Woman on the edge

UNHINGED police detective Marcella is back to unravel another grisly case while battling her own demons.

It has been two years since the first series, but this London-set thriller begins just five months after we last saw Marcella, brilliantly played by Anna Friel. This time she is teetering on the edge of a high-rise roof in the darkness of night – it’s an engrossing start and will certainly reel you in.

You won’t find out what happens yet though. We flash back to 12 days earlier when Marcella is called to a murder scene. A builder, who has inexplicably been drilling a wall in darkness (only in crime dramas does this happen) has found a human ear. Yes, exactly, put your dinner down.

This leads to the discovery of a decayed body, clothed in a school blazer and surrounded by soft toys.

“I know who that is,” says Marcella immediately. Of course she does. And therefore she probably shouldn’t be working on the murder case since she knows the victim – but she does.

Meanwhile, Marcella is still having these sporadic fugue states and is worried about the effect on herself and her family.

She’s right to be concerned. Her ex, Jason (Nicholas Pinnock), tells her that if she doesn’t get help then he won’t allow her near the children anymore.

New cast members for this series include Nigel Planer, Keith Allen, Jason Hughes and Victoria Smurfit, alongside series one stalwarts Jamie Bamber, Ray Panthaki and Jack Doolan.

It’s a gripping British take on a Scandi noir.