For lovers of quality television, the best British mysteries become a lifelong love affair. The atmosphere, plot twists, and intelligent presentation bring us a unique television experience that relaxes the mind while challenging it with a good puzzle. Below are the 10 best British mysteries that ran as long series or are still running now. Happy viewing!
#1. Inspector Morse
Set in Oxford, England, in the late 20th Century, the Inspector Morse series is one of the best British mysteries ever produced. Based on the witty, cunningly-crafted novels of Colin Dexter, the series focuses on the prestigious university and its surrounding area, with murder weaving its way through erudite themes, classical music and human passions. Despite the stunning setting of Oxford and the English countryside, unlike other British mysteries known as “cozy’s” for their lush setting, Inspector Morse is sadder and darker, exploring painful themes that look at human nature in general. And yet, the series will leave you gasping at times with its complexity and beauty.
#2. Cadfael
Set in 12th Century Northern England, Cadfael is one of the rare British mysteries that weave history with mystery. Once a soldier in the crusades, Cadfael becomes a Benedictine monk in his old age at the Abby of St. Peter and St. Paul in Shrubbery, where he grows medicinal herbs and investigates suspicious deaths. Unlike other British mysteries that blend darkness with murder, here hope and the greatness of human nature are woven into every story. Behind every mystery lies psychological reasons that drove a person to murder. And the solutions to all the mysteries are convincing and beguiling. Based on the enchanting novels of Ellis Peters (which you can still find at used book stores), this is a British murder mystery like no other.
#3. Foyle’s War
Set in WWII England near the coast of Dover, from which the invasion of England was expected to come, Foyle’s War is one of the most elegant British mysteries produced in recent years. One man, Inspector Foyle, finds himself helping the war effort by solving murder mysteries amid the routine death-toll of war. Weaving the fascinating human side of history with questions of morality and human drama, Inspector Foyle is an exquisite viewing experience. From the famous writer, Anthony Horowitz, who brought us some of the best episodes of Midsomer Murder, the reticent character of Inspector Foyle is unforgettable.
#4. Midsomer Murder
Set in the lush Midsomer counties of the English countryside during the late 20th Century and early 21st, Midsomer Murder is one of the most charming British mysteries ever created. Known as a “cozy”, a murder mystery in which blood and gore take a backseat to beautiful landscapes and eccentric characters, this series follows inspector Barnaby as he solves suspicious deaths in unique settings. Based on the books of Caroline Graham, this series has many faces thanks to the wide range of writer’s who have written for it. Despite the shallow analysis of human nature, the charm of Midsomer Murder makes it one of the most popular and long-running British mysteries of all time.
#5. Poirot
Set in England after WWI, Poirot is one of the greatest British mysteries, from one of its finest British writers. The creation of Dame Agatha Christie, Poirot is a perspicacious, inimitable character all mystery lovers recognize by his pear-shaped body and glossy mustache. True to Agatha Christie’s unrivaled imagination, every story in the series is engaging and fascinating, weaving human nature into the fabric of every tale. With an unrivaled performance from David Suchet, this British mystery series brings the many Poirot stories to life as if by magic.
#6. Agatha Christie’s Marple
Set in the English countryside in the early 20th Century, Agatha Christie’s Marple is one of the newest British mysteries produced today and one with a satirical, whimsical spirit. Based on the Miss Marple character from Agatha Christie’s novels and short stories, the Marple series reinvents the plots by creating puzzles from various stories for a single episode. Adding characters of beautiful, intriguing young people to help narrate the tale, this British mystery renders the role of a mentor to the gracious, wise Miss Marple. With stunning settings, whimsical music and a paperback, light-hearted feel, this is one of the most entertaining British mysteries created to puzzle our wits.
#7. Inspector Lewis
Set in Oxford, England, Inspector Lewis stands shoulder to shoulder with the greatest British mysteries. Picking up a few years after the end of the Inspector Morse series, this spin-off follows the once sergeant, now Inspector, Lewis. Reversing the roles shared by Inspector and Sergeant, now it is the young Hathaway who is the classically trained former Oxford student (as Morse had been), while Lewis is now a more complex character, weathered by life’s hardships that have turned him at once more firm and bitter. Retaining the sophistication and morose, poetic feel of the parent series, Inspector Lewis is one of the greatest British mysteries produced today.
#8. Sherlock Holmes
There is one interpretation of Sherlock Holmes that stands apart from all others. Adhering strictly to the character descriptions of author, Arthur Conan Doyle, actor, Jeremy Brett, created a Sherlock Holmes like no other. Though jarring to viewers at first because of its stark contrast to past, mellow interpretations of the famous character, the Sherlock Holmes of Jeremy Brett grows to replace all former notions, until past performances begin to seem improbable. Of all British mysteries, this one brings to life these famous stories faithfully, retaining the feel of late Victorian England, the discovery of the science of detection, and the strong bond between Holmes and Watson, who is never once ridiculed into a foil of his friend’s genius.
#9. A Touch of Frost
Set in late 20th Century England, A Touch of Frost, is a more realistic, hard-crime drama, focusing on social issues of modern life and crime. Presenting more gritty, realistic themes common to later British Mysteries like Prime Suspect, A Touch of Frost still retains the innocence and goodness of the detective found in “cozy” or historical mysteries. Despite his lack of education, Inspector Frost’s intelligence makes him a compelling character wise in the ways of the world and the many facets of human nature.
#10. Rumpole
Classified as a thriller, drama and comedy, the legal series Rumpole shares many qualities with the greatest British mysteries. Following the cases of British attorney (barrister), Rumpole, the series explores the relationship of justice to law, and the place a man may hold among his fellows when he pursues the truth in defiance of seniority, political correctness, or vanity. The eccentric character, portrayed by the great Leo McKern, combines a mind that reveres poetry, truth and beauty, yet fits quite well into a sordid world of minor villains and cheap wine. At all times the main plot and subplots combine to weave stunning mysteries that, through a shrewd nose for unraveling clues, Rumpole turns into triumphs in the face of insurmountable disasters.
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