Talking ‘Marlow Murder Club’ With Actress Jo Martin

Doctor Who fans will know Jo Martin as the incredible Fugitive Doctor (who’s about to make her Big Finish debut in November). Mystery fans, however, can enjoy Martin this month in The Marlow Murder Club, a new series on PBS where Martin’s character, Suzie, finds herself joining two locals in trying to catch a killer. For more on the show and filming in Marlow, check out this interview with Martin below:

Rachel Bellwoar: As someone who’s acted on other crime shows (including Whitstable Pearl and Death in Paradise), what stood out to you about Robert Thorogood’s scripts for The Marlow Murder Club?

Jo Martin: Robert’s scripts really stood out because although it’s a murder mystery, it was full of humour with so many plot twists. It was also refreshing to have four female leads from various generations solving crime.

Bellwoar: How was it getting to actually film in Marlow and had you spent much time there before?

Martin:  I had never been to Marlow, filming there was a joy. Marlow is charming, so beautiful, a lovely place to spend the summer.

Bellwoar: All four episodes of season 1 are directed by Steve Barron. Was it helpful to have that consistency?

Martin: It’s quite rare these days to have one director on a series. Steve Baron is a phenomenal director, he is so creative with a great eye, he is also an actors director, he gives the best notes.

Bellwoar: On the show, the members of the murder club bond while trying to solve two murders. Do you have any favorite behind-the-scenes stories from working with Samantha Bond (Home Fires) and Cara Horgan (Jane Eyre)?

Martin: Samantha is a great actress, with a great sense of humour, her laugh is infectious. Her character always eats sweets that she doesn’t like, every time she has to eat one she makes Steve eat one too, he doesn’t like them either, it’s very amusing.

Bellwoar: When she’s not solving crimes, Suzie is also a dog walker. Did you enjoy getting to incorporate her tools of the trade into a murder investigation?

Martin: Being a dog walker Susie knows all the shortcuts and back roads, to get somewhere quick on foot. She is also very good at reading people, she is in people’s homes, collecting the dogs, she observes a lot.

Bellwoar: Suzie deeply cares about her daughter, Zeta (Teagan Imani), but in season one we don’t get to see them together much. Is that a relationship you’d like to see explored more in season two?

Martin: Yes, I think it would be great to explore their relationship more, for most of season one she is in Jamaica visiting her useless dad. Suzy has brought her up on her own with very little help from her ex partner. Zeta and Suzy are very close but I think Zeta is growing up and is pulling away from her mum.

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Jo!

Marlow Murder Club premieres Sunday, October 27th on PBS and will be available to stream on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel.