A killer instinct: Karen Pirie returns for series 2

First came Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. Next it was Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope. Then in 2022, Val McDiarmid’s Karen Pirie stepped onto our screens and won over a new generation of crime fans, with a terrific central performance from Lauren Lyle (Outlander) that earned her the Best Actress Television accolade at the BAFTA Scotland Awards.

Now, after successfully solving the mysterious murder of a barmaid from 25 years earlier, the detective is back and ready to take on a riveting new cold case. In the second series, Pirie is settling into her newly appointed role of Detective Inspector, but it’s not long before the department’s most infamous unresolved case lands on her desk: the 1984 disappearance of heiress Catriona Grant and her young son, who were kidnapped at gunpoint outside a Fife fish and chip shop.

Despite a series of ransom notes and the high-profile media storm that followed, the abductors fell silent and the two victims were never seen again. Intriguing…

In the new series – inspired by A Darker Domain, the second novel in Val McDiarmid’s bestselling novel series, and scripted by Emer Kenny (The Curse) – Pirie discovers a man’s body with indisputable links to the original Grant kidnapping plot, and soon falls under intense pressure to solve the long-standing case with the first piece of evidence in decades. If that wasn’t difficult enough, she must do it without igniting the attention of the press and under the watchful gaze of Catriona’s father, oil magnate Sir Broderick Grant (James Cosmo, Game Of Thrones).

Luckily for Pirie, she has one of the best teams in the business to help her out. Returning to the cast alongside Lyle are Chris Jenks (Sex Education) as Pirie’s loveable sidekick DC Jason “Mint” Murray and Zach Wyatt (The Witcher: Blood Origin) as her complicated romantic interest DS Phil Parhatka. As they begin to unearth the decades-long political grudges and dark secrets surrounding the kidnapping plot, will they have what it takes to solve the biggest case of their careers? Expect plenty of shocking revelations and epic plot twists that’ll have you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Don’t miss the return of Karen Pirie at 8pm on Sunday 20 July on ITV1 HD (CH 103) and in Apps > ITVX. If you can’t wait to sleuth your way through a gripping new case, check out what else you can stream on ITVX now.

Please note, if you watch TV on our TiVo^® box (excluding the V6 box, powered by TiVo^®), you will not have access to the ITVX app. Contact us on 0345 454 1111 (or call 150 from a Virgin Media phone) to upgrade your box.

From thrilling crime classics and behind-the-scenes police procedurals to horrifying true crime and heart-racing dramas, there’s something for every crime aficionado and amateur slueth. Just remember that once you start, you won’t want to stop. You’ve been warned…

Vera

Stream series 1-14 in Apps > ITVX now

We were devastated when Vera Stanhope hung up her trench coat in 2025 after more than a decade of solving mysteries, but the good news is you can now settle into all 56 episodes of the crime queen’s adventures.

Broadchurch

Stream series 1-3 in Apps > ITVX now

David Tennant and Olivia Colman formed such a phenomenal crime-solving duo that Broadchurch was nominated for seven BAFTA awards, and we couldn’t get enough of this whodunnit series that still stands the test of time.

A Touch Of Frost

Stream series 1-14 in Apps > ITVX now

Once you get past the thought of Del Boy solving crimes around the picturesque town of Denton, you’re in for a telly treat with David Jason giving an outstanding performance as DI Jack Frost that critic Nancy Banks-Smith described as “well up there with Poirot, Morse and Columbo”.

Unforgotten

Stream series 1-6 in Apps > ITVX now

Screenwriter Chris Lang (I, Jack Wright and The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe) is the creative force behind this beloved drama which follows a team of London detectives solving cold cases across London, keeping us hooked season after season.

Prime Suspect

Stream series 1-4 and 6-7 in Apps > ITVX now

Helen Mirren scooped three consecutive BAFTA Awards for her performance as DCI Jane Tennison, who paved the way for women everywhere by battling sexism as one of TV’s first high-ranking female police detectives. You go girl!

Code Of Silence

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

Rose Ayling-Ellis (EastEnders) stars in this groundbreaking series as a deaf woman who uses her lip-reading skills to help bring a dangerous gang to justice, but not before getting a taste of the criminal underworld with a handsome security hacker. We can’t wait for series 2!

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist

Stream season 1 in Apps > ITVX now

An ensemble cast including Samuel L Jackson, Taraji P Henson, Don Cheadle and Kevin Hart bring to life this incredible true story about a massive armed heist at the after-party of Muhammad Ali’s 1970 comeback fight.

Until I Kill You

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

Anna Maxwell Martin is agency nurse Delia Balmer who confronts her ex-partner and would-be killer John Sweeney (Shaun Evans) in this drama inspired by real-life events that holds a rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Platform 7

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

If you like your crime dramas with spooky supernatural elements then hop aboard for Platform 7, a haunting adaptation of Sunday Times bestseller Louise Doughty’s chilling thriller that’ll give you goosebumps.

Protection

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

TV drama stalwart Siobhan Finneran takes on her first lead TV role as an officer at the centre of a security breach in her witness protection unit, later investigating the divisions deep corruption and becoming entangled in a dangerous conspiracy.

Mr Bates vs The Post Office

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

If you still haven’t seen the most-watched TV show in the UK last year (have you been living under a rock?) then don’t wait a second longer to binge this heart-wrenching fight for justice inspired by the Post Office scandal. Bring tissues!

Stephen

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

Based on the tragic murder of British teen Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and the 13-year battle for justice led by his family, Stephen stars Steve Coogan stars as DCI Clive Driscoll who secures convictions against two of Lawrence’s murderers.

The Moorside

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

BAFTA-winning writer Neil McKay (Four Lives, The Reckoning) penned this two-part drama starring Sheridan Smith, Gemma Whelan, Sian Brooke and Siobhan Finneran, capturing the real-life events of the 2009 disappearance of Shannon Matthews.

Joan

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

The six-part adaptation of former professional thief Joan Hannington’s memoir proved to be worth the wait, with Sophie Turner taking on the titular role of the struggling single mother who turns to a life of crime and builds a thriving criminal empire.

Little Boy Blue

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

In 2007 schoolboy Rhys Jones was murdered while walking home from football practice, and this gut-wrenching drama captures both the family’s fight for justice and the increasingly alarming epidemic of youth gangs across the UK. Stephen Graham stars.

DI Ray

Stream series 1-2 in Apps > ITVX now

Maya Sondhi’s nuanced drama delivers a fresh perspective into the crime genre through the eyes of DI Rachita Ray (the brilliantly cast Parminder Nagra), who navigates workplace microaggressions and cultural stereotypes to help put criminals behind bars.

The Tower

Stream series 1-3 in Apps > ITVX now

Based on Kate London’s Metropolitan book series, The Tower not only examines gripping criminal cases but also the everyday issues that affect members of the police force, from institutional sexism and racism to individual struggles.

Trigger Point

Stream series 1-2 in Apps > ITVX now

After Vicky McClure became a household name as DI Kate Fleming in Line Of Duty, she turned her attention to a very different division within the force as Trigger Point’s Lana Washington who leads a bomb squad and thwarts terrorist threats daily. Explosive stuff.

Grace

Stream series 1-5 in Apps > ITVX now

This adaptation of Peter James’s crime novels by acclaimed screenwriter Russell Lewis has won legions of fans, particularly for the endearing partnership between the DS Roy Grace (John Simms) and his right-hand man DS Glenn Branson (Richie Campbell).

Manhunt

Stream series 1-2 in Apps > ITVX now

Inspired by true crimes including the murder of French student Amélie Delagrange and the 17-year reign of “the Night Stalker”, Manhunt stars Martin Clunes as tenacious DCI Colin Sutton and has won praise for its realistic depiction of police work.

Des

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

David Tennant gives a chilling performance as serial killer Dennis Nilsen, making for an equally eerie and riveting watch as the truth of his horrifying crimes unfolds. Our advice? Just remember to watch it with the lights turned on… 

A Confession

Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX now

A Confession has all the trappings of a classic crime drama. But what puts it a cut above the rest is that it divides its focus between the heroic actions of an officer who breaches police protocol to catch a serial killer and the agonising stories of the victims’ grieving families.

McDonald & Dodds

Stream series 1-4 in Apps > ITVX now

If you’re a fan of Death In Paradise and the like, then don’t miss out on this standout addition to the cosy crime genre, particularly for the amusing chalk-and-cheese partnership of Jason Watkins and Tala Gouveia which makes the show utterly bingeable.

A Murder At The End Of The World

Stream season 1 in Apps > ITVX now

This US series takes an unexpected approach to the established crime drama formula, largely driven by Gen Z amateur sleuther Darby Hart (Emma Corrin) who must prove murder is afoot at a reclusive Arctic retreat before the killer strikes again.

Under The Banner Of Heaven

Stream season 1 in Apps > ITVX now

Hollywood royalty Andrew Garfield stars as Detective Jeb Pyre, whose faith is shaken to its core when he investigates the murder of a Mormon mother and her baby that appears to be connected to their church. Powerful viewing.

The second series comes to ITV1 HD (CH 103) and ITVX (Apps > ITVX) at 8pm on Sunday 20 July, and will be shown across three two-hour long episodes. For more information about watching ITVX on your TV package click here.

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