Gripping

The unpredictable crime drama follows the puzzling deaths of four guests at a dinner party

MobLand star Emmett J. Scanlan is starring in a new murder mystery alongside Celebrity Traitors’ Sharon Rooney.

Channel 5 has released a first look at their upcoming thriller, An Impossible Way to Die, which follows two detectives who are tasked with uncovering the mysterious deaths of four guests at a dinner party.

The six-part series has been described as “gripping” by the broadcaster, and follows Sharon Rooney’s character, DS Katie Salter, whose quiet local policing life is upended when she is thrust into a high-pressure murder investigation with DI Niall Conway, played by Emmett J Scanlon.

Described as a character-driven, unpredictable drama exploring identity, protection, power, and corruption, the story will see DS Katie Salter “happily solving everyday crimes until fate drags her into an impossible murder mystery”.

The synopsis continues: “Four people sat around a table seemingly set for a dinner party – except they are all dead. The only clue is a scorpion crawling out of one of the victim’s mouths.”

It continues: “Salter is not your stereotypical damaged and tormented TV detective. Smart, diligent, and committed to her family, tensions quickly surface when Salter is partnered with DI Niall Conway, lead investigator on the case. Salter’s measured, grounded approach clashes with Conway’s all-consuming dedication to the job.

“At first, the two detectives appear fundamentally incompatible. Yet, as the investigation deepens and the pressure intensifies, Conway begins to recognise the value of Salter’s empathy, optimism, and instinctive understanding of people.”

The synopsis adds: “As the case grows increasingly impossible, secrets are unearthed and conspiracies emerge, lives are put at risk as the detectives race against time to connect seemingly disparate cases and unmask a killer before it’s too late.”

DS Katie Salter actress Sharon Rooney is best known for playing Rae Earl in My Mad Fat Diary and was recently seen competing in the latest series of The Celebrity Traitors. While Emmett J. Scanlan is famed for portraying Paul O’Donnell in Paramount+ crime series MobLand, his other recent roles include A Working Man, Gangs of London, and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.

Coldwater and Vigil star Lois Chimimba will star alongside Rooney and Scanlan, and will be joined by Black Mirror’s Jonny Lavelle and This Country’s Ashley McGuire.

The crime series is scheduled to air in 2027 and has been penned by Death is Paradise’s Jillian Mannion, alongside Ciara Conway, David Persiva, Robin Ganderton, and Rowena Johnson.

Adam Wimpenny serves as director for the thriller, which is executive produced by Clapperboard’s Mike Benson and Myf Hopkins. Amber Howorth also serves as producer

An Impossible Way to Die will air on Channel 5 in 2027

Fans of dark crime dramas have a new thriller to look forward to, with a familiar face set to lead Sky’s latest big adaptation.

Fans of dark, gripping crime dramas have a new series to add to their watchlists.

David Oyelowo is set to lead the cast in Sky’s new series The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, alongside rising star Viola Prettejohn, who is known for playing young Princess Elizabeth in the sixth season of The Crown.

The eight-part Sky Original is adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s bestselling Millennium novels. It could be perfect for viewers who enjoyed shows such as The Fall and The Capture, with a dark mystery, complex characters and a dangerous investigation at its heart.

David, who is known for his roles in Selma and Interstellar will take on the role of investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Viola Prettejohn will play Lisbeth Salander, the brilliant but troubled hacker at the centre of Larsson’s story.

The story follows Blomkvist as he is hired by wealthy businessman Henrik Vanger to investigate the disappearance of his niece Harriet.

Harriet vanished more than 30 years earlier from the Vanger family’s isolated island home, but Henrik remains convinced that a member of his own family was responsible.

Blomkvist soon teams up with Salander, an exceptionally talented hacker with a complicated past and a fierce determination to uncover the truth.

Together, they begin to uncover secrets buried within the Vanger family, leading them towards a far more dangerous mystery than they initially expected.

The new adaptation will bring Larsson’s story into the modern day, exploring themes including power, misogyny, secrecy and technology.

The original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novel was published in 2005 and went on to become an international bestseller. The Millennium books have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and have already been adapted for both Swedish and English-language audiences.

The first English-language film adaptation was released in 2011 and starred Daniel Craig as Blomkvist and Rooney Mara as Salander, with David Fincher directing.

The new Sky series will offer a fresh interpretation of the characters and story for a new audience and it comes from Left Bank Pictures, the production company behind The Crown and The Day of the Jackal.

Meghan Lyvers, Managing Director, Scripted Originals, Sky, said: “Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist are two of modern fiction’s most iconic and compelling characters, and we’re thrilled to have Viola and David bringing them to life for a new generation.”

She added: “Our brilliant writing team, Reinaldo Marcus Green’s bold vision and our fantastic partners at Left Bank Pictures are creating a series that honours everything audiences love about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, while taking its characters, mystery and themes into a world that feels unmistakably of the moment. We can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”

Filming is due to begin in Lithuania next month, with the series set to air on Sky and NOW in the UK and Ireland, as well as Sky platforms across Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo lands on Sky soon