Viewers urged to binge 'must-see' ITV show before Sunday

Telly addicts are being encouraged to catch up on a riveting crime series hailed by viewers as "must-see" television, with the second series set to premiere in mere days.

The show features Outlander star Lauren Lyle in the titular role, as Karen Pirie returns to crack another chilling cold case.

Debuting in 2022 on ITV, the drama is adapted from Val McDermid's Inspector Karen Pirie novels.

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In its opening series, viewers watched Karen delve into the quarter-century-old murder of a barmaid, unravelling a tangled mess of secrets and lies to pinpoint the true culprit among numerous possible motives.

Brought to life by the same team behind hit shows Line of Duty and Bodyguard, the upcoming season will be based on McDermid's second book, A Darker Domain, reports the Express.

Lauren reprises her role as the bold, Scottish sleuth "with a quick mouth and a tenacious desire for the truth", joined by Emer Kenny, Chris Jenks, and a line-up of fresh faces.

The first outing of the crime drama was met with critical acclaim, boasting an impressive 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and saw Lauren bagging the Best Actress - Television accolade at the Bafta Scotland Awards in 2023.

One viewer praised: "Interesting plot. Very well done. If you like police procedurals and true crime podcasts, you will enjoy this series."

Another eagerly commented: "Can't wait for a second season! I love Lauren Lyles - I'm a great Outlander fan!"

And yet another shared: "Great detective with a fantastic Lauren Lyle. Funny, engaging. A classic British crime drama with a nice modern touch to it."

"I thought this was great! Suspenseful, funny and dramatic all at the same time," a fourth viewer chimed in.

"Must see. Superb acting, story and most direction except some over ambitious camera moves. Really hoping for a second season," another fan penned.

Their wishes have been granted, with the second season finally airing after a three-year hiatus.

The three-part series is set to debut on ITVX this Sunday, with the first episode premiering at 8pm.

The official synopsis for the second season reveals: "After her bittersweet success in series one, Karen has been promoted to Detective Inspector and seemingly given the authority she has long been fighting for.

"Just as she's getting into the swing of her powerful new role, she is assigned an infamous unsolved case that will put her under intense scrutiny; from her boss, from the media, and ultimately, from sinister forces that would rather the past stayed in the past.

"The 1984 case of Catriona and Adam Grant has confounded investigators and intrigued the public like no other. Catriona, the charming young heiress to a vast oil fortune, and her two-year-old son Adam, were brutally kidnapped at gunpoint outside a fish and chip shop in Fife.

"The ransom notes that followed stirred up an uncontrollable press storm, but when the culprits fell silent, the police faltered, and Catriona and Adam were never seen again.

"Now, a man's body has been discovered, with indisputable links to the original kidnap. With the first piece of evidence in decades, Karen must assemble an unbeatable team alongside her sincere and lovable sidekick DC Jason 'Mint' Murray (Chris Jenks) and the brilliant - but romantically complicated - DS Phil Parhatka (Zach Wyatt).

"With the international renown of the kidnap and the constant pressure from Catriona's father, Sir Broderick Grant (James Cosmo), the team take on the biggest challenge of their careers to date.

"As Karen delves deeper into what happened in the autumn of 1984, political grudges and painful secrets reveal themselves, and it soon becomes clear... the past is far from dead."

Lauren had previously hinted that this series would be "a little bit more epic, a little bit bigger", expressing that she was "really excited" for viewers to see it.

She enthused: "I'm thrilled that we will continue the life of our fearless young detective Karen Pirie, and of course, her bumbag. I've known for a while how well the show has gone down behind the scenes so it's been a joy to see audiences want more."

Karen Pirie season 2 will air on Sunday, July 20, with the first episode premiering at 8pm on ITV1