ITV Adapting Cold Case Thriller THE DISTANT ECHO
Mike Sprague
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British broadcaster ITV is adapting Val McDermid’s cold case investigation books into a series dubbed Karen Pirie. They have ordered three, two-hour episodes based on The Distant Echo, McDermid’s first novel in a series of best-sellers about a young Scottish female detective named, you guessed it, Karen Pirie.
Deadline describes the titular Karen as a refreshingly normal and charmingly unfashionable young woman. While she is not slick or a maverick cop, her quick mouth and ingenuity make her an impressive investigator.
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The series will center on Karen following her promotion to Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit when she is tasked with reopening the investigation into a murder that has been the subject of a provocative true-crime podcast. The murder in question is of a teenage barmaid named Rosie Duff who was stabbed to death in 1995. Suspicion fell on the three drunken students who discovered her body. But despite police suspicion, the boys were never charged. Nearly 25 years on, DS Karen Pirie is determined to uncover what happened that fateful night. Do the men know more than they previously revealed? When Karen uncovers flaws in the initial investigation, she finds herself in conflict with the very officers who led the original hunt for the killer.
Filming will take place in Scotland on the series written by Emer Kenny (Harlots, EastEnders). It will be exec produced by Simon Heath with Huw Kennair Jones overseeing production.
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Kennair Jones said: “Emer has brilliantly realized McDermid’s iconic detective, and the rich crime stories Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit investigate. We’re thrilled to be working with Simon Heath and World Productions to bring such an exciting new series to the ITV audience.”
CEO of World Productions, Simon Heath said: “Emer is a new and exciting voice who brings a witty, contemporary take to Val’s brilliant and much-loved Karen Pirie novels. We’re delighted that ITV have given us the chance to bring them to the screen.”
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Emer Kenny added: “Val is the queen of crime for good reason and I’m honored to be bringing her creation to a TV audience, especially for ITV which has been home to some of my favorite detective shows, from Broadchurch to Prime Suspect. Of course, I’m delighted to be working with World Productions again, who really know their way around a crime drama.”
Val McDermid added: “I’m sure this adaptation will bring Karen many new fans as well as delighting her existing ones. Karen and the Historic Cases Unit are in very safe hands.”
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