13 Shows to Watch if You Love Ludwig
If you love Ludwig, chances are you enjoy a murder mystery that gives your brain something to do. The hit British mystery series combines intricate puzzles, dry humor, an unconventional detective, and the irresistible satisfaction of watching seemingly insignificant clues fall neatly into place.
Ludwig stars John “Ludwig” Taylor (played by David Mitchell), a reclusive puzzle setter who initially assumes the identity of his identical twin brother, DCI James Taylor, after James mysteriously disappears. Working with James's wife, Lucy Betts-Taylor (played by Anna Maxwell Martin), John discovers that a mind trained to solve crosswords, codes, and logic puzzles is remarkably good at solving murders too. By Series 2, John has a legitimate role as a crime-scene consultant—but the mystery surrounding his brother remains an important part of the story.
So, what should you watch after Ludwig? From brilliant but eccentric detectives to traditional British whodunits and mysteries filled with codes, books, puzzles, and seemingly impossible crimes, these 13 shows should give Ludwig fans plenty more cases to unravel.
13. The Brokenwood Mysteries
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy The Brokenwood Mysteries
The Brokenwood Mysteries doesn't revolve around literal puzzles in quite the same way as Ludwig, but it shares an important quality: its lead detective notices things differently.
Mike Shepherd is thoughtful, unconventional, and often quietly working several steps ahead of everyone around him. Fans who enjoy waiting for John Taylor to reveal how seemingly unrelated details fit together should appreciate watching Shepherd methodically untangle Brokenwood's unusually complicated murders.
What The Brokenwood Mysteries Is About
Set in the fictional New Zealand town of Brokenwood, the series follows Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Shepherd (played by Neill Rea), an experienced but unconventional investigator who arrives in town for a case and eventually stays. He works alongside Detective Kristin Sims (played by Fern Sutherland) and a recurring team as they investigate the surprisingly large number of murders occurring in this seemingly peaceful rural community.
Why Fans Will Enjoy The Brokenwood Mysteries
An Unconventional Detective – Shepherd has his own methods and sees cases differently from the people around him.
Clue-Driven Mysteries – The standalone cases provide plenty of suspects, motives, and evidence to consider.
Dry Humor – Like Ludwig, the series finds comedy in its characters without turning the mysteries into spoofs.
Eccentric Suspects – Brokenwood's residents ensure that investigations are rarely straightforward.
A Strong Mystery Team – Relationships among the investigators become increasingly important as the series continues.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Unconventional detectives
Small-town mysteries
Dry humor mixed with murder
Long-running mystery series
Cases you can try to solve yourself
12. Monk
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Monk
John Taylor and Adrian Monk are very different characters, but their investigative superpower is remarkably similar: they notice what everyone else misses.
Both shows turn extraordinary powers of observation into compelling mysteries. A detail that seems meaningless to everyone else can become the key that allows Monk—or Ludwig—to reconstruct an entire crime.
What Monk Is About
Monk follows Adrian Monk (played by Tony Shalhoub), a brilliant former San Francisco homicide detective whose obsessive-compulsive disorder and numerous phobias complicate virtually every part of his life. Although he no longer works as a regular police detective, Monk consults on difficult cases and hopes eventually to solve the murder of his wife, Trudy. Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (played by Ted Levine) is among the police officers who come to rely on Monk's extraordinary observational abilities.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Monk
Tiny Details Matter – Monk notices inconsistencies that almost everyone else overlooks.
A Brilliant Outsider – Like Ludwig, he doesn't fit comfortably into conventional police culture.
An Ongoing Personal Mystery – Individual cases sit alongside Monk's determination to learn the truth about his wife's murder.
Humor and Heart – Comedy exists alongside genuinely emotional character stories.
Satisfying Explanations – The pleasure isn't merely discovering who did it, but understanding exactly how Monk figured it out.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Brilliant but unconventional investigators
Observation-based mysteries
Comedy mixed with crime
Ongoing mysteries connecting standalone cases
Satisfying detective explanations
11. McDonald & Dodds
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy McDonald & Dodds
DS Dodds might be one of the best recommendations for viewers who love watching Ludwig quietly think his way through a crime.
Both men can initially seem unassuming, particularly beside more confident police officers. Yet patience, observation, and an ability to spot connections make them formidable investigators. McDonald & Dodds also gives viewers intricate feature-length mysteries with enough suspects and clues to make solving along part of the fun.
What McDonald & Dodds Is About
Set in picturesque Bath, England, McDonald & Dodds pairs ambitious DCI Lauren McDonald (played by Tala Gouveia) with quiet, modest DS Dodds (played by Jason Watkins). McDonald brings energy and ambition to their investigations, while Dodds relies on patience, experience, and a deceptively sharp eye for detail. Together, the mismatched detectives prove remarkably effective at solving complicated murders.
Why Fans Will Enjoy McDonald & Dodds
A Quietly Brilliant Detective – Dodds regularly sees significance in details others dismiss.
Complex Puzzles – The feature-length format gives mysteries room to develop.
Contrasting Investigative Styles – McDonald and Dodds solve crimes very differently.
Beautiful British Setting – Bath gives the series a distinctive visual identity.
Clever Reveals – Cases often depend on piecing together multiple seemingly unrelated clues.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Quietly brilliant detectives
Intricate British whodunits
Mismatched investigative partners
Beautiful English settings
Feature-length murder mysteries
How-dunnits
10. Professor T
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Professor T
If your favorite part of Ludwig is watching an exceptionally intelligent man who is much more comfortable with intellectual problems than ordinary social interaction, Professor T deserves a place on your watchlist.
Both shows also use Cambridge as more than just scenery. The university setting reinforces the cerebral nature of their mysteries, while their protagonists approach crime through minds that work differently from those around them.
What Professor T Is About
The British adaptation of Professor T follows Jasper Tempest (played by Ben Miller), a Cambridge University criminologist whose exceptional understanding of criminal behavior makes him invaluable to police investigations. His former student, Detective Inspector Lisa Donckers (played by Emma Naomi), turns to him for help with difficult cases, drawing the intensely private professor into real-world investigations.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Professor T
Cambridge Setting – Fans missing Ludwig's academic backdrop should feel at home.
Cerebral Investigations – Psychology and reasoning play major roles in solving crimes.
An Unconventional Genius – Jasper isn't a traditional television detective.
Dry British Humor – Character interactions provide comedy alongside the investigations.
Complicated Personal Life – The mysteries are only part of what the protagonist is trying to understand.
Dark Crimes - Some depictions of murders and motivations do not fit into the cozy mystery category.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Cambridge mysteries
Brilliant eccentric investigators
Academic crime dramas
Psychological clues
Cerebral British mysteries
9. The Puzzle Lady
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy The Puzzle Lady
It's difficult to find a more obvious connection to Ludwig than another mystery series built around puzzles.
The Puzzle Lady combines crossword culture, an unconventional central character, humor, and murder investigations. But don't assume you know exactly where the premise is going. Like any good puzzle, the show's central character has a few surprises of her own.
What The Puzzle Lady Is About
Based on Parnell Hall's novels and released in the UK as Murder Most Puzzling, The Puzzle Lady follows eccentric Cora Felton (played by Phyllis Logan), known publicly as the famous “Puzzle Lady” in the town of Bakerbury. When murder comes to town, Cora's no-nonsense personality and unexpected investigative abilities draw her into increasingly dangerous cases. Her niece Sherry Carter (played by Charlotte Hope) is also an important part of Cora's complicated puzzle-filled life.
Why Fans Will Enjoy The Puzzle Lady
Puzzles Are Built Into the Premise – Crossword lovers have an especially obvious reason to watch.
An Unconventional Sleuth – Cora doesn't resemble a standard television detective.
Secrets Beneath the Setup – There's more to the Puzzle Lady persona than initially meets the eye.
Small-Town Mystery – Bakerbury has plenty of crime hiding beneath its seemingly sleepy exterior.
Humor and Murder – The eccentric protagonist keeps the series from becoming overly grim.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Crossword and word puzzles
Eccentric amateur sleuths
Small-town mysteries
British cozy mysteries
Detectives with secrets of their own
8. Sherlock
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Sherlock
If what fascinates you about Ludwig is the speed and originality with which his mind connects information, Sherlock takes that pleasure in a much more intense direction.
Both John Taylor and Sherlock Holmes can look at the same information everyone else sees and reach conclusions no one else considered. The shows differ significantly in tone—Sherlock can be darker and more dramatic—but both invite viewers to become fascinated by how their protagonist thinks.
What Sherlock Is About
This contemporary reinvention of Arthur Conan Doyle's detective stories brings Sherlock Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr. John Watson (played by Martin Freeman) into modern-day London. Sherlock's extraordinary powers of deduction make him invaluable to difficult police investigations, while Watson becomes his friend, flatmate, and partner in an increasingly dangerous collection of cases.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Sherlock
Extraordinary Deduction – Sherlock turns tiny observations into startling conclusions.
Puzzle-Like Cases – Many mysteries are constructed around seemingly impossible circumstances.
A Brilliant Outsider – Sherlock's intelligence doesn't necessarily translate into social ease.
Larger Mysteries – Individual investigations connect to broader stories and adversaries.
Clever Writing – The series frequently plays with what viewers know and what they think they know.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Brilliant detectives
Fast-paced deduction
Modern British mysteries
Complex long-form storylines
Clever reinterpretations of classic crime fiction
7. Midsomer Murders
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Midsomer Murders
Ludwig fans who enjoy a traditional mystery structure should find an enormous amount to like in Midsomer Murders. Its fictional villages provide closed circles of suspects, complicated relationships, unusual motives, and clues hidden among seemingly ordinary lives.
The humor is usually subtler than Ludwig's, but both series understand the pleasure of giving viewers enough information to develop theories before the detective explains what really happened.
What Midsomer Murders Is About
Set in the picturesque—and extraordinarily dangerous—fictional county of Midsomer, the long-running series currently follows DCI John Barnaby (played by Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (played by Nick Hendrix) as they investigate elaborate murders throughout seemingly peaceful English communities.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Midsomer Murders
Classic Whodunits – Episodes offer suspects, motives, clues, and satisfying revelations.
Unusual Murder Scenarios – The cases can become impressively elaborate.
Closed Communities – Village relationships provide fertile ground for hidden motives.
Dry Humor – The show knows exactly how strange Midsomer can be.
A Huge Back Catalog – There are decades of mysteries available for viewers looking for a substantial binge.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Traditional British whodunits
English village mysteries
Elaborate murders
Large groups of suspects
Long-running comfort mysteries
6. Art Detectives
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Art Detectives
Art Detectives replaces Ludwig's puzzles with art, antiques, collectibles, and cultural history, but the underlying appeal is similar: specialized knowledge reveals clues that other people don't recognize.
Where Ludwig understands patterns and logic, Mick Palmer understands objects and their histories. Both demonstrate that solving a murder sometimes requires knowing how to look at evidence differently.
What Art Detectives Is About
Art Detectives follows DI Mick Palmer (played by Stephen Moyer), an art-loving detective working in the Metropolitan Police's Heritage Crime Unit. Alongside DC Shazia Malik (played by Nina Singh), Mick investigates crimes involving paintings, antiquities, collectibles, historical objects, and other pieces of cultural heritage. Their cases range from stolen treasures to murder, with expertise in art and history frequently proving essential.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Art Detectives
Specialized Knowledge Matters – Art history can unlock a case just as Ludwig's puzzle expertise can.
Unusual Mysteries – Cultural objects give the investigations distinctive hooks.
Clues Hidden in Plain Sight – Understanding an object's significance can change an entire case.
Smart Investigative Partnership – Mick and Shazia bring complementary strengths.
Mystery With Something Extra – Viewers get art, history, antiques, and collectibles alongside the crime solving.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Intellectual mysteries
Art and antiques
Specialized detectives
Clue-heavy investigations
British crime series with unusual cases
5. Death in Paradise
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Death in Paradise
At first glance, sunny Saint Marie and academic Cambridge couldn't look more different. Structurally, however, Death in Paradise and Ludwig have a lot in common.
Both frequently construct mysteries as puzzles: a limited collection of suspects, contradictory evidence, apparently impossible circumstances, and one investigator who eventually sees the pattern everyone else missed. Most importantly, both give viewers a fair chance to think through the mystery before the solution arrives.
What Death in Paradise Is About
Set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, Death in Paradise follows a succession of British detectives working with the local police to solve unusual murders. In the current era, DI Mervin Wilson (played by Don Gilet) leads investigations alongside DS Naomi Thomas (played by Shantol Jackson) and the Saint Marie police team.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Death in Paradise
Puzzle-Box Murders – Apparently impossible crimes are a series specialty.
The Reveal Matters – Episodes build toward the detective reconstructing the crime.
Solve-Along Appeal – Viewers are encouraged to pay attention to the same clues as the investigators.
Character-Based Humor – Personality clashes keep the procedural formula light.
Standalone Cases – Most episodes provide a complete mystery and solution.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Impossible-crime mysteries
Classic suspect lineups
Clever final reveals
Lighthearted detective shows
Mysteries you can solve from the sofa
4. The Marlow Murder Club
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy The Marlow Murder Club
Judith Potts may not approach a mystery exactly like John Taylor, but she shares his love of working things out logically—and she happens to be a crossword compiler.
That alone makes The Marlow Murder Club an appealing choice for Ludwig fans, but there's more connecting the shows. Both celebrate the idea that someone without conventional police credentials can bring exactly the perspective an investigation needs.
What The Marlow Murder Club Is About
Based on Robert Thorogood's novels, The Marlow Murder Club follows retired archaeologist and crossword compiler Judith Potts (played by Samantha Bond). When suspicious circumstances convince Judith that a murder has occurred, she joins forces with dog walker Suzie Harris (played by Jo Martin) and vicar's wife Becks Starling (played by Cara Horgan). The three women soon prove themselves a surprisingly effective amateur investigative team.
Why Fans Will Enjoy The Marlow Murder Club
A Crossword-Compiling Sleuth – Judith and Ludwig share a genuine connection to puzzles.
Logical Crime Solving – Judith enjoys putting pieces together methodically.
Amateur Detectives – The women contribute perspectives the police don't always have.
Traditional Whodunits – The mysteries provide suspects and clues viewers can follow.
Warm Character Relationships – Friendship gives the investigations a strong cozy element.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Crossword-loving detectives
Amateur sleuths
Logic-based mysteries
English cozy mysteries
Female friendship and crime solving
3. Harry Wild
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Harry Wild
John Taylor proves that being a professional detective isn't a prerequisite for being very good at solving murder. Harry Wild would certainly agree.
Both protagonists come to criminal investigation from intellectual rather than policing backgrounds. Ludwig brings puzzles and codes; Harry brings literature. Their specialized knowledge allows them to recognize connections that conventional investigators can overlook.
What Harry Wild Is About
Harry Wild stars Jane Seymour as Harriet “Harry” Wild, a recently retired literature professor who discovers that solving crimes is far more interesting than conventional retirement. She forms an unlikely partnership with teenager Fergus Reid (played by Rohan Nedd), and the pair eventually establish their own detective agency while Harry's police-detective son Charlie struggles with his mother's new hobby.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Harry Wild
Knowledge Becomes a Detective Tool – Literature provides Harry with unexpected insights into crimes.
An Unlikely Investigator – Like Ludwig, Harry didn't plan on becoming a detective.
Clever Cases – The mysteries reward curiosity and unconventional thinking.
Dry, Character-Based Humor – Harry's personality keeps the investigations lively.
An Unusual Partnership – Harry and Fergus work precisely because they bring different perspectives.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Intellectual amateur detectives
Literary mysteries
Unconventional crime-solving teams
Humor mixed with murder
Smart mysteries with plenty of personality
2. Magpie Murders, Moonflower Murders & Marble Hall Murders
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy the Susan Ryeland Mysteries
For viewers who love the act of solving Ludwig, Anthony Horowitz's Susan Ryeland mysteries may be the most elaborate recommendation on this list.
These aren't simply murder mysteries. They're mysteries constructed inside other mysteries, where fictional detective stories contain clues to crimes in the “real” world. Viewers have to think about words, manuscripts, structures, parallels, and hidden meanings—exactly the kind of storytelling likely to appeal to Ludwig's puzzle-loving audience.
And there's now more to watch: Magpie Murders was followed by Moonflower Murders, with the story continuing in 2026's Marble Hall Murders.
What the Susan Ryeland Mysteries Are About
The series begins with Magpie Murders, in which editor Susan Ryeland (played by Lesley Manville) receives the latest manuscript from successful mystery novelist Alan Conway. When she discovers that its ending is missing and Conway himself dies, Susan begins to suspect that the fictional mystery may contain clues to a real one.
Inside Conway's manuscripts, viewers also meet his fictional 1950s detective Atticus Pünd (played by Tim McMullan). The result is a mystery-within-a-mystery in which the fictional and contemporary investigations reflect, contradict, and illuminate one another.
Why Fans Will Enjoy the Susan Ryeland Mysteries
Mysteries Within Mysteries – Viewers effectively get multiple puzzles at once.
Words Are Clues – Manuscripts, names, literary tricks, and hidden meanings matter.
Active Viewing Is Rewarded – Paying close attention can help you spot connections before Susan does.
Ingenious Construction – The form of the story itself becomes part of the puzzle.
Classic and Contemporary Mysteries Together – The dual timelines combine traditional detective fiction with modern investigations.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Extremely intricate mysteries
Books about books and stories within stories
Hidden clues and wordplay
Golden Age-style detective fiction
Mysteries that demand close attention
1. Bookish
Why Fans of Ludwig Will Enjoy Bookish
Bookish earns the top spot because it captures so many of the qualities that make Ludwig distinctive.
Both series center on highly intelligent British men whose expertise comes from somewhere outside traditional policing. Both turn specialized knowledge into a crime-solving superpower. Both combine clever mysteries with dry humor and memorable supporting characters. And both understand that watching someone think can be every bit as entertaining as watching someone chase a suspect.
There's another compelling connection for British mystery fans: Bookish was created and written by its star Mark Gatiss, who also co-created Sherlock with Steven Moffat and played Mycroft Holmes in that series.
What Bookish Is About
Set in postwar London in 1946, Bookish follows antiquarian bookseller Gabriel Book (played by Mark Gatiss), whose encyclopedic knowledge of literature and history makes him an unconventional but valuable consultant to the police. He runs his bookshop with his wife and closest friend, Trottie Book (played by Polly Walker), while the arrival of new assistant Jack (played by Connor Finch) adds another layer to both Book's personal life and the mysteries surrounding him.
Why Fans Will Enjoy Bookish
Specialized Knowledge Solves Crimes – Ludwig has puzzles; Book has literature and history.
A Brilliant Civilian Consultant – Neither protagonist follows the conventional path into police investigation.
Dry British Wit – Intelligence and humor work together rather than competing with the mystery.
Clue-Rich Cases – Details that initially seem insignificant can become crucial.
A Larger Personal Story – The characters' lives give the series depth beyond the individual murder investigations.
Perfect for Fans Who Enjoy
Intelligent British mysteries
Books, literature, and history
Unconventional civilian detectives
Dry humor
Clever cases that reward careful attention
What to Watch After Ludwig
What makes Ludwig so appealing isn't simply that John Taylor solves murders. It's how he solves them. The series turns detection into a puzzle and invites viewers to look for patterns, question assumptions, and enjoy the moment when an apparently impossible collection of clues suddenly makes sense.
If the literal puzzles are your favorite part, start with The Puzzle Lady or The Marlow Murder Club. If you love watching an unusual mind notice what everyone else misses, try Monk, Professor T, or McDonald & Dodds. For elaborate mysteries you can actively try to solve, Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders, and The Brokenwood Mysteries offer plenty of cases.
And if you want a mystery that truly makes you work for the solution, Magpie Murders and its sequels should keep your brain busy.
But for Ludwig fans looking for that particularly satisfying combination of specialized knowledge, British wit, an unconventional investigator, and cleverly constructed murder mysteries, Bookish may be the perfect show to watch next.