From her unforgettable portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown to her brilliant turn as DS Ellie Miller in Broadchurch, Olivia Colman always impresses us on screen. If you're eagerly awaiting her return to the small screen in the upcoming series of Only Murders In The Building, we've unearthed a terrific detective drama, Suspicions Of Mr Whicher, which combines her period prowess and sleuthing skills in a 10/10 performance – and the good news is you can watch it now.

The feature film, which is the second part of a four-part series that first aired in 2011, introduces us to the eponymous Victorian detective Mr Whicher (MobLand's Paddy Considine) after he suffers a professional disgrace. After leaving the police force, he stumbles across Susan Spencer (Olivia Colman), who he saves from a robbery. Whicher asks Susan, a country lady, why she's in a dangerous part of the city – and what he learns is the beginning of a chilling murder case.

With The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher available to watch now, here’s everything you need to know about the film including the plot, cast, trailer and how to watch it.

What is The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher about?

editorial use only mandatory credit: photo by itv/shutterstock (3288091i) olivia colman as susan spencer and paddy considine as jack whicher the suspicions of mr whicher il the murder in angel lane may 2013 whicher,retired from the police after his failure to solve the road hill house case,encounters susan spencer in a rough tavern,seeking her niece mary,who came to london to find stephen gann,father of her baby. soon afterwards mary is found slain and the child missing and whicher offers to help susan find the killer. the baby is located at a home for unwed mothers,run by reverend marlow,who believes mary went after stephen,who rejected her. whicher learns that stephens father was hung for murdering susans father though mary knew nothing about it. stephen and an opportunistic thief are the main murder suspects but stephen convinces whicher that he was the intended victim as he was about to hear important news from his grandfather joshua,now in an insane asylum. whicher inveigles his way into the asylum to speak to joshua and,in solving the case,uncovers dark secrets in the gann and spencer families as well as betrayal by a corrupt policeman.
ITV/Shutterstock

Based on the bestselling books by Kate Summerscale, the four-part feature-length series is inspired by the real-life 19th-century detective Jonathan ‘Jack’ Whicher’ (Paddy Considine) who was known as the ‘Prince of Sleuths’. The first film, The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher: The Murder At Road Hill House, introduces us to Whicher, who's tasked with solving the chilling murder of a three-year-old called Saville Kent in a sleepy West Country village. The case was the source of public furore at the time, dominating headlines and conversation. He quickly learns that there are secrets, scandal and adultery hidden within the walls of the Kent’s manor.

The second film in the series, The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher: The Murder In Angel Lane, which first aired on ITV in 2013, follows a disgraced Whicher who has been pushed out of the police force. The action kicks off with Whicher saving a respectable country lady Susan Spencer (Olivia Colman) from a dangerous robbery in London. He learns that Susan is desperately searching for her missing 16-year-old niece, Mary, who was trying to track down the father of her newborn child, Stephen Gann (William Postlethwaite). Susan recruits Whicher to help, and he’s soon drawn into a disturbing murder case that throws him into direct conflict with his former colleagues.

Who’s in the cast of The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher?

paddy considine as kevin harrigan in mobland, episode 2, season 1, streaming on paramount+ 2025. photo credit: luke varley/paramount+
Luke Varley

The cast of The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher: The Murder In Angel Lane includes:

  • Paddy Considine (pictured above in MobLand) as Inspector Jack Whicher
  • Olivia Colman (Broadchurch) as Susan Spencer
  • William Beck (Casualty) as Chief Inspector 'Dolly' Williamson
  • Tim Pigott-Smith (King Charles III) as Commissioner Mayne
  • Shaun Dingwall (Maigret) as Inspector George Lock
  • William Postlethwaite (Silo) Stephen Gann
  • Mark Bazeley (Flight Of Fury) as Thomas Gann

Is there a trailer for The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher below.

Is The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher any good?

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FlixPix / Alamy Stock Photo

Yes - it’s a brilliant series of murder mysteries and the fact it’s based on a real-life detective makes it even more intriguing. While all the films are well worth a watch, especially if you love a classic whodunnit, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder In Angel Lane is particularly good. Olivia Colman delivers the standout performance as a loving aunt who initially appears prim and self-constrained but is desperate to uncover what happened to her niece.

How can I watch The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher?

You can watch The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder In Angel Lane now on Prime Video.

What other Olivia Colman dramas can I watch now?

person wearing an elegant red hat with clasped hands in a thoughtful pose.
Film 4 Sony Pictures//Channel 4

For a more emotional period film, we’d suggest Mothering Sunday. The heartbreaking drama about post-war grief and forbidden love sees Olivia play a grief-stricken mother and her performance is truly brilliant. Mothering Sunday is available to watch now on Channel 4. If you're after something more light-hearted, we’d suggest Wicked Little Letters, which is set in an English seaside town in the 1920s where two neighbours, the deeply conservative Edith Swan (Olivia) and rowdy single mother Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), go to war over a mysterious letter scandal. Wicked Little Letters is available to watch now on Channel 4.