The Murder Detective; Bookish

“The killing of Lyra McKee, a journalist shot while observing a riot in the Creggan area of Derry, Northern Ireland, on 18 April 2019, is a case that remains officially unsolved. Last month, three men were found not guilty of her murder after a two-year trial; so far, there has been only one conviction, for possessing the gun that killed her. That a member of the republican paramilitary group the New IRA fired the weapon is not in question. Many of the approximately 150 people who were standing within metres of him at the time must know who he is. But this is a part of Northern Ireland where police work is still, more than 25 years since the Good Friday agreement, met with violent intimidation or resolute silence. The extinguishing of McKee’s bright, hopeful talent is a story destined not to end in relief or resolution. The challenge faced by the film-maker James W Newton, in his three-part documentary on the investigation into McKee’s death, is to turn an agonisingly unsatisfactory situation into satisfying journalism. He struggles. The programme is made with care and skill, but it is a bleak situation in which not much can happen and few insightful things can be said.”
Jack Seale, The Guardian

“The heartbreaking, close-up film footage of McKee, aged 29, standing next to an armoured police vehicle in her hoodie seconds before she was shot in the Creggan estate in Derry is so dramatic it could almost have been from an episode of the Belfast-based drama Blue Lights. Sadly, it is horribly real. There is a loud bang, then panic. The shouts of bystanders and police officers can be heard clearly. “There’s a f***ing kid shot in the head,” someone screams. McKee is then lifted into a vehicle and amid the mêlée we hear the shattering words: “Can’t get a pulse here. There’s no breathing.” The New IRA later admitted responsibility and apologised, saying it was an accident. That night MTV was in Derry filming a documentary fronted by Reggie Yates about the impact of Brexit, and some say that rioters were putting on a show for the camera. McKee’s sister Nichola Corner bitterly said her sister’s murder was the “grand finale”.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“It’s not showy in a book-club bore way, but there’s a layer of sophistication available to those who choose to indulge. The séance story is silly, but it also touches on the allure of spiritualism and the poisonous legacy of collaborators and fascists. Dead Man’s Whistle alludes to the prejudice faced by an émigré Jewish family in Britain in the 1940s, while Book’s sexuality, and its illegality at the time, are constantly referred to without ever being overplayed. Most of all, Bookish’s message, in so far as it has one other than crime-solving is fun, is that the answers to most questions lie in books, words and paying attention. In the current age of stupid where we reward those who shout loudest or stir the pot for clicks, that is something to be cherished.”
Benji Wilson, Telegraph

“You can tell the calibre of this series by the high-quality actors who appear in it, sometimes only in small parts. This series will feature guest appearances from Miranda Richardson, Claire Skinner, Michael Simkins and Simon Callow. The tearjerking element of the series is Book’s protégé, Jack, searching for Felix, the German father he never knew and with whom Book was in love. Their plan is to get permission to travel to Germany to find out what happened to him. This elegant piece of work is the crème de la crème of cosy crime. Gatiss has created a world that is evocative and sinister — and in which I want to immerse myself time and time again.”
Carol Midgley, The Times