Tis the season to stay indoors, with a mug of something hot and delicious (mulled gin, anyone?), blankets strewn all over the sofa and a gritty psychological drama to sink your teeth into. 

Enter, then, Dublin Murders, which launches tonight on BBC One. 

A brand-new Irish crime drama, the series follows detectives, Rob Reilly (Killian Scott) and Cassie Maddox (Sarah Greene) as they investigate two seemingly unrelated murder cases: “a young talented ballerina who is found dead on an ancient stone altar; and a vivacious free-spirited woman, who is found stabbed in a roofless famine cottage.”

These deaths are seemingly unrelated, “but as we will discover, are actually knitted together by powerful shared themes – the macabre ‘red in tooth and claw’ elements of both stories, and their heart-thumping psychological thriller qualities.”

Intriguing, right?

Is there a trailer for the Dublin Murders?

We’re so glad you asked, because yes, there is. 

Check it out:

How scary will Dublin Murders be?

Well, it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. Sarah Greene has referred to the material as “really, really dark”, and apparently it took some time for the leads to shake off the horrors of the content. Yikes. 

Is Dublin Murders based on a true story? 

It isn’t based on a true story, but it is based on a book – the international bestselling Dublin Murder Squad novels by Tana French, to be specific. 

That’s right: the TV series is a blend of the first two novels, In the Woods and The Likeness, with the two murder investigations being intertwined. However, that’s not to say that we can predict what will happen…

The books have been adapted and transformed for our screens by series creator and writer, Sarah Phelps (Great Expectations, The Witness for the Prosecution), which means readers of the original novels may be surprised by what’s to come. 

“Tana’s compelling novels are both nail-biting thrillers, enquiries into the nature of evil and heartbreaking stories of human frailty, love and loss,” said Phelps. “I couldn’t be more excited to be bringing The Dublin Murders to audiences.”

Saul Dibb, the drama’s lead director and executive producer, said in a statement: “Writers as good as Sarah Phelps are rare and I want people to be as excited to watch Dublin Murders as I was to first read her scripts – with each episode the powerful, gripping, atmospheric, brilliantly acted mini-movie they deserve.”

Who stars in Dublin Murders? 

Killian Scott, perhaps best known for his role in Love/Hate, will play English detective, Rob Reilly. Detective Cassie Maddox, meanwhile, will be played by Sarah Greene, who has appeared in Penny Dreadful – and it seems fair to say that both stars are hugely excited about the series.

“I’m delighted to be cast in Dublin Murders,” said Greene. “To work alongside such talented people as Killian Scott, and the entire creative team is a joy.” 

Scott added: “I couldn’t be more delighted to join the creative team behind Dublin Murders. Sarah Phelps has beautifully adapted Tana French’s compelling novels into a complex and dark exploration of memory, identity and the potentially devastating consequences of pursuing truth.” 

Dublin Murders has a majority Irish cast, with Phelps saying she was in “total awe of our peerless cast of blazing Irish talent.”

This includes Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Frank, Moe Dunford as Sam, Leah McNamara as Rosalind, Ian Kenny as Phelan, Eugene O’Hare as Quigley, Jonny Holden as Damien with Conleth Hill as O Kelly and Peter McDonald as Jonathan.

How many episodes of Dublin Murders are there? 

The series consists of eight, hour-long episodes, so we can anticipate some hefty subject matter and a fair few nail-biting cliffhangers. 

Where and when can I watch Dublin Murders? 

Dublin Murders begins on Monday 14 October at 9pm on BBC1, followed by episode two on Tuesday 15 October at 9pm.

The eight-part drama will continue with new episodes each Monday and Tuesday on BBC1.

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