Small-town settings, intriguing characters, amateur detectives, and of course, a healthy dose of humor. Cosy crime has become one of television’s strongest rising trends in recent years. The Puzzle Lady is among the newest and most remarkable examples of this wave. Adapted from American author Parnell Hall’s 20-book series, the show combines character-driven storytelling with Phyllis Logan’s captivating performance, standing out as one of the finest contemporary highlights of the cosy crime genre.
We spoke with Dominique Moloney, one of the creators and executive producers of The Puzzle Lady, about the current boom of cosy crime, the evolving representation of women on screen, and the making of this series.
You’re both the writer and the creator/executive producer of The Puzzle Lady. How did the project first take shape for you?
Dominique Moloney: I was first approached at the beginning of lockdown by Todd Berger who has an independent production company in the U.S. (December Films) and had bought the rights to The Puzzle Lady books. Given how the world had slowed down, I had the rare luxury of time to read them all. Cora was such a force of nature and the world of Bakerbury felt fresh and exciting. I worked closely with my script editor Tom Dalton, who executive produced and ultimately directed the show, and I had creative input throughout the process, including casting decisions, and the look, feel and tone of the show.
The Puzzle Lady is based on the 20-book series by American author Parnell Hall, who passed away in 2020. Were you involved in the decision to adapt the novels for television, and what can you tell us about the development process?
Dominique Moloney: Todd Berger was specifically looking for a British writer to set the series in the UK, presumably because of the popularity of British cosy crime. Parnell Hall’s novels were set in Connecticut, USA, but I felt it lent itself to a slightly eccentric Englishness. I’d never adapted a series of novels before, but I had written murder mysteries for years, and I was drawn to the books’ irreverent tone and energy.
Parnell had woven crossword puzzles into every story, which worked well in the books, but I felt wouldn’t be visual enough for a TV audience, so I decided to take the mysteries in a different direction and focus more on the puzzle of solving murders. I had the great pleasure to meet Parnell on a video call from his home in New York, a few months before he passed away, and he gave me his blessing to do whatever I wished with Cora Felton. I think he would have loved Phyllis Logan in the role.
The series follows Cora, who built a regional following with her puzzle column and now finds herself solving murders. She’s such a fun character, and as the story unfolds we see that her obsession with crime-solving comes from a deep need to prove herself. What qualities about Cora do you like the most?
Dominique Moloney: I like that Cora’s unfettered by the rules that most of us, especially women, impose on ourselves. She swears, she drinks too much, she smokes, and she’s happy to take outrageous risks and liberties if she thinks it’ll help crack a case. But most of all she’s got heart, she’d do anything for her niece Sherry and the people she loves, and despite her unethical approach at times, she has a strong moral core.
Cora starts her journey a little insecure and disillusioned, but once she’s pulled into the thrill of a mystery, she investigates as meticulously as the police, sometimes even more so. That journey also deepens her relationship with her niece Sherry, which I found really compelling to watch. I loved seeing their bond, their past and present, and it left me wanting to know where their lives go next. What were your thoughts and feelings as you wrote Cora and Sherry’s dynamic?
Dominique Moloney: I think Cora’s insecurity about being somewhat fraudulent is what drives her to prove herself as a sleuth – she’s a woman truly coming into her own as she discovers a talent she never knew she had. In many ways Sherry is on a similar journey as she reinvents herself after escaping a violent marriage.
Cora and Sherry have that classic odd couple dynamic; they’re very different, so they bicker and clash often, but they adore each other and that’s obvious in every scene. The wonderful Phyllis and Charlotte had never met before, but their chemistry was unmistakeable on (and off) screen – they played that instant familial bond and emotional history that felt utterly authentic.
The casting in The Puzzle Lady is just as striking as the story itself. I found Phyllis Logan absolutely captivating, even in the quiet moments at her kitchen table, and Charlotte Hope brings her character to life in a very profound way. What can you tell us about the casting process?
Dominique Moloney: Because of the nature of TV and film production, casting is almost always the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place (so to speak) and believe it or not Phyllis was cast just two weeks before filming began – she was the last role to be cast and had the very great responsibility of carrying the show. She was of course an inspired choice, and I can’t imagine anyone else playing Cora. Charlotte screen tested, and it was clear early on she was perfect for the role of Sherry. As for the rest of the cast, we used a Northern Irish casting director as we filmed in Belfast, so we had a wealth of wonderful Irish and Northern Irish actors to choose from, including the brilliant Adam Best who plays DI Hooper.
The Puzzle Lady is such a delightful and successful example of cosy crime, with its small-town setting, amateur detective, contained murders, and witty humor, it really embraces everything we love about the genre. In recent years, we’ve seen more and more cosy crime series and films being produced and watched. Why do you think that is?
Dominique Moloney: I think cosy crime is popular because they keep audiences guessing, and at their core they’re morality tales, with good triumphing over evil. With the world as complicated as it’s become in recent years, I think we lean into stories that don’t feel too dark and upsetting, but can still pack an emotional punch as well as make us laugh. These shows feel satisfying because our heroes put the world to rights.
Female characters have always played a crucial role in crime narratives, and their representation has shifted a lot over the past century. Thinking about The Puzzle Lady, how do you see the evolution of female leads in crime dramas today?
Dominique Moloney: I think the first step in the process was simply having more women represented in leading roles, particularly older women with interesting and complex emotional lives. That has definitely moved into the mainstream, but social attitudes still have a way to go – for instance some critics objected to The Puzzle Lady featuring an older woman swearing, drinking and being generally outspoken, something male characters have always done without question. Allowing female characters to have flaws and make mistakes is important, and audiences still rooting for them is a sign of progress.
What are some of your own favorite cosy crime novels, series, or films?
Dominique Moloney: I love Only Murders in the Building for it’s whimsy, humour and zany quality. And one of my favourite films is The Name of the Rose which is essentially a dark and brilliant whodunnit.
Are there any updates you can share about a second season of The Puzzle Lady?
Dominique Moloney: The show did very well with audience numbers when it was broadcast in the UK on Channel 5 in June this year, and we’re still waiting to see how well it does when it airs in the rest of the world this Autumn. That said, the producers and cast are keen for us to go again, as am I, and I’ve got lots of ideas for a potential second series, so watch this space…
I’d also love to hear a bit more about you personally. How did your journey as a writer begin?
Dominique Moloney: I initially went to Film School as I wanted to be a filmmaker, but gradually my passion for screenwriting took centre stage. That said, it took many years before I made a decent living as a TV writer! I started out in BBC radio drama, moved on to long-running soaps like Doctors and EastEnders, and was a core writer on a hospital drama called Casualty for a while.
My first original show was a BBC crime drama called WPC 56 about a pioneering young policewoman in Birmingham in the 1950’s. It ran for three series (2012-2015). I currently have two more original series in development, a legal drama called The Basement Files and an anthology drama with touches of supernatural horror called The Blink of an Eye.
You’ve written several well-loved crime dramas, including Father Brown, Sister Boniface Mysteries, and Shakespeare & Hathaway. It seems you have a real passion for crime and cosy mysteries. How did your interest for crime begin?
Dominique Moloney: I didn’t grow up reading murder mysteries, like Agatha Christie, so came to it about fifteen years ago when I wrote my first episode of Father Brown. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with the genre.
As we approach the end of 2025, we’re asking writers, showrunners, and directors around the world to share their favorite crime novels, films, and series of the past 25 years. What would be on your list?
Dominique Moloney: My favourite crime film is David Fincher’s Zodiac, because of its multi-character structure, and the impact a single case has on the investigators’ lives over decades. I’ve recently revisited the Fargo film, and TV series, and they’re utterly brilliant. True Detective Series 1 & 3 are exceptional. Frankly, the golden age of television has been going strong since The Sopranos smashed onto the scene in the 90s, so there are too many great crime shows to list.
This exclusive interview was featured in 221B Magazine’s MIPCOM 2025 issue.
