Blue Murder is a fantastic British mystery series staring Caroline Quentin as Detective Chief Inspector Janine Lewis. With three kids at home and another on the way she discovers her husband is having an affair. Determined not to let this get in the way of everyday life, Janine struggles on with varying degrees of success balancing the two.

With her boss DCS Hackett (David Schofield) breathing down her neck DCI Lewis takes on the first case since her promotion. A school teacher has been found murdered and there are three different suspects, each with more than enough motivation. There are some good twists thrown in and through the series. Hackett does lighten up a bit although not much.

At the beginning of each episode you are given a glimpse of the murder as it is taking place but never enough to give the mystery away. You get to solve the mystery as it goes along and in the end you might find yourself surprised at who really did it. From drug deals and pornographic videos to suicides and politically driven fires, DCI Lewis puts it all together piece by piece.

What I really liked about Janine’s character is the fact that she is such a successful detective because she works so hard at it. She is tough, if maybe a little too tough at times, and fights every step of the way to get to the bottom of a case. But she does have a softer side that you get a chance to experience when she is spending time with her family.

Also the budding romance between Janine and her right hand man DI Richard Mayne (Ian Kelsey) is fun to watch. It provides a nice light-hearted distraction from the gruesome murders that each episode is based around. You soon learn that they knew each other before Janine was married and Richard never let the old flame die.

In the first episode the cast seems a little stiff but by episode six they are pitch perfect. There is great chemistry between all of the characters and they make for captivating TV. If you like a good mystery Blue Murder is one worth watching.