As soon as there is a hint of Fall in the air, I start feeling cozy and looking forward to losing myself in a new TV series or catching up the newest season of an old favorite. I am a sucker for a good British murder mystery series whether in print or on screen.
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Who doesn’t love a good British mystery series? Here’s a list of 10 of the best British mystery series to stream now:
These titles are organized by streaming platform and of this writing are all currently available. So, let’s get on to the good stuff.
Available on Netflix:
- Happy Valley – Created by Sally Wainwright and starring Sarah Lancashire, this one is not to be missed. Lancashire stars as West Yorkshire police Sargeant Cawood. Like any good series it’s the characters that draw you in but the suspense that keeps you coming back for more. Two seasons, both available now.
- River – Set in London, Stellan Skarsgard plays genius, albeit mentally fragile, Inspector John River. Co-starring Nicola Walker (one of my favorite actresses) who plays his former partner whose murder haunts him. One season.
- Broadchurch – The murder of a young boy in a small British coastal town brings David Tennant and Olivia Colman (starring in the new season of The Crown) together as Hardy and Miller to investigate the horrible crime. Loved it, so well done, not to be missed. Three seasons, all available now.
- The Fall – Starring Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson who arrives in Belfast to investigate a serial killer. Also star Jamie Dornan. Three Seasons, all streaming now.
Available on Amazon:
- Endeavour – One of my favorites, this acclaimed series follows a young Endeavour Morse, played by Shaun Evans and his Senior Inspector Thursday as they solve crimes around post-war Oxford, England. The setting and time period make this series delightful but you’ll fall in love with Morse, too.
- Grantchester – A slightly more relaxing British crime series, it stars James Norton as clergyman Sidney Chambers of Grantchester, a village outside of Cambridge. Also set in post-war England the local vicar finds his quiet life upended by crime. Delightful cast. Three seasons available on Amazon Prime. (The newest season, 4 is available on Masterpiece which you can also subscribe to through Amazon.)
- Luther – Luther stars Idris Elba as DCI Luther. It’s a darker, edgier series set in current day and is very well written and acted. This series introduced me to actress Ruth Wilson (The Affair) who does an amazing job portraying brilliant, but obsessed, Alice in the first season. Four seasons available now. (The 5th and final season is out now and available on BBC America.)
- Unforgotten – Starring Nicola Walker as DCI Cassie Stuart, who along with her partner Sunny Khan seek to solve old cases with new evidence and attempt to give families closure on crimes long past. I will watch most anything she is in and I haven’t been disappointed yet. Two seasons both available now.
Available on Cinemax:
- C.B. Strike – Based on the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling). If you haven’t read the series then please start there! Starring Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger as the Private Investigator Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacort. This delightful duo (love them) investigates mysterious cases for their clients in London but danger looms at every turn.
Available on Acorn:
- Manhunt – Starring Martin Clunes, of Doc Martin fame, as DCI Colin Sutton who works to catch a serial killer in 2004 London. Based on actual events, this is the story of the team, headed by Sutton and their investigation to try and track the killer down. A great show. One, 3-episode season streaming on Acorn.
Sometimes with streaming platforms like Acorn, Cinemax or Hulu (see below) you can usually find an offer for a free trial week or more. If you don’t already subscribe to these channels and are not sure if you want to, you can check to see if there is a free trial available.
*OK, One last bonus recommendation. I think this one has been overlooked a bit but it has become available for streaming on Hulu. It’s a 4 episode, single season series called National Treasure: Kiri. It stars the fabulous Sarah Lancashire as Miriam, a social worker involved with a family’s adoption process when the soon to be adopted Kiri disappears.
If you don’t have a a TV streaming device you should fix that right away. You can order a Roku or Amazon Fire Stick for under $40 and it will be one of the best gifts you ever gave yourself.
Did I leave one of your favorites off? Let me know in comments below. And happy viewing to you!
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