This Is Not a Murder Mystery branded a “glossy, grisly whodunnit” – here’s where to stream it now

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The series This Is Not A Murder Mystery is a quirky Belgian crime story where famous artists find themselves trapped on an estate with a killer. The famous painter René Magritte takes on the role of detective in this surreal and unusual whodunit.

This English-language show, available on U&Drama and Channel 4, centers around a group of surrealist artists who are invited to perform at a fancy country house. After a wild opening night party, the artist Magritte finds a woman dead beside him and insists he’s innocent.

Pierre Gervais, a man known for his pipe and bowler hat, is determined to prove his innocence and decides to solve the mystery himself.

The series takes place in 1936, the year René Magritte – the artist famous for the painting ‘The Treachery of Images’ (often known as ‘This Is Not A Pipe’) – held his first solo show in New York. The show centers around a group of talented, unconventional artists and photographers – including Lee Miller, Man Ray, and Salvador Dalí – who find their friendships threatened when a mystery turns them all into suspects.

With a mix of charming mystery and nods to a fascinating period in history, This Is Not A Murder Mystery cleverly updates the traditional whodunit with humor and sophistication.

Critics have called this series a stylish and unsettling mystery, with a dreamlike quality (according to The Guardian). The show features a talented ensemble cast, including Iñaki Mur as Dalí, Florence Hall as Miller, Frank Bourke as Man Ray, Mike Hoffmann as Max Ernst, and Lauren Versnick as performance artist Sheila Legge.

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Okay, so in this show, the local police – DCI Thistlewaite, played by Stephen Tompkinson, and DC Mary Quant, played by Donna Banya (though she’s not the fashion designer!) – they basically get overshadowed by this other investigator, Magritte, who’s really laid-back but super determined. He kind of takes over everything.

Reviewers have described the series as an enjoyable and imaginative mystery, blending real details with fantastical elements. It’s been called a classic ‘whodunit’ featuring a cast of quirky and memorable characters, according to the Irish Independent and The Brussels Times.

This Is Not A Murder Mystery airs on U&Drama and is streaming on Channel 4.

The latest issue of Living Legends is now available! This 100-page, full-color magazine celebrates the incredible Sir David Attenborough. You can find it at newsstands or order it online.

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2026-04-30 00:19