After a three-year wait, DI Karen Pirie is back on the case. The hit British crime drama returned for its second season, bringing with it a gripping new mystery and a mix of familiar faces and compelling new characters. The new season, which began airing in the US on BritBox on October 2, 2025, sees Lauren Lyle reprise her award-winning role as the determined detective.
The show’s second chapter is based on Val McDermid’s novel A Darker Domain and shifts the investigation to the infamous 1984 kidnapping of an oil heiress and her young son, a case that has haunted Scotland for decades.
The Returning Investigators
The core team of detectives viewers grew to love in the first season is back, with some key developments in their professional and personal lives.
Lauren Lyle as DI Karen Pirie
Lauren Lyle returns as the titular character, who has been promoted to Detective Inspector. Now in charge of her own team, Karen is leading the cold case inquiry into the Grant family kidnapping. Lyle is best known for her role as Marsali in the popular series Outlander.
Chris Jenks as DC Jason “Mint” Murray
Chris Jenks is back as the honest and dedicated DC Jason Murray, Karen’s reliable sidekick. The character, known by his nickname “The Mint,” continues to be a key asset to Karen’s investigations. Jenks is also recognized for his role as Steve in the Netflix series Sex Education.
Zach Wyatt as DS Phil Parhatka
Zach Wyatt returns as DS Phil Parhatka, a trusted member of Karen’s team. This season, their professional relationship is complicated by the fact that they are in a secret romantic relationship, a situation that creates new dynamics as they work together.
Emer Kenny as Dr. River Wilde
Emer Kenny reprises her dual role as both the show’s writer and the character Dr. River Wilde, a professor of forensic anthropology. As Karen’s best friend, River provides both scientific expertise and a personal confidante for the lead detective.
Rakhee Thakrar as Bel Richmond
Rakhee Thakrar returns as Bel Richmond, the podcaster and documentary maker who Karen met during the first season’s investigation. Bel brings her media savvy and investigative skills back to help with the new case.
New Faces in the Mystery
Season 2 introduces a host of new characters central to the 1984 kidnapping case, played by a talented ensemble of actors.
Julia Brown as Catriona “Cat” Grant
Julia Brown plays Catriona Grant, the charming oil heiress whose kidnapping with her two-year-old son, Adam, sets the stage for the entire season. Her disappearance in 1984 has remained one of Scotland’s most prominent unsolved cases.
James Cosmo as Sir Broderick Grant
Veteran actor James Cosmo joins the cast as Sir Broderick Grant, the powerful patriarch of the Grant family and a successful oil tycoon. Cosmo is widely known for his roles in major productions like Game of Thrones and Braveheart.
Frances Tomelty as Lady Mary Grant
Frances Tomelty plays Lady Mary Grant, Catriona’s mother and the ex-wife of Broderick. Her character holds deep emotional secrets about the family’s past.
John Michie as Fergus Sinclair
John Michie appears as Fergus Sinclair, the father of Catriona’s son, Adam. He also worked for the Grant family, adding layers of complexity to his connection with the case.
Saskia Ashdown as DC Isla Stark
Saskia Ashdown is a new addition to the police team as DC Isla Stark. Brought in by Karen’s boss, DCS Simon Lees, Isla has a secret assignment to keep an eye on Karen’s unconventional methods.
The Flashback Characters
A significant part of the season’s storytelling involves flashbacks to 1984, requiring a separate set of actors to portray younger versions of the main characters.
Jamie Michie as Young Broderick Grant
Jamie Michie plays the younger version of Broderick Grant in the 1980s timeline, showing the family patriarch during the era when the kidnapping occurred.
Madeleine Worrall as Young Mary Grant
Madeleine Worrall portrays the younger Mary Grant, revealing the character’s life and struggles during the time of her daughter’s disappearance.
Mark Rowley as Young Mick Prentice
Mark Rowley plays Mick Prentice, a man who had a secret relationship with Catriona before she went missing. His character holds important clues to the past.
Kat Ronney as Bonnie
Kat Ronney appears as Bonnie, Catriona’s best friend who was a witness to the terrifying abduction outside a fish and chip shop.
The Season’s Central Case
The second season of Karen Pirie delves into the infamous 1984 case of Catriona Grant and her son Adam, who were kidnapped at gunpoint outside a chip shop in Fife. The case confounded investigators for decades until a man’s body is discovered in the present day with clear links to the original crime.
This discovery forces Karen Pirie and her team to reopen the cold case, taking on “the biggest challenge of their careers to date.” As they investigate, they uncover painful family secrets, political grudges, and a web of betrayals that span generations. The story is noted for its surprising twists, including the revelation that Catriona herself was involved in planning the abduction as a desperate attempt to escape her family.
The show’s writer and star, Emer Kenny, explained the approach: “We get to see how the case was investigated back when evidence and people’s memories were fresh.”
The season is structured as three 90-minute episodes, allowing for a deep dive into both the present-day investigation and the flashback sequences that reveal what truly happened in 1984.
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