Product Review

Two-time Oscar nominee Brenda Blethyn (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) returns as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, whose offbeat manner and frumpy appearance belie a knack for catching killers. Stanhope is ably assisted by Detective Sergeant Joe Ashworth (David Leon, RocknRolla), her colleague, confidante, and surrogate son. Ashworth tries to balance his family responsibilities with the demands of working for a boss who seems to have little else in her life but the job.

In this series, Stanhope and Ashworth take on four new cases on their Northumberland beat-the stabbing of a senior citizen aboard a rush-hour train, the brutal murder of a young professional at a beach resort, the shooting of a loner out on the moors, and the drowning of a respected businessman. Based on the bestselling novels of Ann Cleeves, this atmospheric drama delivers compelling characters, superb performances, and suspenseful mysteries.