Reopening a kidnapping case

After the first series aired on ITV1 in September 2022, Karen Pirie (Sunday, ITV1, 8pm) was described as a “surprise hit.”

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But was it really much of a shock that the drama adapted from author Val McDermid’s 'Tartan Noir’ series of books was a success?

During the noughties, Wire in the Blood, also based on the Scottish crime writer's stories, ran for six seasons, while McDermid co-created Alibi and BBC thriller Traces, alongside Amelia Bullmore.

Therefore, perhaps the surprise lies in the fact that it took so long for the Karen Pirie books, first published way back in 2003, to be adapted for TV.