If you’re still feeling like there’s a Grantchester-shaped hole in your life following February’s series 10 finale, we get it, we feel it too. But, having searched high and low for a series that’s just as good, we’ve hit the jackpot with Frankie Drake Mysteries. The 5-star detective drama immerses audiences in 1920s Canada where Frankie Drake (Lauren Lee Smith) is Toronto’s first female private detective – and it’s every bit as brilliant as it sounds.
Against a backdrop of jazz music and flapper fashion, the can’t-miss series finds Frankie dealing with cases that even the police don’t want to take on, which makes for some very interesting mysteries indeed. Think jewel thefts, kidnappings - and even a bit of espionage!
With the series now available to watch on Prime Video, here’s everything you should know about Frankie Drake Mysteries before you tune in, including the cast, plot and trailer.
What is Frankie Drake Mysteries about?
The Canadian drama, which first aired on CBC Television in 2017, takes us to the 1920s where Frankie Drake (played by Lauren Lee Smith) is the first female private detective in Toronto. With her partner, Trudy Clarke (Chantel Riley), she runs an all-female private detective service known as Drake Private Detectives.
The team take on cases the police often don’t want to touch and, sometimes, those that clients don’t want to take to the police at all. But it all kicks off when Frankie is named as the main suspect in a robbery and she’s forced to clear her name – and if anyone can do it, Frankie can.
Over the course of four series, Frankie, Trudy and their team deal with everything from the kidnapping of a charismatic aviator’s son to a diabetic man who’s kidnapped during a dance marathon and the murder of a female baseball player. During the investigations, we’re introduced to just about every cross-section of Toronto – think gospel church choirs, the early cinema scene to the homes and parties thrown by the city’s elite
Star Lauren Lee Smith spoke to Daily Hive about the diversity in the series. “We are definitely taking a bit of modern-day creative licence, which I am so proud of the show for doing,” she explained. “Not only are the first five leads in our show female, but we’re all different colours, sizes and shapes. It’s something that was true in the 1920s and it’s something that holds true today, acceptance and acceptance of diversity. The more that we can showcase that, the better.”
Who’s in the cast of Frankie Drake Mysteries?
The cast of Frankie Drake Mysteries includes:
- Lauren Lee Smith (The Listener) as Frankie Drake
- Chantel Riley (Colorblind) as Trudy Clark
- Rebecca Liddiard (From Chicago with Love) as Mary Shaw
- Sharron Matthews (Ruby and the Well) as Flo Chakowitz
- Wendy Crewson (The Santa Clause) as Nora Amory
- Karen Robinson (Schitt’s Creek) as Mildred Clarke
- Grace Lynn Kung (Invitation to a Murder) as Wendy Quon
- Romaine Waite (Jingle All the Way to Love) as Bill Peters
- Emmanuel Kabongo (Sway) as Moses Page
- Steve Lund (Secret Millionaire) as Ernest Hemingway
- Anthony Lemke (Dark Matter) as Detective Grayson (series 2)
- Johnathan Sousa (The Threat Next Door) as Alessandro Contento (series 4)
- Ben Sanders (Murdoch Mysteries) as Steven Reid (series 4)
- Patrick Garrow (The Retreat) as Harvey Lyle (series 4)
- Mac Fyfe (The Summit) as Sebastian West (series 4)
How many series of Frankie Drake Mysteries are there?
There are four series of Frankie Drake Mysteries, but only two are currently available to watch in the UK. Sadly, CBC has confirmed that the show won’t return for a fifth series.
Is there a trailer for Frankie Drake Mysteries?
You can watch a taster for Frankie Drake Mysteries below.
Is Frankie Drake Mysteries any good?
Yes – it’s a fun series that puts women at the forefront of a detective drama, which is something to be celebrated in our book. Viewers have called it “pleasant but light entertainment” and “well-acted” with “gorgeous costumes and great jazz”. If you enjoy a period detective drama like Grantchesterthat truly immerses you in its setting, this one gets 5 stars from us.
How can I watch Frankie Drake Mysteries?
Frankie Drake Mysteries series 1-2 are available to watch now on Prime Video. You can also find several episodes on YouTube.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
If you enjoy a moody, atmospheric setting, we’d suggest checking out Shetland. Our lead detectives are DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) and DI 'Tosh' McIntosh (Alison O'Donnell) who have their hands full with grisly murders to solve. Ahead of series 11’s arrival, you can catch on up on Shetland series 1-10 on BBC iPlayer. If you’re a fan of Unforgotten, we’d recommend The Chelsea Detective. The series stars Adrian Scarborough as a detective living on a battered Chelsea houseboat – and he solves everything from a murder on the London Underground to a mysterious death at a retirement home. The first two series of The Chelsea Detective are available to watch on U. For more great detective dramas you can watch now, you can check out our favourites here.
