Scottish crime novel adapted for ITV

Outlander star Lauren Lyle is to star as Val McDermid’s famous character DS Karen Pirie in an adaptation of her novel The Distant Echo for ITV.

Lyle will play the fearless Scottish investigator in the new drama series, from the makers of Line Of Duty and Bodyguard.

The show, based on Scottish crime writer McDermid’s first Karen Pirie novel, will also star Emer Kenny, who has adapted the book.

Kenny will play DS Pirie’s friend, River Wilde, while Chris Jenks will play Jason “The Mint” Murray and Zach Wyatt will play DS Phil Parhatka.

The show, called Karen Pirie, will see the detective tasked with reopening a historic murder probe that has been the subject of a true crime podcast in the first episode.

Teenager Rosie Duff was found brutally murdered in the Scottish university town of St Andrews in 1996 and suspicion fell on the three drunken students who were discovered at the scene of the crime, claiming to have found her body.

With a lack of forensic evidence, no charges were brought and the police investigation floundered.

However, 25 years later, someone appears to be willing to risk everything to keep the secrets surrounding the case hidden and DS Pirie will investigate whether the three men know more than they previously revealed.

Val McDermid.