“A terrific detective drama”: Olivia Colman’s 10/10 performance is the hidden gem to watch now

From her unforgettable portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown to her acclaimed turn as DS Ellie Miller in Broadchurch, Olivia Colman has built a reputation for bringing extraordinary depth to every role.

Now, fans looking for another compelling mystery can revisit The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder in Angel Lane, a Victorian crime drama that brings together Colman’s period-drama strengths with a gripping murder investigation.

The feature-length mystery stars Colman opposite Paddy Considine, who returns as the Victorian detective Jack Whicher. The second instalment in The Suspicions of Mr Whicher series originally aired on ITV in 2013 and follows Whicher after his departure from the Metropolitan Police.

What is The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder in Angel Lane about?

The story begins with Whicher living a very different life from the one he once knew as a police detective.

After leaving the Metropolitan Police, he encounters Susan Spencer, a respectable country woman who becomes caught up in a desperate search for her missing young relative. Whicher agrees to help her investigate — and soon finds himself drawn into a disturbing murder case.

Susan is searching for her 16-year-old niece, Mary, who has travelled to London while trying to find the father of her newborn child. When Mary is subsequently found murdered in Angel Lane, the investigation takes a much darker turn.

The case also puts Whicher in an uncomfortable position. Although he is no longer a serving police officer, he still has connections within the Metropolitan Police and becomes caught between his own investigation and his former colleagues.

As the mystery unfolds, secrets surrounding Mary, her family and the missing child begin to emerge.

Olivia Colman takes centre stage

Colman plays Susan Spencer, the woman whose search for her missing relative ultimately draws Whicher into the murder investigation.

Her character initially appears restrained and respectable, but the case gradually reveals a much more complicated and emotionally charged situation.

The role gives Colman an opportunity to combine the controlled performances associated with her period dramas with the emotional intensity of a woman desperate to uncover the truth.

Paddy Considine leads the drama as Jack Whicher, portraying the detective as an outsider who continues investigating despite being separated from the police force. IMDb lists Considine and Colman among the principal stars, with William Beck and Shaun Dingwall also appearing in the cast.

A Victorian mystery packed with secrets

The drama is part of a four-film Mr Whicher run inspired by the Victorian detective Jonathan “Jack” Whicher and the books by Kate Summerscale.

The first instalment, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder at Road Hill House, was inspired by the real-life 1860 murder of three-year-old Saville Kent. The later stories, including The Murder in Angel Lane, fictionalise Whicher’s subsequent career as a private investigator.

That gives the series a distinctive mix of historical atmosphere and classic detective storytelling.

In The Murder in Angel Lane, however, the mystery is fictional rather than a direct retelling of a historical case. The story instead uses the Victorian setting, Whicher’s investigative instincts and a deeply troubled family to build its own murder mystery.

Why it is worth discovering

For viewers who enjoy traditional whodunnits, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher offers plenty of familiar ingredients: a suspicious death, missing information, complicated family relationships and a detective determined to uncover what really happened.

The period setting adds another layer, transporting the story into Victorian London and creating an atmosphere filled with dark streets, social divisions and secrets that characters are desperate to keep hidden.

One contemporary review described the drama as a “murky Victorian policier,” while praising Considine’s performance as Whicher and highlighting the mystery’s darker atmosphere.

Colman’s involvement makes the second film particularly appealing for fans who discovered her through Broadchurch and later period dramas.

And while The Murder in Angel Lane originally aired more than a decade ago, its combination of Olivia Colman, Paddy Considine, Victorian intrigue and a classic murder mystery makes it an easy hidden gem for anyone searching for another atmospheric British crime drama.

The film is also currently listed for streaming on Peacock, with the feature running for around 90 minutes.