
‘Must-watch' new detective drama you've never heard of is totally free to stream
Viewers are finally starting to discover a new crime drama from earlier this month that has been picking up rave reviews.
Not only is this series a critically acclaimed gem, it doesn't cost a penny to watch as it's homed on the free on demand platform, U.
It also stars a crop of incredibly recognisable faces from British TV, including Sherlock's Mark Gatiss, Bridgerton's Polly Walker, Line of Duty's Daniel Mays and The Inbetweeners' Blake Harrison.
Set in London in 1946, Gatiss stars as an antique bookseller in possession of a letter from Churchill following his enigmatic service in the war which allows him to aid police in murder investigations.
He soon develops a reputation as a capable amateur sleuth aided by a vast collection of knowledge and a habit of collecting quirky associates who provide vital clues. However, he's also forced to hide his sexuality from the public.
Perfect for fans of Ludwig and Father Brown, Bookish is poised to become your next crime obsession - and it's already been renewed for a second season.
The Guardian gave the series a rave review, calling it 'a tasty nugget of absolute delight'.
They added: 'Overall Bookish is a fine piece of entertainment – meticulously worked, beautifully paced and decidedly moreish.
'It has enough spikiness to stop it being formulaic but enough love for the genre to keep it comforting. A joy.'
Casual fans have also been heaping praise onto Bookish, with one Google review saying: 'I absolutely loved every second of this wonderful series. Great characters, great storyline all beautifully crafted by the fantastic Mark.
'Cannot wait for series 2 and many more after that. A true gem of a programme.'
Someone else wrote: 'A brilliantly written series. Entertaining, clever and amusing. It's refreshing to see excellent television at last. We are looking forward to seeing the next series with anticipation.
'Thank you goes to Mark Gatiss for creating a truly special, tongue in cheek, delightful whodunit series. The gay references and affectionate scenes are merged beautifully into the drama.'
Another said: 'Most enjoyable. Another masterpiece from the pen of Mark Gatiss. Looking forward to seeing the new episodes.
'Thrilling viewing with many twists and turns. I hope there are more series in the pipeline.'
And a final fan wrote: 'Such a great series. Well considered, interesting and so addictive.
'It slowly reveals snippets of information throughout which is a touch of genius. Great casting and characters. MORE please!'
With five-star reviews continuing to pour in, Bookish demands to be placed at the very top of your watchlist if it's not on your radar already.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Statesman
21 minutes ago
- New Statesman
The landlord stranglehold
Illustration by Pablo Blasberg / Ikon Images Lofty views have long moved thoughtful souls to reflect on their property portfolios. The great Alexander hiked up the Eurasian Steppe in order to cry, because there was no land left to conquer. Mufasa the lion led Simba up Pride Rock to celebrate the fact that 'everything the light touches is ours'. I believe stout Cortez did something of the like too. Probably none of those famous perches reached a vantage so high as London's 224-metre 'Cheese Grater' skyscraper. But the unpropertied folk who gathered there on Tuesday 22 July had less vaunted reflections. Alexander wept because he owned all of his view. The attendees here wept because they owned none of theirs. Everything the light touched was a landlord's. The event was titled 'Shit! I'm in my 30s and not on the property ladder WTF?!' Before the talk, I spoke to a 28-year-old civil servant from the north-west who wanted a child and a garden with his girlfriend. But, he said, 'I genuinely cannot work out a calculation that puts me in a job where I can afford to.' Without family dying and leaving inheritances, there was no way anyone could afford anything. 'People are facing a worse time than ever when it comes to buying… It's such a depressing state to be in.' He had heard Japan was encouraging pro-immigration sentiment so young immigrants could fund the ageing population. But as more housing would damage the value of the existing stock, he had little hope of new building. 'I hate to be prophet of doom but it's what goes around inside my head. And I absolutely know that it's what goes around the heads of people my age all around the country.' Hosting the panel were columnist and housing campaigner Vicky Spratt and mortgage expert Andrew Montlake. The sofa had a hero for the crowd: a thirty-something professional living in a flatshare, wondering how she might ever buy a home. And the house villain: a slickly besuited man who had stopped 'messing around' trying to become a musician at 27, and was now an estate agent. But despite the potential Punch-and-Judy casting, the points made were tender. As Spratt put it, British people 'want a piece of the world that is theirs'. In lots of places, owning your house is not part of the culture. It's quite normal to rent all your life in several northern European countries. But the fact is that, in Britain, ownership is entrenched. Putting wealth in inert assets is not productive; but it has been profitable for generations, and it is now habit. In a recent Times column, Matthew Syed explained that his generation bought homes with their money 'because we naturally wanted to own our homes but also because we knew our wealth would surge'. They were right. He points out that in the last 30 years, London house prices are up 2,100 per cent. But that climb took prices far beyond wages, and so far above what the next generation could afford. It's such a glaring injustice that even Nigel Farage has made it part of his schtick, at times sounding like Jeremy Corbyn. (Ander perhaps Generation Rent is listening: Farage has more TikTok followers than all other MPs together.) He puts it succinctly. 'Getting a house, getting a good job. All they want is what their mum and dad have had! Or what their gran and grandad have had.' A difficulty in changing Britain is that the have-nots are so exposed to the haves. And that makes them angry. The young professional on stage fumed that the people who had answered no to her Instagram poll on whether people deserved to own homes were those whose parents had helped them buy one. Repeatedly summoned was the figure of the owner-landlord, who gets their tenant to work off their mortgage, or pay for their holidays. As the essayist Oliver Eagleton has put it, 'domestically, rentierism is the major structural problem for the British economy'. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe It is a problem for the British heart too. The government has recognised this and plans soon to implement the Renters' Rights Bill. And the panel expected that any future governments would continue the popular course. The near-term upshot of a more hostile letting environment is a transfer of stock as landlords sell to private, live-in buyers. What that means, the panel explained, is that if you can, you should buy as soon as possible. The supply flow will suppress prices but squeeze rents. (And Spratt noted that rent never seems to come back down again after inflationary pressures abate.) There will be between three and five years of this. Then, the supply dried up and the rent raised, property value will start to climb again. There is a right side and a wrong side to be on when that happens. Our only really radical solution available is to build much more housing. Oli Dugmore called for 5 million new homes in these pages. But Labour's flagship planning reforms recently made concessions to Chris Hinchliff's environmental regulations. And at the Cheese Grater, there was simply little hope that the young could ever prevail. For most owners, the house is the most valuable asset. They don't want it cheapened, and they have the power. [Further reading: Landlordism is killing culture] Related


Times
6 hours ago
- Times
Adrian Dunbar: ‘I'm really excited about the new Line of Duty'
Adrian Dunbar, 66, grew up in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. He is best known for playing Superintendent Ted Hastings in the BBC police drama Line of Duty and was nominated for a Bafta for the role in 2018. The last episode of the final season in 2021 was watched by 12.8 million viewers. He featured in the film Emily and the musical Kiss Me, Kate and now stars in police drama Ridley. He lives with his wife in London. Working in an abattoir was a very good grounding in how difficult it is to earn £20. I still love a bacon sandwich. It gives you a perspective on life that you don't forget. I've taken a lot of pleasure in watching Kneecap rinsing the system. [Kneecap are a controversial Irish rap group who made comments about the Israel-Palestine conflict at Glastonbury and Coachella.] They're an amazing act and they've caught the zeitgeist. But they're good people and conscientious people. I'm going to go and see them with my daughter, just to see what the craic is.


Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Marcus Rashford gets into the action on Barcelona debut as he comes on at half time – but gets subbed after 33 minutes
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARCUS Rashford gets into the action on his Barcelona debut yesterday — after coming out at half-time for just 33 minutes. The Three Lions striker, on a season-long loan from Man Utd, became the first Englishman to play for the Spanish giants since Gary Lineker between 1986 and 1989. 3 Marcus Rashford takes a shot at goal on his Barcelona debut 3 The Three Lions striker is on a season-long loan from Man Utd Credit: Getty 3 He is the first Englishman to play for the Spanish giants since Gary Lineker Credit: Getty Legend Lineker said: 'I expect Marcus will do well.' Rashford, 27, helped Barca to a 3-1 victory in a friendly in Japan against local team Vissel Kobe. We recently revealed how Rashford has has rekindled his relationship with former fiancée Lucia Loi. She was with him when he signed for FC Barcelona. The Three Lions ace, 27, and childhood sweetheart Lucia, 26, were together during a photoshoot before he was unveiled as the Catalan giants' latest signing at the Camp Nou stadium. She took his photo, then moved behind him to take another and seemingly checked his shirt before the Man United exile posed beside a traditional red British phone box. Rashford was later seen emerging from the kiosk in a post on FC Barcelona's social media, captioned: 'Hello? Barca? For sure, I'm coming.' The Sun understands that Rashford has asked calming influence Lucia, who works in PR, to help him settle in to life in Spain so he can focus on his football. But they were not seen together until they were unwittingly snapped preparing for his phone box stunt. A source said the pair have stayed close, despite their 2022 engagement fizzling out, and have grown close again of late.