Amanda Abbington to Star in Agatha Christie-Inspired Mystery Jones
GET YOUR STREAMING GUIDE HERE
In some cases, we earn commissions from affiliate links in our posts.
Last Updated on April 24, 2026 by Stefanie Hutson
Amanda Abbington is heading into classic mystery territory with Jones, a new Portuguese drama that's been heavily influenced by Agatha Christie-style storytelling. Produced by Caracol Studios for RTP, the six-part series pairs a country-house-style murder setup with supernatural elements and a multilingual cast, giving it a slightly different shape from a straightforward period whodunit.
What is Jones about?
At the center of the story is Oliver Jones, a detective played by José Pimentão, who has the unsettling ability to speak to the dead. After a murder at an elegant family gathering in Sintra, he teams up with the victim, Júlia, to investigate a maze of secrets, lies, and spectral clues. The setup has obvious Christie echoes, with a wealthy gathering, a contained suspect pool, and the sense that everyone may be hiding something.
Bruno Gascon has been quite direct about that influence, describing Jones as his tribute to classic mystery stories and saying it is deeply inspired by Agatha Christie. Trade coverage has also described the series as blending Agatha Christie-style puzzle-box mechanics with dark humor, family tension, and supernatural intrigue, which suggests the show is aiming for something familiar in structure but less traditional in tone.
Amanda Abbington’s role
Though we don't cover a large number of European mysteries, this one is worthy of a mention for its casting of Amanda Abbington, best known for Sherlock and Mr. Selfridge. She plays Eve, described as a sharp-witted, slightly off-kilter actress who becomes drawn into the investigation. Gascon has said Abbington was perfect for the role and that her presence suited the show’s Christie-tinted world, while also bringing the kind of dry British humor he felt the series needed.
Abbington has said previously that she was drawn both to Eve as a character and to the show’s multilingual approach. She also noted that filming in Portugal was part of the appeal, and described the series as character-driven, with different languages weaving through the story in a way that felt unusual and fresh.
Who’s making it?
Jones is created and directed by Bruno Gascon, whose previous work includes Carga, Sombra, and the series Irreversível. The wider cast includes Laura Dutra as Júlia, along with Ivo Canelas, Rui Morrison, Raquel Rocha Vieira, Rafael Morais, Paula de Magalhães, Afonso Lagarto, Margarida Moreira, and Sílvia Chiola. Hugo Azevedo, whose credits include Rabo de Peixe, serves as cinematographer.
The series is being shot in Sintra and Vila Nova de Foz Côa in Portugal. It is produced by Caracol Studios for RTP, with ORF Enterprise handling international distribution, which suggests the producers are clearly aiming for buyers beyond Portugal. Industry coverage around its Berlinale market screening has framed it as part of a wider push for Portuguese fiction with stronger international reach.
When and where to watch
At the moment, Jones doesn't yet have a publicly confirmed U.S. broadcaster or streamer. The series is being made for Portuguese public broadcaster RTP, and ORF Enterprise is handling international sales, but no North American outlet has been announced yet.
Other European detective shows with a similar vibe
Looking for more European mysteries with similar elements – specifically, ones you can stream right now? Here are a few to get you started…
- Mademoiselle Holmes – A French mystery series about a timid police officer whose deductive powers awaken after an accident, giving the show a playful connection to Sherlock-style sleuthing and a light, offbeat tone.
- Inspector Ricciardi – Set in 1930s Naples, this atmospheric mystery follows a police commissioner who can see the ghosts of people who died violently and hear their final thoughts.
- La Porta Rossa – An Italian supernatural crime thriller in which a detective, moments from death, has a vision and remains on Earth to solve his own murder.
- Veronika – A Swedish crime drama with a paranormal edge, centered on a troubled police officer who begins seeing dead victims tied to unresolved cases.
- Polar Park – A French mystery about a blocked crime novelist who arrives in a remote town and gets pulled into murders staged like famous works of art.
- The Art of Crime – A French series pairing a gruff detective with an art historian as they investigate murders connected to paintings, museums, and art-world secrets in Paris.
- Murder In… – A long-running French mystery franchise built around standalone investigations in picturesque regional settings, often mixing local folklore, old secrets, and classic whodunit structure.
