If you’re in the mood for a great detective drama and have already binged the likes Midsomer Murders, Broadchurch and Grantchester, we’ve come to your rescue. Yes, the aforementioned shows are good, but we’ve been busy rummaging through the archives to find the hidden gem dramas that are even more watchable. You can thank us later.
For starters, Agatha Christie fans will enjoy Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, which takes us back to the roaring 1920s, and Sarah Lancashire is up there with our favourite ever detectives as Rose Linden in Rose and Maloney. We’ve even stumbled upon a impeccable performance from Stephen Graham. So, settle in as these are the 8 best-kept-secret detective dramas to watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
This Agatha Christie-esque Australian drama takes us back to the roaring 1920s where, despite the glamorous setting, there’s murder and mayhem aplenty. And there's one woman’s who’s going to solve said murders who goes by the name of Phryne Fisher, the unflappable detective who’s so glam that she even has a pearl-handled pistol. Over the course of three series, we see her solve all manner of murders that take place in jazz clubs, bordellos, and opium dens - often with the help of Detective Inspector Jack Robinson (Nathan Page). You can watch all three series of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on U now.
Rose and Maloney
This classic British detective drama, which first aired on ITV in 2002 (yes, it’s been a while), stars Sarah Lancashire and Phil Davis as the titular Rose Linden and Marion Maloney. The pair are investigators who work for the fictional Criminal Justice Review Agency, primarily taking on claims of miscarriages of justice, and the pair must reinvestigate everything from the case of a convicted rapist to that of a wealthy property developer convicted of murdering his father, sister and business partner on a remote farm. The chemistry is brilliant, the cases are even better and we’ll say it, it’s even more watchable than Grantchester. All three series of Rose and Maloney are available to watch now on Prime Video.
The Brokenwood Mysteries
If you’re a fan of Midsomer Murders, you’ll enjoy this New Zealand-set series. Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Shepherd (Neill Rea) and Detective Kristin Sims (Fern Sutherland) are the unlikely duo who team up to investigate vineyard deaths, local scandals, stag party disappearances and more. Fans have called the show “wholesome”, “clever” and a “gem” of a series - and we don’t disagree with them. You can watch all 11 series of The Brokenwood Mysteries on U now.
Queens of Mystery
This cosy crime series, which has proved a big hit across the pond, takes us to the picturesque English village of Wildemarsh where three crime-writing sisters and their 28-year-old niece, Detective Sergeant Matilda Stone (played by Olivia Vinall in series 1 and Florence Hall in series 2), solve murders. The foursome use their extensive knowledge of crime - both real and fictional - to solve whodunnit-style murders, starting with a murder at a small mystery writers festival, but there’s one unsolved mystery that haunts them all: the disappearance of Matilda’s mother. Queens of Mystery series 1 and 2 are both available to watch now on U and Channel 4.
Little Boy Blue
Expect a poignant performance from Stephen Graham in this heartbreaking series, which tells the true story of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was shot and killed in Croxteth, Liverpool, while walking home from football practice in 2007. Stephen stars as Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly who led the investigation on behalf of Merseyside Police, working tirelessly to track down those involved to ensure that justice was served. For Stephen, the role is a particularly personal one, not least because he grew up a 10-minute drive from Rhys’s home. All four episodes of Little Boy Blue are available to watch now on ITVX.
The Loch
Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran’s outstanding performance in The Loch is all the incentive you should need to watch this one. The six-part drama is set on the shores of one of Scotland’s most iconic locations: Loch Ness. At the centre of it is local detective Annie Redford (played by Laura Fraser) who’s trying to cope with her first murder case. When the body of local man Niall Swift is found at the foot of CarnMohr Mountain and an isolated human heart on the loch shore, the town’s normality is shattered and the nightmare begins. Siobhan Finneran plays DCI Lauren Quigley, who’s brought in to work alongside Annie, given the enormity of the case – and the pair make quite the detective duo. All six episodes of The Loch are available to watch now on Netflix. You can also watch the series on ITVX.
Blackshore
This Irish series features the ultimate TV trio: an atmospheric rural setting, a tortured female detective and a dark and mysterious missing person case. The story centres on DI Fia Lucey (Lisa Dwan) who’s relegated to policing in smalltown Ireland after being temporarily suspended from her big Dublin job due to her conduct. Despite the demotion, DI Lucey finds herself leading a huge investigation into the disappearance of a local woman. And it's a case that turns out to be hugely complicated - and not just because it links back to DI Lucey's traumatic past. Blackshore is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Code 404
This clever Sky series is set in the near future and introduces us to Detective Inspectors DI John Major (Daniel Mays) and DI Roy Carver (Stephen Graham), the top crime fighting duo in the Unit. When an undercover sting goes horribly wrong, however, John is gunned down on the job and killed. Roy turns to the only person who understands him, John’s wife, Kelly (Anna Maxwell Martin), which is all well and good until he learns that John is about to get a reboot thanks to a new A.I. driven initiative. And when John returns, he's not exactly thrilled to discover that Roy is now in a relationship with his wife. Code 404 is available to watch now on Sky, NOW and Prime Video.
