Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Mystery Revived: A Guide to the Netflix Adaptation’s Locations and Plot
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Netflix’s latest foray into the world of classic murder mysteries brings Agatha Christie’s 1929 novel, The Seven Dials Mystery, to a new audience wiht a compelling three-part adaptation. the series promises “dark conspiracies, secret societies, espionage and political intrigue” as a group of Edwardian socialites find themselves entangled in a deadly game. As the revival of murder mysteries continues – stepping aside The Thursday Murder Club and knives Out – this adaptation aims to honor Christie’s legacy while offering a fresh, widescreen outlook on the beloved story.
A Twisty Plot in the Roaring Twenties
Adapted by Broadchurch writer-creator Chris Chibnall, The Seven Dials Mystery is set in the 1920s, a period of recovery for the aristocracy following the Great War. The story unfolds against the backdrop of London’s Seven Dials, then a slum area harboring secrets that threaten national security. The narrative centers on Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent, portrayed by Mia McKenna-Bruce, a young aristocrat reluctantly drawn into investigating the mysterious death of her brother’s close friend, Gerry Wade (Corey Mylchreest).
Bundle quickly assembles a team of allies – gerry’s Foreign Office colleagues Ronnie Devereux (Nabhaan Rizwan) and Bill Eversleigh (Hughie O’Donnell), along with her confidant Jimmy Thesiger (Edward Bluemel) – but the discovery of a second body complicates matters. Superintendent Batt
Filming Locations: From Spain to Somerset
Spain: Setting the Stage for Intrigue
The town of Ronda itself, with its “dramatic gorge, historic bridge and winding old streets,” provided a natural sense of tension and scale. Another flashback scene, featuring a confrontation on a bridge, was also shot in Ronda.
Badminton House in Gloucestershire served as the exterior and interiors for Chimneys Estate, the ancestral home of Bundle and her mother.Gregson noted the estate’s scale was a key factor in its selection, despite having previously featured in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen. The house’s “lived-in interiors” were ideal for portraying Lady Caterham’s opulent yet slightly worn abode.
Bristol played a significant role as a stand-in for London. Bristol’s Queen Square provided the backdrop for London exteriors and the stairways of the Seven Dials Club.Westonbirt House in Gloucestershire, a Grade I listed mansion, was used for a social gathering at George Lomax’s country pile, Wyvern Abbey, requiring a swift turnaround to ensure the grounds were pristine for a scheduled wedding.
Recreating the 1920s
To capture the atmosphere of a 1920s speakeasy, the production team utilized Barrelhouse, a pub in Bristol, for the Seven Dials nightclub scenes.The club’s secret chamber was recreated at Bristol’s The Bottle Yard Studios, requiring extensive post-production work to recreate the slum-like conditions of the original Seven Dials area.
Further locations included The Ox Bristol,used for a dinner date between Bundle and Bill Eversleigh,and Abbey Green in Bath,which stood in for the fictional town of Market Basing. A thrilling car chase was filmed on Great Pulteney Street in Bath, while the climactic train sequence was shot at Minehead and Blue Anchor Stations in Somerset. The production team even installed air conditioning on the trains to keep the actors comfortable in their period costumes during a especially hot summer.
When and Where to Watch
all three episodes of Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Mystery are currently streaming on Netflix. A trailer for the series is also available online.
