This three part murder mystery begins during the Second World War when we are introduced to our protagonists; Susan, Millie, Jean and Lucy; four women who work at Bletchley Park analysing intelligence data to try to figure out the German's plans. The action then jumps forward a few years to the early fifties when Susan thinks she has spotted a pattern in a series of murders that have recently been reported. She informs the police of her theory but when they check up on it they find nothing. Rather than giving up she turns to her wartime friends hoping they will see the mistake she made. Their analysis of the evidence leads them to the body of another victim and soon they have an idea about how the killer is finding his victims. As they form theories some are proved wrong others initially lead the wrong way but eventually they learn who the killer is; the problem is by then he is aware that they are after him!
This is a solid mystery with a plethora of false leads, suspects who turn out to be innocent and as is often the case a police force who isn't convinced by the evidence presented by the protagonists. The four main characters are interesting and varied despite their similar wartime background. Anna Maxwell Martin does a great job as chief protagonist Susan and is ably supported by Rachael Stirling, Julie Graham and Sophie Rundle as Millie, Jean and Lucy respectively. The series doesn't concentrate on the mystery to the exclusion of all else; we see enough of their family lives to see how attitudes towards women were different back then; there are also subtle reminders to the period such as a newspaper sign mentioning rationing. Viewers hoping to solve the crime before our amateur sleuths may be a little disappointed that we don't see the killer for some time and when we do attention is drawn to him in a way that makes it fairly obvious that he is the killer I don't think that spoils the story though; there is still plenty of tension as the story approaches its conclusion. On the strength of this story I'd be pleased if more instalments were commissioned so the four women can investigate further cases.
This is a solid mystery with a plethora of false leads, suspects who turn out to be innocent and as is often the case a police force who isn't convinced by the evidence presented by the protagonists. The four main characters are interesting and varied despite their similar wartime background. Anna Maxwell Martin does a great job as chief protagonist Susan and is ably supported by Rachael Stirling, Julie Graham and Sophie Rundle as Millie, Jean and Lucy respectively. The series doesn't concentrate on the mystery to the exclusion of all else; we see enough of their family lives to see how attitudes towards women were different back then; there are also subtle reminders to the period such as a newspaper sign mentioning rationing. Viewers hoping to solve the crime before our amateur sleuths may be a little disappointed that we don't see the killer for some time and when we do attention is drawn to him in a way that makes it fairly obvious that he is the killer I don't think that spoils the story though; there is still plenty of tension as the story approaches its conclusion. On the strength of this story I'd be pleased if more instalments were commissioned so the four women can investigate further cases.