The Marlow Murder Club - By Robert Thorogood
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the novel The Ex-Wife by Jess Ryder being adapted for TV and how I thought it had spoilt some of the elements of the book. Today, I am going to take the opposite view...
Last week, I watched The Marlow Murder Club when it aired last week and REALLY enjoyed it! Yes, it was still a bit slow, but overall I thought it was much better than the book. I have the book sitting at 50% on my Kindle and am not tempted to finish it even though I have watched the TV series.
I AM, however, hoping that the next two books get adapted for TV too. But, there's not one bit of me that intends to read these either!
So...it begs the question of why? How did the show grab me more than the book?
Simple...the beautiful scenery just didn't come to life enough in the book for me - despite some ornate describing from Thorogood. Plus, the characters come across more effectively in seeing them on the screen.
Now, I probably should say that I am a HUGE Thorogood fan in terms of his Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise work. Never before had I read one of the few Death in Paradise books - mainly as they were pricier on Kindle than I wanted to pay. Then I saw The Marlow Murder Club and paid very little for it and found that I didn't like his writing style!
He, however, when working on the shows seems to manage to transform his characters, settings, mysteries and dialogues into something that I want to watch!
As I said, I still think that - at two, two hour shows, minus some ads - that The Marlow Murder Club was a little long. There was a LOT to fit in...SPOILERS...three murders, so I suppose it was better to be thorough (pun intended) than to scrimp...and, in usual Thorogood fashion, it was complicated. So, rushing may have lost key points and I know - from what I did read of the novel - it's already been streamlined for the TV adaptation.
One more thing...there was a similar plot (apparently) in a Death in Paradise episode...I read this whilst looking at some news articles. This, I will need to check...despite me having re-watched Death In Paradise episodes SEVERAL times! I thiiiiink I am looking for the one where the current Inspector - Ralf Little - appeared as a different character from what the article said.
It does make me think it a bit odd that a writer would recycle their own ideas in a different setting...but has given me something to research and check on!
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