The Marlow Murder Club season 2 premiere ending explained: Was Sir Peter Bailey's death an accident or murder?

The Marlow Murder Club season 2 premiere episode aired on August 24, 2025, on PBS in the United States and on March 19, 2025, in the United Kingdom. The episode, titled Death Comes To Marlow Part 1, is directed by Steve Barron from a screenplay written by Robert Thorogood.

The comedy drama series returns for another murder mystery in the sleepy village of Marlow. Sir Peter Bailey is introduced as the latest victim in the premiere episode. Although the circumstances of his death seem like an accident, Judith and her friends find enough evidence to believe that it was premeditated murder.

The episode's official synopsis, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:

"When Sir Peter Bailey is found dead the day before his wedding, Judith, Becks, and Suzie investigate; with a young fiance, a bitter son, and a scheming ex, there is no shortage of suspects or motives."

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The Marlow Murder Club season 2 premiere.

Sir Peter Bailey's death in The Marlow Murder Club season 2 premiere episode sets off a new mystery

Natalie Dew seen as DS Tanika Malik in The Marlow Murder Club season 2 (Image via Instagram/@drew_natalie)

The Marlow Murder Club season 2 premiere episode begins with the wealthy Sir Peter Bailey approaching Judith Potts as he fears his life is in danger. To discuss the matter, he invites Judith and her friends to a garden party he's hosting the day before he marries his much younger nurse, Jenny Page.

At the party, Judith, Becks, and Suzie meet his son, Tristram, who creates a scene by showing up unannounced. Shortly after, everyone hears a loud crash and rushes to find Sir Peter's body crushed under the weight of a bookcase in his study. He is pronounced dead, seemingly from an unfortunate accident.

Moreover, the room was locked from inside, with the sole key found in Sir Peter's pocket. It seems impossible that someone entered the room and escaped, as there's no other way to get inside. DS Tanika Malik, who leads the investigation, believes there's no foul play, but Judith and her friends discover that both of Sir Peter's kids had motives to kill him.

By the end of the episode, Tanika comes to the same realization that Sir Peter was likely murdered and secretly joins the trio in their search for the truth.

Why is Tristram considered a suspect in The Marlow Murder Club season 2 premiere episode?

An image of Tristram Bailey from The Marlow Murder Club season 2 (Image via PBS)

Tristram was initially set to inherit his father's estate, but his disapproval of Jenny caused a rift between father and son. Sir Peter's lawyer, Andrew Husselbee, reveals that his client changed his will three weeks ago, with its contents remaining a mystery. However, the new will has gone missing, leaving the old one uncontested.

Suspicion around Tristram grows after Tanika's deputies, Brendan and Jason, learn about an incident three months prior where Tristram physically threatened his father during an altercation. Furthermore, Sir Peter's gardener, Adam Warner, also reports a box of rat poison missing from his gardening closet and suspects Tristram's role in it.

The episode ends with Judith and her friends following Tristram to an apartment estate, where he meets a young woman. Based on their interaction, they conclude that she is likely his accomplice in Sir Peter's murder and convey their suspicions to Tanika.

Rosanna's actions make her a suspect in The Marlow Murder Club season 2 premiere episode

An image of Rosanna Bailey from The Marlow Murder Club season 2 (Image via PBS)

Sir Peter's daughter, Rosanna, becomes another suspect after a missing button from her pinstripe jacket is found in her father's dressing room. When the murder-solving trio speaks to her, Rosanna reveals that she recently had a fallout with her father after he refused to help her with a business loan.

Worried that she may have been left out of the new will, Rosanna decides to check it out. Hence, she entered her father's room during the party to confirm her suspicions and ended up losing the button.

Watch all episodes of The Marlow Murder Club season 2 on PBS in the United States.

About the author

Deepti is an entertainment writer at Sportskeeda. She comes with more than 6 years of experience in the creative writing field and has written extensively for the entertainment and travel domains.

She holds a degree in Chemistry, but her true interest always lay in the creative field. A passion for reading from a young age fueled her desire to make a career change later in life and take up writing as her profession.

Apart from reading, her hobbies include watching movies, listening to music, and going to the beach. In her free time, she can be found looking up reviews of new and old films to add to her watchlist. She also enjoys watching foreign language films that help expand her knowledge base regarding different cultures around the world.

Asked to describe herself, she would promptly mention that she is a die-hard Swiftie and enjoys nothing more than listening to Taylor Swift songs on loop while writing.

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Edited by Deepti Sequeira