'Mapleworth Murders' Brings Comedy (& Queerness) to the Mystery Genre

We didn't know how much we needed it, but Mapleworth Murders is the hilarious (and queer AF) mystery series we've been searching ages for! 

A modern, comedic homage (and spoof) of past crime dramas like the Angela Lansbury classic Murder, She Wrote, Mapleworth Murders stars out lesbian actor and writer Paula Pell as Abigail, a novelist who has a knack for solving mysteries in her quaint, small town. With the help of her niece Heidi (Hayley Magnus) and the town's aloof cop (co-creator John Lutz), who also happens to be unaware of Abigail's queerness and has a huge crush on her, Abigail solves a bunch of recent deadly crimes that involve a star-studded list of guests, including Tina Fey, Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Nicole Byer, and so many more. 

"It came out pretty organically," Pell, Mapleworth's writer and star told PRIDE about creating the lead character Abigail, and what it was like to star as a queer character in a comedy-mystery. "John (Lutz) and I, when he came up with this idea and when we started fleshing out the characters, and it was like, 'I think Abigail needs to be gay.'" 

She continued: 

"Not overtly or secretly closeted or anything, she just sort of lives her life and is one of those spinsters that shares expenses with women. I had a very "handsome" friend in college and she spent a good deal of time with me, and she's not ashamed of anything. She just lives her adventure, and she loves to be with her female companions."

Watch PRIDE's interview with Mapleworth Murders stars & creators Paula Pell and John Lutz below!

New episodes of Mapleworth Murders drop Mondays on Quibi!