Dublin Murders is back in the spotlight because the eight-part detective drama is now available to stream free on iPlayer. For viewers drawn to Line Of Duty, it offers another slow-burn crime story with a bleak edge and a mystery that keeps tightening.

The series adapts two novels by Tana French, In the Woods, published in 2007, and The Likeness, published in 2008, and was brought to the screen by Sarah Phelps. Killian Scott and Sarah Greene star as Detectives Rob Reilly and Cassie Maddox, who investigate the murder of a young girl on the outskirts of Dublin, Ireland, while their friendship is pushed to the edge by the case.

That combination of character and crime is what has kept Dublin Murders in circulation long after its original run. It was first commissioned by the for One and Starz, with RTÉ later becoming involved in the production, placing it squarely in the orbit of British and Irish crime drama at a time when the genre was already crowded. The series is also available on Netflix with a subscription, but its free arrival on iPlayer makes it easier to find for anyone looking for a serious police drama without adding another paid service.

The appeal is not hard to see. Fans of Line Of Duty and Broadchurch are said to particularly appreciate it, and reactions from viewers and critics suggest why. One reviewer called it an excellent, unique crime story. Another said it was very good and better than many crime dramas. A viewer described it as a beautifully brutal mini series, while an IMDb user review called it a mind twisting psychological thriller.

That kind of response matters because Dublin Murders has often seemed like one of those dramas that gets remembered by the people who found it and overlooked by everyone else. In a market full of procedurals and prestige thrillers, it leans on atmosphere, uneasy relationships and a case that digs into the darkness around its central pair rather than racing from clue to clue.

The result is a series that now has a second life for streaming audiences. If viewers come to it because of the Line Of Duty connection, they are likely to stay for the way it makes the investigation personal, and for the way Rob and Cassie’s bond becomes part of the story rather than just its backdrop.