Female Detective

Female protagonist/lead investigator

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18 shows

The Hairdresser Mysteries

2026 · 1 season · BBC

Set in the fictional village of Blossom Vale in the West Midlands during the 1970s, The Hairdresser Mysteries follows Lily Petal, a high-end London hair stylist who trades the competitive city scene for a small salon at the top of a quiet cobbled street.

Annika

2021 · 2 seasons · BBC

Annika follows the sharp, witty and enigmatic DI Annika Strandhed as she heads up a new specialist Marine Homicide Unit (MHU) that is tasked with investigating the unexplained, brutal, and seemingly unfathomable murders that wash up in the waterways of Scotland

Patience

2025 · 2 seasons · Channel 4

Patience Evans works in a clerical role filing police records. An autistic woman, she has a special interest in solving puzzles and a secret fascination and talent for criminology—her unique perspective allows her to connect the dots through clues in a way others simply cannot.

Shetland

2013 · 10 seasons · BBC

Set amid the dramatic, windswept landscapes of Scotland's remote Shetland Islands, Shetland follows the local police team as they investigate murders within a close-knit island community where everyone knows everyone else's business—and secrets.

Moonflower Murders

2024 · 1 season · BBC

Moonflower Murders follows Susan Ryeland, a former London book editor now running a struggling small hotel in Crete with her Greek partner Andreas, who is drawn back to England when a wealthy couple offers her a substantial sum to find their missing daughter.

Vera

2011 · 14 seasons · ITV

Set in Northumberland, Vera follows the dishevelled but brilliant Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope as she solves complex murder cases across the stunning landscapes of North East England.

Shakespeare & Hathaway

2018 · 5 seasons · BBC

Frank Hathaway, a hardboiled private investigator, and his rookie sidekick Lu Shakespeare form the unlikeliest of partnerships as they investigate the secrets of rural Warwickshire's residents.

Signora Volpe

2022 · 2 seasons · U

Signora Volpe offers a refreshing departure from the frenetic pace of modern detective dramas, inviting viewers to savour the slower rhythms of life in the Umbrian countryside whilst still delivering compelling mysteries. Created by Rachel Cuperman and Sally Griffiths, this British-Italian co-production premiered on Acorn TV in 2022 and has since captivated audiences with its perfect blend of intrigue, stunning Italian scenery, and character-driven storytelling.

Magpie Murders

2022 · 1 season · BBC

When book editor Susan Ryeland receives the unfinished manuscript of bestselling author Alan Conway's latest Atticus Pünd mystery, she discovers the final chapter is missing and Conway is dead. As Susan searches for the missing pages, she realises that Conway's 1950s whodunit contains thinly veiled caricatures of real people in his life, and that his apparent suicide may actually be murder.

Karen Pirie

2022 · 2 seasons · ITV

Set in Scotland and based on Val McDermid's acclaimed novels, Karen Pirie follows a young, fearless Detective Sergeant working for Police Scotland's Historic Cases Unit as she tackles cold case murders that have remained unsolved for decades.

Mrs Sidhu Investigates

2023 · 1 season

Set in Slough, Berkshire, Mrs Sidhu Investigates follows the recently widowed Mrs. Sidhu, a high-end caterer with a taste for crime and her own Indian Aunty brand of nosy sleuthing.

Harry Wild

2022 · 4 seasons · Channel 4, U

A retired English professor discovers she has a knack for solving mysteries, especially when they involve literary references, and teams up with her teenage mugger to form an unlikely detective duo.

The Marlow Murder Club

2024 · 3 seasons · U

Judith, Suzie and Becks start an investigation. To assist with official police investigation, headed by Tanika, They must suspect witnesses, and face down real danger as they work against the clock to stop the killer in their tracks.

The Mallorca Files

2019 · 3 seasons · BBC

The Mallorca Files follows the unlikely partnership between Miranda Blake, a serious, by-the-book British detective, and Max Winter, a laid-back, unconventional German detective

You’re Killing Me

2026 · 1 season · U

Set in the quaint New England town of Founders' Cove, You're Killing Me follows bestselling novelist Allie Chandler, who forms an unlikely alliance with aspiring writer and true crime podcaster Andi Walker to find the killer of a close friend

Agatha Raisin

2016 · 4 seasons · Sky

Burnt out on office politics, Agatha Raisin retires early to a picturesque village in the Cotswolds and soon finds a second career as an amateur detective investigating mischief, mayhem, and murder in her deceptively quaint town.

Ellis

2024 · 2 seasons · Channel 5

DCI Ellis and her partner DS Harper are parachuted into failing police investigations across northern England, tackling seemingly unsolvable cases at different stations where their arrival is often met with resistance, hostility, and institutional barriers.

Cooper & Fry

2025 · 1 season · Channel 5

Set in the mystery-shrouded Peak District, the series follows two mismatched young detectives: affable local Ben Cooper and guarded newcomer Diane Fry.