Murder Is Easy isn't at all dire, and I think it is unfair to say it has no redeeming qualities. Flawed it is, and not quite as good as Pocket Full of Rye, it is well worth watching. One reason is the splendid photography, and the wonderful period detail. The scenes down by the river in particular were beautifully shot. Julia McKenzie, despite the fact that Miss Marple isn't in the book, is evidently making the most of her role and is settling in quite nicely. Of course I have always said that Joan Hickson is the best Miss Marple, but McKenzie brings a certain wisdom and sparkle to her interpretation, and it was lovely to see. The music score was beautiful, very haunting yet had a tragic undertone to it. However, as an adaptation it is disappointing, though I will say right now, I prefer this adaptation above almost all the Geraldine McEwan adaptations, save Murder is Announced and Murder At the Vicarage. The plot does suffer from a number of deviations from the text, and came across sometimes as a tad confusing, and there was about half an hour when I barely knew who the characters were. Another problem was some of the dialogue, including (forgive my vague recollection) the Major's conversation with the sergeant about golf, when he was asked to give his alibi. The sergeant's dim-witted responses came across as rather awkward. Though I will say the acting was fine, with good performances from Anna Chancellor, Sylvia Syms and Lyndsey Marshall. Shirley Henderson- I am still trying to get over the fact she played Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets- overdoes it slightly in the role of Honoria Wainfleet though. Overall, disappointing but not all bad. 7/10 Bethany Cox