As this episode of Moonflower Murders begins, Aiden MacNeil (Will Tudor) speaks before his wedding to Cecily MacNeil (Amy Griffiths). He tells his mom that none of this would be possible without her. Aiden says the women have a powerful voice in the Treherne family. Cecily takes the microphone and speaks about her husband. Natasha Dmityeva (Aliona Baranova) comes out of the house distraught. Cecily is proud of her mom and dad who bought Branlow Hall many years ago and turned it into one of the most successful hotels in Suffolk. Natasha approaches and says something in Russian. Her hands are covered in blood. Natasha yells that he’s dead. Eight years later, Susan Ryeland (Lesley Manville) and Andreas Patakis (Alexandros Logothetis) deal with Nick (Paul Dunphy) and Clara (Davina Moon).

Clara threatens to leave a comment about an infestation in the room on Trip Advisor. Nick explains they want 50% off the bill. Susan goes out for a walk. Yiorgus (Giannis Koukourakis) tells Andreas that he needs his money. They experience numerous problems at the motel. Vangelis (Kostis Daskalakis) and the others try to rectify those issues. Susan sees them struggling and helps clean up the mess. She complains to Andreas that they have no electricity and water is all over the place. Susan says they have 14 guests and they won’t be able to cook lunch. Later, Susan sees Atticus Pund (Tim McMullan) She looks at job positions online. Andreas checks on her and asks if she’s coming to bed. Susan argues Crete and the hotel are not working. She’s tired of everything and they have no money.

Andreas wants her to focus on the view and the beauty of the area. They talk about Yannis who is supposed to be their main investor. Susan reminds him that Yiorgos quit because he wasn’t paid. She thought she saw someone she knew today, but she isn’t sure who it was. Andreas believes she’ll feel better in the morning. The next day, Susan welcomes guests to the Trifilli. The guests explain they’re staying at the Blue Palace in Elounda. Lawrence Treherne (Adrian Rawlins) and Pauline Treherne (Pooky Quesnel) want to speak to Susan about a personal matter. Their daughter has gone missing in England so they traveled out here to speak to her. They think it may be because of one of Susan’s books. Susan is reluctant to help, but they keep pressuring her until she does.

Susan confirms she read about the murder of Frank Parris (Mark Gatiss). They explain it happened at their motel, Branlow Hall, which is where their daughter got married in June eight years ago. Frank Parris checked in on a Friday evening. Lawrence knew he was going to be trouble the moment he arrived. He was proven right when Frank enters with Derek Endicott (Thomas Coombes) to complain about his room. Derek says he’s in number 23 and he told him they were full. Lawrence explains his daughter is getting married so they’re full. Aiden enters and suggests they might have something in the Moonflower wing. He moves Parris to room twelve. Parris asks Aiden to show him up to the room. Aiden mentions his wife’s dog named Chase. In the present, Lawrence says people liked Aiden. One wing was called Barn Owl and the other was called Moonflower.

Frank had traveled from Australia to visit his sister. There was a staff party at eight on the night before the wedding. Cecily wanted the workers to be part of the celebrations. Stefan Leonida (Alec Secareanu) was there. He had been in prison before coming to work at the motel. Lawrence was running an outreach problem for young offenders, but it didn’t work out for Stefan. Their daughter, Lisa, gave Stefan his notice and this was his last week. Frank was murdered in his room just two hours later and Stefan became the primary suspect. Natasha found the body the next day around the time Aiden was giving his speech. Natasha discovered a bloody hammer on the ground and Frank’s lifeless body. Detective Superintendent Locke (Daniel Mays) was in charge. Locke comes in and speaks to everyone about Frank’s murder.

He points out that the lock to room 12 wasn’t forced. Locke questions who had a spare key. They say that Pauline, Cecily, Stefan, and Derek had a key. Cecily quickly points to Stefan who had a criminal record. Stefan says he was asleep and didn’t go around room 12. Locke says Derek says he saw him in the moonflower wing just before midnight. He also denies stealing anything from the motel. Stefan says Derek is a friend and a good man. Locke believes Frank’s wallet was opened after he was killed. He urges Stefan to admit to the truth, but Stefan is adamant he didn’t kill Frank. The police check Stefan’s room. Locke finds red stains on his bed. Bloody money is found hidden in a book. Lawrence says it was an open and shut case. Six months later, Stefan was found guilty of murder. By then, he had confessed. Stefan was given a life sentence and remains behind bars.

Pauline says they think this is connected to “Atticus Pund Takes The Case”. Lawrence believes Alan Conway came to his hotel and used the real events as inspiration. They’re running a motel called the Moonflower. Frank Parris is turned into Oscar Berlin. Lawrence becomes Lance, Pauline becomes Maureen, Lisa becomes Melissa, and Aiden becomes Algernon Marsh. Cecily is not in the book but she read it. Cecily always wanted to believe Stefan was innocent. She accepted he was guilty until she read the book. Cecily calls Lawrence to say the book disclosed the killer. Someone entered the room and the call ended. Pauline says they think Cecily is frightened and hiding. They want Susan to come to the hotel and read the book. They offer to pay her 10,000 pounds.

Susan has to tend to the hotel. Later, she looks at the book written by Alan Conway (Conleth Hill). Alan sits down to write his book. He mentions Tawleigh and its most famous resident, Melissa James. She was a famous actress until an accident on the set of a Hitchcock film brought a sudden end to her career. She used the insurance money to buy the motel and call it The Moonflower. Melissa goes into the motel and speaks to Maureen about Lance Gardner. Melissa surprised Lance who is listening to the racing news. She has been looking at the accounts and they’re losing money even when the motel is full. Melissa has asked her financial adviser to do a complete audit. Algernon Marsh is coming down to deal with it for her. Marsh hits a man with his car and leaves him.

Oscar stops Melissa before she can leave the motel. He explains that he wants an answer. He wants her to return for a movie called The Queen’s Ransom. Melissa has decided not to do it. Oscar complains that she’ll ruin him if she backs out of the film now. Melissa refuses to change her mind. Andreas finds Susan reading and tells her the plumber has arrived. Susan sends him away and returns to the book. Melissa gets close to the home of Dr. Leonard Collins (Liam Garrigan) who was her physician. He would be one of the latest people to see her alive. Leonard tells Samantha (Jeany Spark) about money she’s going to receive. She was the sole beneficiary. Samantha thinks she needs to tell her brother, but Leonardo doesn’t think she should. She reveals he’s coming down from London to see Melissa. He’s staying with them. Leonard pleads with her not to trust him.

Melissa returns to her home at Clarence Keep. She goes inside and says hello to Phyllis Chandler. Phyllis says John Spencer is there and she’s going out with Eric. Eric is meticulously polishing silver when Phyllis Chandler (Joanna Bacon) approaches and scolds him for not having it done sooner. After confirming it was her, she claims the woman never said anything. He questions if she knows. She says they will know soon enough and he deserves whatever happens. Elsewhere, Melissa finds Spencer waiting for her. He asks if she saw Lance and Maureen. She refuses to talk about it before informing him of her impending meeting with Algernon. He complains about missing the opera after they acquired tickets weeks ago and insists on staying with her.

She assures him that he will not be needed because they plan to discuss money which he has never earned. She reminds him that they are from two different worlds and the opera isn’t for her. He attributes their marriage to his parents cutting him off. Melissa demands he go to the opera and sleep in the spare room tonight. Spencer storms out of the house, gets in the car, and speeds away. She is walking down the hallway when the doorbell rings. Algernon arrives at Melissa’s house and waits in the living room. An upset John stops his car. Melissa tells Phyllis she’d like to talk to her and Eric before they leave. Then, she approaches Algernon. Melissa tells him about her terrible day. She reveals she wants to sell her shares in Day’s End Holdings because she needs money. She feels like she’s being sucked dry. He claims Day’s End Holdings will make her rich, but Melissa says it hasn’t made her a penny.

Algernon asks Melissa if he’s ever given her bad advice. Melissa doesn’t want to argue because she’s come to the end of the road. She needs to cash in her shares now. Susan says the shares aren’t worth anything because Algernon is ripping her off. Algernon is based on Aiden. She doesn’t know what that is supposed to tell her. Susan admits to Atticus that Alan showed her a picture of Frank Parris in a newspaper. She might’ve said it would make a good story. Atticus talks about why murder is the worst crime. They talk about whether Susan believes Cecily is dead. Cecily sees something in the book that tells her who killed Frank. She calls her parents and someone overhears the conversation. That person might’ve killed her. Susan argues the book has nothing to do with what happened at Branlow Hall. Atticus questions what Cecily saw. Susan can’t leave it alone if it’s her fault.

Susan and Andreas share a drink. She tells him she’s going back to England tomorrow because she’s been offered a job. Andreas warns her that everything to do with Alan is bad and she was almost killed the last time. Susan tells him about Cecily Treherne who is missing. They’re finished without the money. Susan isn’t sure she’ll come back when she finds her. She admits this world isn’t for her. Susan goes on to say she misses books and being an editor. She wants to build another life and she isn’t sure she wants it to be in Crete. Susan tells him to think about the money. Susan leaves the following day. On the plane, she reads the book and learns that Melissa made many enemies in Tawleigh.

The hotel managers were in fear of her and Oscar’s life was ruined because of her. Algernon is hiding something from her. What would her husband, John Spencer, do after she rejected him? Eventually, Melissa is killed.

 

Moonflower Murders Review

The opening episode of Moonflower Murders quickly set up the main characters in and out of Alan Conway’s novel. It also explained Susan’s new life, her difficulty settling in, and how she becomes involved in Cecily’s disappearance. Although the series has a unique angle, there really isn’t much out of the ordinary here.

It’s another British crime drama in the same vein as Father Brown, Sister Boniface, Signora Volpe, and on, and on, and on, and on. Some of these shows are more effective than others, but they’re basically identical. Moonflower Murders stands apart because part of it takes place in the present and the rest happens in Conway’s novel.

The problem here is that this requires a great deal of effort from viewers who may not be watching as closely as intended. Another issue is the overall corniness of the show, especially the scenes from the novel. This makes it very difficult to take the show seriously. The whole thing is farfetched so viewers will have to suspend reality to accept and enjoy Moonflower Murders. It doesn’t help that the acting in the novel scenes is really forced and cheesy.

As a brainless watch with little expectations, this is just as good as the aforementioned British crime dramas. Those looking for meaning, depth, and emotions will need to look elsewhere. The episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of Moonflower Murders can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. See what others are saying here.