut on PBS. There are classic Sherlock Holmes stories, Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis, two different Professor T and Van Der Valk series. In addition to a stellar collection of international crime dramas (Astrid, Mademoiselle Holmes, The Nordic Murders) there are also groundbreaking mysteries with strong female leads (D.I. Ray, Elizabeth Is Missing).

This year promises to be a memorable one for PBS programming with several significant PBS shows reaching their conclusions with final seasons: Grantchester, Miss Scarlet and The Magpie Murders series. There are also several BBC shows that are making their way across the pond to PBS, including the second season of Bookish and Puzzle Lady.

Marble Hall Murders, coming in September to PBS

If you’re an Agatha Christie fan, there are two series available right now you’ll love. You’ve got David Suchet’s Poirot and also the latest adaptation of Miss Marple’s mysteries, Marple. This comes in handy because of and and I are currently participating in Read Christie 2026, a full year of an Agatha Christie book a month where we’re also watching the TV and film adaptations of each of the recommended novels. Find out more here:

Here are the Top Ten TV shows you can catch right now on PBS! Keep in mind this isn’t a ranking of every mystery show in the history of PBS, but rather a quick ten of what’s currently available to watch. I can’t encourage you enough to subscribe or renew your PBS Passport so you don’t miss anything!

What’s your favorite PBS mystery? Let me know what you think in the comments.

10. Miss Scarlet

(Seven seasons, 53 minute episodes, 42 episodes total) Several mysteries, close calls, and two love interests later, and Miss Scarlet will come to a close with Season Seven, air date TBD. Season Five brought big changes to the hit series as Stuart Martin who plays William “The Duke” Wellington exited the show and prompted a series name-change with Miss Scarlet going solo. Inspector Alexander Blake (played by Tom Durant-Pritchard) joined the cast and will star in the final season along with its star, Kate Phillips. In the meantime, check out its current, and sixth, season airing now. See the trailer below:

9. Unforgotten

(Six seasons, 45 minutes each, 42 episodes total) Two London detectives, DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) and DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker) investigate cold cases, uncovering missing pieces and troubling secrets that inevitably result in ensnaring an escaped murderer. Nicola Walker was replaced by Sinéad Keenan (from the recent mystery series for Netflix, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast) as DCI Jessica James starting in Season 5. Over the years, there’s been a plethora of guest stars as suspects, covering a wide range of mysteries — this is a tried and true mystery show on PBS, and is great if you want a slow watch with forty-two episodes to choose from.

8. Puzzle Lady

(One season, 43 minutes each, 6 episodes total) This show is the newest addition to the PBS catalog. The U.K.’s cozy mystery series Murder Most Puzzling comes to the U.S. via PBS and a new name, Puzzle Lady. Cora Felton, a puzzle maker played by Phyllis Logan, is thrown into a murder investigation when one of her crossword clues is pinned to a dead body. Soon her own secrets are spilling as she tries to solve the case. Fans of Ludwig will especially enjoy this show.

7. Magpie Murders

(Limited series, 6 episodes total, 53 minutes each) This clever screen adaptation by Anthony Horowitz of his own book has a fantastic plot and memorable characters. There are so many hidden clues in each episode, you can solve the puzzle yourself if you’re paying close attention. Watch this one, then follow it up with Moonflower Murders. The third and final adaptation, Marble Hall Murders, premieres on Sunday, September 6th, at 9/8c on PBS.

6. The Marlow Murder Club

(Three seasons, 46 minutes each, 16 episodes total) In the quaint town of Marlow, a retired archaeologist, Judith Potts, believes that a brutal murder has occurred; when the police refuse to listen her, she decides to investigate with her two neighbors and unlikely friends. This mystery series is based on the Robert Thoroughgood novels of the same name. Thoroughgood is best known in television as the creator of the hit mystery franchise Death In Paradise. In Season 3, there are three intriguing new murder mysteries told across six episodes, with the first two episodes co-written by Thorogood and adapted from his 2024 mystery novel The Queen of Poisons. Season 4 is on the way!

The first five recommendations will always be free. However, the rest of this list is for paid subscribers only. If you’re a paid subscriber, thanks for supporting me! If you’d like to join OMITI, click the link to subscribe or upgrade to a paid subscription below. You may cancel at any time.

Subscribe now

Discuss & Dissect w/Erica & Reda: Columbo, The Classic TV Series

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:19:50 GMT

Hey, guys! If you’re around today at noon pacific, 3pm eastern, join us for a conversation about the classic TV detective series, Columbo, available in the Substack app or on the Substack website. An email with the link will go out right before our conversation as a reminder.

The murder mystery television show Columbo stars Peter Faulk as the Los Angeles homicide detective, Lieutenant Columbo, who uses his disarming demeanor and sharp observational skills to uncover the most well-concealed crimes. The 1970s series is considered one of the most influential shows in the Mystery genre. and I are discussing Seasons 1-3 today! We’d love for you to join us! See you then.

Subscribe now

The Top Five Murder Mystery TV Series Currently Streaming On Britbox, With Trailers

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:02:43 GMT

Welcome to Only Murders In The Inbox. I’m so excited you’re here!

Subscribe now

If you don’t want the commitment of a monthly or yearly membership, you can Buy Me A Coffee. A great free way to support me is to forward this edition to a friend who loves mysteries, too.

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Thanks for being here, your support is helping me through a difficult time in my life. I’m grateful for the gift of your time, please know I don’t take it for granted!

Alll Images Courtesy of Britbox

The Top Five Murder Mystery TV Series Currently Streaming On Britbox, With Trailers

Here in the States, the two streaming services constantly vying for the number one spot among mystery fans are Acorn TV and Britbox. Netflix is, hands down, the best source for international murder mysteries and crime series, and Hulu has a great selection, in addition to being home to one of my personal favorites, Only Murders In The Building. PBS is the OG source when it comes to mysteries, but Acorn TV and Britbox are usually neck and neck for delivering the best the U.K. has to offer. Right now I can definitively say Britbox has the upper hand.

If you’re willing to wait to catch Britbox’s new releases, or Acorn TV’s, or any other streaming platforms’ content, I recommend using your public library card to use Hoopla and Kanopy for free. Check this earlier edition out:

How does Britbox come out on top? In addition to Britbox classic mystery series such as Vera, New Tricks, Sherlock, Father Brown and its feel-good spin-off, The Sister Boniface Mysteries, Britbox is home to Death In Paradise and both of its successful spin-offs, too. In addition to Britbox originals and exclusives (The Mallorca Files, Hope Street and the brand new show set in Capri, A Taste For Murder), Britbox has an impressive collection of Agatha Christie adaptations, which is especially relevant to Only Murders In The Inbox readers, because of and and I are currently participating in Read Christie 2026, a full year of an Agatha Christie book a month where we’re also watching the TV and film adaptations of each of the recommended novels. Find out more here:

In Britbox’s Agatha Christie collection, they have the essential television series: Poirot (David Suchet series), Miss Marple (with Joan Dickson) and the more recent Marple, starring Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie. But they also have mini-series like Murder Is Easy and some of my favorite adaptations, including Sparkling Cyanide and The Mirror Crack’d.

So if you have Britbox, you’ve got plenty of choices! Here are my Top Five, not counting the aforementioned recommendations and the brand new A Taste For Murder, which has two of its six episodes available now. Be sure to check it out, too, read this and watch the trailer here:

What’s your favorite Britbox show? Let me know what you think in the comments.

5. The Game

(One season, 45 minutes each, 4 episodes total) Much-loved actor Jason Watkins from the cozy detective series McDonald & Dodds plays Huw Miller, a former detective who’s haunted by that one significant case he wasn’t able to close. When his neighbor across the street dies and a new guy moves in, Huw is convinced something suspicious is going on. He quickly becomes obsessed with his new neighbor and tries to tie him to his serial killer cold case. But is he actually a murderer, or has Huw gone off the deep end?

Image Courtesy of Britbox

4. Return To Paradise

(Only One season available in the States, 50 minutes each, 12 episodes total) In this latest spin-off to the popular show Death In Paradise, Australian detective Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) returns to her hometown of Dolphin Cove following an incident in London, but tensions are high when she arrives and doesn’t exactly receive a warm welcome. There are love triangles, cozy cases and entertaining characters. Season Two aired last summer in the U.K. and premieres soon in the U.S.

Image Courtesy of Acorn TV

3. Shakespeare & Hathaway

(Five seasons, 35 minutes each, 50 episodes total) In the fifth season of this ultra-cozy British series, Frank Hathaway and Luella Shakespeare reunite to investigate unusual mysteries in Stratford-Upon-Avon, in cases inspired by the world-famous bard. I’ll admit that it took Erica to convince me to give this show a chance, and now it’s one of my go-to relaxing shows to watch! It’s funny, light and the cast is superb. This season, there are influencer feuds, deadly football and even a masked vigilante! Season Six is already on the way.

Image Courtesy of Britbox

2. Ludwig

(Two Seasons, 58 minutes each, 12 episodes total) This Britbox show was the best surprise of the 2024-25 television season! Reclusive John “Ludwig” Taylor looks for answers to the mysterious disappearance of his twin brother James by adopting his identity as the lead investigator for Cambridge’s major crimes squad. Fortunately, John’s real-life career as a crossword puzzle designer and his out-of-the-box thinking comes in handy when he assumes his brother’s role. Brilliant but socially awkward and unassuming, his character possesses plenty of parallels to DS Dodds, one half of the duo McDonald and Dodds, one of Britbox’s most popular recent series. Season Two is around the corner!

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Image Courtesy Of Britbox

1. Shetland

(Ten seasons, 90 minutes each, 57 episodes total) Shetland is a classic crime drama set in the beautiful Scottish Isles. Ashley Jensen, in a much different role from her much-loved character Agatha Raisin, is lead investigator DI Ruth Calder. Alison O’Donnell returns as Tosh, the reliable partner who maneuvers through Shetland’s tight-knit community to help DI Calder find answers. This is a solid series based on the novels by Ann Cleeves, and one of the best shows Britbox has to offer.

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Song Of The Day: “Murder” By New Order

Visit Capri In A Taste For Murder

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:38:43 GMT

Welcome to Only Murders In The Inbox. I’m so excited you’re here!

Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? Death At The Dinner Party

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:59:44 GMT

Welcome to Only Murders In The Inbox. I’m so excited you’re here!

If you’re just joining us, here’s a quick intro: Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. You’ll also find curated suggestions and lists here so if you’re looking for a certain type of murder mystery with a particular theme or setting, I’ve got you! If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription, become a patron sleuth or gift a subscription to a friend. A monthly paid membership gets you all 170 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox as well as exclusive editions, for less than the price of a latte. I appreciate your support! Click below to subscribe for free or upgrade:

Subscribe now

If you don’t want the commitment of a monthly or yearly membership, you can Buy Me A Coffee. A great free way to support me is to forward this edition to a friend who loves mysteries, too.

Thanks for being here, your support is helping me through a difficult time in my life. I’m grateful for the gift of your time, please know I don’t take it for granted!

Agatha Christie’s Sparkling Cyanide, Image Courtesy Of Britbox

Death At The Dinner Party

Since Agatha Christie, dinner parties have become a tried and true background setting for crime fiction. A dinner party provides the ideal scenario for a dozen reasons. In such an intimate gathering, conversations over food are often riddled with clues. The dinner party is perfect for a very specific type of mystery — the closed circle of suspects mystery — because there’s a set number of suspects, all of which are guests at the table, or perhaps the staff serving the food. (Did the butler do it? Maybe!) An author may reveal the suspects and their relationship to each other in this one scene by exploring the shared history of old friends, or even with new acquaintances with previously unknown connections to each other. Then there’s the element of family and what that brings to a scene; an extended family get-together with the patriarch and matriarch’s children, often with spouses, is easily a recipe for disaster. There’s something both sadistic and enticing when it comes to a dinner party gone wrong. Tension over past events, relationships, money or politics can quickly escalate, then before you know it, there’s poison in the champagne, arsenic in the dessert, and someone’s calling an ambulance.

Here are a few of my favorite murder mysteries in entertainment, set during a dinner party. Let me know if I missed a favorite of yours in the comments below. There’s always room at the table for more. Bon appétit!

Poirot At Dinner, Image Courtesy Of The BBC

Agatha Christie and The Dinner Party

Agatha Christie holds the record for the most popular dinner party-murder mystery settings in crime fiction. There are so many! In 1932, her novel The Thirteen Problems takes place at a dinner party hosted by Colonel and Mrs. Bantry. In these Miss Marple mysteries, the Bantrys and their guests share stories and invite the others to guess the killer. Mrs. Bantry’s story recounts a murder that takes at a dinner party. In Christie’s well-known Sparkling Cyanide which originated as the short story Yellow Iris (Poirot Season 5, Episode 3) a widower, still clinging to the memory of his dead wife, recreates the dinner party where she was murdered, guests and all. When Hercule Poirot realizes the killer has returned to the scene, he tries to solve the crime before they kill again. There’s also 4:50 From Paddington, a Miss Marple mystery (The 1987 movie adaptation of this book stars Joan Hickson; the TV version stars Geraldine McEwan in Marple, Season 1, Episode 3, also known as “What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw.”) In the novel Three Act Tragedy from 1934 (Poirot Season 12, Episode 1), also known as Murder In Three Acts, Hercule Poirot sets about to solve an intricate crime that occurs during a meal. If you like this one, also be sure to read Christie’s Cards On The Table (Also Poirot Season 10, Episode 2). But my favorite Christie dinner party recommendation is Thirteen At Dinner.

Image Courtesy Of Dell Books

Thirteen At Dinner By Agatha Christie This 1933 Christie novel is now best known as Lord Edgware Dies. (You can watch David Suchet in the TV adaptation, Poirot Season 7, Episode 2.) Poirot overhears the American actress Jane Wilkinson announce she has plans to get rid of her estranged husband, Lord Edgware, because he refuses to grant her a divorce. Then he suddenly turns up dead. It should be cut and dry, right? She wanted him gone. But Jane has an airtight alibi when she attended a dinner party with twelve other people. How could Jane have possibly stabbed Lord Edgware to death in his library at the exact same time she was seen dining with her friends? And why would she want to murder him when he had finally granted her a divorce? This is an especially intriguing Poirot case that went on to influence many, many modern novelists and screenwriters who went on to write similar mysteries.

Image Courtesy Of Warner Bros.

Rope By Alfred Hitchcock (Eighty minutes long, available on Prime Video) In this classic Hitchcock film, the mystery isn’t who did it or how they did it, it’s will they get away with it? The film begins with two arrogant friends, Brandon and Philip, killing their former classmate David simply to see if they can get away with it. They hide David’s body in a large chest and proceed to throw a dinner party, using the chest (and the body concealed inside) as the buffet table for dinner. They’ve invited all of the people closest to their victim: his girlfriend, his best friend, his father, a family friend and their former teacher (played by Jimmy Stewart).

Rope is best known for being a seemingly uncut eighty minute film, when in fact it has ten cuts. However, this seamless flow of the movie lends itself to the growing tension during the party, giving the audience the illusion of a never-ending moment where they are anticipating the resolution.

Midsomer Murders, Image Courtesy Of The BBC

Midsomer Murders, Season 9, Episode 3 “Vixen’s Run” (1 hour, 35 minutes long, available for free on Roku TV) This is one of my favorite episodes of this long-running British murder mystery show, it’s right up there with “Happy Families.” This early episode from 2006 aired when DCI Barnaby was played by John Nettles, prior to Neil Dudgeon stepping into the role as his replacement DCI cousin. A wealthy aristocrat from old money hosts a dinner party to make an important announcement, but before he can explain, he keels over mid-toast. The slew of suspects is a mile long; three ex-wives, an eccentric brother, a bratty son and his older siblings, plus the groundskeeper’s family, are all under suspicion. Barnaby and Jones investigate and uncover one scandal after the next that leads to a great twist at the end.

Image Courtesy of Storm Publishing

Death At The Dinner Party By Ellie Alexander In this third installment of the Secret Bookcase Mystery series, Annie Murray throws a murder mystery–themed dinner party to help her friend Penny restore the historic Wentworth farmhouse. But, when during the dinner landowner Curtis Wright drops dead at the dining table, Penny becomes the prime suspect and Annie has to clear her friend’s name. As she delves into old family secrets, she discovers corruption and scandals, and quickly learns the killer will do anything to stop her from uncovering the truth.

Image Courtesy Of Sourcebooks Landmark

Seven Reasons To Murder Your Dinner Guests By K.J. Whittle This novel stands out because of its narration, much like the bestselling novel from Karen McManus, One Of Us Is Lying. In this book, each of the seven guests recount the events that occur during and after an anonymously hosted dinner party (not unlike Clue). Toward the end of the evening, cards mysteriously appear, one in front of each of the guests. On the card is a number, the age they are each predicted to die. They dismiss it as a prank, and the evening comes to a mysterious close. Fast forward two weeks, and one of them drops dead at the exact age that appeared on their card. Then, similarly to And Then There Were None, as the group grows smaller and smaller, dying off one by one, the remaining dinner guests become frantic to find their anonymous host of their dinner party and why they’re being targeted before they’re next.

Image Courtesy Of Penguin Books

The Late Mrs. Willoughby By Claudia Gray This historical romance-murder mystery hybrid features beloved characters from the world of Jane Austen. This sequel to The Murder of Mr. Wickham, finds Jonathan Darcy (the son of Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride & Prejudice) and his love interest/partner in crime Juliet Tilney reunited with a brand new case to solve. When Mr. Willoughby's new wife is poisoned at the dinner party thrown in her honor, both Jonathan and Juliet grow suspicious since it’s obvious Willoughby married his new bride for her money. As the couple investigate the dinner guests, danger looms, and they find themselves in very hot water.

This OMITI edition originally ran in March 2025 and has been updated.

Song Of The Day: “Nothing Matters” By The Last Dinner Party

Read Christie 2026: The April Agatha Christie Book Selection, A Caribbean Mystery

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:01:20 GMT

Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! We’re happy you’re here. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murder mysteries in television and film. If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription or become a patron sleuth. A paid membership is $6 a month, or $70 annually, which includes access to over 160 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox! Click this button to subscribe or to upgrade to a paid subscription, you may cancel anytime.

Subscribe now

April’s Book Selection For Read Christie 2026

The Read Christie 2026 choice for April is Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple novel, A Caribbean Mystery. Join us throughout April as we read, watch and discuss this fun cozy whodunnit! If you’re a regular Only Murders In The Inbox reader, you already know how much I love seniors as protagonists for murder mysteries, especially ladies. I’m also a big fan of murder mysteries in tropical locales, so this mystery is the perfect escape. Step back from the news and enjoy this story with us!

If you’re new here, here’s the lowdown: my friend Erica Drayton over at Top in Fiction and Ink After Dark had a great idea: Let’s participate in The Official Agatha Christie’s reading challenge for the year — Read Christie 2026 (you’ll find the full 2026 schedule listed below).

By the way, did you catch Tina Fey’s excellent Agatha Christie impression on the premiere of Saturday Night Live UK? Here’s the skit in question, ICYMI:

We’ve already read and discussed three novels! In case you missed them, here are our conversations about January, February and March’s books, The Body In The Library, Mrs. McGinty’s Dead, and Murder On The Orient Express.

Images Courtesy of Britbox and HarperCollins

There’s no wrong way to enjoy this murder mystery with us. Because I have Long Covid, I have a hard time concentrating. (Believe it or not, I actually write this newsletter in 30-minute increments). I love listening to the audiobook while I’m reading. Luckily, there are multiple audio adaptations you can enjoy, including one narrated by Joan Hickson, so I recommend that if you’d like an option with your commute to work or school. Erica and I like to watch TV or film adaptations of the novel we’re reading at the end of the month, so they’re part of our discussion. We encourage you to check them out, too!

Catch Up On These Agatha Christie Editions

In honor of our reading selection and participation in Read Christie 2026, here are a few earlier OMITI editions featuring Agatha Christie and her works so you can get a refresher. This isn’t every single Agatha Christie-related edition — the Only Murders archives hold over 170 editions total — but they do tie nicely into the recommended reading. Here are some editions to help you get started.

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Ambience while you read:

Song of the Day: “Lithonia” by Childish Gambino

Reda and Erica Discuss Murder On The Orient Express For Read Christie 2026

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:25:31 GMT

Thank you , , and many others for tuning into my live video with . This month’s selection was Murder On The Orient Express and we had plenty to talk about!

Erica and I are reading an Agatha Christie novel every month. Check out the schedule below. Next month’s selection is Agatha Christie’s A Caribbean Mystery, a classic Miss Marple whodunit! Read along with us and join the conversation in the Substack app.

Thanks for being here! I’m so glad you’re a part of our Only Murders In The Inbox community.

Subscribe now

Available for iOS and Android

The Top 30 Murder Mystery TV Shows For April & May

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:02:27 GMT

Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! To all of my new subscribers and returning readers, I’m so glad you’re here. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murder mysteries in television and film (usually with trailers!). If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription or become a patron sleuth. A monthly paid membership includes a library of over 165 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox, so each edition costs only four cents an issue! A membership also gives you full access to special exclusive editions like this one, and you may cancel at any time. Click this button to upgrade to a paid subscription:

Subscribe now

If you’re not ready to commit to a monthly or yearly membership, you can also make a one-time contribution by Buying Me A Coffee. Your support is helping me through a difficult time in my life — moving after the Eaton Canyon Fire, living with my disability while putting twins through college — it’s been a lot. Just always know how much I appreciate both your time and your support!

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, Image Courtesy of Netflix

It’s 2026, and this has become a big moment for Mystery. New murder mystery shows and films are being greenlit at breakneck speed. The Knives Out series is guaranteed box office gold, and Only Murders In The Building is a bonafide streaming phenomenon. Politics, culture and the pandemic have aligned to usher in the Second Golden Age of Crime Fiction.

So if this is the second, when was the first? The Golden Age of Mystery is considered to be the period between the 1920s through the 1940s. Right after World War I, detective stories became immensely popular, mainly in English-speaking countries, especially in the U.K. and the United States. The four Queens of Crime Fiction stood tall during the Golden Age of Mystery: Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy L. Sayers and Margery Louise Allingham. Writers such as John Dickson Carr and G.K. Chesterton grew in popularity. The Golden Age that began in the U.K. soon influenced writers in the United States, too, like hardboiled detective fiction authors Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, Erle Stanley Gardner and Rex Stout (my personal favorite). Conventions, tropes and settings that were established during this Golden Age period became the foundation for modern crime fiction.

The classic mystery is centered around uncovering the truth. Justice, redemption and closure are found only when the truth is exposed. Today, when people are longing for honesty and integrity, audiences turn to the Mystery genre more than ever.

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Young Sherlock, Image Courtesy of Prime Video

For newcomers to Only Murders In The Inbox, a few notes about this bimonthly list: I always personally vet every television series on every Top 30 list I publish. If it’s here, I’ve seen it. Also know I’ll always give you a heads up if anything is excessively violent or has a TV-MA listing; I also recommend Does The Dog Die? for trigger warnings in both television and film. Our family uses that website quite a bit! Here are the Top 30 murder mystery TV shows for April & May. Let me know what you think in the comments.

*This list has been updated from the February and March Top 30 edition of Only Murders In The Inbox. For even more TV show recommendations, see previous Top 30 editions.

Image Courtesy of BBC

30. The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries - Hoopla

(One season, 60-90 minutes episodes, 5 episodes total) This classic limited series from 1998 features the legendary Dame Diana Rigg as Mrs. Adela Bradley, an uppercrust socialite and clever feminist who likes to solve crimes with the assistance of her private driver George Moody (a young Neil Dudgeon). The real appeal of this series is the chemistry between the talented leads and knowing the driver will eventually become our beloved DCI Barnaby on Midsomer Murders. If you love period pieces with strong female protagonists solving mysteries, well, Mrs. Bradley walked so Miss Fisher could run, know what I mean?

Image Courtesy of Britbox

29. Return To Paradise - Britbox

(One season, 50 minutes each, 12 episodes total) In this latest spin-off to the popular locked room mystery series, Death In Paradise, Australian detective Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) returns to her hometown of Dolphin Cove following an incident in London, but tensions are high when she arrives and she doesn’t exactly receive a warm welcome. This is a welcome new chapter in the franchise, with love triangles, cozy cases and entertaining characters — and the beach, don’t forget the beach!

Image Courtesy of Acorn TV

28. Shakespeare & Hathaway - Britbox

(Five seasons, 35 minutes each, 50 episodes total) In the fifth season of this ultra-cozy British series, Frank Hathaway and Luella Shakespeare reunite to investigate unusual mysteries in Stratford-Upon-Avon, in cases inspired by the world-famous bard. This season, there are influencer feuds, deadly football and even a masked vigilante. This is an easy, light show good for some laughs, and is currently streaming on Britbox here in the States.

Image Courtesy of Britbox

27. Ludwig - Britbox

Image Courtesy of Acorn TV

26. Midsomer Murders - Acorn TV

(Twenty-four seasons, 90 minute episodes, 140 episodes total) The very memorable long-running UK series is popular for a reason — it pairs enjoyable characters with unusual murders in the beautiful scenery of the Cotswolds. Where else in the world could you off someone with an inflatable raft or a block of cheese? Read my review with a Best of Midsomer Murders episode list here. Season 25 is now streaming on Acorn TV.

Subscribe now

Behind The Scenes of Murder, She Wrote With Johnnathan Korver

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:20:11 GMT

Welcome to another edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! We’re happy you’re here. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murder mysteries in television and film. If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription or become a patron sleuth. A paid membership is $6 a month, or $70 annually, which includes access to over 165 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox, which makes each issue only four cents each! Click this button to upgrade to a paid subscription:

Subscribe now

Let me introduce you to my dear friend Johnnathan Korver, one of the most fascinating people you’ll ever meet. He’s fun and fabulous for a million and one reasons, but for the purpose of this OMITI edition, we’re focusing on his career in film and television.

Now retired from the entertainment industry, Johnnathan was a character actor and dress extra for over three decades. His anecdotes of his experiences in TV and film are the absolute best stories you can imagine! He’s had appearances in hit movies (The Naked Gun and Die Hard) and popular television shows (Parks and Recreation). But my favorite topic of conversation with him revolves around his experience on various TV shows during the heyday of murder mysteries and crime dramas of the 1980s, and he’s been on all of the best ones!

Because of my love for the character Jessica Fletcher and the legendary actress who played her, Angela Lansbury, we’re focusing on Johnnathan’s time working on Murder, She Wrote — easily one of the best and most memorable mystery series during this era of television.

Johnnathan Korver with Angela Lansbury

What do you love best about your time in television and what were some popular mysteries during this time?

I worked on most of the popular Mystery and Police TV shows airing in the 1980s — dramas like Cagney & Lacey, Hunter, Matt Houston and comedies like SledgeHammer! My favorite will always be Murder, She Wrote. I was in several episodes with the amazing Angela Lansbury and the most eclectic array of guest stars. Working on these television shows and films was my “College Experience” as working so closely with these talented people is a learning experience for the craft of acting, professionalism, and integrity. Being around talented crews and directors who work tirelessly hour after hour every day was a learning experience like no other.

Johnnathan Korver with the ladies of Loretta’s Beauty Parlor in Murder, She Wrote - Season 6, Episode 11, “Town Father.”

What was it like on the set of Murder, She Wrote?

Although we shot several episodes on location all over Los Angeles, I loved being on the sound stages and backlot at Universal Studios. The Cabot Cove set was located next to the man-made lake which housed Bruce, the Shark from Jaws, one of the Universal Studios Tour attractions where the trams would have to stop for a few moments if cameras were rolling on the exterior locations of Cabot Cove.

Of course, almost everyone on the tram had cameras and would take lots of pictures. One afternoon while the actors were waiting for the next camera set ups, a few of us decided to have some fun and turn the tables on the tourists who were passing by. At an opportune moment when they were all taking pictures of the Jaws attraction and the Cabot Cove set, about ten of us whipped out our cameras and started taking pictures of the tram passengers as if we were paparazzi. It was so much fun and the tour [group] was so happy to have their own impromptu red carpet moment. Shooting a TV show or film is a lot of hard work, long hours, and a lot of “hurry up and wait” scenarios, but we also had a lot of fun.

Why do you think Murder, She Wrote was so popular?

Well, of course seeing all the guest stars who were appearing on each episode, the writing, direction, and over-all production of the show was always stellar. Very well written with lots of twists and turns, trying to find out who did what to who and with what method. Sometimes, the obvious is not obvious at all!

What was Angela Lansbury like off camera?

Dame Angela Lansbury was the epitome of a wonderful woman whose loving nature, compassion, talent and integrity was worn on her shoulder and anyone who interacted with her would know all these things about her. That being said, she was also an amazing businesswoman who surrounded herself with like-minded people. She was a star and a friend. She treated people with the utmost respect and addressed any issues or challenges on and off the set with integrity and a genuine urgency to correct anything that was wrong, or needed to be dealt with immediately. Always with respect, integrity and yes, authority. One day during a very lengthy shooting schedule, someone had placed a sign on the Craft Services table — drinks, food — that read “Cast & Crew ONLY...NO EXTRAS.” When she saw the sign she calmly called over the head of Craft Services and explained why that sign was completely inappropriate and not in line with the way people are treated on the set of Murder, She Wrote. She addressed the situation with respect and authority, but also took the sign, ripped it in half, then ripped it in half again and threw it in the trash. She was always respectful and always inclusive, a true leader.

What are your favorite mystery TV shows or movies?

Well, Murder, She Wrote aside, I really like the Agatha Christie novels made into movies, like Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and Evil Under the Sun. I love Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. And it goes without saying that Iʼm very fond of the Perry Mason TV series which aired from 1957-1966, and then Ironside from 1967-1975. Of course, my very favorite “Solve The Case” P.I. ever is the best of the best, Tom Selleck as Magnum PI, 1980-1988.

What are your fondest memories of working in television and film throughout your career?

So many fond memories but this is my favorite. Angela Lansbury thought the way I spelled my name (Johnnathan) with two consecutive n’s was cute so she always greeted me as “Hello, Double N Johnn!” Iʼm honored.

You can catch Murder, She Wrote on Peacock and Roku TV. Be sure to check out Johnnathan Korver’s website, too! Johnnathankorver.com

This OMITI edition originally ran on December 18th, 2023.

Song of the Day: “Murder She Wrote, Main Theme” by John Addison

The Top Five Murder Mystery TV Shows & Movies On Plex

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:03:16 GMT

Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! We’re happy you’re here. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murder mysteries in television and film. If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription or become a patron sleuth. A paid membership is $6 a month, or $70 annually, which includes access to over 150 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox, which makes each issue only four cents each! With the money I’m about to save you, you can afford it! Click this button to upgrade to a paid subscription:

Subscribe now

Kim Basinger in L.A. Confidential. Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.

This is yet another Only Murders In The Inbox edition where I’m gonna insist on saving you money! 2026 is the perfect year to prioritize trimming your budget, sticking with the essentials and using what you save to spend on what matters most: your emergency fund and the people, places and things you love. Support small businesses. Give to your local library. Donate to PBS. Become a paid subscriber to some independent journalists and Substack newsletters you love (hint, hint). You don’t need expensive subscriptions to giant streaming platforms. Let me help you get great entertainment for free.

Be sure to check out this earlier edition of OMITI:

If you’re looking for a new streaming service, Plex is one of the best options for free entertainment. There’s a plethora of choices in multiple genres, with some of the best mysteries streaming for free in their Crime and Thriller categories (they even have my favorite noir, the Academy Award-winning L.A. Confidential, based on James Ellroy’s novel, available now). Also, although it gives you the option to create your own Plex account so that you can create your own watchlist and customize your search results, you don’t actually need to give Plex your email, credit card or any other personal information to use it.

In addition to mysteries available on-demand, there are several live channels you can find in the Plex guide. These are all free with limited commercials:

Ion Mystery (currently showing Bones)
AcornTV Mysteries (currently showing Foyle’s War, Dalgliesh, Ms. Fisher’s Modern Mysteries)
Britbox Mysteries (currently showing Jonathan Creek, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries)
A Midsomer Murders channel
A Murdoch Mysteries channel
Filmrise British TV
The Hunter channel
The BBC Silent Witness and New Tricks channel
A Touch of Frost channel
The Doctor Blake Mysteries channel
Prime Suspect channel
The Crime Thriller channel with The Closer

Here are five mysteries I recommend, so if you’re new to Plex and just want to try it out, these movies and TV shows are some options currently available as of March 2026.

Image Courtesy of Plex

5. Dial M For Murder

(Total run time 1 hour, 36 minutes, NR) In this 1954 classic, Ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) plots to murder his wealthy wife, Margot (Grace Kelly). When he discovers her affair with Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings), he comes up with the perfect plan to kill her. Things really get interesting when his scheme goes awry and he’s on his back foot!

Image Courtesy of BBC

4. Broadchurch

(3 seasons, 47 minutes each, 24 episodes total, Free on demand) Olivia Colman as DS Ellie Miller and David Tennant as DI Alec Hardy give masterful, award-winning performances in this crime drama centered around a young boy’s murder in a small coastal town.

Image Courtesy of Plex

3. Memento (2000)

(Run time 1 hour, 53 minutes, Rated R) Christopher Nolan’s murder mystery masterpiece about a man with amnesia (Guy Pearce) who chases clues from bits of notes and cryptic tattoos in order to solve his wife’s murder was nominated for two Oscars and won dozens of awards.

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Image Courtesy of Plex

2. In The Heat Of The Night

(Run time 1 hour and 50 minutes, Rated PG-13, Free on demand) This award-winning 1967 film stars Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs, a black police detective from Philly who’s mistakenly suspected of a murder when passing through a racially-charged Mississippi town. Once he’s cleared, the local police chief asks for his help investigating the killing. This film won five Oscars, including Best Picture as well as the Edgar Award and Golden Globe for Best Picture. Check out this memorable scene from the movie.

Image Courtesy of Acorn TV

1. Midsomer Murders

(25 seasons but only 22 are currently on Plex; 90 minute episodes, 140 episodes total, Available on Plex through the Midsomer Murders channel, which airs live) The very memorable long-running UK series is popular for a reason — it pairs enjoyable characters with unusual murders in the beautiful scenery of the Cotswolds. Where else in the world could you off someone with an inflatable raft or a block of cheese? Read my review with a Best of Midsomer Murders episode list here. If you love these episodes, check out Season 25, which is now streaming on Acorn TV. My favorite season is Season 22, check out the trailer for that season below.

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Song Of The Day: “In The Heat Of The Night” by Ray Charles

The March Agatha Christie Book Selection, Murder On The Orient Express

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:01:18 GMT

Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! We’re happy you’re here. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murder mysteries in television and film. If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription or become a patron sleuth. A paid membership is $6 a month, or $70 annually, which includes access to over 160 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox! Click this button to subscribe or to upgrade to a paid subscription, you may cancel anytime.

Subscribe now

The Read Christie 2026 book selection for March is considered to be one of the greatest murder mysteries ever written — Agatha Christie’s classic Murder On The Orient Express. Join us throughout March as we read, watch and discuss one of the most influential pieces of literature in crime fiction.

For everyone just joining us: my friend Erica Drayton over at Top in Fiction and Ink After Dark had a great idea back in January: Let’s participate in The Official Agatha Christie’s reading challenge for the year — Read Christie 2026 (you’ll find the full 2026 schedule listed below).

We’ve already read and discussed two novels! In case you missed them, here are our conversations about January and February’s books, The Body In The Library and Mrs. McGinty’s Dead.

Erica put together the following suggested schedule for reading Murder On The Orient Express and watching all four screen adaptations. Check it out here:

Ink After Dark

The March Month of Reading!

Hello all! Typically, I write up a “review” post for the end of the month that wraps-up my #ReadChristie2026. But March is a bit trickier. You see, I want to make sure I get the full depth and breath…

2 months ago · 3 likes · Erica Drayton

For the most recent theatrical film adaptation starring Kenneth Branagh, visit Hulu. In the U.K., you can catch the David Suchet Poirot version of this classic on ITVX and Netflix in the U.K. In Canada, check the PBS Masterpiece Channel on Prime Video and iciTouTV. For my readers and viewers in Japan, you can catch Poirot on Hulu, U-Next, and the Prime Video channel Cinefil Wow. For all other countries, check here:

Because I have Long Covid, I have a hard time concentrating so I end up listening to the audiobook while I’m reading along. There’s also a graphic novel of Murder On The Orient Express, and a Nintendo Switch game! There’s no wrong way to enjoy this murder mystery with us.

Catch Up On These Agatha Christie Editions

In honor of our reading selection and participation in Read Christie 2026, I’ve compiled all of the best OMITI editions featuring Agatha Christie and her works so you can get a refresher. These aren’t every single Agatha Christie-related edition — the Only Murders archives hold over 160 editions total — but they do tie nicely into the recommended reading. Here are some popular editions to help you get started.

Since Murder On The Orient Express is a Hercule Poirot mystery, you might enjoy this earlier OMITI edition about David Suchet originally from 2023, which ran again in April of last year.

I love trains, so I’m ecstatic this is our book! Check out this recent edition for even more mysteries on trains —

Last March we explored murder mysteries set during a Dinner Party, which turned out to be one of the most popular Only Murders editions to date! As many of you know, the dinner party is one of Agatha Christie’s favorite settings for crime.

This much-read OMITI edition from December 2023 mentions another one of Christie’s favorite settings: an island, a mansion, a chalet, stuck in the middle of a weather event that traps all of the characters with a killer or killers. My favorite example of this is And Then There Were None, but Murder On The Orient Express is a perfect example, too!

And I can’t forget the issue celebrating our birthday and Agatha Christie’s!

Share Only Murders In The Inbox

Ambience while you read:

Song of the Day: “Murder On The Orient Express” by Patrick Doyle

Reda and Erica Discuss Agatha Christie’s Mrs. McGinty’s Dead

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 16:30:11 GMT

Thank you , , and many others for tuning into my live video with ! If you haven’t yet, make sure to follow us on Substack Notes and subscribe to Only Murders In The Inbox and Top in Fiction. Join us in March for our next live video in the Substack app for Murder On The Orient Express.

Available for iOS and Android

Guy Ritchie Reunites With Sherlock

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:02:50 GMT

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:00:35 GMT

Hi, everyone! Thanks for being here. Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! If you’re new here, check out these editions:

Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murd…

Hidden Gems: My Pick For the Best Murder Mystery No One Else Is Talking About

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:57:50 GMT

Don’t Call Scarpetta A Murder Mystery

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:01:25 GMT

The Top Five Murder Mystery TV Series Currently Streaming On Hulu, With Trailers

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:00:34 GMT

Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox! We’re happy you’re here. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also curated suggestions and updates on the latest murder mysteries in television and film. If you’d like to support my writing, please sign up for a paid monthly subscription or become a patron sleuth. A paid membership is $6 a month, or $70 annually, which includes access to over 150 archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox, which makes each issue only four cents each! Click this button to upgrade to a paid subscription:

Subscribe now

You can tell from the title of this newsletter that I’m a big fan of Hulu and their catalog, and especially their hit series Only Murders In The Building. Hulu is also one of the few streaming services that has both a Crime and a Mystery section on their menu — and as you and I know, there is a difference! Unfortunately, it’s not as well organized by genre as I’d like, with series that could qualify as dramas or comedies stuck in those categories when they should be in mysteries. That being said, know I have thoroughly sifted through their murder mysteries to find you the best of what they have to offer.

Image Courtesy of Hulu

5. High Potential

(One Season, 43 minute episodes, 11 episodes total) Kaitlin Olson is Morgan, a single mom with three kids who works as a custodian at the local police precinct. While cleaning during her evening shift, Morgan notices the LAPD murder board of a particularly difficult case and realizes the detectives overlooked key pieces of evidence. Eventually, her high IQ lands her a consulting gig with the LAPD, which annoys Detective Karadec, a by-the-book detective who becomes her new partner. This show annoys my teens because the family dynamic is a carbon copy of the family on Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia, which isn’t untrue. However, as an underdog Morgan is charming, if a bit rough around the edges. Drew Goddard, who got his start in television with ABC’s Lost, is the creator and writer of this series.

4. Luther - Britbox

(5 seasons, hour long episodes, 20 episodes total) Idris Elba plays John Luther, a brilliant homicide detective wrestling with his troubled personal life while working to capture killers. His questionable methods to catch his suspects puts him at odds with his team of investigators. DCI John Luther has gone on to become one of the most important murder mystery protagonists in television. The thriller crime series ran from 2010-2019 and focused on the conflicted, troubled DCI Luther obsessed with catching and punishing murderers by getting inside their heads, leading to dire personal consequences. The series also has a follow up movie on Netflix, Luther: The Fallen Sun.

Image Courtesy of Hulu

3. Paradise

(Two seasons, 50 minutes each, 16 episodes total) This series was, straight out of the gate, one of the best murder mystery television pilots I’ve seen in a long, long time! A divisive election in American politics left its mark on pitches for the 2025 television season. Paradise, like The Residence, also has a political setting, but unlike the latter, is better categorized as a conspiratorial thriller than a comedy. This Hulu mystery series features Emmy winners Sterling K. Brown and Julianne Nicholson with Emmy nominee James Marsden. Brown plays Xavier Collins, the head of security for President Cal Bradford (Marsden). When Xavier finds the President dead one morning and is discovered by investigators to be the last person to have seen him alive, he’s under suspicion and clamouring to pin down the real killer. The second season premieres on Monday, February 23rd.

When The Weather Outside Is Frightful: The Best Locked Room Mysteries In A Storm

Reda Rountree (she/her) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:03:40 GMT

Hey, everyone! Welcome to Only Murders In The Inbox. To all of our new subscribers, thank you for joining us, I’m so happy you’re here. If you’re a long-time reader, thanks for sticking with me!

Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. There are also…