Moonflower Murders cast: Who stars in the Magpie Murders follow-up?

This time round, she's approached by a couple who want her to find their missing daughter – but will she be able to help?

Having retired and moved to Greece to run a hotel with her boyfriend, it's safe to say that Susan is unsure. But of course, she can't help but try to assist in the case.

Read more:

• Moonflower Murders star Lesley Manville says series is "quite unexpected"
• Lesley Manville stars in mysterious teaser for Moonflower Murders

A number of familiar faces return alongside Lesley Manville and Tim McMullan, who stars as fictional detective Atticus Pünd. But who's who in the cast? Read on for a full rundown of the key Moonflower Murders cast below.

Moonflower Murders cast: Full list of characters and actors in BBC drama

• 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 about where you've seen the cast before and who they play, keep scrolling.

Lesley Manville plays Susan Ryeland

Who is Susan Ryeland? A former book editor who oversaw the Atticus Pünd mystery novels. She is now retired and running a hotel in Greece with her boyfriend.

"What's coming up in Moonflower is quite unexpected, certainly for Susan," said Manville. "A couple, the Trehernes... come to the hotel in Crete because they know Susan was the publisher of the Atticus Pund books. Their daughter has gone missing and... eight years prior on her wedding day, a murder took place in their hotel.

"Before their daughter disappeared, she read Atticus Pund Takes the Case, which is one of the novels that Alan Conway wrote, and she knows something about the murder that happened eight years ago that's made her disappear."

What else has Lesley Manville been in? 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

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

"Well, he's dying, essentially, at the end of Magpie Murders, or we know he's going to die," said McMullan. But in this next story, of course Susan is going forward in time, but Atticus Pünd is going back in time into a previous book. So actually he's a little bit younger than he was in Magpie Murders and he's not ill. So, that's where he is.

What else has Tim McMullan been in? He's 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 the day of Cecily's wedding. In the book, he's a film producer who may have been responsible for killing Melissa.

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

Daniel Mays plays Locke / Chubb

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

"The 1950s storyline with Chubb is, in fact, a prequel to the 50s take in Magpie Murders from season one," said Mays. "So, we're kind of going back in time and that story is actually set in Devon. The first time that he meets Pünd in this story is actually the first time that they've ever met.

"Then on the flip-side of that, for Locke it's a follow-up to Magpie Murders and he's a normal, close to anger, quite difficult character really. He's like a bear with a sore head again. He's furious with the fact that Susan Ryland is back on his territory again and so he ensues some sort of quite heavy two-handers with Lesley Manville's character, Susan."

What else has Daniel Mays been 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

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

"I'm happy to say, by the power of prequel, I've been brought back to life to play Alan Conway again," said Hill. "We saw him be pushed to a terrible death in Magpie Murders. Magpie Murders was his last novel.

"This novel is his 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 the two ongoing '50s and contemporary investigations and it’s the same with this."

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

Pippa Bennett-Warner plays Madeline Cain

Who is Madeline Cain? "Madeline is in the '50s part of the show. She is Atticus Pünd's new secretary," explained Bennett-Warner. "She's a film fanatic, and a really brilliant character, very complex and funny. She's been an absolute delight to play. I hope that audiences enjoy her as much as I've enjoyed playing her."

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

Alexandros Logothetis plays Andreas Patakis

Who is Andreas Patakis? Susan's boyfriend. They are running a hotel together in Crete, but it's falling apart and they're run out of money, which puts significant strain on their relationship.

What else has Alexandros Logothetis been in? He's best known for I paralia.

Will Tudor plays Aiden MacNeil / Algernon Marsh

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

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

Additional cast includes:

• Amy Griffiths (Endeavour) plays Cecily MacNeil – a body is found on her wedding day. A short time later, she goes missing.
• 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 continues at 9:15pm on Saturday 30th December on BBC One and iPlayer, with all episodes available to stream on iPlayer now.

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