Overview: Caroline Catz and Lisa Faulkner return as the cheeky police detectives Kate "Ash" Ashurst and Emma "Scribbs" Scribbins, still cracking wise as they crack six all-new cases in the tony British ’burb of Middleford.

DVD Verdict: Detective Inspector Kate "Ash" Ashurst and Detective Sergeant Emma "Scribs" Scribbins are a homicide team operating in Middleford, a suburb of London. The murders they usually investigate involve sex and lots of money, with the occasional dive into revenge and jealousy. The six-episode second season is an absolute delight to watch, providing a murder, suspects, and a trail of tricky clues to keep armchair detectives guessing throughout.

Caroline Catz (NEW STREET LAW) plays Ash and Lisa Faulkner (SPOOKS, MI-5) plays Scribs. Both women are veterans of BBC detective and drama series, and their experience shows in their sleek handling of their roles. When you first see them on screen, you immediately buy into their characters.

Created by Nick Collins, the series is as much about the two women as it is the murders they solve. Ash and Scribs lament over the lack of good men left in the world, and the fact that cops don't usually fare well in relationships. Scribs is the more laidback, rule-ignoring one of the pair, while Ash is more image conscious and seems to have rules for everything.

The two characters and actresses are delightful to watch. The plots are intriguing and plotted well enough, though without the usual forensic evidence that most series seem to require these days. But it's the characters, the twists and turns of their private lives, thoughts, and interactions, that truly draw an audience in.

"Let me see," observes one of their adversaries. "You must be the blonde, dizzy, but at the same time practical, down-to-earth one." (That would be Scribbs.) "And you’re the dark, intense, ever-so-slightly neurotic one." (That would be Ash.) "Just one question—who does the jokes?" Actually, they both do, skewering middle-class mores while solving all manner of baffling mysteries. Their bemused boss (Jeremy Sheffield) keeps his charges under a loose rein—so long as their unorthodox style leads to closing cases.

My wife and I love the BBC detective series. We've bought several sets (and really recommend FOYLE'S WAR in addition to these) and enjoy a good game of armchair detecting throughout the episodes. If you like fun characters and a mystery plot meaty enough to sink your teeth into, MURDER IN SUBURBIA is a great series to buy or rent. This is a Full Screen Presentation (4:3) and comes with the Special Features of:
All six episodes from the second season
Cast Filmographies