ByParul SharmaGAU Senior Writer
- 08:15, 18 May 2026
The crime drama space is a crowded one, and it’s often hard to find a series which stands out amidst the genre’s overcrowded ranks.
It’s exciting then, when viewers stumble upon little-known treasures that blow their minds — and this underrated British-Irish police drama is just that.
Adapted for television by Sarah Phelps, Dublin Murders is a cop drama based on two separate novels — In the Woods (2007) and The Likeness (2008) — by author Tana French as part of her Dublin Murder Squad book series.
Fans of British crime dramas like Line of Duty and Broadchurch will especially love the show, with its twists and turns making for a gripping binge-watching spree.
Starring Killian Scott and Sarah Greene in the lead as Detectives Rob Reilly and Cassie Maddox, the actors are joined by Michael D’Arcy, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Eugene O’Hare, Moe Dunford, Ellie O’Halloran, Niall Jordan, and Ian Kenny to round out a stellar cast.
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Image:
BBC/Euston Films/Starz/Steffan Hill)
The eight-episode crime drama was initially commissioned by the BBC for BBC One and Starz, with Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ joining the project at a later stage.
The show’s official plot states: “Detectives Rob Reilly and Cassie Maddox find themselves dispatched to investigate the murder of a young girl on the outskirts of Dublin, Ireland. Based on the books “In the Woods” and “The Likeness” by American-Irish writer Tana French, this psychological thriller features a cast of mostly Irish actors, including Killian Scott and Sarah Greene as the leads.
“The series follows the detectives, who put their friendship to the test, as they are pulled deeper into the intrigue and darkness that surrounds the case.”
Available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer and with a subscription on Netflix, the series has impressed critics and audiences alike.
One reviewer said of the show: “Some crime series captivate because the mystery itself is so maddeningly mysterious, while the lure of others is largely the frisson between the leading detectives. This Irish drama of tragedy and intrigue has both in spades.”
While another critic added: “Don’t let the dull title fool you; this is an excellent, unique crime story; a treat whether you’re a fan of the source material or not.”
A third reviewer was left mighty impressed: “Dublin Murders is gripping, wonderfully atmospheric stuff that throws up mysteries galore.”
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Image:
BBC/Euston Films/Starz/Jonathan Hession)
While one critic felt the cop drama was better than many others out there: “Murders are bad everywhere. Dublin Murders, though, the new BBC crime drama by Sarah Phelps? Very good. In fact, better than many crime dramas.”
Audiences were impressed as well, with one viewer writing: “I really dug the absolute hell out of this, def a beautifully brutal mini series, and the actors we’re perfect, the young actress who played Adalyn was completely convincing and scary af, you ever see a movie with little demon kids that weird you the F out well if you haven’t watch this,i loved it.”
An IMDB user review of the British-Irish police drama reads: “A MIND TWISTING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER. I just finished binge watching this. It starts off slow as the story unravels its characters. It seems like a pretty simple whodunnit, but its not.
“The characters are flawed and have dark pasts which interweave beautifully with the main plot and just when you think you have it all worked out…. another bread crumb appears and like Hansel and Gretel you cant help yourself… You follow. I wont give anything away, but i hope they do a season 2… Special appearance by one of my favourite Game of Thrones characters and the acting is superb”
Another user review on IMDB states: “Dublin Murders is very clever writing indeed, in fact, I haven’t seen anything quite like it.”
While another viewer writes: “Absolutely brilliant. This gets you hooked from the first episode. I just wish it was released as a whole as I hate waiting for each episode.
“One of the best shows on tv in a long time. Brilliant cast. Killian Scott has been in a few shows I’ve seen and he is fantastic in this as well. Hope there’s more than one season.”
A Rotten Tomatoes audience review of the show says: “I think this is an excellent show! I’m so tired of American shows! The casting is marvelous; this is not the same old thing. Very true to the novels, and very good! I am reading every Tana French novel I can get my hands on. Love it!”
Dublin Murders is available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer or with a subscription on Netflix.
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