Judith Sets a Dangerous Trap in 'The Marlow Murder Club' Season 1 Finale

We're having a rough start on The Marlow Murder Club in Season 1's final episode. Tanika and the sleuthing trio are all reeling from the murder of Liz Curtis when we reunite with them at the top of the episode. Judith is re-evaluating everything on her murder board. Suzie is walking her dogs through the park with no spring in her step. However, Becks is astounded her family couldn't care less about the trauma she's just been through. 

Luckily, Judith isn't one for an extended pity party. She stays up and puts together the shredded papers from Giles Bishop's office, revealing a set of rowing scores on one side and obituaries on the other. Giles used the names of people from the obituary as witnesses to the changing of Iqbal's neighbor's will, cutting Iqbal out of his inheritance. Unfortunately, Giles has the alibi of being in the hospital during the time of Iqbal's murder. 

That's why Judith is unveiling her secret weapon. Her great aunt, whose house she inherited, was a bit of a hoarder, and she has decades of newspapers stored at the back of the house. She brings Bex and Suzie over to sort through the papers and find clippings of when Elliot Howard's secondary school won races. She's sure they'll find a connection to Giles Bishop and make a real break in the case. 

The problem with having two sleuthing best friends is that they also can't help but snoop, even in your personal business. While Becks and Judith are combing through newspapers, Suzie sneaks off to the work room where Judith has artifacts from her dig in Greece. Suzie uncovers a newspaper article that implicates Judith in the theft of a statue from her own dig. She confesses that her husband was actually the thief but that she unknowingly covered up for him. Suzie and Becks try to reassure Judith that it wasn't her fault, but it's too much vulnerability for the older woman, and she promptly kicks them out of the house. 

After reviewing the evidence, Judith makes a call to Daisy Howard to confirm her suspicions that Elliot is part of these murders. Daisy reveals that Elliot is packing up for an impromptu fishing trip. Judith calls Giles Bishop next, only to be told by his secretary that he's on his way to Manchester. The two conspicuous trips tell Judith that the duo plans to murder her next, and she begins to set a trap for them at her manor. 

Thankfully, Judith also calls Becks to warn her to stay away. Becks and Suzie prove loyal to the soil and go to Tanika for help. Suzie is so concerned about Judith that she even ditches her kid at the airport to check on her friend. However, they are still gathering enforcement when the murderer enters Judith's house. 

Surprise, it's Danny Curtis! Judith gets to deliver the standard detective's monologue, revealing how the murders occurred. Danny booked Iqbal's taxi under his wife's name so that he could steal the luger. He then killed Stephan Dunwoody for Elliot Howard. Elliot Howard killed Iqbal for Giles Bishop. Finally, Giles Bishop killed Liz for Danny. Judith put it all together when she remembered seeing a blue kayak outside of Stephan's house on the day of the murder, which didn't jive with one of the articles on the murder board where Stephan said he didn't know how to swim. 

The trio met at the regatta, where Stephan and Elliot got into their screaming match. It was Elliot's idea to commit the murders and make it all seem like one person did it. Danny has a villain laugh when he says that Judith is the only one to figure it out and it won't matter because he's about to kill her, but Judith fights back. Then Suzie and Becks (with the police) show up just in time to ensure that Judith is alright. 

All three men are arrested. Tanika gets the validation she needs at work. Judith apologies for cutting the other women out of her investigation at the last minute, but she was doing it to protect them. They have a boat picnic with champagne to celebrate, and we can join in because we already know they'll be back to solve another crime in Season 2. 

The Marlow Murder Club Season 1 is available to stream on PBS.org, the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel, and PBS Passport for members. Season 2 is already in production and expected out in 2025.