If anyone knows how to write a mind-bending thriller, it’s Louise Candlish. Her acclaimed 2018 book, Our House, won her Crime & Thriller Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and the 2021 ITV adaptation left us equally stunned - and with a suspense-shaped hole in our lives. Thankfully, however, our prayers have now been answered and ITV is bringing her other book, The Only Suspect, to the small screen, which is a true masterclass in deception.
The compulsive thriller, which will keep you guessing until the very end, jolts us between the nostalgic swagger of 1995 Camden and present-day suburban London, where we meet Alex (Kevin McKidd) and Beth, a picture-perfect couple who also appear to have the perfect life. But a new neighbourhood project, spearheaded by Beth, threatens to wreak havoc on everything Alex has built, with the unearthing of a 30-year-old secret that could potentially destroy everything. The question is, how far will he go to keep it buried?
With filming currently underway, here’s everything you need to know about The Only Suspect before its arrives on our screens, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Only Suspect about?
Based on Louise Candlish's bestselling novel of the same name, the ITV drama will transport us back to the capital of Cool Britannia - Camden in 1995. Adapted by Simon Ashdown (the writer behind Our House) the series kicks off in the sweltering summer heat, and a violent storm rages as a young man frantically buries a body. The identity of the deceased is unknown, and we don’t know why they were killed, nor who was behind it. This mystery is woven throughout the narrative as the starkly different eras expertly interweave.
Thirty years later, it’s the height of summer and we arrive in a leafy London suburb, where we're introduced to Alex (Kevin McKidd) and Beth, who are the picture of suburban bliss. Beth is spearheading a neighbourhood project to convert the disused rail track behind the couple's street into a nature trail. But, in doing so, the body that was buried all those years ago could be unearthed - and destroy Alex's life in the process, as we soon learn he was the man behind the burial.
Having spent decades living under an assumed name, his carefully constructed persona hangs in the balance. But what lengths will he go to conceal his murky past? The gripping thriller will take us on a mind-bending ride as it explores themes of obsession, deception and betrayal.
What to read next
Kevin McKidd spoke about his excitement for his upcoming role, telling Red Planet Pictures: “Working with ITV on The Only Suspect feels like coming home for me. As an actor, the complex and multilayered role of Alex is exciting to explore and I can’t wait to collaborate with Farren, the whole team at Red Planet Pictures and an amazing ensemble of great British actors.”
Who’s in the cast of The Only Suspect?
So far, tThe cast of The Only Suspect includes:
- Kevin McKidd (Grey’s Anatomy, Highlander) as Alex
We're expecting more casting news to be announced soon, so watch this space for more details as we have them.
Is Louise Candlish’s book, The Only Suspect, any good?
If you enjoyed Our House, you'll love The Only Suspect. It's a genuine page-turner thanks to its brilliantly twisty plot. Fellow writer Clare Mackintosh called it "incredibly tense" and "her best book yet", while T. M. Logan described it as "completely addictive and devilishly clever", which, in our opinion, sums it up perfectly.
How can I watch The Only Suspect?
Most details are still under wraps, but filming for The Only Suspect started this spring. There is not yet a premiere date for its release, but we will keep you posted as to when you can expect to see it on ITV.
What other thrillers can I watch now?
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If you’re after a gritty crime thriller, we’d recommend Irvine Welsh’s Crime. Set in Edinburgh, we follow Detective Inspector Ray Lennox (Dougray Scott) who's tasked with investigating grisly and complex cases whilst battling his various personal demons of his own. Irvine Welsh’s Crime is available to watch now on ITVX. Alternatively,f you haven't yet started watching Channel 5's psychological thriller, The Fortune, we'd highly recommend it. The series introduces us to Amanda Blakefield (Eleanor Tomlinson) who leads a pretty unremarkable life with her husband Jimmy (Matthew Lewis) and son Luke (James Younger) until a stranger hands her a whopping inheritance of £2 million. You can watch The Fortune now on Channel 5.
