A second season of the period crime series Murdoch Mysteries has been ordered by Citytv, where the crime drama charted a 70% jump in ratings during its recent mid-season run over the previous Murdoch miniseries.

The numbers ‘just kept growing week by week. It is hugely gratifying to reach such a large audience for Citytv,’ said Christina Jennings, chair and CEO of Shaftesbury Films, in a statement, pointing to the BBM ratings.

The one-hour stars Yannick Bisson, who took over for Peter Outerbridge, as a detective working in Victorian-era Toronto, and is based on the novels by Maureen Jennings.

Shaftesbury also announced Wednesday that it will produce the third MOW based on the Booky novels by Bernice Thurman Hunter. Slated to shoot this year and air on CBC in February, the two-hour Booky’s Crush will retain Megan Follows in the starring role as a Toronto mother in the 1930s. It follows Booky and the Secret Santa and Booky Makes Her Mark, seen in 2007 and 2006, respectively.

Shaftesbury produces with Platt Productions, also in Toronto, in association with CBC. Crush is written by Tracey Forbes and will be directed by Peter Moss.

From Media in Canada

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This story has been corrected. Platt Productions is based in Toronto, not Winnipeg as originally reported.